15 BEST Things to do in Princeville, Kauai (And Nearby!)
Situated at the beginning of Kauai’s breathtaking North Shore, Princeville is the perfect base for exploring the otherwordly Nā Pali Coast, lush taro fields and turquoise bay of Hanalei, and several of the island’s most beautiful beaches!
But if you’re looking for things to do in Princeville itself, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve stayed in Princeville on two of my four adventure-filled Kauai trips, and in this guide, I’m sharing my favorite Princeville spots—from hidden beaches to food trucks with postcard-worthy views!
Annie’s Kauai Favorites:
- 🌊 Nā Pali Coast: I love this catamaran dinner cruise so much, I’ve done it twice! Gaze up at the 4,000-foot razor-like cliffs of the Nā Pali Coast at golden hour while sipping complimentary mai tais. Worth every penny!!
- 🐠 Snorkeling: Tunnels Beach (at the south end of Haena Beach), Anini Beach, and Lawa’i Beach are my go-to spots.
- 🌿 Hiking: Trek along a Nā Pali ridge on the Awaʻawapuhi Trail, hike into Waimea Canyon on the Kukui Trail, get 360-views of the island at Sleeping Giant, and hike to the waterfall on the iconic Kalalau Trail (all challenging hikes)
- 🏄🏽♀️ Hanalei: Lush Hawaiian taro fields surrounded by towering mountains and waterfalls, and the turquoise Hanalei Bay, Hanalei is my favorite part of the island. Spend a day here and soak in the magic.
- 🛟 Bucket-list Adventures (choose one): Mountain Tubing through Old Sugar Plantation Canals, Kayak up Wailua River to Secret Falls, and Snorkeling at Ni’ihau (the forbidden island!)
Princeville is a resort community located on the cliffs overlooking historic Hanalei town, the heart of Kauai’s lush North Shore. Although I typically avoid resort areas, Princeville is my favorite place to stay on the island due to its proximity to the Nā Pali Coast, Hanalei, and Tunnels Beach.
As you explore Princeville, keep in mind that parking can be very challenging. Most of the time, your best bet is to walk or bike (or even Uber) from your resort, if possible!
1. Find Hideaway Beach
Just a short—but steep—trek down the cliffs near 1 Hotel Hanalei in Princeville leads you to the cutest little beach, Hideaway Beach. This small sliver of golden sand and pristine turquoise water, and it’s a lovely place to snorkel if the water is calm!
There is a tiny parking lot, but it was closed on my most recent visit. Bring shoes you don’t mind getting muddy (ideally tennis shoes or strap-on sandals), plus a bag that’s easy to carry with water, towel, and snorkel gear—I love my Cressi snorkel mask, and use a special neoprene mask strap that protects my hair.
2. Kayak Through the Hanalei River & Snorkel in Hanalei Bay
One of the most underrated things to do is to kayak the Hanalei River beside the valley’s lush taro fields! I can’t begin to describe how beautiful this area is and how exceptional the snorkeling is! You just have to experience it for yourself.
Rent a kayak or join this guided kayak adventure which includes snorkeling in turquoise Hanalei Valley, and a journey up the river!
3. See Queen’s Bath
Queen’s Bath is a natural pool situated beside the ocean that’s become quite popular—but it can be quite dangerous!
Like with Hideaway Beach, there’s a tiny parking lot, so it can be tricky to find a spot. From there, the hike down takes about 15 minutes, with a few small waterfalls along the way. The trail can be slippery and muddy, so wear proper shoes.
Bigger swells can pull you out to sea or slam you against the rocks if you’re swimming in the pool or standing beside it, so I’d personally advise against swimming in the pool. Certainly only come here if it’s low tide, and in the summertime (swells are larger in winter).
4. Snorkel and Sunbathe at Tunnels Beach
In my opinion, the most beautiful beach on the island is Tunnels Beach—and it also has the island’s best snorkeling, too! (It’s best for summertime snorkeling, ocean conditions can be rough in winter—check daily snorkel conditions on the Snorkel Bob’s Daily Snorkel Report).
But getting to Tunnels Beach is a little tricky because of parking. You have to park at Haena Beach, then walk about half a mile down the beach to where the best snorkeling is. Bring everything you need for the day—beach chairs, snacks, water, and your own snorkel equipment.
5. Hike the Iconic Kalalau Trail Along the Nā Pali Coast
30 minutes from Princeville you end up at the beginning of the Nā Pali Coast, where you can hike the Kalalau Trail, considered to be one of the most beautiful—and challenging—hikes in the world.
Hike just a few miles, or do the route we chose, which follows the main trail along the coastline for several miles, then journeys inward toward Hanakāpīʻai Falls. This is a challenging trail with rapid elevation, and the detour to Hanakāpīʻai Falls includes several river crossings! Come prepared with plenty of water, food, sun protection, and proper footwear.
Reserve parking on Hāʻena State Park’s website, or use the North Shore Shuttle Service which runs every 20 minutes between Waipā Park & Ride and Hāʻena State Park (where the Kalalau trailhead is located).
🌺 Essentials for Hiking in Hawaii 🌊
- 🥾 Solid hiking shoes: Comfortable hiking shoes with good traction are a MUST. I love my Altra Lone Peak trail runners because they’re smaller than a hiking boot, have a wide toe box (no blisters!!), and genuinely the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn!
- ☀️ 50 SPF sun shirt: Even if I’m not wearing it for the whole hike, I always have this UPF sun shirt in my bag to protect my skin! It’s breathable in the heat, but also blocks wind chill at the same time! Meanwhile, my husband loves a merino wool sun hoodie!
- 💧 Hydration pack: Never go hiking in Hawaii without water! I recently bought my first hydration pack (this one specifically), which is a small backpack with a water bladder. It’s so much easier than carrying a water bottle. It made all the difference on my recent Oahu hikes!
- 🧢 Hat: It doesn’t need to be a special hiking hat, I usually hike with a baseball cap!
- 🩹 Mini first aid kit: I always carry a travel size first aid kit like this one when traveling, especially on hikes. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve ended up needing it for myself or others!
6. Enjoy Breakfast with a View at Nourish Hanalei
Despite the name, Nourish Hanalei is actually located in Princeville—but the adorable food and coffee stand offers some of the island’s best views overlooking Hanaeli Valley, the river, mountains, and bay.
If you’re staying in Princeville, you really can’t miss this spot—but keep in mind, the line can get a bit long, so I’d arrive earlier rather than later. The menu includes cold brew coffee, acai bowls, and delicious bagels!
7. Visit Waipā Foundation
Just past Hanalei, Waipā is historical ahupua`a (traditional ocean to mountain farm system) that as a community grows, processes, and delivers kalo (taro) poi to families across the island!
Visiting Waipā on a their Food and Farm tours gives you a glimpse into how traditional food systems and native Hawaiian culture is being revitalized on the island.
We toured the farm, processed taro, and enjoyed a INCREDIBLE farm-to-table lunch that ended with literally everyone on our tour and the tour guides all tearing up as we processed the immense impact of this day.
8. Taste Chocolate and Tour Princeville Botanical Gardens
Taste Princeville-grown chocolate, and tour the vibrant tropical gardens at Princeville Botanical Gardens! The chocolate tasting and tour is offered on most weekdays at 9:30am, but you’ll need to make a reservation in advance.
9. Take Photos at the Hanalei Valley Lookout
Just a few hundred feet down from Princeville Foodland grocery store there is a small turnout called the Hanalei Valley Lookout. You get a beautiful view of the mountains and taro fields in the valley below!
10. Visit Anaina Hou Community Park (Mini Golf, Cocktails & Live Music)
A ten minute drive from Princeville, Anaina Hou Community Park just may be my new favorite hangout spot on the island! A park, cocktail bar, (free) live music, food trucks, and mini golf course all in one place.
I’ll admit, I am not usually a mini golf person but agreed to go to celebrate my husband, Josh… and I actually really enjoyed it! Within the golf course there’s a mini bamboo forest, tons of beautiful native Hawaiian plants, ponds, and signs that tell the story of Hawai’i.
After a fun round of mini golf, you can catch happy hour at the open-air cocktail bar and then enjoy some live music—it was a local Kauai country singer-songwriter when we visited!
11. Explore Historic Hanalei Town
Just ten minutes down the hill from Princeville, you absolutely must explore adorable Hanalei town while you’re in Princeville! Some of the best things to do include:
- 🖌️ Check out the Pacific Islands arts collection at Havaiki Oceanic and Tribal Art
- 🛍️ Wander through the alleyways of the Ching Young Village Shopping Center
- 🥤 Order a coffee or smoothie at Wishing Well Coffee & Tea (always served in a reusable jar that you can take home as a souvenir!)
- 🌺 Attend the weekly luau at Tahiti Nui
- 🥡 Grab lunch from one of the many food trucks, my FAVORITE is Tiki Tzatziki
- 🧑🌾 Stroll through the Saturday farmer’s market
- 🍲 Eat at one of Hanalei’s best dine-in restaurants like Kalypso Island Bar & Grill, Hanalei Bread Company, or Postcards
12. Dine With a View at Happy Talk
Overlooking beautiful ponds, waterfalls, and Hanalei Bay in the distance, open-air Happy Talk Lounge at Hanalei Bay Resort is my favorite of all the restaurants and bars in Princeville!
They don’t take reservations (which I honestly feel is a perk) and offer free parking for customers (wahoooo!) I recommend trying to snag a table right by the waterfall if you can!
We also enjoy coming to Hanalei Bay Resort for coffee from their onsite coffeeshop, because even the lobby of the hotel is quite beautiful and a nice place to sip a drink!
13. Snorkel at Anini Beach
Protected by a reef, the shallow underwater canyons, sea turtles, and tropical fish of ‘Anini Beach make it one of the island’s best snorkel spots!
Even though it’s a stone’s throw from Princeville, many people miss it since you have to backtrack down the highway several minutes to get to the hidden beach. And then when you’re a few minutes away, many folks accidentally go to the wrong Anini Beach! You’ll need to drive past Anini Beach Campground until the road ends at ‘Anini Beach Park. Parking is roadside—just be mindful of driveways!
14. Walk to Puu Poa Beach
Like Hideaway Beach, Puu Poa Beach is another beautiful Princeville beach that you can only access via a trail. You can either walk to Puu Poa Beach from the trailhead by 1 Hotel Hanalei, or along Hanalei Plantation Road from Nourish Hanalei.
As with almost everywhere else in Princeville, parking is tricky and sometimes impossible, so I highly recommend walking/biking to the trailhead from wherever you’re staying in Princeville if possible.
15. Hang Out at Hanalei Beach
This large crescent-shaped beach along Hanalei Bay is one of the most postcard-worthy sights in the area and its a favorite for wading, surfing, and sunbathing for locals and visitors alike.
Parking is always pretty easy with the large parking lot, and though the section of the beach around the dock can get crowded, the beach is several miles long, with plenty of place to spread out!
More Hawaii Travel Guides
- The Ultimate Kauai Travel Guide (For First-Time Visitors)
- 17 Fun Things to do in Princeville, Kauai (And Nearby!)
- 12 FUN Things to do in Poipu, Kauai (& Nearby)
- 15 BEST Things to do in Lihue, Kauai (And Nearby!)
- 10 BEST Things to do in Kapaʻa: Highlights & Hidden Gems
- The PERFECT 1 Day Waimea Canyon & Kōkeʻe Itinerary
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