Princeville is the quiet, green end of Kauai’s North Shore — a resort and residential community on the bluffs above Hanalei Bay, with no town center to speak of and no beach of its own. That is exactly why people get it wrong: they book Princeville expecting a beach town, then discover the snorkeling is down cliff trails, the best tide pool is only safe at low tide in summer, and the whole coast shuts down for snorkeling in winter. Get the season and the access right, and Princeville is the best base on the North Shore. Get them wrong, and you spend the trip driving to the south shore.
This guide ranks the 15 best things to do in Princeville, honestly, with what each activity costs, when to do it, and when to skip it. It is snorkeling-first, because that is what Princeville does best: a cliff-access reef with turtles, the calmest beginner water on the North Shore ten minutes east, and a boat ride to the Na Pali Coast from Hanalei Bay. Every activity links to our deep guide for that spot, so you can check entry, parking, and conditions before you go.
If you are still deciding where to base yourself on the island, start with our full Things to Do in Kauai guide — this page is the Princeville cut of that guide, with the parking, season, and access detail the general guide does not carry.
The 15 best things to do in Princeville, at a glance
| # | Activity | Best for | Cost | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snorkel Hideaways Beach (Pu’u Poa) | Confident snorkelers | Free | Summer mornings |
| 2 | Snorkel Anini Beach | Beginners, families | Free | Summer |
| 3 | Queen’s Bath tide pool | Careful visitors, summer only | Free | Summer, low tide |
| 4 | Hanalei Bay — beach day and sunset | Everyone | Free | Summer |
| 5 | Tunnels Beach (Makua) | Confident snorkelers | Free* | Summer |
| 6 | Ke’e Beach — the end of the road | Snorkelers, hikers | Free* | Summer |
| 7 | Na Pali Coast boat tour from Hanalei | Everyone (5+) | Paid | Summer |
| 8 | Princeville Makai Golf Club | Golfers | Paid | Year-round |
| 9 | Princeville Botanical Gardens | Food lovers, families | Paid | Year-round |
| 10 | Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge | Wildlife, views | Paid | Year-round |
| 11 | Limahuli Garden and Preserve | Gardens, culture | Paid | Year-round |
| 12 | Kalihiwai Falls viewpoint | Everyone | Free | Year-round |
| 13 | Explore Hanalei Town | Food, shopping | Free to browse | Year-round |
| 14 | Helicopter tour over the Na Pali Coast | Everyone | Paid | Year-round |
| 15 | Eat and shop at Princeville Center | Everyone | Free to browse | Year-round |
* Tunnels and Ke’e sit inside Ha’ena State Park: entry and parking need a reservation — see the sections below.
The 15 best things to do in Princeville, ranked
1. Snorkel Hideaways Beach (Pu’u Poa) — the one to earn
Hideaways is the North Shore snorkel you work for, and the best reef in the Princeville area. Below the Princeville bluffs, the coast splits into two coves divided by a lava-rock outcrop: the western cove is Hideaways (also called Pu’u Poa Beach), reached by the public Kaumumene Trail; the eastern cove is Pali Ke Kua, which comes down through the Pali Ke Kua condominium complex and is for the complex’s guests and residents — not a public access, and not a shortcut.
The trail starts at the end of Ka Haku Road, beside the Pu’u Poa condominium tennis courts, just before the gatehouse of the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay. The small public lot holds about nine or ten tight spaces and fills by around 8am on calm summer days; if it is full, the plan is Anini, not roadside improvisation. The descent is steep — stairs, then a roped dirt slope, about 10–15 minutes down — and it was closed for county rehabilitation from late June 2026, reopening in late September 2026. Check current Kaua’i County notices before you go; the rehab improved the route but did not flatten it.
The snorkeling is a summer-only proposition. A spur-and-groove reef starts almost at the waterline, with the richest structure around the dividing outcrop, and the water over the front reef is shallow — about 10 feet or less. Green sea turtles are regulars, and because the beach is quiet, honu sometimes rest on the sand: stay at least 10 feet away in the water and never chase them. There are no facilities and no lifeguard, so everything comes down the cliff in a backpack: gear, water, reef-safe sunscreen. Our Hideaways Beach snorkeling guide has the full entry points, reef route, and safety detail, and our Princeville snorkeling guide puts it in the context of the whole area.
2. Snorkel Anini Beach — the calmest water on the North Shore
Ten minutes east toward Kilauea, Anini sits behind one of the longest fringing reefs in Hawaii, and on most summer days the inside water stays shallow, warm, and gentle when other North Shore spots are choppy. It is the North Shore’s best beginner and family snorkel, with free parking at the county beach park — and it is the plan B that makes Princeville work as a base: when the surf is up or the Hideaways lot is full, Anini is the day’s answer instead.
Two caveats. There is no lifeguard, and the channels through the reef carry current out to deep water, so snorkel the shallows and never drift toward a channel. And the reef is the whole point: swim over the sandy patches, not the coral, and keep fins off the reef. Full detail — entry points, the boat-ramp turtle drift, parking, and conditions — is in our Anini Beach snorkeling guide.
3. Queen’s Bath — the tide pool (summer, low tide only)
Queen’s Bath is Princeville’s famous tide pool: a natural lava-rock pool on the coast below the bluffs, reached by a short trail that takes about 15 minutes and gets slippery when wet. In summer, at low tide, on a calm day, it is one of the most photographed spots on Kauai. In any other conditions, it is dangerous — waves sweep over the rocks without warning, and people have drowned here. Go only in summer, only at low tide, only when the ocean is flat, and check current conditions before you go. Never turn your back on the ocean, and never let children play at the pool’s edge.
That warning is the whole point of planning Queen’s Bath properly: it is free, it is close, and it is the single most underestimated activity in Princeville. Our Queen’s Bath guide covers the trail, the timing, and the safety rules in full. If the surf is up at all, skip it and spend the morning at Anini instead.
4. Hanalei Bay — beach day and sunset
Hanalei Bay is the largest bay on Kauai’s North Shore, a two-mile curve of sand ten minutes west of Princeville, and it does three jobs in one day. In the morning it is a swim and beginner-surf beach, with the pier at the east end and the calmest water near the middle of the bay in summer. In the afternoon it is the easiest beach day near Princeville: parking, restrooms, and shade, with Hanalei town a short walk away for lunch. At sunset it is the best free show on the North Shore — the sun drops behind the mountains at the west end of the bay, and the pier makes the photograph.
Snorkeling at Hanalei Bay is a summer-morning activity: the reef is patchy and the visibility is best early, before the wind builds. It is not a destination snorkel like Hideaways or Tunnels — it is a swim-with-a-mask beach, and that is fine. Our Hanalei Bay snorkeling guide covers the entry, the reef patches, and the season.
5. Tunnels Beach (Makua) — the reef that made the North Shore famous
Tunnels, or Makua Beach, is the North Shore’s signature snorkel: a big reef with tunnels and canyons in the coral, turtles, and the kind of visibility that makes it onto every best-of list. It sits at the west end of the road past Hanalei, inside Ha’ena State Park, which is the part people miss: entry and parking need a reservation, and the parking is limited. The practical move is to park at Ha’ena Beach Park and walk about half a mile to Tunnels — or take the North Shore Shuttle from the Waipa Park & Ride, which runs about every 20 minutes to Ha’ena State Park.
Tunnels is a confident-snorkeler spot. The reef is big, the water over it is deeper than Anini, and the current picks up outside the reef. In summer, on a calm morning, it is the best snorkel on Kauai. In winter, the surf closes it completely. Our Tunnels Beach snorkeling guide has the entry points, the reef route, and the reservation detail.
6. Ke’e Beach — the end of the road
Ke’e is where the road ends: the last beach before the Na Pali Coast, with a reef lagoon that is one of the prettiest snorkels on Kauai in summer and the trailhead for the Kalalau Trail. It shares Ha’ena State Park’s reservation system with Tunnels, so the same rule applies — reserve parking or take the shuttle, and do not drive out hoping for a space.
Ke’e’s lagoon is shallow and sheltered in summer, which makes it a good family snorkel when the surf is flat, but the same winter rule applies to the whole coast: November to March, the surf turns it into a look-don’t-swim beach. The Kalalau Trail starts here — the first two miles to Hanakapiai Beach are the classic day hike, and the trail also needs a parking reservation or a shuttle seat. Our Ke’e Beach guide covers the lagoon, the trail, and the reservation system.
7. Na Pali Coast boat tour from Hanalei
The one thing you cannot do from shore in Princeville is the Na Pali Coast — and the boat tour from Hanalei Bay is the way to see it. Boats leave from Hanalei, ten minutes west, and run the coast past sea caves and waterfalls, with snorkel stops on the way back. The standard trips run about five to six and a half hours; the long Ni’ihau and Na Pali snorkel trips run about seven. Sunset dinner cruises run about three and a half hours and trade the snorkel stop for the light on the cliffs.
Book for summer if you can: winter swells make the ride rough and the snorkel stops get cancelled, and seasickness is the most common complaint on these trips. If you are prone to it, take the medication before you board, not after you feel it. Our Na Pali Coast snorkeling guide covers the boat options, the snorkel stops, and the season.
8. Princeville Makai Golf Club
The Makai Golf Club is the one activity in Princeville that has nothing to do with the ocean, and it is the reason a lot of golfers choose Princeville over anywhere else on Kauai. It is the first solo design by legendary golf architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., set on the bluffs with the ocean on three sides — the views are the point as much as the golf. It is also the most reliable paid activity in Princeville in winter, when the ocean is closed for snorkeling but the course is still playable. Book a tee time in advance in high season; walk-up times are scarce.
9. Princeville Botanical Gardens — chocolate tasting
The Botanical Gardens are Princeville’s best non-beach activity, and the one most visitors miss. The chocolate tasting tour runs most weekdays at 9:30am — cacao and honey tastings in a working garden — and you should make a reservation in advance, because the tours are small and they fill. It is the best rainy-day activity in Princeville, the best activity for a non-swimmer in the group, and a good half-day that pairs with lunch in Hanalei. Check current tour times and prices before you go; they change with the season.
10. Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge — lighthouse and whales
Ten minutes east of Princeville, Kilauea Point is the northernmost point in Hawaii, and the lighthouse sits on a cliff above a seabird colony. It is the best wildlife stop near Princeville: red-footed boobies, Laysan albatross, and, from December to April, humpback whales offshore. The refuge needs a reservation and charges an entry fee — book ahead, especially in whale season, when the parking lot fills. Bring binoculars if you have them; the birds are on the cliffs below, not at arm’s length.
11. Limahuli Garden and Preserve
Limahuli is the National Tropical Botanical Garden site in Ha’ena, on the way to Ke’e — a valley of native plants and ancient taro terraces that is as much a cultural visit as a garden walk. It is the quiet counterpart to the Botanical Gardens: self-guided, slower, and more about the plants and the place than about tastings. It pairs naturally with a Tunnels or Ke’e morning, since it is on the same road. Check current admission and hours before you go.
12. Kalihiwai Falls viewpoint
Kalihiwai Falls is the waterfall you see from the road between Kilauea and Princeville: a tall, twin-tier fall dropping through green cliffs, visible from a roadside pullout. It is a five-minute stop and one of the prettiest free views on the North Shore — but it is a viewpoint, not a hike. The trail to the base of the falls crosses private land and is not a public access, so admire it from the road and do not follow anyone down. After heavy rain the falls run full and the pullout is worth the stop; in a dry spell it is a thinner ribbon and still worth a photograph.
13. Explore Hanalei Town
Hanalei is Princeville’s town — ten minutes west, a single main street of wooden storefronts, food trucks, galleries, and surf shops, with the pier at the end of the road. It is where Princeville visitors eat: the food is Hanalei-based, from casual lunch spots to dinner places that need an early arrival. Happy Talk, for example, takes no reservations and has a free parking lot — but get there when it opens, because it fills. Hanalei is also where you rent snorkel gear: the shops cluster here, and the practical move is to pick up your set the evening before so a 7:30am beach arrival is a real option. None of the Princeville-area snorkel spots rent gear on site, and everything for a cliff-trail beach goes down in a backpack.
14. Helicopter tour over the Na Pali Coast
If the boat tour is the way to see the Na Pali Coast from the water, the helicopter is the way to see it from above — and the only way to see the interior valleys, waterfalls, and the full length of the cliffs. Tours fly from Lihue, about 45 minutes from Princeville, and the standard flight runs under an hour. It is the most expensive activity on this list and the most weather-dependent: morning flights are usually the smoothest, and flights get cancelled or rerouted when the weather closes in. Book it early in your trip so there is a day to reschedule if the weather turns.
15. Eat and shop at Princeville Center
Princeville Center — the shopping and dining complex at the entrance to Princeville — is the one practical stop every Princeville trip needs, and the one no competing guide covers properly. It is the North Shore’s main shopping and dining destination: a grocery store for the villa kitchen, coffee in the morning, casual restaurants for dinner, and a handful of shops. It is not a destination in itself, but it is where you stock up, where you eat when you do not want to drive to Hanalei, and where you kill an hour on a rainy afternoon. Pair it with the evening: pick up dinner supplies here, then watch the sunset from Hanalei Bay.
Best time to visit Princeville
Princeville runs on one rule: the North Shore is a summer place. The snorkeling, the tide pool, and the boat tours all depend on flat ocean, and the ocean is flat from May to September. Winter is for the south shore. Plan the trip around the table, not around the weather app.
| Period | What to expect |
|---|---|
| May–September | The window. Calm mornings, clear water, all the snorkeling and Queen’s Bath on most days. Arrive before 8am for Hideaways parking and the calmest water. |
| April & October | Shoulder months — snorkelable on calm spells, surf possible. Check the North Shore surf forecast daily and keep Poipu as the backup. |
| November–March | Winter surf season. The North Shore closes for snorkeling — Hideaways, Wyllie’s, Tunnels, and Ke’e become surf beaches and the water over the reefs turns dangerous. Do not plan snorkeling here in winter; base the trip on the south shore around Poipu instead. |
Within a good day, morning is the snorkel: the water is calmest and clearest early, before the trade winds build their afternoon chop. The best month to go to Princeville is usually June or July — the summer pattern is settled, the surf is at its lowest, and the gardens and boat tours are running at full schedule. If you can only come in winter, Princeville is still worth visiting for the golf, the gardens, and the views — but book the south shore for swimming, and treat any flat North Shore morning as a bonus, not a plan.
How to spend a day in Princeville
The best day in Princeville is a morning in the water and an afternoon out of it. Start early: be at the Hideaways trailhead by 7:30am, or at Anini by 8am, while the water is flat and the parking is open. Snorkel until late morning, then drive to Hanalei for lunch and a walk through town, picking up any gear you still need. In the afternoon, do the land activity — the Botanical Gardens, Kilauea Point, or the Kalihiwai Falls viewpoint — and finish at Hanalei Bay for the sunset, with dinner in Hanalei or back at Princeville Center.
One warning for the day plan: do not stack Queen’s Bath and Hideaways on the same morning. Both need an early start, both need calm conditions, and both punish a rushed schedule. Pick one, do it properly, and let the other be tomorrow’s morning.
How many days do you need in Princeville?
Two to three days is the right amount for Princeville itself. One day covers the best snorkel and Hanalei Bay; two days add the Na Pali boat tour and the gardens; three days add the helicopter, Kilauea Point, and a slow beach day. More than three days, and you are really doing Kauai from Princeville — which is fine, because the island’s other coasts are day trips from here. Our full Kauai guide covers the south and east sides, and our Kauai snorkeling map has GPS pins for all 19 shore spots on the island.
Free things to do in Princeville
Most of the best things in Princeville cost nothing. The free list: snorkeling at Hideaways and Anini (both free county beach access, no reservations), Queen’s Bath (free, with the safety rules above), Hanalei Bay beach and sunset, the Hanalei Pier, the Kalihiwai Falls viewpoint, and the Kilauea Point drive-by view from the road. The only paid essentials are the Na Pali boat tour, the gardens, the golf, and the Ha’ena State Park reservation for Tunnels and Ke’e. If you are counting, a full Princeville day of Hideaways in the morning, Hanalei Bay in the afternoon, and sunset at the pier costs exactly nothing except parking and lunch.
Things to do in Princeville at night
Princeville at night is quiet — there is no nightlife here, and that is part of the deal. The evening is the sunset at Hanalei Bay, dinner in Hanalei or at Princeville Center, and then the stars: the North Shore is dark enough that the Milky Way is visible on a clear night, and the bluffs above Hanalei Bay are a good place to look up. A sunset dinner cruise from Hanalei is the one paid evening activity, and it books out in summer, so reserve it early in the trip rather than on the day.
Things to do in Princeville when it rains
Princeville is the wet side of Kauai, and rain is a normal part of the trip, not a ruined day. When it rains, the ocean is the first thing to drop: do not snorkel in murky water after heavy rain, and do not hike the Queen’s Bath or Hideaways trails when they are wet and slippery. The dry alternatives: the Princeville Botanical Gardens, the shops and restaurants at Princeville Center, the galleries and food in Hanalei, and a drive to the south shore, where Poipu is often sunny while the North Shore is wet. If the rain is a passing shower — the usual pattern — wait it out with coffee in Hanalei and go back to the beach when it clears.
Princeville with kids
Princeville with kids works if you pick the right spots. Hideaways is not a kids’ beach — the cliff trail and the unguarded water rule it out. Wyllie’s Beach, on the Princeville side toward Kilauea, is the family option: a shallow reef, turtles, and sand, with the same steep-trail trade-off. Anini is the best family snorkel in the area, and the walled ponds at Lydgate, on the east side, are the best first-snorkel spot on the island. Our Things to Do in Kauai with Kids guide ranks 15 family activities with the ages each one actually suits.
Where to stay in Princeville
Princeville itself is the natural base for this plan: staying in the area means you can walk to the Hideaways trailhead, which neatly solves the parking problem that filters everyone else out. Hanalei, ten minutes west, adds the gear-rental shops and the Anini backup in one direction, and is the better base if you want to walk to dinner. If your trip is in winter, do not base here for snorkeling at all: book the south shore around Poipu and treat any flat North Shore morning as a bonus. The question of which side of Kauai is best for snorkeling is really a question of season — our which side of Kauai guide settles it by month.
Safety: the rules that matter here
Three rules cover almost everything in Princeville. First, match the spot to your group: Hideaways is for confident snorkelers only, Queen’s Bath is for calm summer low tides only, and true beginners belong at Anini’s shallows with a confident buddy, or at the lifeguarded south-side spots. Second, read the surf, not the sky: check the North Shore surf forecast the night before and again in the morning, and any meaningful north swell ends the plan for the day — head to Poipu instead, not to a calm-looking cove. Third, respect the wildlife rules: at least 10 feet from turtles in the water, 50 feet from monk seals on the beach, and never touch or stand on coral. There are no lifeguards at any Princeville-area snorkel spot, the cliff trails filter out anyone unsteady on their feet, and winter surf has killed strong swimmers on this coast.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Princeville, Hawaii?
Princeville is on Kauai’s North Shore, on the bluffs above Hanalei Bay, between Kilauea to the east and Hanalei to the west — roughly a 45-minute drive from Lihue Airport. It is a resort and residential community, not a town: there is no main street in Princeville itself, and the shops and restaurants are at Princeville Center and in Hanalei, ten minutes west.
Is Princeville worth visiting?
Yes, in summer — it is the best base on the North Shore for snorkeling, with Hideaways and Anini, Queen’s Bath, and the Na Pali boat tours from Hanalei, plus golf and gardens when you want a day out of the water. In winter it is still worth a visit for the views, the golf, and the gardens, but not as a snorkeling base: the surf closes the whole coast, and the south shore is the better place to stay.
How many days do I need in Princeville?
Two to three days covers Princeville itself: one day for the best snorkel and Hanalei Bay, a second for the Na Pali boat tour and the gardens, a third for the helicopter, Kilauea Point, and a slow beach day. Longer than that, and you are doing Kauai from Princeville, which works — the south and east sides are day trips from here.
What is the best month to go to Princeville?
June or July. The summer pattern is settled, the surf is at its lowest, and the snorkeling, Queen’s Bath, and boat tours are all running. May and September are nearly as good. November to March is winter surf season, and the North Shore is not swimmable.
What is Princeville known for?
Princeville is known for three things: the cliff-access snorkeling at Hideaways Beach, the Queen’s Bath tide pool, and the Makai Golf Club on the bluffs above Hanalei Bay — plus its position as the quiet, green base for the North Shore, ten minutes from Hanalei and the road to Ke’e and the Na Pali Coast.
Poipu or Princeville — which is better?
It depends on the season. In summer, Princeville wins for snorkeling: the North Shore is calm, the reefs are at their best, and the scenery is greener. In winter, Poipu wins outright — the south shore stays gentle while the North Shore surf closes everything. For a first trip in summer, Princeville is the prettier base; for a winter trip or a trip with small children, Poipu is the safer one. Our which side of Kauai guide compares them by month, and our best Hawaiian island for snorkeling guide puts Kauai against Maui and the Big Island.