Travel to Kauai with Jessie
As you might know from the Reshelled Instagram, we're expecting! According to the newly coined term "babymoon," we needed to pick a travel destination before the baby arrives. My husband's favorite place is Kauai. We hadn’t been there since we got engaged, so we hopped on a Southwest flight and took off!
Where to stay
The first time we visited Kauai, we stayed on the south side of the island at the Grand Hyatt. While this hotel was perfectly nice, it doesn’t hold a candle to the newly finished 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay.
The entire island is beautiful, but we’re partial to the north end, close to Hanalei Bay. Driving across the entire island can take 2–3 hours, but most of the places we visited—even on the opposite side—were only 45 minutes to an hour away.
While we haven’t stayed in an Airbnb on the island, I told my husband I might prefer that next time. I love an amazing hotel experience, but Kauai is such a cool, authentic island that exploring it is just as fun as enjoying a beautiful resort.
The perfect way to do it might be staying in an Airbnb for the first three days, then switching to a hotel for the last two days—if you’re the type who enjoys a hotel experience.
What to do
There are so many ways to experience Kauai, and each one is wonderful. You can relax at a beautiful resort all day, or you can explore the island like a local. For us, renting a car is non-negotiable. Even if you plan to stay at a hotel the entire time, I encourage you to take at least one day to get out and explore. In Kauai, even the drives from destination to destination are delightful.
Here are a few places we discovered while exploring on our last trip:
Kahalahala Beach — This was such a cool find! You park on the side of the road and hike down a very short trail to the rocks. From there, you can walk along the rocks to take in the stunning coastline between beaches. The coves in the rocks were truly magical to see.
Secret Beach (Kauapea Secret Beach Trail Head) — This beach is unparalleled. While we couldn’t swim the day we visited due to a strong undertow, finding this spot is absolutely worth the effort. The water and sand are so pristine—it’s truly breathtaking.
Hideaways Beach — I did a Reshelled/maternity photoshoot while in Kauai. The hotel concierge recommended Hideaways Beach, located just outside the 1 Hotel property. There’s a short hike down to the beach, so you’ll need to be hands-free to navigate it (I wouldn’t recommend taking this trail if there’s been a lot of rain). Hideaways was the perfect spot for a photoshoot since I wanted more of a Hawaiian jungle backdrop rather than just the beach.
Tunnels Beach — Tunnels is beautiful, this is the famous spot that Bethany Hamilton was tragically attacked. We learned on the trip that the story behind the name Tunnels is because of the tunnels all underneath the reef. Typically big sharks are somewhat stopped by a reef and hang out on the deep side but at Tunnels Beach they can lurk under the reef and attack from below which is what happened to Bethany. You won't catch me swimming here but I think it's still a very popular local beach.
Waikoko Beach — We drove past this beach and decided to pull over. It’s a small beach on the side of Hanalei Bay, perfect for swimming. The swimming area is almost completely surrounded by rocks, which block any waves or undertow from entering. Waikoko would be a great spot to bring a picnic and spend the day enjoying the water.
Lastly, we visited the Hindu Monastery again. I highly recommend this experience—the grounds are stunning, and sitting in on a prayer session is incredibly grounding and peaceful. During our first visit, we were lucky enough to get a private tour of the newly built-by-hand temple and botanical gardens—I could have stayed all day.
Hiking on Kauai
Hiking on the island is one of the most incredible activities to experience. On our first trip, we ventured out with a guide from an Airbnb Experience, who took us on a seven-hour hiking adventure—it was unbelievable. Here are some of the trails we’ve explored:
Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park
Okolehao Hiking Trailhead — We tackled this trail on our own during our last trip, and it was fantastic. On AllTrails, it’s rated as moderate, but maybe because I was six months pregnant, I found it quite challenging. There are several steep sections, but I would definitely do it again.
Where to eat
They say not to eat dessert before dinner, but you’ll want to make an exception for Wishing Well. They offer a wide variety of options, but their organic shaved ice flavors were my favorite. My husband also picked up a cool hat from their Airstream shop.
The Greenery Cafe — If I could eat here every day, I would. Their menu offers a wide variety of options, from salads and sandwiches to half chicken. And the best part? Everything is organic, which I absolutely love.
Fresh Bite Farm to Beach — As someone who loves a good bowl, Fresh Bite was one of my favorite meals on Kauai. It’s more of a casual lunch spot, but I absolutely loved it.
Kauai Juice Co — If you’re a wellness enthusiast, this is the place for you. Their juices are incredible—they taste like candy! Plus, they offer plenty of other wholesome health items to choose from.
Java Kai — Everything I’ve ordered from Java Kai has been amazing. They offer healthy lunch options like açaí bowls, salads, sandwiches, muffins, and cookies—and their coffee is fantastic too!
Nourish Hanalei — We drove to this little hut for lunch, but unfortunately, they were closed for the day, so I didn’t get to try it. However, I’ve heard from reliable sources that it’s a must-visit! I believe they serve açaí bowls, lunch bowls, and more.
1 Hotel — The 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay offers several dining options, but our favorite was the Welina Terrace Lounge. Since the island is so casual, the 1 Hotel is a great place to make a reservation if you’re in the mood to dress up for dinner.
What to wear
I lived in this Monday Swimwear bikini, white tank by Re/Done, and linen pants from Faithfull The Brand — paired with the Zendaya Necklace and Kitty Earrings from Reshelled.
Tela Mercantile also makes the perfect dresses for Kauai, starting with this embroidered one called the Saint Simons Swing dress. I paired this dress with the Jaipur Drop earrings and Classic Pearl Necklace from Reshelled.
Another embroidered Tela Mercantile number layered with Reshelled pearls — The Jaipur Drop Earrings, the Classic Pearl Necklace, and the Grandmama Necklace.
Cult Gaia finally brought this amazing dress back. The Pemma Crochet Dress is expensive but I've worn it on countless occasions and bring it on every warm-climate trip I take! Paired here with the Kitty Earrings.
There are no words for my obsession with this PatBo bathing suit. Not only is it the perfect compliment to my Reshelled stack but wearing it always brings me a bit of joy. For the photoshoot I wore it with the Shannon Body Chain, the Zendaya Necklace, and the Turks Belly Chain.
Kauai
This trip truly cemented how special Kauai is to us. While I haven’t spent much time on the other islands, Kauai resonates with us because of its restrictions on commercial development. We’ll definitely be returning for years to come!
If you’re a Google Maps enthusiast, here’s my curated list for Kauai—feel free to save it!