Kauai, Hawaii - Spring Break 2026

 For spring break 2026 we headed over to Kauai.  It'd been about 14 years since Jeremy and I had been and we felt it was time to take a break from our usual Kihei, Maui destination.  Turns out it was a fortuitous choice because Kihei was completely underwater from recent flooding.  Kauai, however, seem to have been spared.  We had amazing weather and only some light showers that rolled by in the afternoon for a short time. 

We spent our week at an AirBNB on the Kiahuna Plantation.  The location was good and it was a short walk to three closeby beaches - Kiahuna Beach (long but narrow, good sand, some small waves), Poipu Beach (calm waters good for snorkeling and floating a tube, lots of sunbathing turtles and seals, very crowded), and Brennecke's Beach (small beach great for boogie boarding, gets crowded).  The airBNB also allowed us access to the Kiahuna Plantation Swim & Tennis club across the street, which was great the two days we just wanted pool time.  It should also be noted that the Swim club was available to us on our last day, so we spent the morning at Brennecke's, afternoon at the pool, and then were able to take very nice showers and clean up before heading to our red-eye flight home.

A few quick logistics before write about the trip.  We packed snorkel gear, beach toys, beach blankets, some sand-cloud type towels, soft cooler, sand shoes, keens, water shoes and tubes (we should have also brought rain jackets/umbrellas).  The airBNB had umbrella, chairs, and one boogie board for us to use.  So when we first arrived, we headed to walmart and picked up a wagon ($90 that we checked on our flight home), boogie board (that we gate checked), and some ice packs.  While it's easy to rent a wagon on Maui, we had the hardest time finding a place to rent us one that wasn't going to cost more than the Walmart wagon.  Also the board we got was only $40 vs. a $30/week rental, just made sense because it was easy. I cannot understate how nice it is to have a wagon to schelp all your stuff to and from the beach. 

Day one we arrived late and did our best to push through the time change while also making sure we stopped at Walmart, Safeway, and got dinner.  By the time we got to the airBNB we were exhausted.

Day 2 (Monday) 

Our first full day in Kauai. Due to the time change it was easy to get up early. We grabbed breakfast in Old Koloa Town and headed up to Waiamea Canyon.  We also grabbed some poncho's because we thought it may be pouring but only the kids and Jeremy needed them.  The first stop up the canyon was a small pull off to see the red dirt waterfall, which was something I definitely didn't remember from years back.  We then headed up the canyon, stopping at various points along the way, until we ended up at the Canyon Trail.  Long story short, we went about 2-3 miles, took a few wrong turns, had a lot of fun, and got pretty muddy in the process.  Thank goodness for keens that wash easily and dry quick. We wish we could have spent more time up here but the kids really wanted to hit the beach. When we're back next, we'd like to try the Alaka'i Swamp hike. 

After our short hikes in the canyon we stopped by Koloa fish market for some poke and then headed to Poipu Beach for a bit.  Though this is one of the more crowded beaches, we had arrived just at 4pm when most folks were packing up their families, so we had no trouble claiming a spot.  Poipu beach is nice because it's near a resort bar that has fantastic Mai Tai's. 

Day 3 (Tuesday)

Tuesday we got up early, again, and headed up to Kauai Backcountry Adventures for their Mountain Tubing Adventure.  This is so much fun.  You tube down 2.5 miles of open canals and tunnels in the Lihue Plantation, an old sugar plantation.  Everyone enjoyed not just the float but the guides, the 4x4 ride up the mountain, and the lunch.  Highly recommend this tour if you're on the island.

After our tour we tried to stop by the Koloa Rum Co, but the tours must be reserved and only ages 21+ can enter the building.  So we grabbed some Dole Whip and headed back to our airBNB and then to Kiahuna Beach.  Overall I'm a little partial to Kiahuna because of the vast length of the beach and the soft sand, but it does get pretty narrow at high tide.  Once again we found ourselves here until 6pm when most of the crowds had since left.  

Day 4 (Wednesday)

Today was our beach day.  I got up early and hit up Little Fish Coffee across the street for some delicious coffee and acai' bowls. We then took our time packing up and headed to Brennecke's.  We got a good spot and camped out for most of the morning and early afternoon.  The waves here can be pretty rough and big so you should be prepared.  I do not recommend little kids at this beach and it kinda baffled me to see some little ones on the shores where 20+ boogie boards were flying in with every wave.  (Poipu is about a 5 minute walk down the road for those wanting calm waters with kids).  We were really glad to have two boards and it was nice not to have rental boards which can be scratchy and heavy. We also like Brennecke's tide pools.  Jesse caught a pet fish here on our last day and had fun showing it to other kids on the beach. 

This day was very special for us because it was the day of the Artemis II launch. Jeremy had been working for years up to this moment and we were able to share it as a family, watching the launch from our iphone feed on the beach overlooking the beautiful blue waters of Hawaii.

After Brennecke's we headed over to Poipu for some chill time, bobbing in the water on tubes and drinking Mai Tai's.  

Day 5 (Thursday)

Thursday was interesting.  We had grand plans to hike the Hanakapi'ai Falls Trail.  We got up early, stopped by Java Kai, and drove 1.5 hours up to Ha'ena State Park.  Turns out, you now need a reservation to get into the park.  Walking, driving, shuttle, doesn't matter, you need a reservation.  We didn't have one and they were sold out for the next two weeks (apparently you must book a month in advance).  I was so bummed, as this was the hike I was most excited about for the whole trip.  So we headed down the road and stopped by a beach to regroup and figure out our day.  While on the beach the kids found some coconuts and had a lot of fun cracking them open.  While they played, we did some research.  I found some cute chocolate farm tours, Kilauea Jungle Oasis and Houlau Chocolate and Farm Tour, however neither had availability for the day.  The woman at Houlau Farm was so nice, this will be my first choice to book next time we visit (book ~1 month out).  After we aborted this second plan, we played around on Alltrails and found a new hike we wanted to try; the Okolehao Trail (aka Hanalei River Trail & Hihimanu Trail).  We headed off the beach toward the trail, but first, a stop for Poke!  Our tubing guide recommended we stop at Foodland for Poke and it did not disappoint.  We got about 2.5 lbs for 3 of us and it was the most fresh, most delicious, most affordable poke we'd ever eaten. 

After stuffing our belly's with Poke we headed to the Okolehao Trail.  Alltrails will point you to the parking lot that heads into the forest via bridge.  This is a fine way to enter, and the way we did, but it's very muddy.  After winding through the mud we came across some folks who pointed us to a much easier, and much less muddy, entrance.  Oh well, next time.  The trail winds through the forest, up a wide jeep trail, and dumps you out onto a beautiful lookout.  Head up hill further and you'll come to an even better lookout with two small benches overlooking the town of Hanalei.  We opted to continue a bit further, however we quickly discovered that trail was much less traveled and tough going.  For those who push through you'll come to a muddy hill with a rope assist that I hear is quite fun and Jesse wants to do next time we come back. 

After that hike we headed to Old Koloa Town for some shopping and dinner (see notes below). 

Day 6 (Friday)

We started our last full day with a kayak river tour to the Wailua Sacred Falls with Kayak Kauai.  The kayak was 4 miles round trip with a 2.5 mile round trip hike to the waterfall.  Jesse was my kayak buddy while Max rode with Jeremy.  The river kayak was very pleasant and enjoyable, especially early in the morning when there weren't many people out on the river.  We also enjoyed the hike through the beautiful, lush forest, however once we got to the waterfall we felt very rushed by our guide.  Max opted to swim in the pool and by the time he got out 5 minutes later the guide was already pushing us to leave.  It felt like she wanted to hurry up and get the tour over so she could go home.  It was quite unfortunate as we could have easily stayed for 30 minutes or more.  On the way back we stopped by another smaller falls to take a picture and that too was very rushed.  Finally we just started walking at our own pace and eventually realized they wouldn't leave us behind.  Overall it was a fun tour but I would recommend going with a different company.  

After the tour we stopped by the Kauai Sushi Station, a food truck with the most wonderfully fresh sushi I've ever had. Highly recommend.  

We ended the day with a break from the sandy beaches and headed to the swim club across the street.  The kids loved the pool and slide. 

Day 7 (Saturday)

Our last day on the island, time flew by too fast.  We opted to spend the morning at Brennecke's boogie boarding, playing in the sand, and having a great time.  We already checked out of the hotel, so we opted to rent a board and umbrella from a place just down the street.  For the day it was $10/each, so worth the cost.  Jesse made a friend and they boarded for hours in the shallow section while Max, Jeremy, and I headed into the waves, trading off the board and body surfing. 

As mentioned, we were able to take advantage of the Kiahuna Plantation Swim & Tennis club where we spent about 2 hours at the pool before using their showers and changing for our flight home.  We stopped by an italian restaurant in Lihue before heading to the airport for our flight home.  We checked our wagon and gate checked the boggie board that we'd bought. 

Next Year:

The kids have already determined they want to return next spring break, so we plan to split our week.  We will spend the first half of the week with a stay in Princeville where we have easy access to the Hanakapi'ai Falls Trail & Houlau Farm Tour.  Then we will go down to Poipu and try to get a reasonable room at the Hyatt Poipu.  We may also try a boat tour with Napali Experience tours.

Restaurants: 

Cabana Bar and Grill - get the mahi mahi sandwich, Mai Tai's are not great, tacos are okay.

Little fish coffee - açaí bowl, golden milk late - online ordering - line gets very long

Dukes - lhiue - good, make reservations- ahi tuna tacos

Kōloa fish market - poke - lunch - get a medium bowl - good and unique salmon poke

Kenji Burger - very quick, good, unique. Good Mai Tai

Mucho Aloha - delicious grilled fish tacos but small platter for dinner. Good vibes. Also good barbacoa

Kaua’i Island Brewing - bleh. Avoid this place. It's just not that good.

Holoholo grill - breakfast - get the French toast! Pancakes also good.

Java Kai - really good coffee, acai, and everything!

Kauai Sushi Station - delicious! We went for lunch. Best food truck sushi ever!

Foodmart Princeville - stop here for the best (and cheapest) Poke on the island

Part 5: Rome

 Rome

When planning this trip, I really wanted to see if we could make a trip to Rome work.  Turns out we were able to squeeze in two full days.  We stayed at a place called Quiet Trevi Fountain which was set back in this courtyard behind two gates and was perfectly situated next to the Trevi Fountain (as the name would suggest). 

Trevi Fountain

Upon arrival to Rome we took a cab (fixed rate 60E) to the city center from the airport.  This was not a great experience.  In fact, because of this we opted for the 25 minute walk with our stuff in the heat to the train terminal and the 30 minute AirPort Express train to get back, which actually worked out well.  Also, I can’t say much about the food in Rome, you just have to look up google reviews and try places, but we did have some good pizza and pasta while we were there. 

Pompei

Pompei

The first day we took an express train from the main terminal station to Pompeii.  There are two ways to get to Pompei that I can tell.  The fast train that lands at a station 6 blocks away or the slower trains that get to the closer Pompeii Scavi station.  We opted for the 2 hour fast train with a single stop/train swap in Naples.  It turns out that the main terminal station in Naples and the Garibaldi Sation are basically connected and easy to move between, just make sure you look for the right level for Garibaldi Square (level 2?) and then the correct platform. 

Pompei

Pompeii was hot.  It was also not helpful that we skipped the close entrance and went to a farther entrance and then searched for 30 minutes for the cafe that’s actually on top of the hill by the current excavation site.  It also doesn’t help that nothing is well labeled especially road names and the new cafe. 

However, we had our hats and fans and we listened to Rick Steves guide us though some of the most interesting sites.  Note the guide is a bit out of date but it was ok as the only main issue was the plaster casts which are now moved to the garden entrance (the one we skipped but did exit from) and attached to the bookstore.  If it wasn't so hot, we would have enjoyed staying longer and I would even consider a personal guided tour next time to learn more about the history.  

The kids loved visiting Pompei, especially since Max did a presentation and report on the city just a month before for school.  

Roman Forum from behind Piazza del Campidogilo

On the train ride I’d been looking up guided tours of Rome, and I found a free evening walking tour through What About Tours and Guruwalk.  You just tip at the end what you believe is fair.  So we got back, made a quick stop at the apartment, then quickly hurried over to Piazza del Calcarari for the start.  The tour was really informative and the kids enjoyed most of it, even if it was a 2 hour after an already long and hot day in Pompeii. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. We got a rich history of Rome, learned a lot about Ceasar, and oversaw the Roman Forum from a vantage point I’m not sure I remembered from last time. That night both kids fell asleep at the dinner table :) 

On day 2 we packed a lot into our last day.  We had a light breakfast at a coffee and pastry shop around the corner before visiting Trevi Fountain (again), the Cappuccini Crypt, Spanish Steps, Bocca della Verita, Pantheon, and, of course, the Colosseum.  

Cappuccini Crypt

Colosseum

Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth)

Pantheon

We listened to Rick Steves audio tours at both the Pantheon and the Coliseum and got lucky with a break in the weather for most of the day (except of course the 2 hours we roasted at the Colosseum).  I was able to get arena level tickets and advanced tickets for the Colosseum so that made things easier but I wasn’t able to secure the underground experience as it sold out as soon as it came available.  Note that the Pantheon also now requires tickets and we almost missed out because I didn’t know that.  Although you can buy them same day, you must be in the ticket line by 5:15/5:30 as they close the line at a certain time even if you've already been waiting for 30 minutes.  

The kids really enjoyed the Coliseum, especially Jesse who said it was the highlight of the whole vacation.  They both took more pictures than I did :)

And with that our family vacation came to an end.  It was an amazing trip and a great experience.  

Greece - Part 4: Milos

Milos

Each island more beautiful than the last.  Our stay in Milos was far too short.  After a much smaller ferry ride on much rougher seas, we arrived about 2 hours after we'd left Paros.  We picked up our car from the port from Avance Rental Car and headed to Pollonia to meet our host, Steilos at Unique Milos Suites.  

Private Beach at Unique Milos Suites

We booked this directly through their website as booking.com kept surge pricing me each time I looked. Steilos was the most gracious host and the place was amazingly beautiful.  The suite itself was spacious, airy, and bright.  It had two porches, one in the back and one in front, a shower that had a cutout to view the ocean while showering, and its own private section of beach across the little street.  Each of the three suites at Unique Milos had a small dedicated section of beach with two large bean chairs, two small, and two loungers under a large tree.  Steilos also stocked the suite each day with fresh fruits and breads and treats as well as clean towels.

After checking in it was quite late so we quickly headed down the road to Yialos for dinner.  Max and I split the lamb which was sous vide to 62 degC then grilled to perfection.  Jeremy and Jesse split the seafood pasta. 

Sarakiniko Beach

Sarakinko Beach

The next day we started our exploration with a stop at Sarakiniko Beach where we spent most of the morning.  The moonscape like features are so unique.  We walked around, swam in the inlet and 3 of us even jumped off the cliff.  The cliff jumping was interesting not for the jump itself (we did the small one), but for the swim out through the cave. We watched several people do this before going ourselves.  Timing was critical to wait for the lull in the wave to exit.  We watched many people not do this and get pounded to the rocks upon exit.

 

Fishing Village (Firopotamos or Mandrakia)

Octopus sun drying on the line

Next we headed to a few small fishing villages to wander around.  We started with Kilma (near Trypiti), where we had lunch, then explored Firopotamos, and Mandrakia.  Each is only a short drive and maybe 15-20 minutes of viewing, but they are worth the stop.

We then explored around the capital of Plaka (this you can skip) and walked around the port town of Adamas.  Finally we headed back toward home for the late afternoon so we could enjoy the beach and suite where we were staying. 

Sundried Grilled Octopus

For dinner we ate on the beach at Akrotiri where we enjoyed their famous grilled octopus and sausages.  (Note, when eating sun dried grilled octopus you must slice it very thin to enjoy it). 

Milos Sea Tours

The next day we headed out early to drive south for a small boat tour with Milos Sea Tours off the beach of Agia Kiriaki.  Here you have two options, drive the boat yourself or hire a captain for the half day (9-2).  When we booked I’d opted for a captain (skipper) and I’m so glad I did.  Alex was our captain and he was amazing.  If you don’t get a captain you can’t go into the tiny caves and Alex took us into all of them, even some that were crazy small.  He knew all the best and secret places.  I can’t describe in words the magic of how the water looks and changes when you enter a sea cave and the light refracts just right off the water.  It’s magical.  

Caves

Blue Water of Milos

Caves

Alex also took us to Klefitiko caves, and up to Sykia caves.  The waves were choppy heading north up to Skyia caves but the kids loved it. It may have been the highlight of the day. They had so much fun bouncing around on the small boat. Alex even did a few circles for them back in the calmer area and let them drive for a few minutes.  After a few hours we all got out and swam at Kleftiko and Fyriplaka beaches, both only accessible by boat. This adventure was one of the highlights, if not thee, highlight, of the trip to Greece and if you find yourself in Milos you must rent a small boat, get yourself a skipper, and I highly recommend Milos Sea Tours. (Note to bring water, food, and sunscreen, though they did also provide beer and waters and juices for us too).

Alogomandra (I think)

After hanging on the beach at Agia Kiriaki for a while we made our way back home with a quick stop at Papafragas for photos and Alogomandra.  Well Alogomandra was supposed to be quick, but Max saw a jumping spot and really wanted to jump in.  Jesse also thought it was cool and really wanted to go and not miss out on the experience.  So I went in with them and we swam through the channel and under rock bridges.  The water wasn’t so clear but Jesse was so proud of himself for going into the water and conquering his fears. 

After lounging on our beach back in Pollonia and taking some much needed showers we headed to Rafiki for dinner.  I had the seafood risotto which was so delicious and Jeremy had the Rafiki cocktail was also quite good. 

Our last morning in Greece and on Milos we decided to enjoy our suite and just relax at the beach.  Stelios was nice enough to give us a later checkout so we could stay till 12:30 before heading to the airport.  While we didn’t have time to Kimolos island on this trip, I can say for certain that we will be back to Milos.  

After a very interesting and short puddle jumper flight back Athens, it was on to Rome!  (Note for next time, flights operate on island time, so make sure connections have at least 2 hours or longer if traveling to another destination, expecially internationally)

On to Rome!

Greece - Part 3 : Paros

Paros

 

Every place in Greece we visited got a little more quiet and, IMO, a little more beautiful.  

Iconic Paros Town

We landed in Paros and had prearranged a car from Paros Trust Rental as advised by our host, Apostolis.  Dimitri met us at the port with a sign and we walked to the car.  It was so easy, I’d highly recommend you reach out to them if you are renting a car in Paros.  We were staying just outside of the port at Villa Ble Paros so our host, Apostolis came down to the port on his scooter to meet us and guide us back to the house.  

Villa Ble Paros

View from our house

The house and the view were so beautiful.  Just a 10-15 minute walk from the port, we appreciated staying just outside of town on a beautiful quiet property.  Each morning we got pastries from the nearby shop and had breakfast on the patio, we were able to do laundry and hang dry the items out on the line, and just really enjoyed the stay.  While I found that I personally enjoyed the town of Naoussa over Parikia, I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again.  Having a car meant it was easy and quick to get around and the parking is easy everywhere. 

As a side note, everyone on Greece uses WhatsApp so make sure you do too.  Also, our visit to Paros was days 6-8 on our trip, so we intentionally picked a place with a laundry washer as we each only brought one carry on luggage for the whole 16 day trip.

Kolymbithres Beach

Since we arrived early, we dropped our stuff, got settled, then headed to Kolymbithres beach for some relaxing.  This beach is known for its lunar-like landscape and unique features.  The kids had fun in the water while we wandered around and lounged on the sand.  Eventually it was time for food. 

Naoussa Town

Ragout at Almond in Paros

Greek Wedding Celebration

The first night in Paros we headed to Naoussa town. Many blogs will tell you Naoussa is a party scene or tourist trap, and maybe it’s more crazy in July/August, but we found it just the right amount of charm and liveliness.  We even stumbled upon a Greek wedding celebration at one of the open air restaurants and it was so much fun to watch.  As we wandered around, we paused to have cocktails at a cute cafe before heading to Almond in Paros for dinner.  We stumbled upon this restaurant and the atmosphere drew me in.  The food was really good and I had the ragout which was amazing. While here we also picked up a few cheap beach mats.  These proved clutch for the next 7 days in Paros and Milos.

Byzantine Path

Our first full day in Paros we visited a few small towns and hiked part of the Byzantine Path, the oldest ‘road’ in Paros at over 1000 years old.  We started in Lefkes. It’s only a15 minute drive (the island isn’t big) and I recommend just parking at the free parking area.  I thought we could get “closer” to the start of the hike and accidentally took us down a road so tight I wasn’t sure we’d make it out without damaging the car.  After that stressful experience we went back to the parking area and was pleasantly surprised to find clean public bathrooms right below the steps. 

Once finally parked we wandered the streets and admired the view from the Church of the Holy Trinity up on the hill.  From here you can see the Byzantine path and to start you just head down that way till you see the marked sign. 

Walking this path we could feel the history and imagine ourselves as traders walking to the market to sell and trade our goods.  The kids had fun discussing what they would have brought and traded as we walked.  Note that this isn’t a particular lot long or hard walk but it is uneven as you are walking along some of the original marble, which Paros is known for mining.  (Side note, you can still visit the marble quarries on Paros but we didn’t on this trip).  

After ~2 miles we came to the edge of Prodromos town. As you wander into town you’ll come across 1 of 2 cafes and around the corner is the bus timetable.  We weren’t fully sure how we wanted to get back to Lefkes, but found that the next bus was about 45 minutes out and that seemed perfect (note they only come every 2 hours or so).  So we wandered, found some cats (so many stray cats in Greece) and then hopped the bus back to our car (2.50E/pp cash).

After getting the car we drove to Marpissa which is one of the cutest, most iconically Cycladic villages we visited.  We’re taking white houses with blue doors, pink flowers, tiny stone alleyways. We ate lunch here at Charoula cafe which was so delicious - Greek salad, kebab, tzatziki (best, we had) and they even gave us little free ice cream pops at the end. We spent the next hour or so wandering, finding cats, and enjoying the small town.  If you're in Paros, you must visit and you must eat here.

Piso Livadi Beach

Lastly we headed more south to Piso Livadi beach.  We enjoyed lounging and swimming on this beautiful beach with its crystal clear turquoise waters.  Simply gorgeous. 

Aliki Beach Area

Balcony Tou Aki

The next day, our second on Paros, was our beach day.  We started at Golden Beach (Chrissi Atki beach).  Parking is easy, just go near any beach club like Blue and you’ll find the lots.  The sand is soft and the water clear for what seems like miles in all directions.  Unfortunately the winds were also strong off the north side and though we were south, the fine sand of the beach kicks up easily and sand blasted us too much for comfort.  So after some time in the water we decided it was necessary to find another beach that was better protected. We were also getting hungry, so we headed for Aliki beach and had lunch at the recommended Balcony Tou Aki.  The food was delicious and the table was right on the water.  It was perfect.  Making it more perfect was the kids running off to the beach while we sat and finished our wine.  We ended up staying at this area for much of the afternoon.  I was able to pick up a bucket and two shovels and the kids had so much fun on the beach trying to catch fish, digging, and finding cool rocks.  The beach is also partly protected from the wind with more compacted sand so it was less prone to being picked up by the wind.  

Santa Maria Beach

Our last day in Paros was a long day, as our ferry to Milos wasn’t until 6:30pm.  I wanted to spend it at a beach club, lounging on comfy chairs under an umbrella.  After visiting the church of 100 doors in Parikia (Panagia Ekatontopiliani), we headed to Santa Maria beach and it did not disappoint.  Clear blue waters, nice sand, and a beach club for drinks, lounging, and food.  We opted for a front row chair set (50E) and picked a corner chair so we could easily watch the kids, view the water, and make sure we were up wind from anyone smoking.  We stayed until about 4:30 when we had to head back to port.  

After meeting Dimitri to drop the car, we wandered around and I picked up a Hamman towel that is simply lovely.  It may be my new favorite for its quick drying and ability to quickly repel the sand.  Though we didn’t have enough time this trip to visit the island of AntiParos we know it’s an easy day trip that we will definitely do next time!

On to Milos!