Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
But discovering great dancers and emerging artists isn't the whole point of Kuga.
What Metzger wants is for island kids like her to feel good about themselves and
where they come from. 'We get a lot of misfit kids,' says Metzger, 'and instead of
feeling ripped off because they grew up on an island, Kuga is a place where they
can express themselves in a nonjudgmental environment, find their voice, take
risks and overcome their own obstacles.'
TOP OF CHAPTER
Kalaheo
POP 4595
From the highway, Kalaheo is a one-light cluster of eateries and little else. But along the
backroads, this neighborly town - a cultural melting pot of Chinese, Japanese, Por-
tuguese, Russian and Filipino families drawn here by the sugar economy - offers peace-
ful accommodations away from the tourist crowd. If you plan to hike at Waimea Canyon
and Kokeʻe State Parks but also wish to visit Poʻipu beaches (a short drive away), Kala-
heo's central location is ideal.
The town's post office and a handful of restaurants are clustered around the intersec-
tion of the Kau-mualiʻi Hwy and Papa- lina Rd.
Sights
Kukuiolono Park
PARK
(854 Puʻu Rd; 6:30am-6:30pm)
Unless you stay in Kalaheo, you would probably miss
this little park, which offers a nine-hole golf course, modest Japanese garden, sweeping
views and grassy grounds for strolling or jogging. To get here, turn left onto Papalina Rd
from Kaumualiʻi Hwy (heading west).
In 1860 King Kamehameha III leased the land to Duncan McBryde, whose son, Wal-
ter, the pineapple baron, eventually purchased the 178-acre estate. He built the public
golf course in 1929 and deeded the entire site for use as a public park upon his death.
Walter McBryde is buried near the eighth hole.
Hanapepe Valley Lookout
VIEWPOINT
The scenic lookout that pops up shortly after mile marker 14 offers a view deep into
Hanapepe Valley. The red-clay walls of the cliffs are topped by Kauaʻi's last swath of
