Waimea Canyon and the Kalalau Lookout
Take the drive from the sea at Waimea up to the top of a mountain, stopping at the various scenic lookouts along the way.  At the end, you will be treated to a view of Kauai's quintessential postcard photo of the Kalalau Valley.
Hiking
There are lots of great short and easy hikes.  Just be ready to encounter mud.
  • Jurassic Park - Yep.  That was filmed on Kauai, and you can hike to the spot where the Jurassic Park gate was.
  • Stay tuned for hike suggestions, here.  We'll be posting a few.
  • There are lots of waterfalls with varying degrees of accessibility.
Beaches
Scenery up north, nearly guaranteed sunshine down south.
Botanical gardens
There are several on the island.  We visited the Allerton Gardens and thought they were nice, but you have to pay $50 for a guided tour.  The McBryde Gardens allow visitor to roam around on their own, which might be better.  There are a couple other ones up north that are pricey, but reportedly worth it.
Snorkeling
Rent gear or order and bring your own from home for about the same price as a weekly rental.  You can snorkel and see things right off the beach (morning is best).  Take a chartered boat for even more.
Photography
Mountains, beaches, rainbows, canyons, sunrises, sunsets, flowers, chickens, more chickens- plenty to shoot.  If you have a camera (not just a phone), the island is DARK at night, which makes it a great spot for photographing the night sky and the Milky Way.
Get lost
There aren't many roads on the island, so you won't get far.
Biking
Rent a bike for a few hours and ride up and down the coast.
Get Tipsy
  • Mead room - Try some mead (honey wine)
  • Rum tasting - Head down to the Koloa Rum Distillery at Gaylord's for a free tasting.  The tastings fill up fast, so early in the day is better.
Catch a Farmer's market
Check out local produce and crafts.  Tons of samples.  Try something new! They are all over the island.
Get some (Hawaiian) culture
  • Hanapepe is an artist village to explore on the southwest side near Waimea
  • Village Kauai - See an old Hawaiian village recreation and go for a canoe trip
  • The Kauai Museum

Unusual activities

Helicopter tour
One of our favorite things we did on Kauai.  You really don't have a concept of just how beautiful, pure, and inaccessible Kauai is until you've seen it via helicopter.
Island Helicopters
Kauai Coffee Tour/Tasting - The only free tour on the island is given by Kauai Coffee of their plantation.  You can try a lot of their coffees for free as well.
Live Music
The fancy hotels have entertainment come in every night.  Their lobbies/bars are open to the public, so anyone can go in and enjoy a drink and some Hawaiian entertainment.