This morning we woke up to another nice breakfast before heading out to adventure around the famous Waimea Canyon area. The volcanic history here is absolutely amazing, and though it is considered the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” its formation was due to volcanism and erosion, unlike its Arizona cousin.
We drove west towards Waimea Canyon Drive, which brings you along the twists and turns of the ridge (truly along the ridge of the canyon) for over 10 miles. It was a winding uphill road that provides beautiful views on either side and climbs from sea level to an elevation of over 3500ft in less than 30 miles! There are plenty of hikes and lookouts along this road for all to enjoy, but everyone’s first stop is the Waimea Canyon Overlook, where you can see Waipo’o Falls in the distance.
We expected to spend only a few minutes here, but as we were walking away from the viewpoint, a gentleman asked a few people if they wanted to know more about the history and significance of the canyon. When we travel, we are constantly planning for and seeking out adventures and sights, but we also look to immerse ourselves in the local culture as much as possible and this was just that. The words spoken by this man really hit us hard and helped us to appreciate the significance of this natural wonder.
We continued to drive up the canyon and stopped at other various overlooks that provided different angles of the massive canyon, which at some points are over a mile wide. The next overlook was the Pu’u Hinahina lookout, which gave us an even better view of Waipo’o Falls.
Another overlook we stopped at was just up the road called Ni’uhau Lookout, which gave us yet another angle of the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. As each angle changed, we felt we were experience a different flavor of beauty.
The last overlook we stopped at was the Kalalau Valley Lookout. Apparently, this is the most photographed valley in all of Kauai and is very popular amongst Jurassic Park fans. We were actually above the clouds at this point, reaching over 3500ft of elevation! The beautiful blue water was absolutely amazing to see, and made us even more excited for our upcoming snorkel boat trip adventure on Thursday!
After a morning of adventuring, it was time to stop at a local restaurant for some lunch. Porky’s is just east of Waimea and along the way for most traveling to/from the canyon. This place is a must-stop. They are known for their Hawaiian pineapple sausage topped with Kalua pork and an amazing sweet & spicy sauce…absolutely delicious.
On our way back to Kapa’a, we obviously had to stop and recharge at the largest coffee plantation/producer in the United States, Kauai Coffee Company. This place provides free tours every couple hours, has over 20 brewed samples to taste (for free), and even has an awesome little gift shop to bring home whole beans or grounds! It was really unique to taste the different varieties, and even the same varieties that were roasted/dried differently (sun-dried vs. traditional machinery).
After a full day of adventuring, we heading back to the little town of Kapa’a and found a local ukulele store/designer. The store was called Larry’s Ukulele, but they have a house brand called Kamoa. We met Sam, who not only had a ton of skill, but was also willing to spend some time speaking with us about his knowledge base. He’s collaborated with everyone from Jack Johnson to Jason Momoa! He even offered us a free lesson tomorrow!
After a full day of adventuring, we headed back to our hotel, which is about 5 minutes south of downtown Kapa’a (if you can even consider it a “downtown”). Tomorrow we have a big day of adventures, including an “airventure” flight tour of the entire island AND a traditional luau, so make sure to stay posted!