Grocery and resturants close to point of poipu?

[love2vaca]

Hi
We are making our first trip to Kauai in apr. 5-14 and staying at point@ poipu.
We will b traveling with another family. They have a 1 yr old and we have a 2.5yr old and a 6mth old baby.

Where is the nearest/ best grocery store. Is there a Costco or something similiar?

Any activities, tips or tricks especially about traveling with such young children would be very appreciated! We are very excited but the nerves of traveling with young ones has set in. Ha.

Thanks!

 

[DeniseM]

There are no major grocery stores in the Point at Poipu area, but there are some small, local grocery stores in Koloa - 5 min. away.

Costco is in Lihue - where the airport is. It's about 30 min. from Poipu to Costco. However, there are lots of restaurants in the area, and in the nearby small town of Koloa.

Map - http://mapq.st/YqwshB

Hawaii is a US State with all the amenities of home - there is nothing to be nervous about. However, Kauai is mostly rural and most areas do not have brand name grocery stores. Most of the larger stores are in Lihue, and Kapa'a.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Hi
We are making our first trip to Kauai in apr. 5-14 and staying at point@ poipu.
We will b traveling with another family. They have a 1 yr old and we have a 2.5yr old and a 6mth old baby.

Where is the nearest/ best grocery store. Is there a Costco or something similiar?

Any activities, tips or tricks especially about traveling with such young children would be very appreciated! We are very excited but the nerves of traveling with young ones has set in. Ha.

Thanks!

In the historic town of Koloa there is a small grocery store in the historic section of the old town. There is also a Big Save Times Supermarket about a block away that has most items a grocery store has.

Beach House is an excellent restaurant across the street from the Lawai Beach resort.

We have spent hundreds of days in Hawaii without a problem, however, without children. I would say if you can travel with children without a concern, you can travel to Hawaii with children without a concern.

 

[artringwald]

Activities:
1) The Point at Poipu has a great pool for little children, they'll love it. The pool also has a bar and grill that makes excellent cheeseburgers with home made potato chips.
2) Poipu Beach Park is only a mile away and is also very kid friendly. They have a beach with a sand bar dividing it. On the left side is a sheltered cove with a shallow, sandy bottom that is quite safe for children. The right side is excellent for snorkeling. It has a lifeguard and a playground.
3) A couple miles down the road is Spouting Horn Park. The kids will like watching all the chickens while the adults shop at the flea market.
4) Children and adults would probably enjoy the Smith family boat tour to Fern Grotto. It's in Kapaa, about a 45 minute drive from Poipu.

If you found this web site, you probably already know that you'll want to turn down any discounts on activities that the resort offers in exchange for listening to a presentation.

 

[Dollie]

This is my summary of food stores near the Point:

Big Save - in Koloa town, at end of main street. Largest shopping place in area.
Sueoka Store - in center of Koloa town, along main street. Local supermarket
General Store - in Po`ipu shopping center, more a Seven Eleven type of place
Kukui`ula Store - in Po’ipu Plaza (yellow submarine) on Po’ipu Road, small grocery store, closet to Po`ipu Point
Living Foods Market – in Kukui`lua Plaza, Po`ipu; organic market; also does breakfasts and lunches
Koloa Fish Market – in Koloa town between Big Save and Sueoka stores, pretty much just fish

Art did a good job of describing the child friendly swimming areas.

 

[love2vaca]

thanks so much! all the info has gotten me even more excited and calmed my nerves knowing that there will lots of fun stuff for our children.
i really appreciate your input Art.
I wasnt so much nerveous about the safety of hawaii...more so, just spending so much time is a new place with such young kids and keeping them entertained but it sounds like we'll have plenty to do. I LOVE TUG!! you all are the best.

 

[DeniseM]

The number one thing to worry about with small children is serious sunburn. Hawaii is closer to the equator, and even in the shade, children and fair skinned people can get burned. It's easiest to manage if you put the kids in SPF Protective Clothing, wide brimmed hats, and age appropriate high octane sun screen.

 

[isisdave]

There is a Costco; it's quite close to the airport and right next to Kukui Grove mall, which contains one of the larger grocery stores, as well as a Kmart, which has a lot of food items and the best selection and prices on souvenirs and beach stuff. And Caramacs, don't forget the Caramacs.

 

[artringwald]

Only trouble with Costco is that with their packaging sizes and a one week stay, you can end up having to throw away a lot of food. We did manage to finish the giant bag of tortilla chips, but had to pitch two tubes of guacamole.

 

[Tamaradarann]

sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen

The number one thing to worry about with small children is serious sunburn. Hawaii is closer to the equator, and even in the shade, children and fair skinned people can get burned. It's easiest to manage if you put the kids in SPF Protective Clothing, wide brimmed hats, and age appropriate high octane sun screen.

I agree with this post and I will add that I have been in and loved the sun for 63 years but i never felt sun like the sun in Hawaii. Not the South Florida, Arizona, or Las Vegas sun that I have been in before was as intense as the Hawaiian Sun even in the winter. I have been in Arizona and Las Vegas in the summer. It is so hot in the day time that you can't stay in the sun without getting heat stroke. In Hawaii the breezes and cooler temperatures make you feel that it is cooler but the sun is more intense.

 

[eal]

The Big Island is 14 degrees latitude further south than Phoenix - the sun is much more direct and dangerous!

 

[Chrispee]

Sueoka's in Koloa is pretty charming and authentic, but we always go to costco in Lihue for the bulk of groceries. Living Foods is astronomically expensive for groceries, but the deli and coffee shop has great food and drink. It's a pretty good place to have a light meal, snack, or drink.

 

[pipet]

Only trouble with Costco is that with their packaging sizes and a one week stay, you can end up having to throw away a lot of food.

I find the prices are so much better that you still often end up paying less (i.e. Costco pack of butter cheaper than small pack at reg store). If you have unopened containers, you could donate to the cleaning staff/another TUGger, etc.

As for the little ones, my DD's first trip to HI was when she was 6mos old. Look at the SWAP thread for some buckets & shovels or pick up some at Kmart/Walmart if recycled ones aren't available. Plop them on the beach in a bonnet & slathered with sunscreen and they are good to go.

 

[artringwald]

I think the pool hut at P@P may have beach toys for kids to use in the sand by the pool.

 

[Greg G]

I also agree with all the posts about sunscreen. The last full day of a 2 week trip in April 2007 I got sunburn on my back snorkeling at Anini beach. I had applied sport sunscreen that was waterproof, but it's easy to lose track of time while snorkeling and I ended up with a sunburn. So apply it frequently and possibly wear a T shirt while snorkeling.

Greg

 

[Greg G]

And I was using SPF-50 sunscreen (although waterproof might not be as waterproof as you think)

 

[Greg G]

Also you might consider just buying some cheap beach chairs there if you will be going to the beach alot. We got ours at WalMart I believe.

Greg

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

So apply it frequently and possibly wear a T shirt while snorkeling.

Greg

I also wear a T-shirt while snorkeling. Partly to help with sunburn, but also because when one has as few few attractive physical features as I it doesn't make sense to call attention to some of those less attractive features. It's a principle that, IMHO, more men should embrace.