Days 1-3 Recap
This is a continuation of my Hawaiian Adventure recap started here & here. Day 1 was a travel day with no major issues. Day 2 we visited Waimea Canyon in the morning and then hit Puka Dog for lunch. Our Napali coast dinner cruise got canceled because of the weather forecast of rain and wind. Day 3 was a busy day with a fantastic kayaking/hiking trip to Secret falls in the morning and a visit to Lu’au Kalamaku in the evening. Which brings us to…
Day 4
My daughters are huge animal lovers, so they were especially looking forward to the horseback tour I had arranged. While Maui had several options, Kauai only had CJM Stables available, conveniently located just down the road from our resort. The price was a bit steep at almost $300 per person, and I grumbled quite a bit when booking the tour. However, in the end, it was undeniably worth every penny.
Surprisingly… It Was Raining
We woke up to a steady rain that was much more than the light drizzle we had been dealing with most of the previous few days. Despite the obvious questionable weather conditions, my family decided that jackets and long pants wouldn’t be required for a multi-hour horseback ride in the rain. As we drove through the standing mud puddles in the driveway of the ranch, it seemed like a real possibility another tour would be cancelled.
When we arrived, a few other groups had already gathered. We were all hopeful that the tour would still proceed. After a while, a guide appeared and inquired whether we preferred to postpone our excursion or brave the damp and muddy conditions. Considering that the weather forecast remained unfavorable for the duration of our stay in Kauai, we decided to forge ahead, a decision that the other groups also supported. As we watched the safety video, the guide managed to provide raincoats for my family, who as I mentioned were woefully underdressed for the weather.
The Rain Relents And The Tour Shines
The tour started off with us trekking through some dense trees and brush, which did a great job of keeping us dry from the rain. Eventually the rain let up and our weather concerns subsided. The other groups went off with another guide, so we ended up with our own private tour.
The adventure was absolutely breathtaking! Picture-perfect views of the vast ocean, stretches along dramatic cliffs, crossings over babbling brooks, and a thrilling ride along the sandy beach. We caught sight of the Makauwahi Cave, accessible to all with a trail leading from Shipwreck Beach. Our guide told us the iconic boulder scene from the Indiana Jones movie was filmed there. Although not entirely accurate, it added an extra layer of excitement to our experience.
We also learned that within the Huleia National Wildlife Refuge, numerous scenes from the movie were filmed (which is true), giving us a sense of walking through cinematic history. Gazing across Kawailoa Bay, we were told that the striking cliffs had a starring role in the movie Six Days, Seven Nights (a movie I have not seen). Once again, this was not exactly true. The cliff Harrison Ford and Anne Heche jumped from is actually viewable from the beach at our resort.
Despite my initial reservations about the price, the joy on my girls’ faces throughout the tour made every penny worth it. I’m grateful that we had the opportunity to embark on such an unforgettable adventure together.
A Return to Puka Dog & A Trip To Old Koloa Town
After our return to the stable, we side our goodbyes to “our” horses and made the 5 min trip over to Brennecke’s Beach for another round of Puka Dogs. It seemed much less busy this time, and we grabbed our dogs and took them back to the resort so the girls could hit the pool again after lunch. Since our canceled Na Pali Coast trip had been scheduled for that afternoon/evening, we had some free time and we decided to visit Old Koloa Town. We had been there briefly when we arrived the first night, to eat pizza, but this time we were going when it was light out and we weren’t AS tired and cranky.
Oddly enough, the building that housed all the shops we visited at OLD Koloa Town didn’t even exist in 2011, judging by google maps street view. In 2011, it was just a grass field. Maybe this was the NEW Old Koloa Town. But that didn’t stop us (and by us I mean everyone except me) from buying hundreds of dollars of t-shirts and other souvenirs. Probably all of it made from the native grass that once stood at that location in 2011.
Another Inspired Dining Choice
When we decided to go to Old Koloa Town, I was thinking we’d grab dinner at Kauai Island Brewing Company, which was in the same “shopping complex.” While the girls were off plundering other shops, I had plenty of time to scope it out. It was totally empty and seemed like there were no servers, you just ordered at the bar. So I made an executive decision that we would instead check out one of the island’s famous sandwich spots.
As I enjoyed my Cold Cut Combo at Subway, I realized that nothing we could have had on that Na Pali cruise would have been better than this masterpiece crafted by a “Sandwich Artist”. What’s more, the seat I was in wasn’t rocking back and forth, which is just the way I like it – firmly grounded!
Day 5
Our last full day on the island, we had planned to take a self guided tour of several waterfalls, ending at the Kilauea Lighthouse on the north side of the island. I had made a reservation at The Beach House Restaurant for dinner based on a recommendation from Jen. It is mostly a seafood place and I am NOT a seafood person, but Jen is never wrong on restaurant recommendations (see Puka Dog) so I knew it would be good.
Wailua Falls
Our first adventure led us to Wailua Falls. The road to reach the falls was a narrow, twisty path that felt like a never-ending rollercoaster ride. Just as we arrived, the rain came pouring down heavily. After a few quick pics, we dashed back to the van, chuckling at the sight of the soaked bikers as we cruised past them on our way out.
Opaekaa Falls
A relatively short drive from Wailua Falls was Opaekaa Falls, and what do you know, it was still raining! Geographically speaking, Opaekaa falls cozies up to Secret Falls, but it’s definitely the laid-back sibling in terms of accessibility. There is an easily accessible parking and viewing area just off the main road. Apparently, Opaekaa Falls had its big break in the film “Blue Hawaii”, but that movie’s a bit before my time. When we went across the road, we were treated to a bird’s-eye view of the Wailua River. You know, the one we conquered in our trusty kayaks just two days before.
Olympic Cafe
After a hard morning of riding the in van and getting out for a few minutes to look at waterfalls, our girls began to complain that they were dying of hunger. Since we were in Kapaʻa, most populous town in the island of Kauai, we had several restaurant options to choose from. After a little google review searching, I settled on the Olympic Cafe.
Since it was well before the lunch time rush, the cafe was not busy and we were seated with a great view of the “artisan vendors” on the street below us. Breakfast and lunch items were on the menu, burritos and pancakes were the choices for the rest of my crew. I, however, spotted the “Kalua Pig Sandwich”. One thing I have leaned about dining in Hawaiian restaurants, you can’t go wrong with an entree featuring Kalua pork.
The Kalua Pig Sandwich undoubtedly stood out as one of the food highlights of the trip, second only to Puka Dog. The entire family thoroughly enjoyed the food at the Olympic Cafe. It’s clear that the Google reviews steered us in the right direction on this one.
Things Get Scary
We left Kapaʻa, heading out of town towards the north shore and the lighthouse. After just a mile or two, my daughter said she needed a restroom. I grumbled a lot because she could have gone when we were at the restaurant. We turned around and went back to the same parking lot where we had parked while we were eating. I noticed there were public restrooms by a beach towards the back, which seemed quicker than walking back to the restaurant, so I drove over and parked next to them.
My daughter wasn’t feeling well, which I didn’t realize at the time. I thought she just needed to pee. When we got to the restrooms, there was a bum lying by the entrance, which was my first clue that I had made a bad choice. Inside the men’s restroom, the toilets were broken and there were just holes in the floor. I quickly left, hoping my wife and daughters had done the same, but they hadn’t.
I texted my wife, insisting that we leave immediately. It dawned on me that we weren’t lounging at a picturesque Hawaiian beach, but rather in the midst of a seedy haunt frequented by drug dealers and users. My wife’s response conveyed the distressing news of our daughter vomiting, complicating our escape. After what seemed like an eternity, my family emerged from the deplorable restroom. Although I failed to find humor in the situation at the time, a lighthearted moment ensued as we departed, with my daughter vomiting into a nearby trash can and the bum lifted his head and said “Woaah, you ok, man?” in a perfect Cheech and Chong voice.
Kilauea Lighthouse
After we arrived at the van, I locked the doors, revved up the engine, slammed it in reverse, then accelerated out of there faster than a toupee in a hurricane.
It took a little while to get to the north shore, close to an hour, which is about as long as a single drive gets on Kauai. When we arrived at the lighthouse, the lady at the guard shack asked what time our reservation was. I immediately thought “Oh shit, we just drove across the island for nothing” as I informed her that we didn’t have a reservation. Luckily, she responded that they had just had some people leave and we could head on in (after paying $10 per adult).
The lighthouse itself seemed like a oversized prop from a miniature golf course, but the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean that truly captivated the soul. The azure waves crashed against the rugged cliffs, casting a mesmerizing dance of foam and spray. The salty breeze carried the whispers of the sea, rendering the experience unforgettable. It was as if time stood still, allowing me to soak in the natural splendor that stretched as far as the eye could see.
More Cancellations And More Pizza
Our original plan after visiting Kilauea Lighthouse was to continue on to Hanalei Bay and Hanalei Pier. However, due to fact that it was getting late in the afternoon and the long drive back, we had to forgo visiting Hanalei. Despite skipping this stop, it soon became apparent that we would be unable to make our dinner reservation, leading to the need to call and cancel. This was quite disappointing, as the dinner was anticipated to be one of the highlights of our trip. However, it was our own fault for not managing our time effectively.
It was late when we returned to the Poipu area of the island, and once again we opted for pizza for dinner. This time, we chose to dine at Volcano Pizza, which I believe was the same pizza place the resort employee had recommended to us on our first night . To our surprise, it was situated in a shopping “village” that we had been completely oblivious to throughout our entire trip, just a few minutes from our resort.
My wife went for the giant calzone, as she tends to do when that’s on the menu, while my daughter and I had the Hawaiian BBQ chicken pizza which was OK, but not great. We were all tired and grouchy at this point, so that might have contributed to the less than spectacular food reviews, but my family universally agreed that Koloa Pizza Kitchen was much better.
Day 6
Our last day on the island we still had some time to “hang out” since our flight wasn’t until almost 6 PM. I had asked about a late checkout and the resort had allowed us to stay until 2 PM. So we wandered around the resort for awhile in the morning, then went back to (New) Old Koloa Town for some ice cream at one of the shops. This of course led to the girls wanting to explore more of the shops they had missed the first time.
Time To Say Goodbye
Eventually it was time to head to the airport, I dropped the girls off at the terminal, returned the rental car, then joined them just in time to help check in at Hawaiian Airlines. We were flying first to Honolulu, then to Denver so we could get on a larger 777 jet rather than be stuck on a narrowbody 757 for 7 hours.
The lady informed us one of our carry ons was overweight… which was a first for me…. so we shifted some stuff from one carry on to another and got past that issue. Then she asked us if we wanted to go on an earlier flight to Honolulu. At the time, it didn’t seem like it would make much difference. Sit around in Lihue or sit around in Honolulu, although the Honolulu airport would have better amenities. But there would be one issue we would find out later…
We accepted her offer and proceeded to the gate to wait for our flight. Hawaiian flies Boeing 717 aircraft, which you don’t see a lot of anymore. So I had to do some plane spotting with my daughters… which they were less than enthusiastic about…
On to Denver
We had plenty of time when we got to Honolulu to grab dinner at the food court, then we hung out at the gate until boarding time. Boarding was a complete shit show, just a free for all of everyone crowded around the gate. This problem isn’t just limited to United, but it drives me crazy that the gate agents don’t do a better job of enforcing the boarding groups. And before you tell me it doesn’t matter when you get on a plane if you have assigned seats, it absolutely does because if they run out of overhead space, you will have to gate check your carry ons. And with more and more people skipping the checked bags because of fees, running out of overhead space does happen.
I can almost never sleep on a plane, no matter how tired I am. I dozed off a few times but mostly was awake for the 7 hour flight. The inflight meals (going and coming) were complete garbage, the only option with protein was a cold, nasty chicken dish that I wouldn’t feed to my dog. However, my strategic seat selection DID pay off, we didn’t have to share our rows with anyone, and we had convenient access to the restroom in the back of the plane.
United Lounge
Through my credit cards, I usually can pull together 4 free United lounge passes per year to get my whole family into a United lounge one time. I hadn’t used them this yet this year, and planned on using them in Denver since we had a long layover. The United lounges are just OK, the snacks and food aren’t all that great, and the furniture is marginally better than the seats at the gates, but at least its free with the passes.
However, this time we ran into a United Employee who seemed to hassle my daughters unnecessarily. He approached them twice, both when my wife and I were up getting food, and told them 1) To take their feet off their carry ons 2) To stop sleeping.
First of all, I have a problem with him seemingly waiting until we were gone to speak with them. He should have approached my wife or I about it and spoke with us. It did upset our daughters when he did it and we were not around. Second, I understand United has a policy against feet on the furniture in the lounges (which I see people doing all the time). My kids did NOT have their feet on the furniture, they put their feet up on their carry on bags. But guess what. I did have my feet on the furniture! And the guy never said a word to me. And show me where it says you can’t sleep in a lounge… Seems to me like this United employee was just being a little b*tch.
Strike 3 For United
When we finally made it back to Omaha, I got a text when we landed saying that our checked bag had arrived ahead of us and to see an agent at baggage claim to retrieve it. I thought it was a bit odd, but I figured it was because we had switched Hawaiian Airlines flights at the beginning of the trip.
My wife went to collect the bag from the agent since it was technically checked in her name, while I went to go start the car in zero degree weather. She later told me that she found our bag simply sitting by the baggage carousel, not secured in any way, and it had been there awhile, it wasn’t in the luggage coming off the plane we had just got off of.
So United had known that my bag was on a flight ahead of me (they sent me a text), but not bothered to secure it, still thrown it on the baggage carousel, and had someone decided to walk off with it, would have had no clue what happened to it when we came to inquire about it. Well done United! #Sarcasm
We’ll Be Back
Kauai’s natural beauty is truly remarkable, from its lush green landscapes to its stunning coastal scenery. The rugged terrain, cascading waterfalls, and beautiful beaches make it an unforgettable destination. Exploring the island’s hidden gems, embarking on scenic hikes, and witnessing the breathtaking sunsets created memories that will last a lifetime.
My family eagerly anticipates a return to Kauai, delving even deeper into the treasures that this paradise has to offer. Whether it’s sailing along the Na Pali Coast, discovering more of the enchanting Waimea Canyon, or simply relaxing on the pristine shores, Kauai has indeed captured our hearts and ignited a newfound appreciation for one of the wettest places on earth.
OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES DETAILING MY ADVENTURE IN HAWAII:
- Days 1 & 2 – Flying to Kauai, Waimea Canyon, Puka Dog, and those damn NY Giants
- Day 3 – Kayaking the Wailua River, hiking to Secret Falls, the Lu’au Kalamaku
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