Aloha Readers!

A friend of Coconut Coast Condo's Facebook page recently asked me about free activities to do on Kauai. I thought this would make a great blog post. So, here is my top 10 free things to do on Kauai:

5. See for Miles from the Historic Kilauea Lighthouse
Kilauea Lighthouse was first lighting the way back in 1913. The lighthouse still stands today,  and the area serves as a wildlife refuge that has incredible views! You can see Nene (Hawaii's state bird), Spinner Dolphins as well as seasonal Humpback Whales.

3. Hit the Trail
Explore one of Kauai's many hiking trails.  The first 2 miles of the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali Coast and the Sleeping Giant Trail both offer spectacular views!

4. Snorkel
Kauai has some awesome snorkeling! In fact you don't even have to have snorkel gear to see some colorful, friendly fish. Often,  you can just look down into the water and see plenty of sea life. Try Lydgate beach, Ke'e beach and Poipu beach.

6. Walk, Jog, Run, Bike the Kauai Coastal Path
This path called Ke Ala Hele Makalae is Hawaiian for "The Path that Goes by the Coast". The paved path runs over 10 miles from just before Lydgate beach all the way  through Kapaa and north to past Kealia beach.   

7. Enjoy a Hula Show
You can see a free hula show at the Coconut Marketplace. The Coconut Marketplace is a open-air beautifully landscaped shopping center located within walking distance of the condo. The hulas shows are every Wednesday at 5pm and Saturday 1pm.

8. Get into Some Culture
Also, at the Coconut Marketplace is the Ka U'i O Ka 'Aina Cultural Center. There are museum quality displays and cultural demonstrations. They also offer classes at nominal fees. We stopped in one day and found the volunteer to be very friendly and happy to share her heritage with us. 

9. See the Largest Coffee Farm in the United States
Take a drive out to Kauai's side and see the largest coffee farm in the US. The Kauai Coffee Company has a visitors center, a gift shop and guided tours of their huge grove. Educational as well as a feast for your eyes and nose!

10. Stargaze
Kauai is the perfect place to gaze up at the night sky. Thankfully there isn't a lot of bright city lights to interfere. In fact, from the beach in front of the condo you can look up and see the billions of stars that make up the Milky Way! What better way to spend an evening than walking along the beach and viewing Kauai's incredible night sky. 

See, some of the best things in life are free! Thanks for reading the Coconut Diaries! As always, feel free to post any comments or questions!

Aloha All,

In my post last week, I was so happy to share with you that Hawaii Magazine readers voted Plantation Hale as one the best budget resorts on Kauai. One more reason to stay at the Coconut Coast Condo!

This week I thought I would share with you some of the other Hawaii Magazine Readers' Choice Awards.  More than 50,000 votes were tallied, here's some top picks for Kauai...

Best Golf Course:
Princeville at Hanalei, Princeville,

Best Luau:
Smith's Family Garden Luau, Kapaa, 

Best Helicopter Tour Company:
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters
Jack Harter Helicopters
Safari Helicopters
Sunshine Helicopters

Best Beach for Stretching Out On the Sand:
Hanalei Beach & Bay
Poipu Beach

Best State Park:
Kokee State Park

Best Fine Dining Restaurant:
Roy's 

Best Place for Cheap Eats:
L & L Hawaiian Barbecue

Best Burger Place:
Bubba Burger, Hanalei, Kapaa and Poipu
Duane's Ono Char Burger, Anahola

For more Readers' Choice Awards please check out the April 2013 issue of Hawaii Magazine. Better yet, subscribe to Hawaii Magazine! It's a great mag, full of beautiful photos and informative fun articles that'll keep you in touch with your favorite place...Kauai!

Wishing you all a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

A very interesting creature was found at Lydgate beach recently. . .

Lydgate beach is one of our favorites on Kauai.  We've spent many sunny days there.  The beach is sandy and ringed with palm tress.  The visitor's facilities are accommodating and Kauai's finest life guards keep a watchful eye on the swimmers.  Lydgate offers two swimming lagoons, which are safely enclosed by large lava rocks, that form a barrier against the ocean waves.  The largest of the two lagoons is ideal for swimming and snorkeling, while the smaller one is especially created with toddlers in mind.  The lagoons were specifically designed to  keep the big ocean waves out, but still allow sea life and ocean water to circulate -- a natural filtering process.  Lydgate Beach is ideal for little ones and people who prefer not to swim in the open ocean. Snorkeling is fantastic. The water is so clear that you don't even need a mask to witness the colorful and abundant sea life residing in the lagoons. Just look down into the water to see beautiful fish and other critters...

...AN OCTOPUS! Isn't he adorable?! The kids and adults enjoyed watching his "expert" escape moves.  He kept trying to climb out of the bucket! I should add that he wasn't harmed .  He was returned safely where he was found shortly after I took this photo.

And, those cute sandy toes at the bottom of the photo belong to my youngest.

Lydgate beach is located about two miles south of the condo. For more information about the beach and to see the incredible playground also located at Lydgate, please check out my November 2012 post.

Aloha!

Oh, to be a kid again! This is one of the best playgrounds I have ever been to. It's even fun for adults! It's a huge multi-level maze-like bridge structure...with two slides.  Kids love to play hide and seek here. Adults can get plenty of exercise climbing the gazillion stairs or relax and gaze out at the ocean. An endearing feature is the adorable handmade Hawaiian creatures and flora depicted in concrete.  Walk through the maze to discover them all!

The Kamalani Bridge Playground is on the south end of Lydgate Beach Park in Wailua. There is an additional playground on the north end of the park nearly as fun. You gotta check out both! Lydgate Beach Park is about 2 miles south of the condo.