Kaua‘i Guide: Where the Locals Shop
Pick up some local art, visit the westernmost bookstore in the U.S. and find fresh fruit and veggies.
Talk Story Bookstore.
Photo: Mallory Roe
Ola’s Hanalei
Local artist Doug Britt fills this gallery with saturated, daydreamy paintings and toys made from driftwood, fishing floats and antique scraps. Other artists contribute jewelry, glass sculptures and irresistible treasures you never knew you needed.
5016 Kūhiō Highway, Hanalei (808) 826-6937, dougbrittart.com/olas-hanalei
Talk Story Bookstore
The westernmost bookstore in the U.S. looks as if it could serve as the movie set for an old Western flick. Inside, the shelves are filled with new and used volumes of every variety.
3785 Hanapēpē Road, Hanapēpē, (808) 335-6469, talkstorybookstore.com
Farmers Markets and Art Nights
Kaua‘i residents are serious about fresh vegetables. They may be willing to scrum over ripe jackfruit or flawless turmeric at the bountiful farmers markets. Get in on the action. Every Friday night, Hanapēpē holds an art walk featuring local designers and food trucks. Kapa‘a Town overflows with artists and crafters on the first Saturday night of each month, and, on the last Saturday, fire dancers enliven Kīlauea’s art walk.
Favorite Farmers Markets
Hanalei: Saturday 9:30 a.m. to noon, local produce, organic cosmetics
Kaua‘i Community College: Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., local produce, ready-made food
KĪlauea: Thursday 4:30 p.m., local produce, flowers
Culture
Kaua‘i Museum
Photo: Lora Lamm
The old lava-rock building with a class Greco-Roman façade once served as the island’s sole library. Now it houses wonderful exhibits spanning a wide swath of Hawaiian history, from ancient times to early plantation life and World War II. Gaze at rare artifacts (makaloa mats and royal dishware) and learn about the Ni‘ihau residents who overpowered a Japanese pilot during the war. Saturdays free with Hawai‘i ID. Closed Sundays.
428 Rice St., Līhu‘e, kauaimuseum.org
Hindu Monastery
Photo: Shannon Wianecki
The luxuriant grounds of the Kadavul Hindu Temple are open to visitors daily from 9 a.m. to noon. During the 9 a.m. puja (worship ceremony), saffron-robed monks chant and make offerings in the resplendent temple. Photography is not allowed inside and guests are asked to cover their arms and legs (sarongs are available at the entrance).
107 Kaholalele Road, Kapa‘a, (808) 822-3012, himalayanacademy.com/monastery
Kaua‘i Mini Golf and Botanical Gardens
Putt your way through a fun and quirky botanical garden that illustrates the origins of Hawaiian flora and fauna. Free with Hawai‘i ID on the last Sunday of the month.
5-2723 Kūhiō Highway, Kīlauea, (808) 828-2118, kauaiminigolf.com
SEE ALSO:
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Kaua‘i Guide: 5 Adventurous Natural Wonders to Put on Your Bucket List
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Kaua‘i Guide: Feral Chickens Causing a Squawk, and Other Island Happenings
