The lush, amazing, beautiful Garden Island of Kauai was Part II of my recent Hawaii adventure. If you haven’t read Part I yet, go read it first!

While Maui was all about family, Kauai was perfect for some alone time with my husband. I knew that Jurassic Park was filmed here, so I was expecting greenery, but was still completely blown away by how visually stunning this island is. I’m talking palm tree after palm tree, gorgeous waterfalls everywhere, and the most unbelievable scenery I have ever seen in my life. It’s true what they say – Kauai is just the prettiest.

We stayed at a vacation rental at the Hanalei Bay Resort, which we absolutely loved. It looks like a five star resort with a beautiful lagoon-style pool, has the most stunning views of Hanalei Bay, and shares its beach with the St. Regis (minus the St. Regis prices). I mean, you really can’t beat that. Every night, we would pour ourselves a glass of white wine, sit on the hills facing the bay and enjoy the most spectacular sunsets. I so wish we could be back there!

I’m so excited to share some of my favorite images from the trip – it was incredibly difficult to edit these down, because every part of Kauai is so picturesque. These pictures do a great job of highlighting some of our favorite things about the island – Hanalei Bay sunsets, hiking part of the beautiful Napali coast, kayaking to the secret waterfalls, feasting on incredible sushi, and just the sheer amazingness of Mother Nature.

The beautiful grounds at Hanalei bay resort

Admiring the bay at sunset, just steps away from our room at the resort…truly breathtaking. 

The view from St. Regis’s outdoor patio – an amazing place to grab a glass of champagne right at sunset

We hiked the first two miles of the Napali Coast. The full 11 hike mile is considered to be one of the most scenic (and dangerous) hikes in the country and requires overnight camping and permits. The first two miles to a secluded beach is supposed to be the “easier” portion, but it was still challenging for me – lots of ascending and descending on muddy trails with absolutely stunning views. Many hikers do an additional two miles to the waterfalls, but this takes the entire day. We were plenty satisfied with our three hour adventure and recommend this for less experienced hikers.

I mean, just look at those turquoise waters – just gorgeous! We were lucky to do this hike on a clear, sunny day. 

The delicious sushi burrito from Sushi Girl! A must visit for anyone visiting Kauai- it’s a little hole in the wall stand en route to the Napali Coast with the freshest selection of take out sushi. We went here three times in four days – that’s how good it is (plus the food selection in Kauai is pretty limited). Especially good after hiking. 

Our third day in Kauai, we signed up for a kayaking tour with Ali Kayaks on the Wailua River. This consists of fairly easy and relaxed kayaking for two hours, a moderate hike through a VERY muddy rainforest, and splashing around in a pool by the beautiful secret waterfalls that’s only accessible by kayaking. Such a fun morning adventure!  

Lazing around on Hanalei Bay beach on our final day in Kauai 

Shave ice from Hee Fat, considered to be the best ice on the island! I had no idea what to expect, but this stuff is AMAZING. We got the strawberry and coconut real fruit syrup with macadamia nut ice cream on the bottom. So, so good. 

Hope you enjoyed this peek into our Hawaii trip! Be sure to follow me on Instagram @mrsgcg if you’d like to see more snapshots from our trip. And don’t hesitate to leave a comment if you have any questions or need advice about traveling in Maui and/or Kauai.