Kauai is an exceptional family vacation destination because it offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, adventure, and relaxation suitable for all ages. Known as the "Garden Isle," Kauai boasts stunning beaches, beautiful botanical gardens, and lush landscapes. The island's less crowded atmosphere compared to other Hawaiian Islands means families can enjoy ample space and a laid-back vibe without the overwhelming tourist crowds you may experience at other destinations around the world. Read through our list of top family activities to try on Kauai.
River Tube Through the Wilderness
Kauai’s mountain tubing adventure offers a unique and thrilling way to explore the island’s lush interior by floating down historic irrigation canals originally built for the Līhuʻe Plantation in the late 1800s. Sport hardhats, headlamps, and swimsuits as you join your guide down 2.5 miles of calm waterways, drifting through five hand-dug tunnels surrounded by tropical rainforest. The whole family will surely be all smiles!
Take a Surf Lesson
Taking beginner surfing lessons on Kauai is an excellent way for kids and their parents to experience the island’s gentle waves in a safe and supportive environment. Professional surf schools will usually limit class sizes to ensure personalized attention and safety, allowing participants to stay close to instructors throughout the lesson. Lessons begin with fundamentals covering surfboard basics, paddling, standing up, and ocean safety, followed by hands-on practice in the water. Poipu Beach is a popular beginner surf spot offering lessons daily.
Sign up for a Zipline Tour
Want to feel the wind whip through your hair as you soar through lush valleys and steep ravines? There are a handful of zipline tour operators spread across the Garden Isle, each offering a unique thrill. Different ziplines provide different thrills, like gliding upside down, tandem, Superman-style, or even at high speeds reaching 50 mph. These zipline tours combine thrills with breathtaking natural beauty and expert guides who share local knowledge, making them unforgettable adventures for families and thrill-seekers alike.
Plan a Beach Day
Nine times out of ten the first thing a kid wants to do when they land on Kauai is to go to the beach. There is no shortage of options when it comes to great beaches across the island. In fact, Kauai’s Poipu Beach recently was awarded one of the top beaches in the U.S. by the 2025 TripAdvisor Travels Choice Awards. Find beaches great for snorkeling, catching waves, exploring tidepools, and building sandcastles. Each beach presents a different joy and memory.
Ride a Scenic Train
The younger children will love a trip aboard a conductor-narrated train tour of a historic Hawaii plantation. Gaze out the open-air windows at groves of banana, mango, and papaya trees. Once you reach your final destination on the tracks, disembark to interact with various farm animals like pigs, sheep, goats, and more. The Kauai Plantation Railway offers numerous tours daily.
Fern Grotto River Cruise
The Fern Grotto river cruise on Kauai is a serene and enchanting journey along the Wailua River, the only navigable river in Hawaii. This approximately 80-minute tour aboard a spacious open-air boat takes visitors two miles upstream through lush tropical rainforest, where they can enjoy live Hawaiian music, storytelling, and even a hula lesson on board. The cruise culminates with a short nature walk to the Fern Grotto, a stunning natural lava rock cave adorned with hanging ferns that create a verdant amphitheater renowned for its magical acoustics.
See the Splendor of Waimea Canyon
Sometimes a nature hike can be a bit too much for the entire family to enjoy. But a drive to the scenic lookout points to get a view of the one-mile wide fourteen-mile long Waimea Canyon is something surely the whole family can get behind. Often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, this breathtaking natural wonder is worth a little exploring while vacationing on Kauai. For the more adventurous families, there are a few different trails ranging in distance that can be explored.
Kauai Animal Education Farm
Animal lovers will want to look into booking a tour at Kauai’s only farm animal rescue center, caring for over 170 animals across 19 different species. Open strictly by appointment, the Kauai Animal Education Farm provides guided tours where guests can feed and learn about the animals’ individual stories and the farm’s mission to rescue and care for animals abandoned or surrendered by owners. Interact with chickens, ducks, rabbits, tortoises, goats, pigs, and more!