Although sunny skies are the norm in Kauai, it still gets its fair share of rainy weather. 144 days a year, in fact, bring at least a little precipitation your way. When that happens, you’ll want to seek rainy day activities well suited for a little wet weather. Not sure where to go and what to do? Here’s a look at 10 excellent activities you can enjoy while the rainclouds roll through.
Check Out the Kokee Museum
The rain in Kauai never lasts long, so take advantage of your downtime by planning the rest of your adventures at the Kokee Museum. You can ask the staff for their top trail recommendations and get their help planning your route through the Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park. Then, stop by the gift shop for hiking sticks, Niihau shell jewelry, books, and other souvenirs.
Explore the Kauai Museum
The Kauai Museum allows visitors to take an in-depth exploration into the history and culture of the island. Across their two buildings, their exhibits cover everything from island royalty to surfing while providing tons of artifacts and stories to pour-over. Stop by the gift shop on your way out to get local favorites, like Kauai Plantation tropical jam and “It’s a Kauai Thing” t-shirts, magnets, and more.
Visit the Koloa Rum Company Tasting Room
If you’re curious what the Koloa Rum Company is all about, beat the drizzle with a trip to their tasting room. Every hour on the hour, they hold tasting experiences that let you try all their premium rum varieties. You can then hop over to their store to buy your favorites plus get Mai Tai mix, rum cakes, flower soap, straw hats, and a branded swag of all kinds.
Shop for Artwork at Fish Eye Kauai
As the rain comes down, you can search for your perfect island memento by browsing all the artwork and photos at Fish Eye Kauai. At both their North Shore and South Shore locations, you can get your fill of exquisite nature and landscape pieces from local artists plus jewelry, handbags, and wooden creations. For the best of both worlds, check out their wood photography selections from Abe Kowitz, which highlight the beauty of the island in every way imaginable.
Hop on a Sport Fishing Charter
Nothing gets the fish biting harder than a little rainfall hitting the waters, so rainy days are the perfect time to hop on a sportfishing charter from Apex Kauai. You can go out onto the ocean aboard their 45-foot Bertram Sport Fisher boat to see what’s biting for four hours or six. On most trips, you’re likely to see Mahi Mahi, blue marlin, sailfish, and tuna. For an even more exciting experience, go with their bottom fishing gear for a chance at snapper, barracuda, and sharks.
Stroll Through the Kukui Grove Shopping Center
When the rainfall starts in earnest, sometimes it’s just nice to shop the day away — and get a nice lunch out while you’re at it. And you can do all that and more with a trip over to the Kukui Grove Shopping Center. There are dozens of fantastic places to spend, spend, spend, including clothing boutiques, toy and electronics stores, and gift shops. When you need a break from all the spending, you can land at any of the onsite restaurants, like Genki Sushi, Ho’s Chinese Kitchen, or Kalapaki Joe’s.
Enjoy Fun Adventures with Kauai ATV
As the rain comes down and muddies up the land, it just makes things even more exciting for Kauai ATV tour guests. While taking their rainy day ATV tours, you get to splash down the off-road trails while taking in all the gorgeous sights all around. All along the way, you’ll get to see awe-inspiring panoramic views of the lush jungle landscape plus waterfalls, hidden tunnels, and movie sites, including famous backdrops from ‘Jurassic Park.’
Treat Yourself to a Spa Day in Paradise
When the weather simply won’t cooperate, you can focus on relaxation at one of the many local spas, such as:
- Anara Spa
- Hanalei Day Spa
- Spa by the Sea
- Hawaiian Rainforest Spa
- Elevate Wellness Kauai
Beauty treatments, massages, and sauna sessions await your arrival and promise to treat you to a truly rejuvenating experience. Don’t forget to get a manicure and pedicure before you go, so you can walk out ready for all your beachside adventures.
Fly High on a Zipline Tour
At Koloa Zipline, tours must go on, rain or shine, so you know you can always go there for a drizzly good time. As you glide along the lines Superman-style, upside down, or whichever way you prefer, the rain simply takes your flight to the next level. While all the big raindrops fly by, you’ll feel like you’re going even faster than ever before and get a stellar view as the wet foliage glistens beautifully.
Relax on a Magical River Cruise
Rainy days are perfect for a lazy trip down the river to Fern Grotto — and you can do just that hopping aboard the Smith’s Wailua River tour. While riding on their covered boat, you’ll stay well protected from the rain while hearing stories, singing songs, and making newfound friends. Then, you’ll get to take a short rainforest walk to the grotto where ferns grow all over, including right down from the roof.
With this helpful list in hand, you’ll never be without a place to go wait out the rain in style. Then, after the clouds clear up, you can hit the beach once again, confident you have something to do if the sunny skies don’t stick around.
