LUSH… FRESH… GREEN. Those are the top 3 most fitting words to describe Kauai in my opinion. The air, the water, the food… it all just felt GOOD for me, and after spending a week on this breezy, chill island I can totally understand why Hawaii has the highest life expectancy of all the states. Visiting Kauai truly does feel like you’ve been plunked into the middle of a Jurassic Park movie and it wouldn’t seem completely crazy to expect a Brontosaurus to step out onto the narrow, winding, misty roads.
Kauai somehow provides this perfect mix of natural, underdeveloped, authentic island life while also achieving most of the accessibility standards we would expect in North America. We visited during the last week of October (pre-covid), and found Kauai to be a relatively easy travel, even with each day being activity packed. We loved how drivable the island was, making it possible to beach hop and chase the sun all along the coast from north to south in a single day. We recommend Kauai as a top destination to get your fill of that topical, jungle-like, get away from the crowds, green goddess coconut smoothie for breakfast every morning with flowers in your hair kind of beach vacation. Yes, it’s ALL that! If this sounds like your style, keep on reading for 7 super must-dos, even possible with limited mobility, while on this beauty of an island!
Fly over the Na Pali coast in a helicopter
Oh, and keep the doors off, cause you’re living life to the max and going for full-blown wow factor here. After careful research we decided to book with Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours. Their price, safety rating, response time, friendliness and type of tour offered all matched up best with what we were looking for. We opted to do an hour long private tour as we felt that for this sort of a once in a lifetime experience, we did not want to go with a group and risk being put in a middle seat, having to peak around big shoulders and heads. Although at a higher price point, we definitely did not regret our decision.
We had our own vehicle for the week we were in Kauai so we met the company at their office – a funky mobile tour bus. This was where the paper work got signed and the payment was processed. Being a regular bus, I did need Mark to carry me inside, however I don’t doubt that all this could be done outside the bus if needed. From there we hopped into the company’s jeep and headed over to the airfield with my wheelchair fitting comfortably in the back. It was then an easy wheel from the parking lot to the helicopter loading zone. Mark was able to help me into the helicopter while my wheelchair was kept safe under a tent off to the side, with grounds crew keeping watch.
After the pilot and loading crew made sure Mark and I were safely strapped in, we were off for sixty of the most epic minutes of our lives! It felt like a dream, soaring over jagged mountain peaks, and dipping down into valleys. We could almost feel the spray from cascading waterfalls right next to us; and hundreds of them, complete with rainbows even! The real highlight though was reaching the edge of the north shore. As we made our turn to loop back around, we were struck with the incredible beauty of the Na Pali coast that was now stretched out for miles below us. It looked like a painting, too perfect yet too rugged, too colourful and detailed to even be real. On cue, the theme from Jurassic Park was pumped into our headphones and there we sat with ginormous grins, letting every sight, sound, smell and feeling of those moments sink right in as we soared through the air. The memories from this experience still keep us feeling high!
Kayak the Wailua River
It’s pretty clear we love to dive, crawl, push, roll and slide our way directly into nature, but even with our planning, determination and problem solving, some paths just cannot be managed safely with the two of us and my wheels. Kauai is so rich in hiking trails and unspoiled grounds, but unfortunately many of these climbs were, (understandably), not accessible to me. So, we were happy to get in some exercise and out of the car exploration by instead signing up for a Kayak tour of the Wailua River!
We booked a 3 hour “Hui Hou Paddle and Swim Tour” with Kayak Kauai on our very last day. We were lucky to be the only ones scheduled, so ended up with another tour all to ourselves! Getting in and out of the kayak was as easy as it could be, with a concrete driveway leading right into the water where the kayak was docked. Our guide was energetic, fun and eager to help. The kayak was a double seater so Mark and I could share the paddling work while we leisurely followed our guide down the river. We made a stop at a shallower area with some modest, over hanging cliffs. Mark was able to get out and carefully trek up the cliff for some good old fashioned Tarzan style river jumps! Pretty sure he felt 13 again. I was able to get out of the kayak and wade in the shallow water while our guide tossed me freshly cut watermelon. This afternoon was everything you’d expect a Hawaii vacation to be!
Check out a classic Kauai Luau
Would a Hawaii vacation really be complete without experiencing a Luau?! We recommend adding Luau Kalamaku on Kilohana Plantation to your itinerary for some fun evening entertainment. We found the accessibility of the entire evening to be excellent. We were easily able to drive ourselves over to the Plantation from our hotel and park comfortably. The large covered seating area all around the stage was on a smooth, flat surface, with enough room to maneuver my wheelchair between tables. When purchasing our tickets we selected Premium seating and were happy to have spent a bit of extra money for a completely unobstructed view of the stage. The show really was fabulous as it incorporated hula dancers, fire poi balls, fire knife dancing, Tahitian rhythms, and tells the story of the times of epic voyages between Hawaii and Tahiti. This Luau had us mesmerized from start to finish.
Spend an afternoon at Hanalei Bay Beach.
Before every warm weather vacation I spend far too much time google searching “best beach in ____”. But then I end up realizing that this is so subjective! Some people appreciate huge surfing waves and a busy, active party vibe, lined with shops and vendors. I prefer a quiet, narrow beach with very calm water, few people and an easy access path.
There are SO many beaches to explore in Kauai but one that we liked the best was Hanalei Bay on the north shore. The vibe in this area is laid back, happy and easy breezy. We stopped in at a couple food trucks down around the corner from the beach where they served up lunch with ingredients that truly felt like they had just been plucked straight from the gardens surrounding us. So, so fresh and delicious.
The beach at Hanalei Bay has calm waters close to the shoreline, but exciting, breaking waves just a little further out. It was fun to sit at the water’s edge and watch even young kids run their surf boards out deeper. The bay is super scenic too with a wooden pier dividing the beach into two long stretches, and rolling hills in the background in the shape of Puff the Magic Dragon, (who lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist, in a land called… Hanalei!) But one of our favourite things about this beach is that if you get there early enough, you should be able to drive your vehicle right onto the sand, making this beach day easily accessible! The beach isn’t crazy wide, yet still, pulling up right onto the sand seems to be the thing they do there and was perfectly acceptable. Not to worry if you don’t get sand parking, there is a parking lot just behind with a decent walkway onto the beach.
Poipu Beach.
Another great beach with accessible parking and clear, smooth pathways leading onto the sand was Poipu beach. On the south end of the island, this beach doesn’t have views quite as magical as Hanalei, but is certainly still beautiful with calm, shallow, warm waters. When we arrived we were lucky enough to see a number of large tortoises resting on shore. Depending on the tide, a sandbank forms off to the side where Mark had fun venturing off to. We found the beach to be busy and lively, with shops across the street, but not overcrowded. If you’re in this area we recommend a short drive over to Puka Dog for some delicious Hawaiian style hot dogs!
Drive through Waimea Canyon State Park
Waimea Canyon, on the west side of Kauai has been dubbed the Grand Canyon of Hawaii and indeed the landscape and views appear very similar. Only about 35 miles from our hotel in Lihue we thought it was the coolest thing that we could go from lush, green jungle to brown, stark desert in under an hour. We also appreciated that a lot of the beauty in Waimea Canyon State Park could be enjoyed straight from our vehicle! Just like the state parks we had visited in Utah, there were various look out points and rest stops, most of which had accessible van parking and smooth, ramped paths of travel to take in the views while breathing in that fresh Kauai air. If you have a vehicle while in Kauai, we definitely recommend a drive over to the island’s west side for an easy afternoon of some pretty epic scenery!
Admire Wailua Falls
Who doesn’t love a waterfall?! But, as a wheelchair user, it’s frustratingly rare to find these natural beauties whose views aren’t described as requiring ‘a slightly traitorous hike across narrow logs and slippery rocks, but SO worth it, OMG!’. [Insert annoyed, eye-roll face]. When researching waterfalls I’m probably one of the only ones more interested in finding photos of the trail to get there, than of the actual waterfall itself. So, I was super excited to learn that the gorgeous Wailua Falls are easy visible pretty much right from the comfort of your vehicle! No questionable hiking needed! There is a nice paved area to pull over so that you can get out and walk/wheel over to the sidewalk to get a clear look. The only minor downside is if you’re unusually short like me, you might need a boost up to see over the rail. We recommend visiting in the morning before the area becomes crowded.
Other Fun Activities
A few other fun ideas worth mentioning that you can build in to any of your days while in Kauai:
Spouting horn: If you’re on the south east coast near Poipu Beach, stop over and check out this neat natural spectacle. As we learned, narrow openings are created in the ground on the coastline by waves that have eroded lava rock over time. As a result, now when a big wave hits, water shoots up through the openings, sometimes as high as 50 feet and creates a hissing sound. This can be viewed from an accessible parking lot/paved area.
Drinks at St. Regis: On the north end of the island is the prestigious and beautiful St. Regis hotel. While staying overnight was outside our budget, we stopped in for drinks on their outdoor patio and had fun feeling fancy and enjoying the beauty of this property for a few hours.
Kapaa Trail: About a 10 minute walk from our hotel in Lihue we came across the Kapaa Path which is a wonderful, smooth, flat, paved trail that runs about 10 kilometres along the shoreline. We were able to walk/wheel for a nearly a good hour before coming across a couple steps in the pathway. We so appreciated such a long stretch of accessible trail offering gorgeous views, perfect for morning and late afternoon strolls.
Breakfast at Javakai: I would go back to Kauai JUST to eat here again! LOVE! Javakai is that cute, fun, colourful, all natural, healthy eating and damn delicious cafe that is meant to exist on this lush island. Hugely unfortunate though – Javakai is actually mostly NOT wheelchair accessible. Despite there being a wheelchair accessible parking spot just around back, there are about 3 steps to enter. They do however have a small and accessible patio with tables and chairs out front, so, if you are with someone who can go inside and order for you, I still recommend grabbing a bite here. Mark carried me inside the first time and the staff were super friendly, so I also have no doubt that they could bring you your order if you called it in. I started every morning with a golden smoothie and waffles and it made.my.day.
Accommodation
We stayed at Waipouli Beach Resort and Spa Kauai by Outrigger in Lihue and we have no complaints! The price was reasonable; the rooms, although somewhat on the small side, were comfortable and still big enough for me to manuever; the bathroom was quite large with a roll-in shower; the pools were cold but spacious and the hotel even has a pool lift! The restaurant was fully accessible and had a nice atmosphere set close to the ocean. The staff were friendly and we particularly liked the location that allowed us to reach either the far north or south of the island within an hour.
Do you plan to visit Kauai soon?! Have you visited other Hawaiian islands? Drop a comment or question below and let’s share our experiences!
4 comments
We are going to Kauai next month. My husband is C7 quad and we were not able to get one of the only 2 wheelchair accessible vans on the island. They are all available of course the week after we leave. Did you get an accessible vehicle or are you able to use a regular vehicle?
Hello! I’m so excited for you both! I hope you love the island! I can transfer into a regular seat and my chair is small, so did not require an accessible vehicle. Ugh, really only 2 accessible vans?! I hope they see there is more demand and that changes soon! Let me know how you manage and what you think of Kauai!!!
Thanks for posting this. It gave me some ideas for stuff to do while we visit Kauai.
Yay! 🙂 that makes me happy!!