Fern Grotto And Lighthouse Tour

Kauai Northeast Tour, Fern Grotto River Cruise & Lighthouse runs through Best of Kauai Tours. Rated 4.5 across 93 reviews. Runs 6 hours. From $236.29.

Check park access before you go. Stops inside state parks (Waimea Canyon, Koke'e, Wailua River and Secret Falls) follow current DLNR notices and can be closed. Check the booking page for which stops are running on your date.

Overview

This six hour outing from Best of Kauai Tours covers the island's north and east shores in one loop, pairing a van tour with a riverboat ride up the Wailua to the Fern Grotto. Pickup is included from a long list of hotels and resorts between Princeville and Kapaa, with the first pickups at 8:00am in Princeville and the last at 9:15am at Smith's Boats at the Wailua Marina. From there the day runs on a set sequence: waterfalls and sacred sites, the boat cruise, the lighthouse, then the north shore beaches.

The Wailua River portion lasts 80 minutes aboard an open-air boat, followed by a short rainforest walk to the grotto itself, a lava rock amphitheatre where ferns grow upside down and Hawaiian musicians and hula dancers perform. Later stops include the Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge for seabird viewing, plus brief guided stops at Anini Beach and Hanalei Bay, each around 10 minutes. Scenery passes by the window in between, including Sleeping Giant, taro fields and old plantation country.

It suits travellers who want to see a wide stretch of Kauai's coastline without driving themselves. Reviewers repeatedly praise the guides' storytelling and island knowledge, and one traveller described the tour as family friendly. Note that the lighthouse itself is entered on Wednesdays only, with a lookout visit on Mondays.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickupPickups start at 8:00am in Princeville, then 8:45am in Kapaa, 9:00am in Wailua, ending at 9:15am at Smith's Boats at the Wailua Marina. Twenty-one pickup locations are offered from Princeville to Kapaa.
2. Opaekaa Falls and heiauStep out to see Opaekaa Falls, known as the rolling shrimp falls, and the nearby sacred heiau.
3. Wailua River cruiseAn 80-minute cruise on a spacious open-air riverboat to the Fern Grotto, with a short rainforest walk to the lava rock amphitheatre and live Hawaiian music and hula.
4. Kilauea LighthouseSightseeing, scenic views and wildlife viewing over about 30 minutes. Entry to the refuge happens on Wednesdays; on Mondays the visit is from the Lookout.
5. Anini BeachA guided stop with a short walk and scenic views, about 10 minutes.
6. Hanalei BayAnother brief guided stop of about 10 minutes with sightseeing and a walk.
7. Return and drop-offDrop-off at 21 locations across the same Princeville to Kapaa area. The full tour runs about six hours, longer depending on pickup location and traffic.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points shape how this day goes, from the early Princeville pickups to the no-food rule in the van.

• Getting picked up. Pickup and drop-off are included, but only from Princeville to Kapaa; travellers staying elsewhere on the island need to make their own way to a listed point. Be ready at the earlier end of the morning if the pickup is in Princeville, since that run starts at 8:00am.
• Guide and pace. The day is built around the driver-guide's commentary, and reviewers often mention how much island history and local knowledge the guides share. One traveller said their guide taught them more about Kauai in a day than they expected. The pace is a mix of window time and short walks, not a hiking tour.
• Food and drink. No food or drinks are included, and neither is allowed in the vehicle. Bring money or a plan for anything you want along the way, and plan gratuities separately as they are not included either.
• The lighthouse schedule. Whether you enter the Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge or view it from the Lookout depends on the day of the week. Entry is on Wednesdays and the Lookout visit is on Mondays, so check which day you are booking if going inside matters to you.
• The boat section. The riverboat is open-air, so dress for the weather on the water. Reviews describe the cruise and the entertainment at the grotto as a highlight, and one traveller called the Fern Grotto itself amazing.
• Family friendly. One reviewer described the tour as family friendly, and another said their family would talk about it for years. The walks are short, including the rainforest path to the grotto.

Common issues. The honest limits are mostly structural rather than complaints. The beach stops are short, about 10 minutes each at Anini and Hanalei Bay, so this is a survey of the island rather than a beach day. The total time can stretch to six or seven hours depending on pickup point and traffic. Food, drinks and gratuities are not included, and eating or drinking in the vehicle is not allowed. No recurring complaints appear across the reviews; the criticism-free picture reflects a well-received tour.

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