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Children’s Discovery Museum, located in Kapaa ( 80 8/823-8222;www.kcdm.org), resulted from a grass-roots community effort. The exhibits offer activities ranging from playing with Hawaiian musical instruments to participating in virtual reality television to hiding out in a “magic treehouse” and reading a book. There’s even an area for kids 4 and under. There are also Keiki Camps (Children’s Camps) where you can leave the kids all day. The kids will be taken on outings to the beach and other points of interest.

3 Hiking & Camping

Kauai Hiking Trails

Kauai Cabins & Campgrounds

Kauai is an adventurer’s delight. The island’s greatest tropical beauty isn’t easily accessed (more than 90% of Kauai is inaccessible by road); you have to head out on foot and find it. Trails range from a 10-minute nature loop from your car and back to check out Mother Nature without too much fuss, to several days of trekking requiring stamina and fitness. Those interested in seeing the backcountry—complete with virgin waterfalls, remote wilderness trails, and quiet meditative settings—should head for Waimea Canyon and Kokee Park or for the Na Pali Coast and the Kalalau Trail. Most trails are well marked and maintained, but occasionally, after a heavy rainy season, markers are down and the vegetation has taken over. Always ask about a trail before you go.

Camping on Kauai can be extreme (it’s cold at 4,000 ft. in Kokee) or benign (by the sea). It can be wet, cold, and rainy, or hot, dry, and windy—often all on the same day. If you’re heading for Kokee, bring rain gear, warm clothes, T-shirts, and shorts. (You will use everything.)

For more information on Kauai’s hiking trails, contact the State Division of Parks, 3060 Ewa St., Lihue, HI 96766 ( 80 8/274-3446;www.hawaiistateparks.org); the State Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 3070 Ewa St., Lihue, HI 96766 ( 80 8/274-3077 or 80 8/587-0166; www.dofaw.net); Kauai County Parks and Recreation, 4444 Rice St., Lihue, HI 96766 ( 80 8/241-4460;http://www.kauai.gov/default.aspx?tabid=515); or the Kokee Lodge Manager, P.O. Box 367, Waimea, HI 96796 ( 80 8/335-6061).

Kayak Kauai , a mile past Hanalei Bridge on Highway 560 in Hanalei ( 80 0/437-3507 or 80 8/826-9844; fax 80 8/822-0577; www.kayakkauai.com), is the premier all-around outfitter on the island. It’s staffed by local experts who keep track of weather forecasts and sea and trail conditions; they have a lot of pertinent information that hikers, campers, and other backcountry adventurers need to know. Plus they have guided hiking tours starting at $81 per person. If you don’t plan to bring your own gear, you can rent it here or at Pedal ’n Paddle, in Hanalei ( 80 8/826-9069). If you want to buy camping equipment, head for Ace Island Hardware, at Princeville Shopping Center ( 80 8/826-6980).

A Warning About Flash Floods

When it rains on Kauai, the waterfalls rage and rivers and streams overflow, causing flash floods on roads and trails. If you’re hiking, avoid dry streambeds, which flood quickly and wash out to sea. Before going hiking, camping, or sailing, especially in the rainy season (Nov–Mar), check the weather forecast by calling 80 8/245-6001.

GUIDED HIKES You can join a guided hike with the Kauai chapter of the Sierra Club, P.O. Box 2577, Honolulu, HI 96813 ( 80 8/538-6616; www.hi.sierraclub.org), which offers four to seven different hikes every month. The hikes vary from an easy family moonlit beach hike to a moderate 4-mile trip up some 1,100 feet, to 8-mile-plus treks for serious hikers only. The club also does guided hikes of Kokee State Park (see below), usually on weekends. Because there’s no staffed office, the best way to contact the chapter is to check the website; outings are usually listed 3 to 6 months in advance, with complete descriptions of the hike, the hike leader’s phone number, and what to wear and bring. You can also check the daily newspaper, the Garden Island, for a list of hikes in the Community Calendar section. Generally, the club asks for a donation of $5 per person per hike for nonmembers, $1 for members.