5 Beaches to Explore in Kauai

If you have been following my Instagram feed, you'll know that my husband and I are expecting our first baby this summer. And being the avid travelers that we are, we had to take advantage of the babymoon trend and book a trip immediately. We both wanted to escape the NY winter to go somewhere tropical. Our go-to is typically the Caribbean, but with Zika in our midst, that wasn't possible. So, we went with Hawaii—specifically the island of Kauai and the North Shore of Oahu.

For such a small island, Kauai has plenty of amazing (and public) beaches to explore—and I'm sharing a few of our faves!

Kekaha Beach Park

Located on the west coast of Kauai, Kekaha beach is the start of the longest stretch of white sand beach in the state and they are not exaggerating. It's HUGE! And since we were visiting during their "off-season," we pretty much had it to ourselves. Also, being on the west coast, it's one of the best spots for sunsets. It can get windy on this side of the island, so keep an eye out on tide warnings.

Amenities: Parking, lifeguard, picnic tables, bathrooms

Poipu Beach Park

One of the coolest things about Poipu Beach is that your chances of catching a Hawaiian monk seal sunbathing by the water is pretty high. We saw three when we visited. Please know that these animals are endangered and locals take their care very seriously (so don't start thinking that you'll get a cool selfie!). However, they're incredible to watch from a distance and of course, they're adorable.

Poipu Beach is located on the south shore of the island. It's small but one of the best for families. There's even an alcove cut out to break the waves making it perfect for snorkeling and little ones to splash around.

Amenities: Parking, lifeguard, picnic tables, bathrooms, snorkeling, family-friendly

Shipwreck's Beach + Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail

Shipwreck's Beach can be hit or miss on decent swimming—waves can get a little rough here (hence the name). However, it's located next to a 2 mile hiking trail (4 miles round-trip) called the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail. It's also one of the easier trails on the island so bonus for families (and pregnant ladies like myself!). We didn't walk the entire trail but what we did cover had some incredible views.

Amenities: Parking (limited, go early), bathrooms

Lydgate State Park

Lydgate Beach was by far our favorite beach on the island. It's easy to get to and had the best of both worlds—nice waves and a calm alcove perfect for little ones and snorkeling. Tip: bring or buy your own snorkeling gear. It's a lot cheaper than renting and you don't have to worry about it not being clean. We picked ours up at a local (and probably only) Walmart and spent no more than $30 for quality gear + we have them for future trips. Our other favorite part about this beach was the whale watching. We caught more than a few breaching in the distance which made my day since I wasn't allowed to go on a whale watching trip (pregnancy problems!)

Amenities: parking, lifeguard, picnic tables, bathrooms, snorkeling, family-friendly

Hanalei Bay Beach Park

On the day we visited Hanalei Bay, weather was not on our side, but we understand why it's a favorite among visitors. It's calmer than other beaches on the island, has a small pier for photo ops, and is a good place for beginners to practice surfing. Plus, it has some fantastic views of the north end of the island—including some decent sunsets if you're in the right spot.

Amenities: Parking, lifeguard, picnic tables, bathrooms, family-friendly, surfing