Kilauea Lighthouse

Humpback whales swim for weeks on end to the warm waters of Hawaii from the cold ocean of Alaska. They being to arrive in January to breed, birth and rear their young before they leave in March. And they can often be seen breaching in the deep as a sort of celebration of life.

And there’s no better place in all of Kauai for whale watching than the Kilauea Lighthouse. You’ll find the lighthouse built on a cliff in the northeast town of Kilauea. Simply take the Kuhio Highway north from Lihue until the road starts to bend west. You’ll see signs for a turn-off near the Menehune Market.

There’s not much to the town of Kilauea, so don’t expect to sit at a restaurant overlooking the lighthouse. You’ll drive through a village, and you’ll undoubtedly notice a vibrantly purple house. Take a closer look. You’ll notice that everything in and around the house is a different shade of purple, including the clothes on the elderly lady who calls the lavender house home.

The road will wind to an end near the lighthouse where you’ll find a modest parking lot. From here, it’s a short hike along a road to the lighthouse itself. And you’ll be able to peer over the expanse of ocean just next to the lighthouse on the cliff’s edge. There’s a sturdy fence, so you won’t have to worry about the kids taking a tumble.

The lighthouse is beautiful for a visit at any time, but you can go inside the lighthouse Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. From the lighthouse, you’ll be better able to see the beach below, and you can even peer along the cliffs of the north coast on either side of the structure. Admission is $10.