Kauaʻi Itinerary: 6 Days on the Garden Isle (Updated After Hurricane Lowell)

Kauaʻi is the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands, and it looks it in the best way: five million years of rain have carved its volcano into knife-edge cliffs, deep valleys and the 3,000-foot sea walls of the Nā Pali Coast. In September 2026 Hurricane Lowell hit the island hard. Kauaʻi is open and needs visitors, but some of its most famous places are still closed. This six-day itinerary is built around what you can enjoy right now.

~95%Attractions operating, mid-Oct 2026

15 OctHāʻena State Park reopened

ClosedWaimea Canyon & Kōkeʻe (Oct 2026)

2Bases: Poʻipū and Hanalei

Kauaʻi in autumn 2026

Hurricane Lowell passed west of Kauaʻi on 8 September 2026, cutting power to over 90% of the island and damaging the south and west coasts. Recovery has been rapid: hotels, restaurants, tours and most beaches are open, and Hāʻena State Park on the North Shore reopened on 15 October, with its shuttle and day hiking to Hanakāpīʻai. However, as of mid-October, Kōkeʻe and Waimea Canyon State Parks and most other Kauaʻi state parks were closed until further notice, the Kalalau Trail beyond the two-mile point was closed, and Salt Pond Beach Park remained closed.

Check the DLNR park notices and the state's Lowell visitor updates before your trip and again before each day out. Spending your holiday here is one of the best ways to help the island recover.

The plan at a glance

Day	Base	Highlights
1	Poʻipū	Arrive, Poʻipū Beach, sunset
2	Poʻipū	Nā Pali Coast boat tour from Port Allen
3	Poʻipū	Kōloa town, Spouting Horn, garden visit, helicopter flight
4	Hanalei	Wailua River kayak, Kapaʻa, drive north
5	Hanalei	Hāʻena: Kēʻē Beach and Hanakāpīʻai
6	Hanalei	Hanalei Bay, Kīlauea Lighthouse, fly home

Drive times are typical without heavy traffic. Bold places need a reservation or ticket booked ahead; see reservations to book ahead.

Days 1–3: the south shore

Day 1: Poʻipū

Base yourself in sunny Poʻipū. Swim at Poʻipū Beach Park, where a sandbar creates a calm, shallow area for children and monk seals sometimes haul out to rest (stay well back). Watch the sunset from the coast.

Day 2: The Nā Pali Coast by sea

With the canyon closed, see Kauaʻi's grandest scenery from the water. Boat tours from Port Allen sail along the Nā Pali Coast, past sea caves, waterfalls and hanging valleys; spinner dolphins often ride the bow, and in winter humpbacks breach offshore. Summer seas are calmer; in winter, rafts may not run.

Day 3: Old Kōloa, Spouting Horn and the gardens

Explore Old Kōloa Town, site of Hawaii's first commercial sugar mill in 1835, and watch the sea burst through the lava at Spouting Horn. Visit one of the island's great gardens; check opening status, as several were repairing storm damage in autumn 2026. If your budget allows, a helicopter flight from Līhuʻe is the only way to see the interior, Waimea Canyon and the Mount Waiʻaleʻale crater, while the parks are closed.

Days 4–6: the North Shore

Day 4: The Coconut Coast and the drive north

Paddle the Wailua River by kayak or take the riverboat to Fern Grotto (in October 2026 individual kayakers could not land at Fern Grotto, and the trail to Secret Falls was closed). Browse the shops and food trucks of Kapaʻa, then drive north to Hanalei or Princeville.

Day 5: Hāʻena and the start of the Kalalau Trail

With a reservation for Hāʻena State Park (entry or shuttle, booked up to 30 days ahead), swim and snorkel at Kēʻē Beach in calm conditions, where the Nā Pali cliffs begin. Fit hikers can walk the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail to Hanakāpīʻai Beach, and on to Hanakāpīʻai Falls (about 8 miles round trip). Never swim at Hanakāpīʻai Beach: its currents have killed many people, and never cross the stream when it is high.

Day 6: Hanalei Bay

Spend the morning at Hanalei Bay, with its pier, taro fields and mountain waterfalls, then visit the Kīlauea Point lighthouse and its seabird colonies on the way to the airport (check opening and reservation requirements). Stay out of the ocean for a few days after heavy rain, when runoff makes it murky and unsafe.

When the canyon reopens

When Kōkeʻe and Waimea Canyon reopen, add a full day on the west side: drive up Waimea Canyon Drive to the lookouts over the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific", continue to the Kalalau and Puʻu o Kila lookouts above the Nā Pali valleys, and hike the Canyon Trail to Waipoʻo Falls. Our Kauaʻi hiking map and snorkeling map have the details, and we will update this itinerary when access returns.

When to go

Kauaʻi is the wettest of the main islands, especially on the North Shore and in the mountains. Summer brings calmer seas and the best conditions for Nā Pali boat tours, Kēʻē Beach and Hanalei Bay. In winter, big north swells can close North Shore beaches to swimming, while Poʻipū stays sunnier. After Hurricane Lowell, visitor numbers fell sharply in autumn 2026, so beaches and restaurants are quieter than usual and many hotels have good rates.

Helping Kauaʻi recover

The best way to help is simply to come and spend money with local businesses: family restaurants, food trucks, farmers' markets, independent tour operators and shops in towns such as Hanapēpē, Waimea, Kōloa, Kapaʻa and Hanalei. Respect closures, even if a trail or beach looks fine: hidden hazards such as unstable slopes, damaged bridges and fallen trees remain. Drive patiently, as crews are still clearing roads, and be kind; many residents spent weeks without power.

Quick answers

Is Kauaʻi open to visitors after Hurricane Lowell?

Yes. By mid-October 2026 about 95% of attractions and businesses were operating and Hāʻena State Park reopened on 15 October. Kōkeʻe, Waimea Canyon and most other state parks were still closed until further notice.

Can you see the Nā Pali Coast right now?

Yes, by boat from Port Allen or by helicopter, and on foot to Hanakāpīʻai Beach and Falls from Hāʻena. The Kalalau Trail beyond the two-mile point and overnight camping remained closed in October 2026.

How many days do you need on Kauaʻi?

Five or six days: two or three in Poʻipū on the sunny south shore and three on the North Shore around Hanalei and Princeville.

Is Waimea Canyon open?

Not in October 2026. Kōkeʻe and Waimea Canyon State Parks were closed until further notice after Hurricane Lowell blocked the roads with fallen trees. Check DLNR park notices before you go.

More itineraries: 4 days, 5 days, 7 days, 10 days, with kids, Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi and Oʻahu + Maui.

Facts checked October 2026. Reservations, fees and closures change often, especially after storms, so confirm with the official source before each day out.