A few weeks ago, we got back from our babymoon in Kauai! Baby is due this Summer and we wanted to take one last “big” trip before baby arrives. It was a perfect opportunity to get away (just the two of us) and really relax. We both felt like this vacation was the first time (EVER) we truly relaxed and forgot about everything.
We had planned on going on a babymoon in May (around 30 weeks pregnant). May seemed like a good time to get away and I really wanted those photo memories of me looking super pregnant. Well… at my 16-week appointment, we told my doctor about the babymoon, and she suggested going in the second trimester so that I would be more comfortable. She wasn’t worried about it, just thought it may be more fun for us! I was already 16 weeks, so I thought, well, better get moving! We booked everything for this trip less than 2 weeks from when we left. Crazy! We ended up going for 9 nights right around my 20-week mark and it was perfect.
Why Hawaii?
There aren’t many tropical places you can go that don’t have the zika virus. Your options are limited to Bermuda, Bahamas, or Hawaii. Because we went to Bahamas last year and we wanted something different. Our original plan was to go to Bermuda and to go in May. After we moved up the babymoon to March, we switched destinations to Hawaii because Bermuda just isn’t warm enough in March. Also, Hawaii is the most beautiful place ever! Do you need more reason than that?
Kauai Basics
I have been to both Oahu and Maui and Kauai is so much different than those two islands! The population is super small (around 70,000 people) and there is one 2-lane road that goes around the island. It is not very tourist-y and was a lot more authentic experience than the other islands. There are beautiful secluded beaches everywhere and activities to experience the outdoors. I highly recommend this island for a babymoon or if you are looking for a quieter and more relaxing island.
Kauai is split into four separate parts – North, East, South, and West. Most of the action is in the North and the South. The South has the best weather (if the weather is crummy where you are, just head South!) In the North it rains every day but was so beautiful. It would be hard to pick a favorite spot on the island, and you really can’t go wrong!
Where to Stay
I asked around before we left on the best places to stay and most people said in the South or in the East. The South has the best weather (as I mentioned) and the East is a good central location to get to both the North and the South. I researched hotels in the South and the East and the East was significantly cheaper (like half the price) so we booked there.
We loved staying in the East! I liked that we split the distance between the North and the South (probably a 45-minute drive to either part of the island). If you stay in either the North or the South, you’ve got a super long drive to get to the other end of the island. We also loved Kapaa, the town in the East that we were staying near. It had great coffee shops, restaurants, and shops.
Our resort was good, but not great. It was a great place to relax by the pool with a virgin drink after doing a few activities (which was really all that we needed!) I would recommend staying there due to its proximity to the airport, and affordable rates, but would look around too!
Favorite Eats
Coffee and Breakfast
We’re not big breakfast eaters, so we really didn’t go out to breakfast much. We bought groceries early in the trip, so I had fruit and pastries in the morning most of the time. But coffee for us is a must!
Our favorite coffee shop was Java Kai. We went here several times and it was our absolute favorite spot! They had great breakfast too (we did that twice!) We tried a few other spots but nowhere we loved as much as Java Kai!
Quick Eats
The best places to eat quickly are typically the food trucks and little holes in the wall. We did these quicker restaurants for both lunch and dinner.
Porky’s – A food truck that is usually in Waimea (in the West). They have the best pork! We had the #1 and the #3. They’re rated #1 on TripAdvisor in Kauai!
Puka Dog – The best hot dogs! Tony picked them up for us and we ate them on the beach in Poipu! Gosh these were good.
Tiki Tacos – Tony and I both loved the tacos here! It’s a little pricey but the tacos are huge!
Sleeping Giant – This was Tony’s pick and it was delicious! These fish tacos were my favorite! Prices were very reasonable, and it was also BYOB (if you’re not prego!)
Shaved Ice
I had a shaved ice every single day (I think 8 total?) The shaved ice in Hawaii is so delicious and such a good prego snack! The best ones are made with real fruit and not just the sugar syrup! These were my 3 favorites and were each on a different part of the island.
Wailua Shaved Ice (East)
The Fresh Shave (South)
Wishing Well Shave Ice (North)
Nicer Dinners
Sam’s Ocean View Restaurant – I got this recommendation from a follower! We went there on our first night and we loved it! It’s definitely more a local spot and it’s in Kapaa (East).
Keoki’s Paradise – This is a great restaurant with a lot of Hawaiian vibes. It is a nice dinner for sure but would still be great for kids and families. See if you can sit near the singer!
The Beach House – Hands down the best dinner! We went here on our last night. I read to get a 5:30 reservation so that you can eat while watching the sunset and it was perfect! As the sun set, a nice woman offered to take our photo!
Must-Do Activities
It’s my opinion that if you’re going to just lay by the pool or go the beach, you should go to Florida (you would save a heck of a lot of money!) If you’re going all the way to Kauai, make sure to see the island. There were some of our favorite activities that we did in Kauai. I consider these to be “must-sees” for anyone making a trip here.
Boat cruise of the Napali Coast
The Napali Coast is probably what Kauai is most known for. They filmed Jurassic Park and a whole bunch of other movies here. Typically you can see the Napali Coast by boat, helicopter, driving or hiking, but back in 2018 Kauai got so much rain that the roads got washed away. At this point, you can see it just by boat or by helicopter. We elected to do a sunset boat cruise of the coast and it was magical.
Check out Hanalei
Hanalei is a town on the North side of the island that we had a great time spending the day in. Hanalei Bay is a beautiful beach that we loved walking up and down. The town is also extremely cute with lots of shops and restaurants. It rains every single day here, so try and pick a nice day to visit!
Wailua Falls
Wailua Falls are waterfalls that were pretty near our resort in the East, so we make a quick stop to check them out. It was very beautiful (reminded us of Iceland!) You are not supposed to hike down to the falls and there is a lot of signage saying not to. That being said, a lot of people were doing it and it looked super fun! It was very muddy (and not safe) and as a prego mama, I would definitely not suggest!
Coconut Coast Walking Path
A blogger friend recommended that we walk along the Coconut Coast path. There is a really nice bike path on the East coast of Kauai that goes for about 5 miles. Because I could not easily hike (it was so so muddy on the trails!) this was a great way for us to get out and move. Our favorite spot (Java Kai) was right on the path so it was nice to get coffee and walk. We did this a few times!
Luau at Smith Family Gardens
One of our goals for the trip was to go to a Luau! I did some research and this luau had the best reviews! It is family owned and operated and very authentic. They did a pig roast and ceremony as well. Even if that’s not your thing, the other food was delicious. The location is this beautiful garden that we got to walk around. I could easily see getting married in here! The highlight for me was the hour long show at the end. The dancers were phenomenal!
Poipu Beach
Poipu Beach is a beautiful swimming beach in the Southern part of Kauai. There are beaches everywhere, but Poipu seemed like the most popular spot. The weather is typically the best in the South, so this beach always has great weather. It is also safe and has lifeguards on duty so there were lots of families. It is crowded but a very nice spot to hang out!
Waimea Canyon
Waimea Canyon is Kauai’s version of the Grand Canyon. There is a lookout spot you can easily drive to, but we saw a lot of people hiking around the area as well. One of my friends went on a bike tour of the canyon which sounded fun! We opted just to drive to the viewing platform! We went early in the morning to avoid the crowds. Shortly after we left a cruise ship arrived and Waimea Canyon was probably very crowded.
Any other questions about Kauai? I highly recommend a babymoon in Kauai. It has so much to offer!