Kauai - Hawaii with Kids - page 381

fairy-tale creativity that has gone into these grounds will be one of your fondest
memories of Kauai. A host of different tours are available, from 1 1 ⁄ 2 hours ($25)
to 5 hours ($70) long, ranging from casual guided strolls, to a ride in the cov-
ered CarTram, to treks from one end of the gardens to the ocean. Currently the
tours are open to adults and children 13 years and older. However, a tropical
children's garden was under construction as this topic went to press. It will have
a gecko hedge maze, a tropical jungle gym, a tree house in a rubber tree, and a
16-foot-tall Jack-in-the-Bean Stalk Giant with a 33-foot wading pool below. It's
only open 3 days a week; book a tour before you leave the mainland for Hawaii,
so you won't be disappointed.
4101 Wailapa Rd. (write: P.O. Box 1134), Kilauea, HI 96754. & 808/828-0525. Fax [phone]. www.
naainakai.com. Tues-Thurs 8am-5pm. Tours vary. Advance reservations strongly recommended. To get here
from Lihue, drive north past mile marker 21 and turn right on Waiapa Rd. At the road's end, drive through the
iron gates. From Princeville, drive south 6 1 ⁄ 2 miles and take the 2nd left past mile marker 22 on Wailapa Rd.
At the road's end, drive through the iron gates.
Waioli Mission House Museum All ages. If you time your visit just right,
you can visit this 150-year-old mission house, which serves today as a living
museum that retains its sense of what life was like for the New England mis-
sionaries who came to Kauai to convert the “heathens” to Christianity. Plan to
spend an hour on this walk back in history.
Kuhio Hwy. (Hwy. 560), just behind the green Waioli Huia Church, Hanalei. & 808/245-3202. Free admis-
sion (donations gratefully accepted). Tours: Mon and Wed-Thurs 10am and 1pm. Reservations required.
THE END OF THE ROAD
The real Hawaii begins where the road stops. This is especially true on Kauai—
for at the end of Highway 56, the spectacular Na Pali Coast begins. To explore
it, you have to set out on foot, by boat, or by helicopter. For details on experi-
encing this region, see “Helicopter Rides over Waimea Canyon & the Na Pali
Coast,” earlier in this section; and “For the Active Family,” later in this chapter.
6 Beaches
Eons of wind and rain have created this geological masterpiece of an island, with
its fabulous beaches, like Hanalei, Kee, and Kalapaki. All are accessible to the
public, as stipulated by Hawaii law, and many have facilities. For beach toys and
equipment, head to Activity Warehouse, 788 Kuhio Hwy. (across from
McDonald's), Kapaa ( & 800/688-0580 or 808/822-4000; www.travelhawaii.
com). Or try Chris the Fun Lady, 4-746 Kuhio Hwy. (across from Waipouli
Town Center), Kapaa ( & 808/822-7759; www.christhefunlady.com).
LIHUE'S BEST BEACH
KALAPAKI BEACH
This graceful half-moon of golden sand, which sits at the foot of the Marriott
Resort & Beach Club, is 50 yards wide and a quarter-mile long. It's protected by
a jetty and patrolled by lifeguards, making it very safe for kids and neophyte
swimmers. The waves are good for surfing when there's a winter swell, and the
view from the sand—of the steepled, 2,200-foot peaks of the majestic Haupu
Ridge that shields Nawiliwili Bay—is awesome. Kalapaki is the best beach not
only in Lihue but on the whole east coast. From Lihue Airport, turn left onto
Kapule Highway (Hwy. 51) to Rice Street; turn left and go to the entrance of
the Marriott; pass the hotel's porte cochere and turn right at the SHORELINE
ACCESS sign. Facilities include lifeguards, free parking, restrooms, and showers;
food and drink are available nearby.