Aloha, Kauai Shores Hotel is open. The hotel, dining, and all amenities are running as usual.
As of November 1, 2026, you can fly over the Na Pali Coast, paddle the Wailua River, ride Smith's Fern Grotto boat, go mountain tubing, visit Haena State Park with a Go Haena reservation, and swim at most east-side beaches. Sleeping Giant and most state trails are still closed.
We're writing this from Kauai Shores Hotel on Wailua Bay, on the east side. If you read our previous post, you know the hotel is open, Lava Lava Beach Club is serving, and the airport is on a normal schedule. This post is about what to do once you're here. Things are changing daily, mostly for the better, so check the date at the top and call us at 808.822.4951 if you're planning around one specific activity.
One line on the official guidance, because people ask. On September 18, Mayor Derek Kawakami said: "Kauai is welcoming visitors, and we are grateful for the support you bring to our local businesses and our economy." The state's visitor page, gohawaii.com/lowell, asks you to confirm your bookings directly. If a piece of your trip you can't do without is unavailable, it suggests rescheduling Kauai rather than canceling Hawaii. Here's what's available.
Kauai activity status, November 1, 2026
Hurricane Nolo update: Nolo passed well southwest and west of the islands September 28 to October 1. Kauai saw heavy rain, flood watches, and high surf on south and west shores, with no direct landfall. Nothing in this table changed because of the storm itself, except the water advisory.
In the air: Napali by helicopter
Helicopters show you the full Napali Coast from above, and operators are listing tours from Lihue. Blue Hawaiian is booking tours from its Lihue base. Island Helicopters says its aircraft and facilities came through Lowell undamaged and it is open. Safari Helicopters has said it is "currently operating, but flight times are limited." Call for current flight times, and book a day or two ahead rather than walking up.
You will see storm damage from the air. Some guests want that and some don't. If you'd rather not, say so when you book, and ask which route spends the most time on the Napali cliffs and Waialeale and the least over the North Shore towns.
On the water: the Wailua River is back, with limits
The Wailua River and the designated landing are open to kayakers. DLNR does not allow individual kayakers at the Fern Grotto, and the Secret Falls hike is closed. Outfitters Kauai has paused its own Wailua River tours, while its Hidden Valley Kayak Adventure is running. Call your outfitter before you drive over.
Smith's Fern Grotto boats and Garden Luau are operating. Smith's runs on set days, so check the current schedule at smithskauai.com before you plan around it.
Some Na Pali boat tours are running. Holo Holo Charters is operating, and Port Allen Small Boat Harbor has a limited reopening: the launch ramp is open, and slips and moorings are closed. Call the operator to confirm your departure, and check the surf forecast for west-facing shores.
Luau and culture: Smith's is back
Smith's Family Garden Luau and the Fern Grotto river boats reopened September 24, and Smith's now says it is "operating as usual." Smith's is 1.3 miles from the hotel and the luau most of our guests book. Check show nights on their site when you reserve.
Luau Kalamaku sits on the Kilohana plantation in Lihue. Kilohana said in September that its plantation railway was closed after large trees came down and damaged two train cars, and pointed to a mid- to late October reopening. Call before you count on either.
Land tours: tubing and limited ziplines
Kauai Backcountry Adventures is open for mountain tubing. Outfitters Kauai is offering limited ziplines. Both can change with weather, so confirm the day before.
Kauai Coffee's visitor center reopened in September. Call for current hours. Koloa Rum's tasting room in Lihue had targeted around October 12, and Kilohana had targeted mid- to late October for the whole property.
Hiking and parks: mostly not yet
Most state trails are still closed. Sleeping Giant is closed, and DLNR lists all other Kauai state parks as closed except the ones below.
Three places have reopened:
- Waimea Canyon Lookout: open daily in daylight since October 24. The other lookouts and Kokee Road stay closed.
- Haena State Park: reopened October 15 with a reservation through Go Haena. The Kalalau Trail past mile 2 and overnight camping are closed.
- Limahuli Garden: reopened October 15. Confirm hours with the National Tropical Botanical Garden.
Beaches and swimming: most of the island is open
East-side county beaches, including Lydgate, Kealia, and Kapaa, are open. Poipu and the other South Shore beach parks are open too, though the west-end comfort station at Poipu Beach Park is closed.
Brown water advisories remain in parts of Kauai. Check the Health Department's Clean Water Branch page before you swim, and stay out of the water near stream mouths and harbors.
Salt Pond Park is closed until further notice. So are the Waimea swimming pool and several other county facilities, which the table lists.
The east side, on foot and by bike
This is the part of the island that had the easiest storm and the fastest recovery, and it's where you'll be staying. The coastal bike path is open from Lydgate to Kealia and past it toward Donkey Beach. Our bikes are available at the front desk. Kapaa town is open, with some shops on shorter hours. Lava Lava Beach Club, on our beach, is back up and running.
The Mayor's other request was specific: eat at locally owned restaurants, shop at the small shops, and book with local activity providers. Kapaa is full of all three. Several of them told Hawaii Public Radio in September that they had laid off half their staff waiting for visitors to come back, and eating at a local restaurant here still helps them recover.
The North Shore is open again. Haena State Park reopened October 15 with a reservation through Go Haena, and the reservation is the limit on a North Shore day. Book it before you plan the drive. The Kalalau Trail past mile 2 and overnight camping are still closed.
How to plan a week here right now
- Reserve Haena first. Go Haena sells the reservations, and they are the limit on a North Shore day.
- Book the helicopter early. Call for current flight times.
- Put Smith's on a day it runs. The Fern Grotto boat in the afternoon, the luau at night, both 1.3 miles from the hotel.
- Paddle the Wailua once your outfitter confirms. Ask us which ones are running.
- Add the Waimea Canyon Lookout to a South Shore day. It is the one Westside lookout open, and daylight hours only.
- Ask the front desk each morning. We keep a running list, and it changes.
We'll update this post as DLNR reopens more land and the boat harbors get their dates. Until then, check dates at Kauai Shores Hotel, or call 808.822.4951 and we'll tell you what's open the day you're thinking of coming.
Frequently Asked Questions
What activities are open on Kauai after Hurricane Lowell?
As of November 1, 2026: helicopter tours from Lihue (call to confirm flight times), kayaking on the Wailua River (river only, no individual kayakers at the Fern Grotto, Secret Falls closed), mountain tubing with Kauai Backcountry, Smith's Fern Grotto boats and Garden Luau, limited ziplines with Outfitters Kauai, and east-side county beaches. Haena State Park (by Go Haena reservation), Limahuli Garden, and the Waimea Canyon Lookout have reopened. Closed: Sleeping Giant and other state trails, Kokee Road, and Salt Pond Park.
Are Napali Coast boat tours running?
Some are. Holo Holo Charters is operating. Port Allen Small Boat Harbor has a limited reopening: the launch ramp is open, and slips and moorings are closed. Call the operator before you book, and check the surf forecast for west-facing shores.
Is Smith's Luau open?
Yes. Smith's Family Garden Luau and the Fern Grotto river tours reopened September 24, 2026, and Smith's says it is operating. Check current days and times and reserve on smithskauai.com.
Can I kayak the Wailua River?
Yes, with limits. The Wailua River and the designated landing are open to kayakers. DLNR does not allow individual kayakers at the Fern Grotto, and the Secret Falls hike is closed. Outfitters Kauai has paused its own Wailua River tours, while its Hidden Valley Kayak Adventure is running. Call your outfitter to confirm.
Are the trails open? Sleeping Giant? Waimea Canyon?
Mostly no. Sleeping Giant and other state trails are closed, and DLNR lists all other Kauai state parks as closed except the ones named here. The Waimea Canyon Lookout has been open daily in daylight since October 24, while the other lookouts and Kokee Road stay closed. Haena State Park reopened October 15 with a reservation through Go Haena. The Kalalau Trail past mile 2 and overnight camping are closed.
Can I swim at the beach in front of Kauai Shores Hotel?
The beach is open. Brown water advisories remain in parts of Kauai, so check the Health Department's Clean Water Branch page before you swim, and stay out of the water near stream mouths and harbors. Wailua Bay has a river mouth at its south end. The front desk checks conditions each morning, so ask before you go in.
Did Hurricane Nolo hit Kauai?
No. Nolo passed about 300 miles west of Lihue between September 28 and October 1. Kauai had heavy rain, flood watches, and high surf on south and west shores, but no direct impact. Hurricane Lowell is the storm that caused the damage described on this page.
Last updated 11/01/2026
