Take me back! We’ve only been home from our Kauai babymoon for two weeks and I’m already missing the sun and the sand so much! We had such a blast and really made the most of the experience despite the rainy, windy weather, and I wanted to share some details from our trip as well as general tips for what to do on a babymoon in Kauai!
Where We Stayed
We went with a mid-range option for accommodations and ended up staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai on the East shore.
What we liked:
The lobby of the hotel was beautiful and it had a great little Tiki Bar right on Lydgate beach. There was easy access to lots of cute restaurants and shops nearby. We also loved that the “resort fee” that we paid each day included bike rentals (only once during the duration of our stay, but still so much fun!,) a cultural sunrise ceremony, and free mai tais every night (don’t worry, Matt drank mine!)
What we didn’t like:
Now for the not-so-good stuff. The first room we stayed in had a bug problem. After a few days we asked to move and were given a new room, which unfortunately had mold in the bathroom. The rooms themselves were fine, but there was no balcony which was a bit of a bummer! The hotel breakfast buffet was also lackluster, especially at $19 a head. Overall, if we were to go again, I think we would choose other accommodations.
My recommendations:
We got to see a few other properties during our stay and if we had to go back we would definitely choose one of these places!
Budget: Kauai Beach Resort
Splurge: Grand Hyatt
Catamaran Cruise
If you’re planning on doing a Catamaran cruise, make sure you make reservations well in advance. Tip: most companies won’t take pregnant women. The company we went with was called Captain Andy’s, and they take mothers who are up to 26 weeks pregnant! It was an amazing experience and we saw lots of wildlife (dolphins, whales, sea turtle, and lots of fish while snorkeling) but beware: I did throw up in the rough waters on the Na Pali Coast even though I hadn’t thrown up at all during my pregnancy and had never gotten seasick!
Hiking
Many of the hikes on Kauai are dangerous (especially if you’re dealing with an altered center of gravity. Looking at you, baby bump!) Both the Kalalau trail and the Wailua Falls trails were closed due to hazardous conditions during our stay. A lot of people were jumping the fence to do the hike anyway, but it’s probably not the best idea for mamas-to-be. If you’re looking for a beautiful, safe hike, I HIGHLY recommend the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail at Poipu Beach!
Kauai Bike Trail
The Kauai Bike Trail on the East shore was a great alternative to more rigorous/dangerous hikes. It’s about 9 miles round trip and you go right along the coastline, which was incredibly beautiful. We rented beach cruisers from Hele on Kauai (they were free through our hotel but the normal price is $5/hour which isn’t bad at all) and it was one of our favorite parts of our trip!
Snorkeling
If you’re wondering what to do on a babymoon in Kauai, this is my #1 pick! Our favorite snorkeling spot was definitely Poipu beach. You can rent gear from a place called Boss Frog’s which is in walking distance of the shore. I saw at least 8 different kinds of fish, a sea turtle, and an eel in my half-hour or so of snorkeling. Just make sure you sunscreen up and don’t get burnt to a crisp like I did!
Ha’ena
Although Poipu was my favorite beach overall, I also loved our day at Ha’ena State Park at Ke’e Beach. the beach is about as far North as you can go on the West side of the island and you need a parking reservation to get in, so it was so quiet and peaceful! If you have extra room, make sure to check out the Maniniholo Dry Cave on your way back!
Where We Ate
One of my favorite parts of this trip was all the amazing food we had while we were on island! Although I was bummed to have to skip the poke and sushi, we found a lot of really great restaurants!
East Shore:
We ate most of our meals on the East shore since that’s where our hotel was. The food definitely didn’t dissapoint! Here are some of my favorite places:
Kalalea Juice Hale: This is the cutest little juice and acai bowl place. It’s also a great place to chicken watch!
Bubba’s Burgers: If you want a more traditional burger option, I can’t recommend Bubba’s Burgers enough. Not only is it affordable and SO delicious, but you can sit at the dar area outside and look right out onto the beach. We got the Kauai burger (basically pineapple teriyaki,) chili fries, and a chocolate shake… yum!
Eat Healthy Cafe: We went here TWICE because the acai bowls were so good. It’s a vegan restaurant but even my meat-loving husband was impressed by their teriyaki pineapple burger!
Scorpacciata Pizza: The Kapa’a area food trucks were all amazing, but our favorite was Scorpacciata pizza. An innovative menu and nice crispy crust make it a must-try. Tip: pay the extra $0.50 for a to go box and eat your pizza on the beach!
Wailua Shave Ice: This one is iconic. The creamy blends of condensed milk, shaved ice, and fruit juices that come out of this little airstream are legendary. We even got to enjoy some live music in the courtyard while we ate ours. This is the PERFECT post-bike ride treat if you choose to do the Kauai Bike Trail!
Kountry Kitchen: This retro brunch spot had a HUGE menu and the portions were incredibly generous. Matt got spam, eggs, and rice and I opted for the Kalua Pork Benedict, which was incredible.
Coconut Marketplace Farmer’s Market: We also really enjoyed going to the farmer’s market at Coconut Marketplace on the first day of our stay and picking out some yummy fresh fruit and bread from Lokelani’s Banana Bread and Treats for breakfasts! It was a great way to save money and support the local community.
South Shore:
Puka Dog: Matt had been raving about Puka Dog for MONTHS before we went on our trip. In fact, when I asked him what to do on a babymoon in Kauai, this was the first thing he mentioned! Picture a hot dog inside of a 360 degree bun that’s been toasted to a crunch on the inside and then filled with lemon-garlic aioli and tropical relish. It was so good that we went twice. Fair warning: the spice level difference between Jalapeno and Hot Chili Pepper is SIGNIFICANT.
North Shore:
Kalypso Bar and Grill: This was probably my favorite place we ate on the island. Located on the North Shore, it has a perfectly-curated tiki-bar feel, ice cold beer, and an incredible menu. Their house-made sauces are to DIE for! I crave the Kalua Pork and fish tacos that I had there on the daily.
Shopping:
The best shopping we found on the island was at The Shops at Kukui’ula on the South side. They had lots of cute, trendy stores and restaurants where you could grab some beachy souvenirs that aren’t too kitschy. For sweatshirts and t-shirts, I particularly recommend Poipu Surf!
Watch the Vlog
I’m so glad that I got to check an item off of my 2020 Resolutions list with this trip! If you want to see our whole trip or need some more tips for what to do on a babymoon in Kauai, make sure you check out the vlog I posted on my YouTube channel. I’d love it if you subscribed too!
