Waimea Canyon & Na Pali Driving Tour app

Be sure to check out the Kauai Coffee’s visitor center. They offer free coffee samples in a large variety of flavors, what a great way to start off your morning!

Visit this once an impressive fort, with 20 feet high and 17 feet wide walls that shaped like a star

Here in Waimea Town, there are some local places to shop and eat. Stop by if you need a quick snack for the road, but other than that we suggest you skip this spot for now and save it for your return trip. We’ll guide you back, we promise!

If you’ve been to Hawaii, you’ve probably seen a few waterfalls, but this waterfall is particularly unique. It runs through Kauai’s red dirt instead of lush green jungle which is what you normally see. Stop by for a quick picture and then continue into the park.

While you're on the trail, check out the interpretive signs that describe the native plants. The trail is actually named after a rare, exotic plant -- the iliau or Kaua'i greensword -- that is found nowhere else in the world but here on Kaua'i.

This is the first of two lookouts of Waimea Canyon. This lookout has some of the best views on a clear day. Stand atop the lookout to take in the expansive views of this natural wonder.

We’ll guide you to pull into a small parking lot for a view of an 800-foot waterfall that cascades into the canyon.

This is the second of the two lookouts for Waimea Canyon. Here at the end of the parking lot is the trailhead for Canyon Trail. The trail signs are a little confusing, so read the description under Hiking in our app Highlights before hiking.

Here is our first major hike for the day! The trail starts at the parking lot, and you’ll travel about ¾ of a mile through lush jungle to a spot called Cliff Viewpoint.

The lodge and museum at Koke'e are located at a small plateau in the mountain. The lodge is a sit-down restaurant with decent food if you are hungry. If you are lucky, sometimes they have live music! At the museum, there is a display of native plants, animals, and birds.

Here you will find your first view of the glorious Na Pali Coast. However, don’t be upset if dense fog prevents you from seeing any views. It’s typical at this altitude. Try waiting it out a few minutes as the fog tends to come and go in waves.

From this lookout, you get a view of the iconic Na Pali coast. You can also see the peak of Mt. Wai’ale’ale and a swamp called Alaka’i Swamp - one of the wettest places on the entire planet with about 450 inches of rain a year.

Their shave ice comes in a wide range of tropical and traditional flavors. We recommend getting one of their combos with vanilla or macadamia nut ice cream. Their small size is plenty big enough to share.

At the base of the mountain, just past the old swinging bridge is a hidden gem that reveals a fascinating part of Kauai's past: the Menehune Ditch. You might be thinking to yourself, what’s so cool about a ditch? Well, we’ll tell you the story of the Menehune who constructed this ditch thousands of years ago.

In 1778, Captain Cook became the first Westerner to discover Hawaii. The place where Cook first set foot in Hawai'i is right here in Waimea. We'll point out his statue in the middle of town.

Here in Hanapepe, there are a few quaint art boutiques, restaurants, murals, and an interesting little bookstore called Talk Story. In fact, it’s the westernmost bookstore in the United States! Feel free to stop anytime as we do a quick drive through the town.

If you’re interested in checking out a cool swinging bridge, there's one in Hanapepe. Look for the sign when you're walking around town.

Hanapepe is only a few minutes from Lawai, where you started the tour. We’ll guide you back in that direction with a fun story about Kauai's "state bird" along the way.