Shutterstock / Doug James

Lihuʻe

The island's commercial center is strip-mall plain, but there's an abundance of economical eateries and shops along with a down-to-earth, workaday atmosphere that's missing in resort areas. While Kalapaki Beach is a charmer, Lihuʻe is more a place to stock up on supplies after arrival at the airport before heading out on your island adventure.

Lihuʻe arose as a plantation town back in 1849 when sugar was king, and its massive sugar mill (still standing south of town along Kaumualiʻi Hwy) was Kauaʻi's largest. The mill closed in 2000, ending more than a century of operations. It left behind an ethnic melting pot of Asian, European and Hawaiian traditions that make the town what it is today.

Activities tend to center on Kalapaki Beach with a few top golf courses and cool beaches nearby. This is the kickoff point for helicopter tours and a few fun excursions to waterfalls.

Explore Lihuʻe

Kalapaki Beach
This sandy beach and sheltered bay is tucked between a marina and the mountains. It's overlooked by the Marriott resort, which faces the bay, and by an…
G
Grove Farm
Once ranked among Kauaʻi's most productive sugar companies, Grove Farm was acquired in 1864 by George Wilcox, the Hilo-born son of Protestant missionaries…
K
Kauaʻi Museum
The island’s largest museum is set in two buildings – one of which was built with lava rock in 1960. Come here for a quick grounding in Kauaʻi’s history…
A
Alekoko (Menehune) Fishpond Overlook
This roadside overlook offers an oft-photographed vista of the Huleʻia Valley, where the Huleʻia River winds beneath a ring of verdant peaks. The river is…
K
Kilohana Plantation
If you’re curious about how Kauaʻi’s powerful sugar barons lived, visit this historic plantation estate turned shopping complex, which also hosts a luau…
N
Ninini Beach
Accessible from the grounds of the Ocean Course at Hōkūala, this gorgeous beach is perfect for a picnic (but bad for swimming because of sometimes rough…
R
Running Waters Beach
You don't want to swim here (the surf is often too rough), but the water is pretty and there are some good tide pools nearby. Access is by a very steep…
L
Lihuʻe Lutheran Church
Hawaii’s oldest Lutheran church is a quaint clapboard house, with an incongruously slanted floor that resembles a ship’s deck and a balcony akin to a…
N
Ninini Point Lighthouse
Surrounded by rugged coastal scenery, this slender whitewashed lighthouse was built in 1906. It's been automated, so alas, no lighthouse keeper. You can…

Kalapaki Beach
This sandy beach and sheltered bay is tucked between a marina and the mountains. It's overlooked by the Marriott resort, which faces the bay, and by an…
G
Grove Farm
Once ranked among Kauaʻi's most productive sugar companies, Grove Farm was acquired in 1864 by George Wilcox, the Hilo-born son of Protestant missionaries…
K
Kauaʻi Museum
The island’s largest museum is set in two buildings – one of which was built with lava rock in 1960. Come here for a quick grounding in Kauaʻi’s history…
A
Alekoko (Menehune) Fishpond Overlook
This roadside overlook offers an oft-photographed vista of the Huleʻia Valley, where the Huleʻia River winds beneath a ring of verdant peaks. The river is…
K
Kilohana Plantation
If you’re curious about how Kauaʻi’s powerful sugar barons lived, visit this historic plantation estate turned shopping complex, which also hosts a luau…
N
Ninini Beach
Accessible from the grounds of the Ocean Course at Hōkūala, this gorgeous beach is perfect for a picnic (but bad for swimming because of sometimes rough…
R
Running Waters Beach
You don't want to swim here (the surf is often too rough), but the water is pretty and there are some good tide pools nearby. Access is by a very steep…
L
Lihuʻe Lutheran Church
Hawaii’s oldest Lutheran church is a quaint clapboard house, with an incongruously slanted floor that resembles a ship’s deck and a balcony akin to a…
N
Ninini Point Lighthouse
Surrounded by rugged coastal scenery, this slender whitewashed lighthouse was built in 1906. It's been automated, so alas, no lighthouse keeper. You can…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Lihuʻe.

See
Kalapaki Beach
This sandy beach and sheltered bay is tucked between a marina and the mountains. It's overlooked by the Marriott resort, which faces the bay, and by an…
See
Grove Farm
Once ranked among Kauaʻi's most productive sugar companies, Grove Farm was acquired in 1864 by George Wilcox, the Hilo-born son of Protestant missionaries…
See
Kauaʻi Museum
The island’s largest museum is set in two buildings – one of which was built with lava rock in 1960. Come here for a quick grounding in Kauaʻi’s history…
See
Alekoko (Menehune) Fishpond Overlook
This roadside overlook offers an oft-photographed vista of the Huleʻia Valley, where the Huleʻia River winds beneath a ring of verdant peaks. The river is…
See
Kilohana Plantation
If you’re curious about how Kauaʻi’s powerful sugar barons lived, visit this historic plantation estate turned shopping complex, which also hosts a luau…
See
Ninini Beach
Accessible from the grounds of the Ocean Course at Hōkūala, this gorgeous beach is perfect for a picnic (but bad for swimming because of sometimes rough…
See
Running Waters Beach
You don't want to swim here (the surf is often too rough), but the water is pretty and there are some good tide pools nearby. Access is by a very steep…
See
Lihuʻe Lutheran Church
Hawaii’s oldest Lutheran church is a quaint clapboard house, with an incongruously slanted floor that resembles a ship’s deck and a balcony akin to a…
See
Ninini Point Lighthouse
Surrounded by rugged coastal scenery, this slender whitewashed lighthouse was built in 1906. It's been automated, so alas, no lighthouse keeper. You can…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Lihuʻe

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