Getting There
Fly into Kauai's Lihue Airport (several airlines fly direct from the West Coast), and rent a car for the duration of your stay. Waimea Plantation is a 45-minute drive from the airport; 35-mile-per-hour speed limits will help you appreciate the scenery.
When To Visit
Peak season is from December to April, when it's nearly 80 degrees every day, with little rain and a lot of sun.
For More Information
Frommer's Hawaii With Kids, $19
Official Tourisim Site of Kauai
The Hotel
Waimea Plantation Cottages
The houses (converted workers' quarters from the property's days as a sugar plantation) have up to five bedrooms each. Every unit is decorated with traditional wood furniture and subdued Hawaiian prints and has a full kitchen, a living room, a bathroom (many with claw-foot tubs), and a spacious patio with an outdoor grill. The spa offers standard massages and more exotic treatments, such as a honey-and-passionflower body wrap (for an additional fee, you can have a treatment in your room or on the beach). Babysitter referrals and cribs are available on request. One caveat: Roosters roam the island, and though the early crowing is often far off and ambient, you will probably have at least one morning of interrupted sleep.
From $155 a night for a standard room in low season to $800 a night for the five-bedroom manager's cottage in high season, (808) 338-1625
Next Page: The Activities
