Must-see shopping in Kauaʻi

  • Warehouse 3540

    Poʻipu & the South Shore

    A welcome boost to the island shopping scene, a world away from the big-name chains of the resorts, this converted warehouse hosts a half-dozen quirky,…

  • Yellowfish Trading Company

    Hanalei

    This irresistibly upbeat gallery offers a mix of true vintage and vintage-inspired art, handicrafts, books and much more. It’s the vintage stuff that’s…

  • Havaiki

    Hanalei

    Tucked at the back of the Hanalei Center and flagged by fascinating outdoor displays, this wonderful shop sells superb handcrafted Polynesian and Oceanic…

  • Kauai Fine Arts

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    This rather wonderful antique art store specializes in maps and prints from the age of European Pacific exploration. Genuine lithographs by John Webber,…

  • Hanalei Strings

    Hanalei

    This long-established, always welcoming shop channels two passions: music and knitting. Alongside a wide range of guitars and ukuleles from concert size…

  • Larry's Music

    Kapaʻa

    This high-quality uke dealer offers starters for less than $100 and vintage and high-end ukes costing $1000 to $5000. All come with the manufacturer’s…

  • Kong Lung Trading

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    Attractively laid out in a beautifully restored stone building that dates from 1877, this Asian-inspired art and clothing boutique sells a wide array of…

  • Shops at Kukuiʻula

    Poʻipu

    A cluster of plantation-style wooden buildings, this upscale shopping mall is conveniently located at the Po‘ipu roundabout. As well as a dozen generally…

  • Koloa Rum Company

    Lihuʻe

    Kauaʻi's own rum label is a relatively new brand, which means it doesn't have a fine aged rum yet, but its dark and spiced versions win awards. Learn how…

  • Nani Moon Meadery & Tasting Room

    Kapaʻa & the Eastside

    Nani Moon makes and pours tropical honey wine, which is arguably the oldest alcoholic beverage on earth – humans have been drinking it for 6000 years or…

  • Blü Umi

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    Sharing its premises with the Japanese Grandma restaurant – some items are discounted for diners – this fancy little store has a slicker vibe than its…

  • Banana Patch Studio

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    This Kilauea outpost of the Hanapepe original is an artist-owned gallery selling colorful, appealing ceramic tiles and dishware, almost all designed by…

  • Island Soap & Candle Works

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    The pick of several such shops on Kaua‘i, in enlarged new premises but still making its soap in-house. Botanical lotions, body butters, bath oils and…

  • Hula Girl

    Kapaʻa

    This family-run shop is a standout for contemporary Hawaiian clothing and gifts – shirts, dresses, jewelry, souvenirs and more, but also for fabulous…

  • Aloha Images

    Kapaʻa

    The oldest art gallery on the island is arguably its best, especially when it comes to highly regarded fine artists – folks such as Steven Valiere, who is…

  • Magic Dragon

    Princeville

    Stuffed toys and kites, board games and playing cards, remote-control choppers and matchbox-style cars – put it all together and you have one of…

  • Marta's Boat

    Kapaʻa & the Eastside

    This unique boutique delights ‘princesses of all ages’ with original block and screen prints on silks and other soft and flowing fabrics, and some funky,…

  • Talk Story Bookstore

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    The USA’s westernmost bookstore is, even more crucially, the only genuine bookstore on Kaua‘i. As such, it’s a godsend, cramming over 100,000 (largely…

  • Malie Organics Boutique

    Poʻipu

    Kukui nuts, mangoes, coconuts and vanilla are just a few of the plant ‘essences’ utilized by this homegrown bath- and body-products company. It stocks…

  • Kiko

    Kapaʻa

    It deals in 'simple goods' including beach and shoulder bags crafted from upcycled rice sacks, saris and plastic bags; a carefully curated book table;…

  • Shipwrecked

    Kapaʻa

    The best clothing shop on the Eastside offers stylish casual and beachwear from mainland-, Australian- and London-based designers like Passenger and Vuori…

  • Olivine Beach

    Wailua

    A high-end fashion boutique that feels dropped in from the Hamptons or Malibu, but looks perfectly at home in Wailua. Owned by a former Donna Karan…

  • Hanalei Surf Company

    Hanalei

    Surf is the name of the game in this store, which stocks all the gear any surfer girl or beach boy might need for riding waves, including boards, along…

  • Aloha Spice Company

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    You can smell the savory, smoky goodness as soon as you step inside. In addition to local spices (in blends such as ‘luau BBQ’), this place also sells…

  • Chocolat Hanalei

    Hanalei

    The aroma alone is enough to lure you into this compact chocolatier linked with a farm in nearby Wainiha Valley and filled with treats. Specialty…

  • I Heart Hanalei

    Hanalei

    This beachy clothing boutique has more stock than most. Peruse racks of stylish bikinis, beach cover-ups, sun hats, shorts and yoga wear from labels like…

  • On The Road To Hanalei

    Hanalei

    Vibrant batik-print dresses and pareus (Tahitian sarongs), handcrafted silver jewelry and Japanese cracked-glaze tableware are just a few of the treasures…

  • Hanalei Center

    Hanalei

    Hanalei’s former schoolhouse, built in 1926, moved to this site in 1989. Now complemented by a cluster of buildings that similarly evoke Hawaii’s…

  • Puahina

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    Bold in-house designs set this small boutique apart. You’ll find wearable keepsakes that fuse traditional motifs with contemporary styles. Look for silk…

  • Coconut Style

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    A real and refreshing blast of color, Coconut Style traffics in all things aloha, handmade and hand-painted. Shirts and robes are typically priced around …

  • Backdoor

    Hanalei

    The coolest clothing shop in Ching Young Village offers board shorts, bikinis and rashies for all ages, sundresses, surf and skate boards, sunglasses and…

  • Kong Lung Center

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    This small shopping-and-dining complex is based around the site where Kilauea’s original general store was opened by a Chinese immigrant in 1902.

  • Princeville Wine Market

    Princeville

    Well-curated new- and old-world wines, infused vodkas and high-end spirits of all kinds, plus a small array of hams, cheeses and chocolate.

  • Ambrose's Kapuna Surf Gallery

    Kapaʻa & the Eastside

    Don’t miss the chance to meet longtime artist-surfer-philosopher Ambrose Curry. Originally from California, he has lived on Kauaʻi since 1968 and is also…

  • Hunter Gatherer

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    Gift shop and gallery with a strong New-Age influence, stocking an eclectic blend of clothing, books, art, bath and beauty products, and home furnishings,…

  • Vicky's Fabrics

    Kapaʻa

    Established in the early 1980s by Vicky Masuoka, this simple storefront stocks a wide selection of Hawaiian, Japanese and batik-print fabrics for quilters…

  • Banana Patch Studio

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    Usually packed with shoppers, this large studio-cum-store creates functional, vividly colorful crafts for the home rather than fine art – koi watercolors,…

  • Princeville Center

    Princeville

    If you’re staying in Princeville, you're pretty sure to end up prowling this assortment of island and lifestyle shops at least once per day. Focussed…

  • Edith King Wilcox Gift Shop & Bookstore

    Lihuʻe

    The Kauaʻi Museum's gem of a gift shop carries a variety of genuine Hawaiian crafts, such as Niʻihau shell jewelry, koa woodwork and lauhala (a type of…

  • Shared Blessings Thrift Shop

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    This church-run thrift shop, set in the 1925 Parish Hall across from the chapel, benefits their food pantry and sells everything from espresso makers and…