Kauaʻi is one of my favorite Hawaiian Islands to visit—and I’m not alone. The Garden Isle was voted the Best Island in HAWAIʻI Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards in 2025. From verdant valleys and majestic coastlines to laid-back and charming towns, Kauaʻi makes for an unforgettable getaway.
And while it’s become a popular destination, Kauaʻi still exudes a wild and uncharted aura. Here, even the popular beaches and hiking trails seem less crowded than the ones on other Islands.
After every trip to the Garden Isle, I return home with a list of more things I want to do on my next visit. Here are 10 items on my Kauaʻi bucket list for 2026.
1. Trek the Kalalau Trail
Photo: David Chatsuthiphan
There are only three ways to see the fabled Nāpali Coast: fly there on a helicopter tour, book a boat tour or head out on foot on the Kalalau Trail. This year, I’m planning to lace up my hiking boots and hit the trail, which starts at Hāʻena State Park. The trail weaves across 11 miles of rugged terrain, past a jaw-dropping waterfall, and ends at Kalalau Beach. Hikers often camp for a night or two, and backpack the same way they came in.
2. Snorkel at Mākua
Photo: Getty Images
I spend a lot of weekends during the summer doing long-distance ocean swims. But I rarely take the time to slow down and observe the underwater world beneath me. My goal in 2026 is to take the time to snorkel and explore the marine life and ecosystems surrounding the Islands.
Mākua on the north shore of Kauaʻi is nicknamed Tunnels thanks to its labyrinth of underwater lava tubes. It’s often considered one of the best snorkeling spots on the island, with intricate coral formations and vibrant marine life.
READ MORE: The 5 Best Snorkeling Spots on Kauaʻi in 2025
3. Hike Through Waimea Canyon
Photo: Grace Maeda
Waimea Canyon never ceases to take my breath away. With its rugged crags in a swirl of desert colors, it is an unexpected landscape on the lush Garden Isle. The canyon, 14 miles long and more than 3,600 feet deep, includes plenty of hiking trails. I’d like to venture along the 3.4-mile out-and-back trail that starts at the Puʻu Hinahina Lookout and leads to the 800-foot Waipoʻo Falls.
4. Attend the Wailua Nui Lūʻau
Tihati Productions launched a new lūʻau in December 2025 that celebrates the history and traditions of Wailua Bay. Held at the Hilton Garden Inn Kauaʻi Wailua Bay, the lūʻau welcomes guests on a journey through the area once frequented by royalty and renowned as a center of navigation, hula and enchanting storytelling. Along with mesmerizing performances, the evening includes a locally inspired 17-course buffet. The menu includes favorites like fresh imu puaʻa (pig roasted in an imu), huli huli chicken, lomi lomi salmon, furikake potato and mac salad, and Hanalei Poi.
5. Dine at a 110-Year-Old Restaurant
I’m infatuated with old-school diners and businesses in Hawaiʻi, and I’m excited to visit Tip Top Motel, Café & Bakery, which turns 110 years old in November 2026. The restaurant is known for its oxtail soup, in which pieces of oxtail and glass noodles swim in a hearty bath of beef stock.
6. Grab malasadas from Kauaʻi Bakery
Photo: Mami Wycoff
Like many kids growing up in Hawaiʻi, malasadas were a special treat I got to indulge in on Fat Tuesday before the start of Lent. But one of the perks of being an adult is that you can eat a malasada (or a few) any time of the year. Kauaʻi Bakery in Līhuʻe is a favorite for its perfectly fried pastries that are light, fluffy and dusted in sugar.
READ MORE: Kauaʻi Bakery is Still Our Favorite Sweet Spot
7. Visit the Kauaʻi Museum
Photo: Mallory Roe
It’s easy to fill my bucket list with picturesque beaches and epic hiking trails. However, the Kauaʻi Museum in Līhuʻe is a place I want to check out. Opened in 1960, it houses artifacts that reveal what early Native Hawaiian life was like on the island as well as collections of work by artisans from Kauaʻi and Niʻihau.
8. Pick Up a Book at Talk Story Bookstore’s New Location
If you didn’t hear, Talk Story Bookstore has relocated from Hanapēpē to a new shop in Kaumakani. Already known as the westernmost bookstore in the U.S., now it’s even farther west! I’m looking forward to perusing its unique selection of books, comics, magazines and vinyl records.
9. Volunteer at the Waipā Foundation
Established in 1994, the nonprofit Waipā Foundation has served as steward of the 1,600-acre ahupuaʻa (land division) of Waipā on Kauaʻi’s north shore. The organization hosts food and farm tours, and a popular farmers market on Tuesdays. It also welcomes volunteers to help with various projects on the fourth Saturday of every month. By volunteering with the Waipā Foundation and other organizations across the Islands, visitors not only lend valuable help to local groups, they also connect with the ‘āina and gain deeper understandings of local culture and traditions.
10. Take a Tour at Common Ground
Photo: Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA)/Ben Ono
Located on land that once was a sugar plantation and guava farm, Common Ground maintains a regenerative agroforest with a mission to increase local food production. Common Ground sprawls across 83 acres in Kīlauea on the island’s north shore, growing tropical crops like papaya, banana and pineapple as well as kalo and ʻulu. Common Ground offers tours through its regenerative food forest; at the end of each, visitors enjoy meals prepared with ingredients grown on the farm. The organization also offers a tour that includes dinner and lei making. That’s on my bucket list, too.
Grace Maeda is the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.
