Kauai is coated in colors!
Get accustomed to seeing chickens everywhere. They run—fly—wild throughout Kauai. There are a number of theories on why they’re running amok and where they came from. Chickens can be plain brown or covered with positively striking colors. Watch for the endangered Nene—the official state bird. These geese bear stripes reminiscent of tiny Zebra.
Chickens on Kauai 
Explore the little town of Hanapepe with the truck and gas pump they’re trying to buy from the relocating artist. Grab a fresh coffee, check out the book store, or choose from a couple of restaurants for your dining.
Kauai Coffee Company is a Surprise
On the Big Island, discover how good Kona Coffee can be. Enjoy a delight stop at the Kauai Coffee Company and sample the delicious coffee. The signs leading into the place are a fun—make sure you read them and have a laugh. They have multiple urns of coffee available for the tasting. If you like coffee, you are bound to find at least one flavor you like—or come home with three.
Kilohana Plantation Estate is a Kauai Must Do
Dine at Gaylord’s Restaurant and have a cooling drink in the Mahiko Lounge. Then take a train ride around the plantation or enjoy a Lu’au. You can freely walk throughout the Mansion—looking at history or shopping the boutiques.
Yum to the Koloa Rum Company
Located in the Kilohana Plantation, stop in at the Koloa Rum Company for a tasting. If you aren’t a rum fan, this could be the event that changes your mind. It did mine. The hostess explains the rum process, complete with how they get certified. You taste up to five different rums and sample a rum cake. The original dark rum and the coffee rum both wake up your taste buds in new ways. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania doesn’t carry the line. We pop onto the website and check other states and stores on the mainland that do. Re-stock.
Shave Ice – a Tropical Hawaiian Treat
You can’t travel on Kauai without sampling the Shave Ice. The drizzled flavors—root beer—delicious. Look for shops making Shave Ice with fresh fruit. Once you taste this treat, you’ll never look at a Sno-cone the same way.
Monkeypod Trees are an Island Joy
You see them throughout the islands with their height and far outstretched branches. There’s one in Koloa Town (yes, the rum is from the neighborhood) dating from 1925. Not native to the islands, they were brought from Mexico in the 1800s. They made themselves right at home, providing great shade and striking photos.
Speaking of Old Koloa Town
Tourist trap? Not really. The quaint shops and welcoming proprietors are here for multiple reasons. Don’t forget to chat with them and discover: native or transplant? The Garden Island Grille provides “Cheers” service while tantalizing your taste buds with fare provided by a first rate chef.
Kauai is only 45 square miles smaller than Oahu, but it has 800,000 less residents. It is easy to navigate and full of charming, sincere people. If your goal is hiking, eating well and getting to know an area, this is an island to spend time visiting.
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Read: Hawaii blogs
Read, the eeriness of Haleakala National Park and Rainbows
I’m not a huge rum fan, but I would love to go on that tour. It seems very interesting. I’m down to try different liquors from time to time.
Jason, if you like brandies–try Tuaca. It’s an Italian brandy. Yummy stuff.
I fear I would have to bring along a minder if I were to visit Kauai. Left to my own devices I would make a beeline for those coffee urns and partake thereof until I was hypercaffeinated to the point that I couldn’t concentrate on anything. (And what better to go with that coffee than some chicken tenders, eh?) Slightly more seriously, Kauai seems like a pleasant place to spend some time – I’m sold.
Andy, I’m ready to be on the Kauai Chamber of Commerce–I liked the island that much! You could do the coffee tour–drink up–then conduct the tour really fast!
Gaylords is my absolute favorite restaurant on Kauai! I used to have clients on that Island so for a period of about 3 years I was there at least once a quarter and often entertained at Gaylords. The feral chickens, yeah they are a royal pain and they aren’t just on Kauai, they are on Maui and the Big Island as well. Love them / hate them, they are here to stay I’m afraid since attempting to do something permanent would endanger pets and that would create a major uproar. Thanks for the colorful tour Rose Mary!
Marquita, we were bummed that we didn’t have more days so we could go to Gaylord’s. The setting is wonderful and I’m glad to hear the food is, too. One more thing to add to the return list!
Those chickens! And we have deer everywhere. They are boring brown, though!
Another great post about this paradise of an island.
It looks like a great place to spend time, you have definitely placed this high on my list of places to visit.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Glad to hear it, William. Maybe this will be your getaway-from-winter next season!
Rose, I’m an armchair traveler and you certainly have taken me on some memorable travels. I love the Santa in the last picture – what a surprise. I had to take a second look to make sure that’s what I saw.
I think the ideal way to spend that day would be to sit back with a BIG piece of rum cake and a cup of that Kona coffee.
What a lovely time you had and shared.
I could use some yummy Kona coffee this morning, Lenie. It’s a brisk 14F in Pittsburgh. I think I’ll tour through the Hawaii pics again and pretend rum cake and coffee are on the way–hey, delivered by Santa!
I would definitely like to give KauaiCoffee Company a try. I love great coffee and I usually look for a great coffee spot when I travel. And of course, the shaved ice looks phenomenal. That has my husband written all over it and I’m pretty sure I would give in and have one as well. It looks totally worth it.
Two good food choices in Hawaii, Erica–the coffee and the Shave Ice–especially with fresh fruit. Oh yeah!
Yes to the rum cake! I imagine the fruit and wine had been left soaking for months.
What beautiful photographs – you are spot on in capturing the moment.
Glad you enjoy the pictures and food descriptions, Phoenicia. Both are delicious in person!
Amazing pictures! I think I will have to visit here, my husband loves Kona coffee and it’s probably better there than it is here. I love going on vacation and trying new foods of the region.
The chicken running around reminds me of when I went to my mom’s hometown in Italy and we had to stop driving to allow the chickens and other farm animals cross the road. It was a long wait so we decided to get out of the car and enjoy the view instead. It was memorable. =) Thanks for sharing.
Glad to bring up a fun travel memory, Sabrina. The chickens kept making us laugh, that’s for sure.
I was going to blog about the food, but decided I should move on from Hawaii–tough choice since we ate so many wonderful meals there.
And the coffee!
Rose Mary — I’ve never been to Hawaii and don’t foresee visiting in the near future. Your posts will help me to take a virtual journey!
Glad that you could enjoy a virtual trip via my blogs, Jeannette!
Hi Rose, week now I’ve got to make a trip back. Haven’t been to Kauai but definitely the thought it amidst the size of Oahu with way less people sounds perfect. The traffic in Honolulu is just too much like LA. This sounds more like a real get away. And I could always use some more of the great coffee in Hawaii. 🙂
Yeppers, Susan, Kauai really was a break after 3 days in Oahu. Love Oahu for the Pearl Harbor, etc., but when I want a break, I really want to get away from people. Well, tourists. Ha. Even though I am one!
Never really appreciated Kona coffee until I had it in Hawaii. Completely different than what’s available here. If I find myself in Kauai, the coffee company will surely be one of my stops.
You’re right, Ken. My husband gets Kona from a local vendor, but it’s just not the same to me. I actually liked the Kauai coffee better–and it comes in decaf. The Kona, not so easy to find in decaf.
I’ve always imagined that if I ever went over yonder that I would love Kauai as one time I heard that it has the most perfect temperature of anywhere in the world. I don’t know if that is true but it sure appeals to me! Love the monkeypod trees…I would have to sit in one! Love your photos!
It was truly tempting to try climbing more than one of those monkeypod trees!They simply look like you should! Kauai…yep, it is beautiful and perfect. You would feel right at home there. Especially if you were running away from a Montanan March!
Gotta love those chickens! And I think this is the most charming island of all! The foliage seems different, somehow and the whole island seemed untainted. You give a great tour:)
I’m super glad you enjoyed the tour, Jacquie. It was a lot of fun to do a short series like this one. “Charming” is a really good word to describe Kauai–it did charm me. Completely. Can’t wait to try Molokai next!
I enjoyed this look at Kauai, a place I’ve not been too. We’ve just spent four weeks in a small town in rural Panama and saw a lot of chickens too. Almost every house had chickens and they’d be along the roads. Old Koloa Town looks like a fun visit.
The chickens are just too funny. I’m not a bird person at all, but even I had to admire how pretty some of them were. I have enjoyed your Panama snapshots. I could have spent a lot longer in Old Koloa Town–the people were very friendly and conversational.