Kauaʻi
The green one. Hanalei, Waimea Canyon, and the beaches the postcards keep using.
North Shore
Hanalei and Haʻena, where the road ends and the Napali cliffs start.
Haʻena State Park
Road's end on the North Shore, and the payoff is Keʻe Beach.
Kalalau Trail
Eleven miles of sea cliffs, the most famous footpath in Hawaiʻi.
Hanalei Bay
Two miles of sand in a half-moon of green mountains.
Limahuli Garden & Preserve
A garden built into a valley Hawaiians have farmed for centuries.
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
A 1913 lighthouse on a cliff full of seabirds.
Na ʻAina Kai Botanical Gardens
Bronze sculptures keep turning up between the plantings.
Tahiti Nui
The Hanalei bar that's been throwing the party since 1963.
Wishing Well Shave Ice
Shave ice out of an old bus, and the coffee's serious too.
Kilauea Bakery
Forty-year-old sourdough starters named Boris and Natasha.
Bar Acuda
The Hanalei dinner to book as far out as you can.
Anaina Hou Community Park
Mini golf, a giant playground, and live music in Kilauea.
Hanalei Taro & Juice Co
Taro smoothies from the family that grows the taro.
East Side
Kapaʻa and Lihuʻe: the working coast, with the best food-truck lots on the island.
Wailua River State Park
A river valley of heiau, waterfalls, and slow boats.
Sleeping Giant (Nounou East Trail)
Climb the giant's chest for the East Side's best view.
Lydgate Beach Park
Rock-walled ocean pools made for actual swimming.
Kauai Museum
Royal artifacts and plantation stories on Rice Street.
Mark's Place
Chef-driven plate lunch in a Lihuʻe industrial park.
Duke's Kauai
Mai tais on Kalapaki Beach, hula pie for the table.
Wailua Shave Ice
Shave ice with the fruit actually in it.
Pono Market
The Kapaʻa poke case with a line out the door.
Koloa Rum Company
Single-batch rum made with Waiʻaleʻale rainwater.
Smith's Tropical Paradise
Four generations of one family running the Fern Grotto.
Kauai Backcountry Adventures
Float an 1870s plantation ditch straight through the mountain.
Jack Harter Helicopters
The original Kauaʻi helicopter tour, doors off if you dare.
South Shore
Poʻipu beaches and old Koloa town. The sunny side.
Poʻipu Beach Park
The South Shore's do-everything beach.
McBryde Garden
The world's largest collection of native Hawaiian plants.
Allerton Garden
Sculpted garden rooms in a valley by the sea.
The Beach House Restaurant
The dinner table with the South Shore's best sunset.
Puka Dog
A hot dog in a pierced sweet-bread bun, only here.
Brennecke's Beach Broiler
A cold drink with a straight view of Poʻipu Beach.
Little Fish Coffee
Acai bowls and strong coffee steps from Poʻipu.
Koloa Fish Market
Poke by the pound in old Koloa town.
Warehouse 3540
A warehouse of Kauaʻi makers with a coffee truck out front.
West Side
Waimea Canyon, Kokeʻe trails, and Hanapepe's little main street.
Waimea Canyon State Park
A mile-wide red gorge they call the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
Kokeʻe State Park
Kalalau Valley from four thousand feet up.
Polihale State Park
Miles of empty dune-backed beach at the literal end of the road.
Kokeʻe Natural History Museum
Trail advice from the people who know the mountain.
Salt Pond Beach Park
A natural rock ridge turns the ocean into a swimming pool.
Hanapepe Friday Art Night
One Friday street of galleries, music, and easels.
Talk Story Bookstore
The westernmost bookstore in the country, new address included.
JoJo's Shave Ice
Waimea's shave ice stop before or after the canyon.
Kauai Coffee Company
Walk the largest coffee farm in the country.
Holo Holo Charters
The catamaran that runs Napali and keeps going to Niʻihau.
Capt Andy's Sailing Adventures
Sailing Napali since 1983, sunset dinner included.
Banana Patch Studio
Hand-painted tiles and pottery from a Hanapepe studio.