# Any changes on Kauai..



## gejone (Jan 13, 2011)

Haven't been there in a couple of years and was wondering anything new or anything major closed down. I'm on my personal economic stimulus trip, spending money on vacation is so helpful, especially to my state of mind. I'm arriving for a week on Feb. 17th and staying at the Pono Kai.

Aloha


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## Kildahl (Jan 14, 2011)

Nothing that I have noticed. Road construction on 56 just south of Kapa'a but what else is new?


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## aliikai2 (Jan 14, 2011)

*There is a shave ice stand outside of On no's*

Costco is open with gas in Lihue. L&L drive-in is gone and a family Chinese restaurant is in it's place. 
Kauai pasta is great and they have expanded their size, now seats more than 20. The walk way in front of the Pono Kai now goes all the way down to that surf beach on the north end of town. Nice views, easy walk. 
About all I can think of,
Greg



gejone said:


> Haven't been there in a couple of years and was wondering anything new or anything major closed down. I'm on my personal economic stimulus trip, spending money on vacation is so helpful, especially to my state of mind. I'm arriving for a week on Feb. 17th and staying at the Pono Kai.
> 
> Aloha


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## scrapngen (Jan 14, 2011)

Kukiolani Village is a whole new shopping center w/pricey stores and a couple restaurants on the (new) roundabout in Poipu. (South of Koloa where one road takes you to Poipu beach and other road takes you to Spouting Horn.)

New boardwalk/bicycle path on East side. Lots of restaurants closed, some new ones opened. Brick oven has a second restaurant in Kapa'a with good buffet option. 

New zipline tours. Some tours like movie tour no longer in existence. 

Costco as mentioned above.

New hotel Koa Kea open next to the Waiohai 

Princeville hotel reopened as St. Regis Princeville.

Hotel just North of Lihue no longer a Hilton, but still nice (maybe nicer)

Marriott has taken over a Kapaa hotel and is turning it into a Courtyard. Remodel is planned but not started yet. 

Depending on how long it's been. Boat tours not going out of Hanalei anymore.  

Poipu Beach has managed to rebuild the tombolo. 

Basically, the island is still the same.


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## Kona Lovers (Jan 14, 2011)

New Bubba's Burger in Poipu, but of course, you're in Kapaa, where the best Bubba's is!!  "Best Burger in Paradise".

Aloha, 

Marty


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## Kauai Kid (Jan 14, 2011)

Another Brick Oven Pizza has opened.


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## JeffW (Jan 14, 2011)

scrapngen said:


> ... Some tours like movie tour no longer in existence...



That's a shame.  Did it years ago, and really enjoyed it.  Wonder why it closed?  Looked like it was one of more popular attractions on the island.

Jeff


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## linsj (Jan 14, 2011)

scrapngen said:


> Some tours like movie tour no longer in existence.



The Web site is still active. The friend who is going with me next month wants to take this tour after I raved about it.


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## Kona Lovers (Jan 14, 2011)

Kauai Kid said:


> Another Brick Oven Pizza has opened.



Dude!! Where?


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## Darlene (Jan 14, 2011)

The is a new hot dog stand that is very popular in Poipu called Puka Dogs. It is very popular, so expect a line. Jo-Jo's is still there


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## Kauai Kid (Jan 14, 2011)

Kona Lovers said:


> Dude!! Where?



kalaheo

kapaa==newest


sterling


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## Kona Lovers (Jan 14, 2011)

Ok, got it.  I thought I had missed one, but you were talking about Kapaa, our favorite!


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## hotcoffee (Jan 15, 2011)

JeffW said:


> That's a shame.  Did it years ago, and really enjoyed it.  Wonder why it closed?  Looked like it was one of more popular attractions on the island.
> 
> Jeff



Someone posted that it went bankrupt and was looking for funding to restart.  I also took it a number of years ago.  Really enjoyed it.


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## ouaifer (Jan 15, 2011)

*Don't forget the MOST recent law...*

_NO more plastic bags being given out.  Most grocery stores are giving out paper...much better to bring your own.  WalMart is not giving out bags at all!  If you don't bring your own, you have to buy their shopping bags or carry it out in your arms._


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## Kildahl (Jan 15, 2011)

There are several exceptions to the plastic ban- the ones I recall hearing mentioned were for produce and meats.


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## DeniseM (Jan 15, 2011)

During the week, Brick Oven in Kapa'a has a buffet for about $15 pp, that's a great bargain.  You get several kinds of pizza (try the dessert pizza - yum!) salad bar, chicken, pasta, garlic bread, some other entrees, and a beverage.  It's a great place to fill up hungry kids, but the food is very good, too.

Also - the beach bike/walking path has been extended several miles past the surf beach.  As I recall, it's 7 miles long now.


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## linsj (Jan 15, 2011)

ouaifer said:


> _NO more plastic bags being given out.  Most grocery stores are giving out paper...much better to bring your own.  WalMart is not giving out bags at all!  If you don't bring your own, you have to buy their shopping bags or carry it out in your arms._



When did this go into effect?


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## ouaifer (Jan 15, 2011)

linsj said:


> When did this go into effect?



_This past Tuesday...on the 11th._

_Here__ and  here.

Wrt exceptions,  the only exception, plastic used to bag meat, fruits, vegetables and dry cleaning.  Those are the bags in the produce section, not the ones for checkout and carrying things out of the store.  This applies to all retail establishments.

_


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## DeniseM (Jan 15, 2011)

ouaifer said:


> _NO more plastic bags being given out.  Most grocery stores are giving out paper...much better to bring your own.  WalMart is not giving out bags at all!  If you don't bring your own, you have to buy their shopping bags or carry it out in your arms._



I wish every city would in act this law - it takes 500-1,000 years for plastic shopping bags to biodegrade - paper bags break down in a much shorter time and are less harmful to the environment, and can be recycled.

Plastic bags that end up in the ocean also kill ocean critters, who think they are jelly fish and eat them.

Of course, the best choice for the environment is using your own sturdy shopping bags over and over again, and not getting bags from the store.


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## RichardL (Jan 15, 2011)

If you are into golf.  Hyatt Poipu probably is still closed, and Marriott Lihue is a make shift 36 holes into 18 and will remain makeshift until the Marriott Lagoons is completed.  Princeville Makai golf course is really nice.


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## KauaiMark (Jan 15, 2011)

*Fern Grotto*



gejone said:


> Haven't been there in a couple of years and was wondering anything new or anything major closed down.
> Aloha



The Fern Grotto is still inaccessible after the rock slide. Not worth the boat trip to see it from a viewing platform


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## linsj (Jan 15, 2011)

ouaifer said:


> _This past Tuesday...on the 11th._
> 
> _Here__ and  here.
> 
> ...



While it's a great idea, this means packing something else for vacation, which I'll probably forget.


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## ouaifer (Jan 15, 2011)

linsj said:


> While it's a great idea, this means packing something else for vacation, which I'll probably forget.



_You don't have to bring something, if you don't want to.  Most of the retailers (grocery stores) are now using recyclable bags...ie paper.  WalMart is the only one requiring you to bring a bag or buy one there.  I have no idea what the Farmers' Markets are doing...they used to give out bags if you didn't have your own. I'll find out in few days, though.  

Can't remember when it was...several or more months ago, the county was handing out free tote bags....but that has ended.  _


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## gejone (Jan 16, 2011)

Thank for all of the input. I've done the Smith's Luau before, any opinions of the best of the rest?

Mahola


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## jacknsara (Jan 18, 2011)

gejone said:


> Thank for all of the input. I've done the Smith's Luau before, any opinions of the best of the rest?
> 
> Mahola


Aloha Gary,
We just returned from three weeks on Kauai.  Gaylord's is no longer at the Kilohana Plantation.  The luau that is now there is best on Kauai.  We attended twice - once with each daughter who came at separate times.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Reviews-Kilohana_Luau-Lihue_Kauai_Hawaii.html
Jack


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## DeniseM (Jan 18, 2011)

Hi Jack!  

Did you get much rain out of that storm?

How's our favorite unit?

Has Gaylords moved or gone out of business?

Thanks,
D


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## Kildahl (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks for the report, Jack.

On my july 2008 trip to the island, I recall  signs along Hanalei beach  for a north shore luau ( my term) sponsored by a local boat/paddler club. 
Has anyone attended that performance?


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## jacknsara (Jan 18, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> Hi Jack!
> Did you get much rain out of that storm?
> How's our favorite unit?
> Has Gaylords moved or gone out of business?
> ...



Aloha Denise,
Intense and persistent rainy periods led to brown coastal water many days; we rarely went snorkeling.  The one time we went to Lawai Beach to snorkel, my daughter and I had to get out fast when I saw a shark swimming there.  Then we discovered most other people were already out.
The people who ran Gaylords now run a place called Hukilau in Kapaa; we did not eat there.  
The furniture inside our unit gets older and less comfortable every day, but we didn't suffer too much. Prevaling storm winds were mostly from the south/southwest, so the lanai was dry the whole time.  We spent a lot of time on the lanai; somebody has to watch the whales & dolphins. 
I met an owner there whose first words to me were something like 'so your the guy who beat me to that week/unit reservation.'  We moved from G4 to G5 at the same time he moved from G5 to G4.  I guess week 52 is a high demand week.
We'll do it again next year (weeks 52 in G4, 53 & 1 in G5)
Jack


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## gejone (Jan 20, 2011)

jacknsara said:


> Aloha Gary,
> We just returned from three weeks on Kauai.  Gaylord's is no longer at the Kilohana Plantation.  The luau that is now there is best on Kauai.  We attended twice - once with each daughter who came at separate times.
> http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Reviews-Kilohana_Luau-Lihue_Kauai_Hawaii.html
> Jack




I forgot about that one. That was definitely better than Smith's, although we may end up doing two. Gaylords had great desserts, maybe they kept the receipes in the new place. Mahola for the reminder.


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## toby9116 (Jan 20, 2011)

*Pono Kai*

At the Pono Kai now. Beezers the ice cream shop at the light in Kapaa clsed a couple of years ago. It has been replaced by the East Sider. Had dinner at the East sider last night, it was very good.


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## gejone (Jan 20, 2011)

Oh well, I guess you'll have to go to Duke's and get a piece of Hulu Pie. Can't wait.


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