Established in 2016 as a petting zoo, Kauai Animal Education Center (KAEC) has since grown into an invaluable community resource and destination for locals and visitors alike. This non-profit, family-operated animal rescue organization in Kapaa provides a safe and welcoming place for both the young and young at heart to spend time with some of Hawaii’s most beloved animals.
Kauai’s only farm animal rescue, KAEC offers visits, tours, camps, rent-a-pet, traveling petting zoos, living classrooms, and other programs—all aimed at providing opportunities for people to interact with animals. Also popular at KAEC? Yoga on the Farm. This hour-long restorative yoga practice, which concludes with sound healing medication, lets you soak in all the nature, joy, and peace of your surroundings.
A visit to KAEC is one activity every member of your family is sure to love. Goats, guinea pigs, turtles, cows, turkeys, rabbits, and donkeys are just a few of the friendly and social animals you’ll find here. Just be prepared for some vigorous debate regarding which animal is the cutest! (The baby pigs are always a crowd-pleaser.) For an extra-special experience, be sure to bring along some extra spending money to buy a feed bucket.
KAEC Owner Christy Wong is passionate about educating the community while rescuing animals—and it shows! Not only is it obvious that the animals at KAEC are well-loved and cared for, but Wong and her team devote lots of time and effort to making sure your visit to KAEC is a special one.
In addition to discovering new four-legged and feathered friends, KAEC’s grounds are also home to a bounty of native, medicinal, and edible plants. These garden-like surroundings are the perfect place to enjoy your interactions with the non-profit’s remarkable menagerie of animals while also learning about the island’s diverse flora and fauna.
You can feel good about your time at KAEC for more reasons than one. In addition to letting you interact with animals, the charity also runs a farm animal rescue program that provides second chances to animals whose owners can no longer care for them.
While visiting with farm animals may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when planning a trip to Hawaii, it should be. Many visitors say a morning or afternoon at KAEC is a highlight—not just of their Hawaii vacation, but of all-time!
Insider Tips:
-If you feel like giving back to the organization that gives so much to animals and the community, Volunteer Work Days—held every third Saturday morning—are an ideal opportunity. Pitch in by helping with everything from grounds maintenance to animal care.
-The baby pigs LOVE belly rubs!
-Celebrating a birthday or other special occasion while you’re in Hawaii? With tables, tents, parking, and bathroom facilities, KAEC is an excellent venue for everything from small parties to whole farm rentals!