The Puʻu o Kila Lookouts is located at the mile marker 19, the end of highway 550, within Kauai's…read moreKoke'e State Park, and it offers panoramic views of the Kalalau Valley and the Na Pali Coast. I think it's a better stop compared to the nearby Kalalau Lookout if you're running short on time.

The views were breathtaking!! We were treated by a full rainbow. My only complaint is the cost to…read morepark your car and see the amazing view. It's $10 per car and $5 per person for a spot you're probably going to spend 15-20 minutes.

I'm giving this place only 2 stars. The so-called "arboretum" has a smelly restroom at the top of…read morethe hill, and if you're expecting information about plants, flowers, or trees, you won't find any. It's not really an arboretum in the true sense -- more like a patch of forest with a few jungle trails. We walked up to the nearest trail entrance, but it was overgrown with tall grass, so we just turned back and left. Honestly, this arboretum isn't worth visiting during a week-long trip to Kauai.

If you want to see rainbow eucalyptus trees this is a must go! It's a beautiful area to walk…read morearound. Bring comfortable sturdy shoes. Wear sunscreen and insect repellant. No entry fee and plenty of parking.

Breathtaking spot for a hike on the island. Plenty of waterfalls to see. A lot of walking up hill…read moreand big stairs, so be prepared it's not just a flat nature walk.

Take the tour to take you all the way to the fern grotto. The beauty of this place is being in…read moretouch with nature. As you walk you may hear the birds chirping. There are many plants that were introduced to the island, with beautiful flowers. Handicap accessible. Low intensity walking.

Beautiful views, but the waterfall was much smaller than I thought it would be. Regardless, if…read moreyou're looking for a view of Waimea, I'd recommend it! I thought the hike was pretty easy. I'd give it a 2.5/5 on the difficulty scale, only because there is a lot of loose rocks and roots. My boyfriend (who is less active than me) a 4/5 on the difficulty scale.

Some reviews say this is an easy and good "family" hike. It is a nice hike with many nice views…read more However, it is also strenuous with about 4 steep downhills and therefore 4 steep uphills. it is only 1.8 miles in each direction but it took us about 3 hours including a 20 minutes rest at the falls. I recommend it but be prepared with a fair amount of water, good footwear, and to spend 3 hours or so unless you're a seasoned hiker and so is your party.

We didn't realize it was down the road right after you take the turn, but it was super easy to…read morefind! Parking was easy. It was just the two of us which was nice to explore the bridge for a bit.

While researching things to see on Kauai, I came across the Kapaia Swinging Bridge. But it wasn't…read moresomething I found right away. It took me a while to find it which is great because that means not too many other tourist know about this. So the day we fly to Kauai was a holiday. As soon as we got the car, we headed straight to Waialua Falls. Once done there, we made our way to this swinging bridge, less than 10-mins away. It's in a small neighborhood. And parking was nonexistent. So I pulled into a business' parking lot and told my family to go look around and I'd stay in the car and wait for someone to tell me to move. But I got out of the car for a bit just to look around real quick when I noticed the sign on the business said they were closed for the holiday. Then I realized, that day WAS a holiday. And so I was able to enjoy the grounds with my family. And, no other tourist were around. Just a homeowner working on his surfboard. The surroundings are beautiful. Super quiet. Bridge was a bit shaky. And then I walked up the stairs at the end of the bridge where it took us to the church where there's plenty of parking. So if you plan on visiting, park at the Immaculate Conception Church. Yes, highly recommend.

Views of Waimea Canyon from the opposite side…read more November 2021. Saw a long trail alongside a cliff on the opposite side of Waimea Canyon and put it on my bucket list to hike it. March 26, 2022, started the Canyon hike from the Puu Hinahina Lookout. We had previously that morning done 2 hours of hiking the Pihea Trail off of the Puu o Kila lookout in Kokee Park, 7 miles away. Had started this hike in November 2021 but turned back after 30 minutes. This time we came prepared with hat, hiking poles, hiking boots, long sleeve pants, long sleeve shirts, water, hat, granola bars and fruit sticks. The first 45 minutes of the hike are the toughest part, steep downward hike over muddy terrain, broken by deep ruts and cuts into the surface. Dense tree cover means the trail never dries out, even though it had not rained in weeks. Slippery even with hiking boots and hiking poles. Tree roots ready to trip you with every move. And no view, as the tree cover prevents you from seeing Waimea Canyon. Eventually the trails levels out, with a parking lot for those who have joined the trail a mile farther up from the Kokee road at the Halemanu road, shaving an hour off the hike. Dense jungle gives way to peeks of Waimea Canyon, and finally on a spur to the right the Cliff overlook, where we see goats scrambling on the cliffs nearby. In a distance, the long trail alongside a cliff on the edge of Waimea Canyon. Trail continues downward, through water ravaged terrain, tree roots at every corner of the trail. Boulders start appearing, and finally an opening, a long plateau leading to the falls. This is the long trail alongside the cliffs with panoramic views of the Waimea Canyon, but from the opposite side. Don't get too close to the edge, as steep drop-offs along the canyon rim. More boulders, and boulder hoping down the steep trail, and then a fast-running stream. On the left is a walk to a large pond, and mini waterfalls, and on the right is the top of the Waipoo Falls. Cliffs of stone formations in the distance. No view of the falls themselves, as you are literally on top of the falls. Took 4 hours to do the complete hike, probably a record slow time, as we were passed by numerous toddlers, and at least two different encounters with hikers going barefoot!

Pu'u Hinahina Lookout from my POV, is the 2nd best lookout located within Waimea Canyon State Park…read more The most well known overlook is Waimea Canyon Lookout...located at Mile Marker 10 of the park. This Pu'u Hinahina is situated on the right hand side of Koke'e Road at Mile Marker 13.5. It can't be missed. And just like at Waimea Canyon Lookout, there is plenty of parking here as well. Now...I'd like to point out how tricky all these lookouts and vista points are here, not just among Waimea Canyon, but in this Pu'u Hinahina area. Let me try to explain... So, there's actually no Pu'u Hinahina Lookout, there are two observation points within Pu'u Hinahina. They are... - Canyon Viewpoint - magical! One of the superior perspectives representative of Waimea Canyon. - Ni'ihau Viewpoint - waste of time. Nothing to see. You need 15 seconds at this overlook before turning around. Both Canyon Viewpoint and Ni'ihau Viewpoint are short walks on paved pathways. Also within this Pu'u Hinahina Lookout, you have the prominent Canyon Trail leading to Waipo'o Falls. Canyon Trail is the most popular hike at Waimea Canyon. I noticed there's a separate Yelp category for writing about Waipo'o Falls and I'll delve more into the hiking experience over there, but let me at least start here with the basics... After checking out Canyon and Ni'ihau Viewpoints, the next logical step while at Pu'u Hinahina Lookout is to hike the 1.8 mile (each way) Canyon Trail. The estimated hiking time is 2 - 3 hours. I'll just sum up the hike right now... There's not much to see along the way to Waipo'o Falls. I started daydreaming about my next activity while at Waimea Canyon. Overall, it's a casual walk downhill among a tropical rainforest. This means that the return trip back uphill to the trailhead is moderately strenuous. I actually never discovered the real Waipo'o Falls. Supposedly it's one of the tallest waterfalls in Hawaii, yet instead I arrived at two small pools with mini trickledown waterfalls. I spoke with fellow visitors and they said this Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls is deceiving, and that at the end of the hike, you're actually standing on top of Waipo'o Falls. And if you'd like to get real views of Waipo'o Falls, you have to do some intense rock repelling down the cliff faced walls which is dangerous. Ultimately, Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls was disappointing especially with the bar for it set very high. Lastly, just to mention, it doesn't happen often, but there were threatening clouds in the sky as I started along Canyon Trail. And me thinking I'm in a Hawaiian paradise and impervious to weather conditions, what could go wrong? Well, yes, I got caught in an afternoon thunderstorm without rain gear. I was drenched for the remainder of the day. This was for the middle of August. Just something to keep in mind because the weather can swiftly change. And finally, lol, gotta put this out there. The island of Kauai is home to roosters and chickens all over the place. During my visit I had never seen anything like it. Returning back to the parking lot, I had some leftover pancakes from breakfast and fed them. They're pretty much waiting and anticipating you'll approach them. They'll gladly eat out of your hands too as they aren't shy. Overall, Pu'u Hinahina Lookout has its up and downs. Canyon Viewpoint is a masterclass setting. Ni'ihau Viewpoint needs a makeover. Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls was a letdown. Still, in the grand scheme of exploring Waimea Canyon, stopping by here at Pu'u Hinahina is a Must Do because of its accessible location inside the park.

Ahukini Recreational Pier State Park is located about a 5-minute drive northeast along the sea from…read moreLihue Airport. When you go down the slope, you can see a parking lot (like a place). You can park for free, but I felt that the security was quite bad. After all, as soon as I stopped the car, a woman came out of a car and came to sell something in a small bag. Of course I refused, but my husband said, "It's probably drugs." After having such an experience right after arriving, I was quite worried about walking around, so I finished walking early within sight of our car and returned to the car. I really wanted to take a longer and more relaxed walk if I had time. The atmosphere of the pier was as if it had traveled back in time; the pier looked old and almost decayed. According to what I heard, the first people who discovered Hawaii landed here. There was an old lighthouse on the other side of the pier, but it is not certain whether it is still fulfilling its role. Unfortunately, I can't review detailed information about this place at this time, but I want you to take safety measures if you visit here. While we were away from the car for a short time, a Kauai county sheriff's car came on patrol, so I was a little relieved. But I think it's easy to target small groups of Japanese people in this secluded area, so please practice crime prevention when you leave the car; don't forget to prevent theft. It is a peaceful state park with a long history where anglers enjoy fishing leisurely, but it is certainly dangerous because it is difficult to see from the public road. If we have a chance to visit there next time, we would like to send you updated reviews after taking safety measures. アフキニ・リクリエーショナル・ピア州立公園は、リフエ空港から海沿いに北東へ車で5分程度走った所にあります。坂を下り切ると駐車場(らしき場所)が見えます。無料で駐車出来ますが、かなり治安が悪そうに感じました。何しろ車を止めた途端に一台の車から女性が出て来て小さな袋に入った何かを売りに来ました。もちろん断りましたが夫は「おそらくドラッグだろう」と言って居ました。 到着直後にそんな体験をしたので、周辺の散策もかなり不安で、自分達の車が見える範囲で早々と散策を済ませて車に戻りました。 本当は時間があったらもっとゆっくりと散策したかったです。 pierの雰囲気はまるでタイムスリップした様な佇まいで、桟橋も古くて殆ど朽ちて見えました。 聞く所によると、ハワイ先住民達がここに流れ着いたらしいです。 桟橋の向こうには古い灯台が有りましたが、今でも役目を果たして居るのかどうかは定かでは有りません。 今回は残念ながら、この場所についての詳しい情報のレビューは出来ませんが、皆さんが此処を訪れる場合は先ずは安全対策をして欲しいと伝えたかったのです。我々が短時間車を離れて居る間にKauaiの郡保安官(Sheriffs)の車が警備に来たので少し安心しましたが、日本人だけの少人数のグループなどは狙われ易いと思いますので、車から離れる時はくれぐれも防犯、盗難対策を忘れないで下さい。 のんびりと釣り人が魚釣りを楽しむ、歴史ある平和な州立公園ですが、一般道から降りた所で人目につき難い場所にあるので危険であることは確かです。 我々も次回そこを訪れるチャンスが有れば、安全対策を立てた上で皆さんにアップデートしたレビューをお届けしたいと思います。

The photos posted are from 9/16/21. I have written reviews on Ahukini before. This holds a special…read moreplace in my heart. Aside from the long history of a former shipping port, this is where my mom and dad would come to fish, pick opihi, crabbing, etc. while growing up in the 1970's-80's. Childhood days aside, Ahukini is a great place to take a lunch break with a boxed lunch. Part of the fun is watching planes climb after take off. Planes are still low enough to get a great photo against the tropical sky. Since these photos where taken, my mother had passed in October of 2022. So, yeah...lot of good memories here.

We only had time to do the East Nounou Trail and the Nounou Shelter Trail so this review is based…read moreoff of those. The East Nounou Trail was our second hike of the day and did not disappointed. It is 2 miles with no steep ascent and a bit of coverage with breezes coming near the 1.75 to 2 mile markers. The views are spectacular as you overlook the east side of the island and south of the island as you get further up. There is one hurdle which you have to climb a rock, but it wasnt bad. You can hurl yourself up or take a bit of a path on the left to slowly get yourself up it. It is a ascending, descending, and straight way hike path. Eventually you will hit a T-intersection and decide whether to continue the Nounou trail to the right or go to the Shelter trail on the left. The Shelter trail feels like only mere steps away from the T-intersection and the view is covered a bit by bushes. The best view is near the 1.75 mile mark as there is a hill you can get on for a better elevated view of the ocean. I think if you want a better valley view, you would have to continue the Nounou trail. There werent many people on this hike when we went (around 1:30 pm) but when we left (around 3:30 pm), more people were arriving. Overall, an somewhat of an easy for intermediate hikers.

We took the approximately 3.4 mile Nounou trail east and then went all the way to the summit (maybe…read moreonly a half mile or so but taxing) and then back down to the street where we walked to our car. The Nounou trail is pretty level although it does get a little muddy in spots and has a few minor obstacles such as felled trees along the way. Beginner to low intermediate. Very green very Kauai trail.