Local Tastes Food Tour

Kauai: Local Tastes Small Group Food Tour. Rated 4.3 across 138 reviews. Runs 3 hours. From $120.68.

Overview

Tasting Kauai runs a different food route for each day of the week, so what this tour actually looks like depends on which one you book. One day it is the North Shore with local fruits, teas, grass-fed beef and fresh fish, another it is a walking tour of Hanapepe Old Town that finishes just as the Friday Art Night stalls open. There is a South Shore restaurant route, an East Side farm-to-table run along the Royal Coconut Coast, a Saturday Lihue tour that starts at the farmer's market, and a Sunday Hanalei walking tour.

A guide leads the group between stops and threads in Hawaiian history and food culture along the way, and the tours are built around meeting the people behind the food, from farmers to chefs. Reviewers often mention the historical stories between stops and restaurants they would not have found on their own. One reviewer said the guide provided a great list of recommendations for the rest of their trip.

One practical point shapes the whole day: there is no hotel pickup and no transport provided. Guests drive their own vehicle and follow the guide from stop to stop. The listing gives Hale Lihue / Ha Coffee as the meeting point, and asks guests to arrive 15 minutes before the start.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet your guideMeet at Hale Lihue / Ha Coffee, arriving 15 minutes early. Drive your own vehicle, as you will be following your guide to the various stops along the tour.
2. North Shore tour, Mondays and TuesdaysRuns 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM from the Princeville area, tasting local fruits, teas, grass-fed beef and fresh-caught fish, with visits to farms and restaurants.
3. South Shore tour, WednesdaysRuns 12:45 PM to 4:45 PM, convenient for guests staying in Poipu, with upscale restaurant access and 6 tastings.
4. East Side tour, ThursdaysRuns 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM from the Kapa'a area, visiting farm-to-table restaurants on the Royal Coconut Coast with 6 tastings.
5. Hanapepe walking tour, FridaysRuns 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM on foot through historic Hanapepe with 5 tastings, ending at the start of the weekly Friday Art Night.
6. Downtown Lihue tour, SaturdaysRuns 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, starting at the Farm Bureau Farmer's Market and continuing through Lihue with farm-to-table restaurants, chefs and a brewery.
7. Hanalei walking tour, SundaysA walking tour of Hanalei tasting Hawaiian food direct from farmers and learning how to eat it.

What To Expect From The Tour

Here is what to sort out before booking, since the day-of-the-week structure and the self-drive requirement catch some travellers out.

• Drive yourself. There is no pickup and no transport included. Guests follow the guide in their own vehicle between stops, so a rental car or other vehicle is a practical requirement.
• Pick your day. Each side of the island gets its own tour on a set day, so the schedule may decide which one fits. Base the choice on where you are staying and what you want to eat.
• Come hungry. The listing warns that every option includes multiple tastings and advises planning to come hungry. One reviewer said they were surprised at how much food was served, though another wanted more tastings by the end.
• Comfortable walking. The listing asks for comfortable shoes, and two options are walking tours. The Hanapepe route is described by one reviewer as easy walking.
• Sun protection. The suggested packing list includes sunglasses, a sun hat and sunscreen, sensible for Hawaiian afternoons at markets and between stops.
• Bring ID. The listing asks for a passport or ID card. State any food allergies at booking so the guide can tell each restaurant in advance.

Common issues. The main constraints come straight from the listing: no hotel pickup, no transport, and a requirement to drive your own vehicle behind the guide. Each itinerary only runs on its assigned day of the week, so missing a day means a different route or no tour. Gratuities are not included. One reviewer enjoyed the food but still wanted more tastings by the end, so appetite expectations vary.

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