The 10 Best Things to Do in Lihue and Nearby Attractions

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Lihue is among the nicest spots to stay if you’re visiting Kauai. Famous sights, local adventures, and more are among the top things to do in Lihue.

Have we missed any of your favorite Lihue sites & attractions? Please let us know in the comments if this is the case.

See more: Top 7 Must-see Black Sand Beach Hawaii You Can’t Miss

The best things to do in Lihue

Wailua Falls

Let’s take a walk in the woods to start your Lihue journey! Wailua Falls is located on the beautiful island of Kauai. The falls are located on the Wailua River’s South Fork and drop 173 feet into a crystal-clear pool below. Unlike most of Kauai’s waterfalls, Wailua Falls does not necessitate the use of hiking boots and a walking stick. For your convenience, the double falls have a parking area directly next to them.

The hike down to the bottom of the falls is risky, so stay above it and admire the beauty of the Wailua Falls from a safe distance. This is without a doubt one of the best things to do in Lihue.

Location: the south end of the Wailua River

Explore more: Top 12 Best Things to Do in Kihei (+ Nearby Attractions)

Kauai Museum

The Kauai Museum, which opened in 1960 as a history and art museum, is housed in a lava rock building and is one of Lihue’s primary attractions.

Visitors may learn about Captain Cook’s travels after arriving on the island of Kauai, as well as the early Hawaiian kingdom.

Learn about the Hawaiian islands’ geological genesis as well as their volcanic history.

The Lihue museum has art galleries from across the world as well as equipment utilized by the locals in their everyday life. The museum’s interior walls are covered in paintings depicting Kauai’s history.

There are additional artifacts from the 1824 shipwreck in Hanalei Bay. Take a tour or wander around at your leisure.

Location: 4428 Rice Street, Lihue, Hawaii 96766
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on Sundays.
Admission Prices: Entry is free for children under 7, and costs $15 for adults. The museum also offers discounts for students and seniors.
Phone: (808) 245-6931

For another adventure: Check-In Now Top 11 Best Kauai Waterfalls In Hawaii

Kalapaki Beach

There are numerous things to do in Lihue, and one of them is to go to Kalapaki Beach. Before it became the Kalapaki Beach with the resorts that it is now, natives lived on the shoreline for hundreds of years. The breathtaking view of the ocean is just breathtaking.

When visiting this Kauai beach, one of the main draws is the water activities. Swimming, surfing, boogie boarding, and stand-up paddleboarding are all options. There’s also a place to sunbathe and soak up the Hawaiian sun.

When hunger hits, this beach offers a variety of alternatives, including plate lunches and shaved ice. If you’re looking for a fine dining experience, go to Duke’s Canoe Club!

Aside from splashing about in the lake, there are numerous excellent hiking trails and walking roads nearby to enjoy the scenery. Remember to bring your sunblock!

Location: Kalapaki Beach, Lihue, HI 96766, USA

Fern Grotto

Fern Grotto, one of Kauai’s most popular attractions, is located on the island’s east side. This grotto (cave) is a natural lava rock grotto surrounded by luxuriant flora.

A riverboat trip lasts around 90 minutes and provides several photo opportunities. On-site musicians frequently perform for guests in the lovely setting, and the grotto has become a favorite wedding venue over the years. Until nearly fifty years ago, when guided barge trips began, the grotto was solely open to Hawaiian aristocracy. It is only accessible by boat or kayak and is located on the south branch of the Wailua River.

Location: Up the Wailua River on the East Side

Kilohana Plantation

Kilohana Plantation, built in the 1930s, is a historic property with a long history. The plantation house is massive, with over 16,000 square feet of living space!

The Kauai Plantation Railway allows visitors to experience the plantation’s still-active crops and orchards.

Fruit tree orchards, fruit fields, vegetable gardens, rare and exotic tropical flowers, woodlands, plants, hardwood trees, and animal pastures with donkeys, goats, sheep, horses, cattle, ducks, geese, and wild pigs number in the hundreds.

Guests not only learn about the history of Kauai, but they also get to feed wild pigs, goats, and sheep. This is a terrific activity for kids and families in the Lihue area.

Nawiliwili Harbor

If you can get beyond the cute name, Nawiliwili Harbor has a lot to offer! At this Lihue landmark, there is a small boat harbor, a cruise ship, and a commercial cargo port, as well as the Nawiliwili Yacht Club. Since 1930, the harbor has been the principal harbor on the island, lying immediately south of Lihue Airport near the mouth of the Hule’ia stream. Because the aforementioned Kalapaki Beach is only north of the port, it is worthwhile to visit both on the same trip.

Captain James Cook recognized that the location was the primary center when he arrived in 1778. Nawiliwili Bay had become an important seaport by the early 1800s. The set was featured in the 1981 blockbuster film “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

This is undoubtedly one of Lihue’s must-see attractions, as well as an essential element of the island’s history.

Grove Farm Homestead Museum

The Grove Farm Homestead Museum, one of the best museums in Lihue to see on your Kauai vacation, takes you back to the 1800s.

The 100-acre farm, which is located in the heart of Lihue, features the original plantation’s main house, owner’s cottage, guest cottage, old office, and additional residential and plantation worker’s buildings.

Location: 4050 Nawiliwili Rd, Lihue, HI 96766, US
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Phone: +1 808-245-3202

Menehune (Alekoko) Fishpond

In 1864, George N. Wilcox purchased the property and began to develop it. The land is still used now in the same way as it was in the 1870s. Animals, gardens, banana patches, and meadows are all present.

Take a two-hour guided tour and learn about the rich history of the site while exploring the grounds.

According to mythology, a tiny Indigenous tribe known as the Menehune created the Menehune Fishpond ((Alekoko Fishpond), which is a series of ponds, roughly 1,000 years ago.Walls measuring 900 feet broad and 5 feet high were built using large stones. This was utilized to construct a dam across the Huleia River in order to capture fish that had previously been used to feed Hawaiian royalty. According to legend, the ponds were created in a single night! One of the finest things to do in Lihue during your vacation is to see Alekoko, which is located above Nawiliwili Harbor.

The site has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973. On the Huleia River, one can take a kayak tour and paddle right past the entrance. This is a must-see destination that has been preserved and safeguarded.

Location: Menehune (Alekoko) Fishpond

Koloa Rum Company

The Koloa Rum Business, which has a beautiful tasting area in the company store, is one of the hip places to see in Lihue. Take Highway 56 south from Lihue to Highway 50, then follow the directions to the distillery. Every 30 minutes, there are samples of rum spirits prepared from Hawaiian sugar cane distilled in big copper pots to impart a smooth rum flavor.1.10 Akeko Fish pond.

Location: 3-2087 Kaumualii Hwy, Lihue, HI 96766, US
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Sunday.
Phone: +1 808-246-8900

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Best Restaurants in Lihue

There are various places to dine in Lihue, and these are the most popular (including a cheap eatery with shaved ice and a brewery)!

Gaylord’s Restaurant

Address: 3-2087 Kaumualii Hwy 3-2087 Kaumuali’i Highway, Lihue, Kauai, HI 96766-9505
Contact: +1 808-245-9593

Duke’s Kauai

Address: 3610 Rice St, Lihue, HI 96766, US
Hours: 11am – 9pm, Sunday 9am- 9pm
Contact: +1 808-246-9599

Rob’s Good Times Grill

Address: 4303 Rice St, Lihue, HI 96766, US
Hours: 11am – 10pm
Contact: +1 808-246-0311

Kauai Beer Company

Address: 4265 Rice St, Lihue, HI 96766, US
Hours: 12am – 9pm, Sunday closed
Contact: +1 808-245-2337

Koloa Mill Ice Cream & Coffee

Address: 5424 Koloa Rd, Koloa, HI 96756, US
Hours: 7am – 9pm
Contact: +1 808-742-6544

Where to stay in Lihue?

There are a variety of condominium rentals, hotels, and resorts in and around Lihue and the surrounding areas; check out the top-rated spots below.

The Kauai Inn is a popular family-friendly inn with excellent customer service and traditional Hawaiian hospitality.

Excellent pricing, convenient location, and a delicious continental breakfast Marriott Kauai Beach Club – A beachfront facility in a great location with ocean and mountain views in a bubble resort with friendly service.

The Kauai Shores Hotel is a budget-friendly beachfront hotel with clean, modern rooms, complimentary bikes, morning yoga, a pool, and other lovely public areas and gardens.

However, we’re glad to share with you guys all the amazing places and things to do in Lihue. We would love to hear about the experience yourself at this pace. Hope you enjoy the vacation with your family or your beloved person. See you soon in some new posts about holidays.

Explore more on our website bbalessandra.com!

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