(Visited 05/26/26 SU @ 10:00am): There were definitely "crashing waves" albeit small ones along…read morePoipu Beach Located on Kaua'i's "sunny southside", I spent a lazy Sunday at Poipu Beach people-watching, reading, sleeping, snorkeling, sunning, and swimming. Right along The Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas where I was staying, I haven't had a day-long beach day for awhile, and I really needed a day just to recharge, refresh, and regenerate my body, mind, and soul. Having been ranked as one of the top beaches in the U.S. over the years, was there anything to poo-poo about Poipu Beach!? EXPERIENCE The word "poipu" in the Hawaiian language meant "crashing waves" and was actually two beaches in one. A "tombola" (known as Nukumoi Point) separated the two bays, and in this case it was a narrow sand spit that extended from the shore to an island. This particular area was a favorite spot for endangered napping Hawaiian monk seals. The area on the western side of the beach was a favorite for beginner bodyboarders while small waves broke gently on the shallow sandbar created a fun area for children to play. The area on the eastern side of the beach was a lava rock-protected and shallow spot for swimmers and another play area for families with small children. On this comfortable sunny day, what was initially a quiet beach progressively got crowded and noisy as the day wore on. I swam for hours back and forth past the shorebreak along the coast, took breaks to drink water and eat a snack, napped, read, and then went back out with snorkel gear in hand. An exhausting exhilarating stress-free day - perfection! SERVICE Specifically on this section of the beach, there weren't any bathrooms nor lifeguard stations. Generally speaking, there weren't any facilities whatsoever except for what the adjacent Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas may offer. It was a completely open public beach - 'nuff said. PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance) I had no vehicle, so I simply walked from my room. However, there was a nightly $40.00 fee for guests who stayed at the Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas if they parked on the property, and there might've been some free parking along the many nearby roads and streets. Make sure to carefully read any posted signs. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE I made a spot directly out past the middle opening from the resort's pool and the sand, the beach was clean and smooth, somewhat spacious, and fairly empty early-on but no shady trees to deflect the sunlight. There was a lone monk seal https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=120&select=xDFNXkdOMhOO9W7Nv7YtuA which was a protected specie, so people must please stay away. Sizable waves were much further out, this beach was perfect for light water activity (no real surf breaks while snorkeling was better once you got considerably past the shore break). No benches, chairs, or tables, so bring your own chairs or towels to lay or sit on. Obviously, there was plenty of natural lighting with only the glowing stars left to guide you when nighttime came. There were no TVs nor any background music except for any electronic device you brought along with you such as your mobile phone. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=120&select=GN-CeJWbv9VNt_FU7MhmDg ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL Poipu Beach was another little piece of island heaven which I hoped would stay that way. Online research culled many articles and reviews of this beach that also alluded to what I experienced, so none of this was a secret. However, on this given weekend, I was thankful for the peacefulness and solitude. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $0.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, there was no need for funds of any kind which included my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS

Probably the most famous beach on Kauai, Poipu was named 'Best Beach in America' in 2001 by "Dr…read more Beach", when such lists weren't so prevalent as they are now. My wife and I visited on Day 4 of our Kauai vacation in the early afternoon, and continued to understand why it is so popular with tourists. The area around the beach area is built up, with retail businesses within walking distance. There is usually plenty of free parking, but on this day, the past week's rains had flooded one of the parking lots, so there were not as many spots. My wife still found a good spot though, and we walked the short distance to the shoreline. There is a protected man-made wading area towards the east of the beach. It is easy to wade out to the lava rock retaining wall, with the water being maybe 3 feet there. There are facilities and lifeguards in the area. One of their jobs was to keep folks from getting too close to 4 sea turtles that were sunning on the sand near that area.

Located at the entrance of Koloa town. Here you will find two full-sized baseball fields, a small…read moreplayground, a basketball court and two tennis courts on the makai end. This park has two parking lots, one on each end. The bathrooms are always clean and the concession stand large with two windows.

Koloa ball park has three full size baseball fields, two tennis courts, and a basketball court. It…read morehas a batting net and a small play structure. It is also the home of the Koloa town celebration and a farmers market. Cleaner then a lot of parks, it definitely has some wear and tear, but is such a great resource for koloa town. They finally fixed the pedestrian bridge to go from downtown to the park, yay!!

As you're driving into Koloa, you'll notice what looks like a giant Tylenol on your right. Step…read moreinside and you'll see that it is a monument which commemorates the different ethnic groups who immigrated to Kauai during the boom of the sugar days - the Chinese, Filipino and Japanese as well as Portuguese and Africans. Each of them contributed to the tapestry of the culture, history and cuisine on this island. Take a minute inside. This is very cool.

I'm a big fan of public art especially when it is used to commemorate a moment in time, or as a…read morerepresentation of a way of life. The Island of Kauai had a long run producing sugar cane, but that has faded along with the government subsidies. Now, the island is seeing the land being converted to coffee plantations. But back in 1965, this site of a former Sugar Mill was designated as a Historic Place. 20 years later, this monument was built to commemorate the history of the area. The monument includes contributor plaques as well as six informational plaques that tell all about the sugar industry and local history. But the eye-catching focus of the monument is the full-sized depiction of numerous sugar mill workers cast in bronze by artist Gordon Fisher in 1985. The native people are shown performing certain tasks, some standing, some seated. It is a beautiful piece dedicated to capturing the look of the island people at the height of the sugar trade. Review #2412

What a great park for rest, relaxation and golf in Lawai but close to Koloa too. The McBryde estate…read moreincludes a golf course, Japanese garden, acres of park, a Mexican restaurant (Paco's Tacos) and disc golf as well. A respite from the outside world, come here to relax, enjoy Mexican food, play golf or just go for a walk!

The staff was very friendly and the views were spectacular. A special thanks to Robert Medeiros,…read morethe manager! He took a few minutes of his day to tell us all about the history of Kukuiolono!

Very beautiful views and a classic look! I had so much fun with this place! It was too coolread more

Quick stop along the road to view the valley. No amenities, just a place to pull over and take on…read morethe views.

All respect to the ancient Hawaiians, but this is just a pile of rocks…read more It's a few yards from the Kiahuna Plantation Resort, so stop by for a Mai Tai and some T & A and walk over to the rocks for a minute. It was once a massive temple, covering 90 feet by 130 feet. It was dedicated to a bird god and two shark gods. So that's something.

Mahalo nunui for preserving and protecting what is left of this heiau. I didn't know what it was…read moreuntil further research, will be doing offering for this place due to the mighty gods it was created for.

A Secluded, peaceful pavilion on the eastern most corner of KCC campus. You can easily see it from…read morethe highway set back on the huge lawn. It's always clean and never crowded. I've seen groups here on occasion doing Tai Chi or Yoga sometimes. Not much else than a nice place to do Tai Chi, exercise, read a book or run your dog around the big lawn... I didn't notice a restroom or a water faucet, so keep that in mind if your planning on spending the afternoon there.