The Hawaiian islands offer sun, sand and paradise. But if you spend your whole vacation camped out on the beach, you'll miss what makes Kauai unique.
Explore the Scenery
Whether hiking, in the water, or in a helicopter, exploring the scenery and sights of Kauai is a must. There are volcanoes, lakes and beaches all over, and many different ways to explore them. Visit one, a few or all of them any way you want.
If you like hiking, check out Waimea Canyon -- the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific," according to Mark Twain -- and Koke'e State Park. There's also the Na Pali Coast, 22 miles of volcanic cliffs and the Wailua River Valley, which you can tour by boat or raft.
If you're headed to one specific area of Kauai, like the South Shore or North Shore, find local shops and restaurants to frequent.
Take a Movie Tour
Gilligan's Island, Jurassic Park and over 30 other movies were filmed in Kauai. Hawaii Movie Tours offers bus, helicopter and 4x4 off-road van tours of movie locations that any movie buff won't want to miss. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time.
Ride the Plantation Railway
Wooden train cars take riders on a 30-minute tour of 100 acres of Kauai farmland, teaching them about Kauai's agricultural history and modern farming on the island.
If you're looking for something informative and fun, check out the railway. It's not every day you get to see papayas and coffee beans growing in the fields.
Golf
Kauai is home to seven golf courses. Two 18-hole courses at the Kauai Lagoons Golf Club were designed by Jack Niklaus, and the Princeville Golf Club is home to one of only 10 five-star golf courses, as voted by Golf Digest, in the United States.
Tags: Golf Club, golf courses