The Ultimate Kauai Babymoon Guide for Adventure Lovers

It doesn’t take much for me to find an excuse to book a trip and planning a babymoon was no exception. The final months of pregnancy were filled with the weight of savoring the final moments as a family of 2 (well, 3 including our fur child) and there was an element of pressure to plan the perfect final adventure for just the two of us. We wanted an opportunity to relax and disconnect, while also having the option to squeeze in a little adventure and exploration – something that would make us feel like ourselves. Kaua’i had been on our list for a while and it certainly did not disappoint. 

Where to stay in Kauai for your babymoon

Knowing we wanted easy access to hiking along the Nāpali coast and craving views of a the lush, mountainous coastline, we opted to stay on Kaua’i’s North Shore, notorious for it’s verdant landscape and more peaceful beaches. Our main concern with opting to stay on the North Shore was the rain, but traveling in August during Kaua’i’s dry season meant that apart from occasional morning and afternoon showers, we were still able to enjoy all that the North Shore had to offer without much concern for weather. We LOVED the North Shore and would 100% stay here again.

We stayed at the Hanalei Bay Resort, a vacation rental resort located in the town of Princeville, a 15 minute drive from the town of Hanalei. I’ll start by saying that lodging on Kaua’i is not cheap. This stay was more than we’d typically spend on a room, but decided to splurge (for us) on a room with a balcony and on a resort with access to a private beach. The resort was perfect for what we were looking for for our babymoon lodging – a pool, views of the coastline, and access to a beach. We absolutely loved our stay at the Hanalei Bay Resort, but it’s worth noting several things. First, the resort is quite hilly, so it’s worth keeping that in mind if accessibility is a concern (or if you’re 30 weeks pregnant like I was). However, there is a golf cart shuttle service from the beach up to the rooms for those that aren’t up for the half mile uphill trek back from the beach. Second, the resort has limited options for food – a bar with a limited food menu and a takeout pizza restaurant, which was great for taking down to the beach for sunset. Most of the better food options are located a 15 minute drive away in the town of Hanalei, so it’s factoring into your dining plans.

Getting around

We typically like to opt for public transit options when traveling, but knowing that we wanted the freedom to explore the island we opted to rent a car from the airport in Lihue, which proved to be worth it for ease of access to the town of Hanalei and the freedom to drive around the island to check out Waimea Canyon. I recommend booking a car rental early as rentals tend to book up.

What to do in Kauai

One of the things I love about travel is that rush of adrenaline you get when you arrive somewhere new and are overwhelmed with an urge to see it all. We arrived on the island exhausted and ready to crash by the pool, but quickly were hit with a desire to explore and an underlying feeling that we’d be back when I wasn’t 30 weeks pregnant. That said, here were a few of the highlights that were still enjoyable in the early weeks of my third trimester:

Hiking along the Nāpali Coast

I’ve been dreaming of hiking along the Nāpali Coast for years and let me tell you – it lived up to the hype! We hiked to the 4 mile round trip trek to Hanakapi’ai Beach along the Kalalau Trail, the portion of the iconic Kalalau trail accessible to day hikers. If I we had more time, we would have continued on to Hanakāpīʻai Falls, but we had read that the extra 2 miles to the falls were a more treacherous hike than I was comfortable with that far along in my pregnancy. Accessing the trailhead for this hike requires a reservation for parking or shuttle access to Ha’ena State Park, so plan ahead! Parking reservations filled up quickly, so we took the $35 shuttle from the Waipa Park and Ride right outside the town of Hanalei, which worked out great. The return shuttle runs every 20 minutes and the last shuttle returns at 5:40 pm.

Snorkeling at Tunnel’s Bay

Matt’s one request for this trip was that he had the opportunity to snorkel. He was on a mission to meet a sea turtle and Tunnel’s Bay delivered. Located 20 minutes outside the town of Hanalei, Tunnel’s beach boasts some of Kaua’is best snorkeling and scuba diving. Parking can be a bit confusing and limited, so we recommend parking at Ha’ena Beach and walking the quarter mile down the beach back towards the town of Hanalei. Arrive early (before 8:30 am) to secure a parking spot as the lot fills up fast.

Watch the sun set at Hanalei Beach

Located right in the town of Hanalei, Hanalei Beach offers idyllic white sandy beaches, clear and calm water, and epic views of the ridged, green coastline of the North Shore. The beach is easily accessible from town and was the perfect spot for a romantic sunset and some DIY maternity photos.

Private airplane tour of Kauai

We had originally wanted to go on a sunset cruise along the Nāpali Coast, but all of the tour operators we looked at wouldn’t allow pregnant passengers, so Matt surprised me with a private airplane tour of the island. It was truly one of the most magical experiences of my life, although be warned that the nausea definitely hit hard while pregnant. This was a splurge, but so worth it for an aerial view of so many parts of the island that are inaccessible by foot. The perfect way to celebrate your babymoon.

Hiking in Waimea Canyon

One of the main reasons that we wanted to rent a car is so that we could take a day to road trip around the island to visit Waimea Canyon, also known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, located on the West side of the island. After driving through Waimea Canyon State Park we arrived to Koke’e State Park to hike the short, but steep 2.6 mile trail down to Waipo’o Falls. Typically the falls can be seen from the rim of the canyon, but the falls were dry in August, but still well worth the hike for views f the iconic Waimea Canyon.

Where to eat in Hanalei

Apart from lodging, food was our primary cost while on the island. We tried to save some money by buying groceries for breakfast and lunch, but we also splurged on some of incredible restaurants the town of Hanalei has to offer. Here were some of our faves:

Breakfast:

• Saenz Ohana: An inconspicuous food truck in Princeville with an out-of-this world Eggs Benedict. Just do it!
• Nourish Hanalei: Another out-of-the-way spot in Princeville with incredible acai bowls and an epic view of Hanalei.
• Hanalei Bread Company: A popular breakfast spot in the town of Hanalei that was well worth the wait! Our favorites here were the Aloha Bar, Fancy Toast, and Brekkie Sandwich.

Dinner:

• Bar Acuda: Owned by the same group a Hanalei Bread Company and AMA, Bar Acuda is one of the pricier and most popular dinner spots in town, with reservations booking up weeks in advance. If you don’t have a reservation, it’s still worth an attempt to get a seat at the bar. Their tapas-style menu was innovative, unique, and oh-so-worth it for a romantic night out. Pro tip: don’t skip on the scallops or or the passionfruit cheesecake!
• AMA: Similar to Bar Acuda, AMA reservations were hard to come by, but we were lucky to snag a spot at the bar for some cozy ramen. AMA also has a beautiful outdoor space with firepits and a stunning view of the mountains. Definitely worth a stop, if anything just for a drink.

Shave Ice (because this deserves its own category):

• Jojo’s Shave Ice: We took it upon ourselves to sample as many shave ice’s as we could and agreed that Jojo’s was the best on account of their superior macademia nut ice cream that they placed on the bottom of each cup. We sampled the Jojo’s both in Hanalei and Waimea and can attest to consistent quality at both!
• Wishing Well Shave Ice: Coming in a close second for best shave ice in Hanalei was Wishing Well Shave Ice, sold out of a vibey old bus with a neighboring coffee shop with long picnic tables in the shade. We loved the ambiance and returned here multiple times.

Pregnancy considerations for your babymoon

Overall, Kauai was the perfect choice for our babymoon, complete with challenging, but doable hikes and plenty of opportunity to relax and savor our final days as a family of 2. That said, it’s always worth being prepared in the event of a medical emergency and knowing where the nearest hospital is with a labor and delivery unit. Wilcox has an OBY-GYN and Labor & Delivery Unit, so it’s good to know how far you’ll be from the nearest L&D hospital. It’s worth noting that the island does not have a NICU, so know that it is always a risk if you were to give birth prematurely.

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