Please remove

[olafLover]

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[nkereina]

Which helicopter tour are you doing? We did ours in Kauai with Island Helicopters. We chose the Jurassic Falls tour because it actually lands on private property and lets you exit and walk up to the falls from Jurassic Park which was awesome! It also took us over Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali Coast. It was about 90 minutes long. Only thing I would have done differently is opt for the afternoon flight - ours was at like 7am I think and the sun was still low so there was some glare in some of my photos.

If you have time, I can't recommend Captain Andy's Sunset Dinner Cruise enough! It's four hours and takes you to the Na Pali Coast. You stop to eat with the views, and head back catching the sunset on our way back to port. The food was amazing and it was a really cool experience. We enjoyed this more than our helicopter tour to be honest. And it was significantly cheaper!

 

[olafLover]

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[nkereina]

We also plan to use Island Helicopters, but the one which doesn't land at the falls.
Yes, Captain Andy is on there, the 4th bullet Added after your previous recommendation. But we haven't contacted them yet because we haven't heart back from the dive centre yet (so we don't know which day will work out best)

LOL sorry, I read right over that! Sounds like a great plan - you will love Kauai! Enjoy!!!

 

[Midoria]

How long will you be here?

 

[olafLover]

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[Midoria]

5 days, so each bullet is the plan for one day.
We just heard back from the dive centre that it might be too early for a dive at Tunnels

Oh, I also meant to ask where you're staying. That has some influence on suggestions because you have to take into account drive times.

 

[olafLover]

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[cgattis]

We're staying at the Kauai Beach Resort in Lihue. We have a list of views nearby that didn't make our itinerary but we think we can squeeze in because they seem nearby

Kauai is tiny. Everything is nearby!! Even after looking at all the maps, I was still shocked at how quickly we got around.

 

[Midoria]

We're staying at the Kauai Beach Resort in Lihue. We have a list of views nearby that didn't make our itinerary but we think we can squeeze in because they seem nearby

I live in Kapaa and work in Lihue, and the only noticeable traffic "jams" are between those two towns. The county does contraflow to help alleviate the traffic by doubling the lanes going from Kapaa to Lihue in the morning. In the afternoon, they reverse it - double lanes going from Lihue to Kapaa. Really, that's the only thing you need to know if your hotel is in Lihue.

Even though Kauai is tiny, I'd still take into account your drive times between attractions on the days where you're doing more than one. Plug in the addresses to Google maps and select the time when you'll be traveling. My new job involves me driving all around the island, so I learned to do that when I'm going to the west or north side. Once, I went to Waimea to see a client in the middle of the day and it took me a little under an hour. I went around 4 pm a day or two later and it was roughly 1.5 hours. So there can be a noticeable difference depending on day and time even on the Garden Isle.

 

[olafLover]

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[olafLover]

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[hodad]

I took a trip to western Ireland a few weeks after terrible floods destroyed several communities there in 2009, and we did not feel like we were in the way or making things worse. It seemed like people appreciated our visit as a return to normalcy after upheaval. And I lived in Vermont during Hurricane Irene, which washed away a dam across the street from my house (and the street), and the tourists from NYC who came through a few weeks later didn't bother us at all.

It's possible that none of this translates to Kauai, but I don't think you should worry about your trip. If you want, you might consider volunteering your time, if people are open to it.

 

[Midoria]

I took a trip to western Ireland a few weeks after terrible floods destroyed several communities there in 2009, and we did not feel like we were in the way or making things worse. It seemed like people appreciated our visit as a return to normalcy after upheaval. And I lived in Vermont during Hurricane Irene, which washed away a dam across the street from my house (and the street), and the tourists from NYC who came through a few weeks later didn't bother us at all.

Days versus weeks do make a difference.

Still, @olafLover, I figure if the government is not telling people to leave or stay home, then you're fine. The North Shore seems to be the messiest area so far, but barring another storm, the roads that have debris and are flooded should be fixed by the time you get here. Where is your hotel?

 

[olafLover]

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[Midoria]

You think the roads will also be fixed by then?
We're staying in Lihue, I'm not worried about our resort, but about our trips and possibly being in the way on the island in general or during a trip in particularly. From the reports I guessed our hike on the Napali coast would be out

I think that depends on what road and the level of damage. I'd start looking at local news 3 or 4 days before you leave to see what's open and what's still damaged. Also, consider calling your hotel and asking them.

 

[olafLover]

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[corgi_monster]

Midoria, I hope you and your family are ok!

OlafLover, I wouldn't cancel my plans. We are expecting more rain either today or Thursday, but the majority of Kauai should remain accessible and enjoyable. The only one you may not be able to access is the waterfall hike. If you really want to see the Na Pali coast close up, you can try a Zodiac raft excursion. They will take you into caves and land on some of the beaches. Polihale Beach Park makes for a nice afternoon after exploring Waimea Canyon.