Treat yourself to a late morning in Hanalei and sandwich a little “city” life into your stay here—or what qualifies as such on Kauai, anyhow.
Begin with brunch to go from Postcards Café, a coffee house in the guise of a plantation-style beach house, and find a place to roll out the beach towel at Hanalei Bay. Stand-up paddle the gentle waters around Hanalei Pier or just relax with a good book on the beach. Anything to work up an appetite for the shave ice wagon Wishing Well Shave Ice back on Hanalei’s most frequented stretch of Kuhio Highway (make sure to stop at the lookout to see the emerald green kalo (taro) fields). With a cool treat in hand, wander the road brimming with fruit-smoothie stands, souvenir shopping and local restaurants.
Or, if the water is still calling, go deeper into Haena to snorkel and swim at Kee Beach, a reef lagoon 5 miles west of Hanalei, at sunset. Return to the town center and seek out stylish Bar Acuda for Euro-inspired tapas and a fantastic wine list.