Location: Eleele
Top Things to do in Eleele
10 Things to Do in Eleele That You Shouldn't Miss
ʻEleʻele (literally, "black" or "black water" in Hawaiian) is a census-designated place (CDP) on the island of Kauaʻi in Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi, United States, with the ZIP code of 96705. Glass Beach, that is made of sea glass, is a local attraction. The population was 2,390 at the 2010 census.
Restaurants in Eleele
1. Captain Andy's Sailing Adventures
Overall Ratings
5 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By Wendy M - Courtenay, Canada
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2. Niihau Helicopter
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By IdaIllinois - Illinois
This is a company that will actually take you to the “Forbidden” Hawaiian island of Ni’ihau. They offer their flight, commentary, and time on a beach of the island for around $450 a person; however, there needs to be five people in order for the trip to proceed. (They will fly if you agree to pay the entire amount should not enough people agree to go.)
Ua was our contact with the company; she kept us informed about all logistics and necessary things. George was our pilot and guide who gave a running expert commentary on the history, people, geology, geography, etc. of the island. Both were great!
We left the Port Allen Airstrip on Kauai around 1300, flew around Ni’ihau, and spent three relaxing hours on a coastal beach walking, learning, watching the flora and fauna, and truly enjoying this very unique excursion—truly an Hawaii apart.
Our fellow travelers were wonderful, and we enjoyed their company; thanks to Dan and Cindy!
The island itself was purchased from the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1864 and has been privately owned since by the Sinclair/Robinson family who also own the helicopter. Fees for the tour go to fund the medical and emergency uses for the aircraft for the resident Hawaiians. There are also hunting excursions that are held occasionally. Contact with the Hawaiian population is not allowed, and there are no services, restaurants, hotels, bathrooms, or tourist “things” there.
This is the only company that offers a true trip to Ni’ihau although one company does go to the waters offshore of the small crater, Lahua, for snorkeling; they, however, do not go ashore.
This activity is very highly recommended!
3. Kauai Coffee Company
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Susan J - Fort Collins, Colorado
Took the self-guided tour, though there is a guided tour offered. This is the largest coffee plantation in the United States and their product is wonderful. Taste all the different blends and flavors. I stocked up on my favorite beans to stash in my suitcase!
4. Hanapepe Friday Night Festival & Art Walk
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 277 reviews
Reviewed By HT0375 - Chicago
We went there on the recommendation from locals and it was well worth the drive. Hanapepe is a small village located on the southwestern side of Kauai, half-way between Waimea & Poipu. It is usually pretty quiet outside of Friday Night Festival & Art Walk. On Friday nights, it becomes filled with locals & tourists alike strolling down the main street amidst the live music that fills the street. Many stores will be open till quite late (around 10:30pm or 11pm I think) and there will be market stands on the streets as well where you can buy all kinds of merchandise.
A few food trucks will be there too, though the best food is at places like Grandma's Japanese where you will have very nice sushi/maki. It's a nice place to be when you want to just relax and enjoy some local food as well as local art & shops, while listening to local musicians.
5. Salt Pond Beach Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 399 reviews
Reviewed By thedogColumbia_MO - Columbia, MO
I think we've gotten spoiled by the remoteness of Barking Sands beach, where two's company, three's a crowd. Salt Pond beach is lovely, but it's fairly crowded, and the crowd is not particularly concerned with cleaning up after themselves. I'm always surprised that people litter the most beautiful places in the world. Seems to be a hangout for some shady characters, too. There were plenty of families and small children because the beach itself is fairly protected.
6. Holo Holo Charters
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Get to the Fun Faster! The memories will last a lifetime... Our four boats, Leila, Holo Holo, and Adventurer II & III, get you to the action quicker than anybody else, so you have more time to snorkel, sightsee, relax and enjoy the pristine waters and spectacular cliffs of the Napali Coast & Niihau. We are the only Kauai boat tours company that offers daily trips to the "forbidden island" of Niihau.
Reviewed By onechiropractor - Seattle, Washington
Captain Drew and his crew did a fantastic job of finding wildlife to view in natural surroundings and an unbelievable snorkel experience near the Forbidden Island of Niihau and the Lehua crater. We saw spinner dolphins, humpback whales, pilot whales, albatross and we snorkeled among the manta rays! I would definitely go again! Plenty of food and drink. The entire crew was very friendly and extremely accommodating for all the guests on board.
7. Allerton Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
NTBG’s Allerton Garden Garden is located on the south shore of Kauai in the picturesque Lawai Valley. Tours run daily and include a ride from the Visitors Center in Poipu along a scenic coastal route and continue along the valley rim on a former sugarcane train railbed. Visitors disembark on the valley floor to explore this former private estate, named by National Geographic Traveler magazine as one of the 50 places to see in a lifetime. Plants form the walls of outdoor rooms, the canopy of trees the ceiling. Housed within are elegant statuary and water features. A popular spot for photos is the ‘Jurassic trees’, with their massive curving roots.National Tropical Botanical Garden is a nonprofit institution, dedicated to saving and studying tropical plants.
Reviewed By dixiedorena - Athens, Georgia
Perhaps I didn't understand what this tour entailed. I wanted to learn more about the fabulous tropical plants in the region and less about Robert Allerton who created this garden. Though we walked through some incredible vegetation, our guide talked incessantly about things unrelated to the site. For the high cost of admission, I was disappointed.
The tour was exactly 2 1/2 hours as scheduled. We took a shuttle van for the 10-minute drive from the Visitor Center to Allerton Gardens and then walked easy paths through the forested landscaped areas. Along the ride to the garden, the guide talked a bit about Queen Emma who began the first gardens in this valley. Once we were off the bus we had long periods of standing, perhaps waiting for another group to move through the area, which could have been used to teach us about the plants rather than idle chatter. We were an hour into the tour before the guide began to show us some interesting things. There were only two outdoor "rooms" but several other sculpted places with ponds and statues which demonstrated how Allerton created a feeling of "place" within a larger forest. We walked past a Victory Garden orchard but the guide seemed to know little about the specific trees. The last site on the walk was the fabulous area of giant tree roots where Jurassic Park was filmed and the guide offered plenty of time for photos.
With a lot of wasted time up front and a quick walk through a few other sites, I felt like the tour was not well-designed for the best visitor experience. Overall, though I learned a few things about Queen Emma, the Allertons, and the plants in these gardens, I wished I had spent my money on something else.
8. Catamaran Kahanu
Overall Ratings
5 based on 801 reviews
Na Pali Coast Tour experience the majestic cliffs, sea caves, and marine animals. Enjoy swim and snorkel. Best day on your vacation with Captain Lani Tours.
Reviewed By Sacha O - Los Angeles
I initially chose Catamaran Kahanu because they were a smaller size with a more intimate crowd size (we had 8 passengers), and with it being my four year old daughter's first boating and whale watch experience I thought smaller would be better. Boy was I correct! From start to finish, the aloha and ohana feelings permeated the experience...really captured the essence of Kauai. Now, the whale part could have been the disappointing part of the review, because as the time for the tour to end approached, we had seen only a few spouts in the distance, but had yet to catch one even sort of close up...so much so that my daughter had begun to state that she didn't believe whales were real--that they were just legends. Well, Captain and his crew were having none of that and after checking that none of the other passengers had any time constraints, he was determined to show her a whale. And his perseverance paid off as we came upon not one, but two, whales, very close up (close enough to see their "whiskers" as my daughter says) and I know he did it just for her. We are so grateful we chose to go with Catamaran Kahanu--I whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone and everyone! Mahalo nui loa!
9. Kukuiolono Golf Course
Overall Ratings
4 based on 171 reviews
Reviewed By AbsolutelyDubrovnik - Dubrovnik, Croatia
This is a must do for any golfer visiting Kauai. This is for a classic, incredibly reasonably priced little 9 hole course on Kauai. The course charges $10 to play and $10 for a cart. The views from this hilltop course are incredible. With the help of hard fairways and trade winds you’ll experience some of your longest shots ever here. The course has a restaurant.
Just show up and play. The staff are very friendly and manage the course well.
10. Blue Dolphin Charters
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
No visit to Kauai is complete without an adventure on Na Pali Coast! Blue Dolphin Charters is proud to run the two largest motor sailing catamarans on Kauai specializing in tours of Na Pali Coast and the forbidden island of Niihau. Whether you are here for a family vacation, honeymoon or looking for a new adventure, Blue Dolphin Charters will make your trip to Kauai a memorable experience for years to come!
Reviewed By EDWARD L
Went on a Sunset Cruise & Seasonal Whale cruise on 3/31/2018. Captain Chad and his crew of Quinn and Whitney were awesome! They were funny, helpful, and most of all, competent and focused on everyone's safety. Plenty of food and drinks for everyone. We saw three whales, had plenty of time to observe them. Had a great time and definitely recommend them. If I had more time, I would have taken the cruise to the Na'Pali coast as well.
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