A Scenic Drive: Waimea Canyon & Koke'e Park
You are headed to Kauai?! Fantastic. You are making some great life choices right now. This island in incredibly beautiful. It's not hard to understand why so many movies have been filmed here- Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, Avatar... the list goes on. What might be harder to believe is the fact that 90% of the island cannot be seen by car. Helicopters and boat tours are great ways to see the island. But how do you maximize your time on the island with your rental car. The drive from Waimea to the Pu'u O Kila lookout is incredibly scenic. This road trip encompasses the southwestern part of the island, as well as the Waimea Canyon (nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Hawaii). This drive should definitely be factored into your time on the island. The views are literally breathtaking. Don't forget your oxygen tank! Okay, that might be a bit dramatic. But do bring a camera. Begin your tour here! Make sure to read all the way to the bottom of the page to find my packing tips for your road trip.
WAIMEA TOWN to WAIMEA LOOKOUT: Start your drive by heading to the little town of Waimea in the southwestern part of the island. Before heading up to the lookout, you may want to stop by a convenience store for a bottle of water and a bathroom as there are no stores or bathrooms along your drive to the Waimea Lookout. You want to be able to enjoy this drive up to the top. Take HWY 550, also known as Waimea Canyon Dr. Koke'e Rd will take you up to the lookout as well but this drive is more scenic. Your phone may not get very good service on this drive so if you are planning to use it for GPS, I might recommend using an actual map instead. If you are susceptible to elevation sickness, I would take some dramamine at the beginning of your trip. They do actually have bathroom facilities at the top (not the best maintenance but- Hey!)
As you ascend to the highest point of Waimea Canyon lookout, don’t be afraid to pull off the road slightly to catch a glimpse of the canyons below and the red rock boulders.
Koke’e Rd will eventually merge with Waimea Canyon Dr. Continue driving to reach Waimea Canyon Lookout. Based on 1-2 stops and light traffic, this drive will take around 25-30 minutes. You will find parking and a bathroom at the lookout. Most days you can purchase homemade goods at a tent. Try the local fruits and a Hawaiian sweet bread.
WAIMEA CANYON LOOKOUT to KOKE'E STATE PARK CAMPGROUND: It may be hard to believe that this road trip has more packed into it but I promise you don't want to miss this second leg of the drive. During my first trip to Kauai, I thought the Waimea Lookout was the end of the trip because it was all so amazing up to that point. As you exit the Waimea Lookout parking lot you will come to a split in the road and you will veer right to continue into Koke’e State Park. Hwy 550 continues and so do the views!! Continue to veer right throughout your drive and in about 20 minutes you will arrive to Koke’e State Park Campground where you can stop for a bite to eat and some souvenirs.
KOKE'E STATE PARK CAMPGROUND to KALALUA LOOKOUT: Continue on the road for another 10 minutes to Kalalua Lookout. There are a lot of curves and narrow corners in this area so drive with caution. You will also start to see cars pulled over to the side of the road. Those are hikers and campers. We were looking for the scenic views so we kept driving until we got to the more formal parking lot and a sign for Kalalua Lookout. These views were pretty amazing but the best, most encompassing views are definitely saved for the very end of the road. Hop back in your car and make your way to Pu'u O Kila Lookout.
KALALUA LOOKOUT to PU'U O KILA LOOKOUT: Continue down the road for another 5 minutes for the best view of the entire valley at Pu’u O Kila Lookout. Parking can be scarce, so I recommend starting your drive early in the day. There is a steep hill just before you get to the parking lot so take caution when driving.
Heading home is simple. You will just reverse your route, heading back on HWY 550. Take caution when driving both directions of this route. In Hawaii, it's illegal to use a handheld mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle. This will become obvious once you start your trek.
Things to have on hand when going on an excursion: It’s a good idea to pack a “to-go” bag with you when you head out on an excursion or road trip like this. A bottle of water, sunscreen, hat, rain jacket and extra battery charger for your phone in a small, cinch backpack is the way to go. The battery life on your phone is constantly draining when you’re in Hawaii as it’s so far from the mainland. I would recommend keeping your phone in airplane mode to save battery life when you can. You can purchase a battery charger at Target/Walmart for about $20-30. A car charger with USB port is also a good idea! Hilly told ya!