A world apart from the supersize-hotel experience that prevails in some parts of Hawaii, Kauai's Waimea Plantation is a small, beautiful resort that draws on little more than the area's incredibly good genes. Its 62 cottages sit amid 27 acres of rolling lawns and coconut trees, facing a quiet beach. Plumeria blossoms drop from the trees and perfume the air. But perhaps the most enticing thing about Waimea is the laid-back family togetherness this place encourages. The wide-open grounds provide plenty of play space. The sun-drenched bungalows are equipped with kitchens and private back lanais (porches) that let you make the time there yours and yours alone if you choose. Not that you're completely without company. You can commune with other families (many of whom return year after year) at the pool or in the lounge ... or not. The worst habit you'll fall into is staying at your cottage every night to grill dinner on the backyard hibachi while you listen to cooing birds.
Still, you will want to uproot the family from the plantation each day to explore Kauai, whose nickname, "the Garden Isle," vastly understates its lushness. Easily navigable by car (it has only a few major roads, so it's almost impossible to get lost), Kauai offers activities for hikers, nature lovers, and beachcombers of every age and attention span. There are trails short and gentle enough for children along the majestic Waimea Canyon (which Mark Twain called "the Grand Canyon of the Pacific"), boat tours of the dramatic and otherwise hard-to-reach cliff-lined north coast, and botanical gardens with Seussian plants to explore. Little food stands along the roads provide the fuel: fresh-made taro-root chips, frozen chocolate-covered bananas, tapioca bubble drinks. And of course, all around you are plenty of beaches to seek out. Many of the best ones on Kauai are off the beaten path, offering the kind of privacy you thought only existed in Robinson Crusoe.
Next Page: Kauai travel guide
