Lydgate State Park is a winner!
I’ll skip Tuesday’s adventures since that’s covered in another blog. The day after Jeff and I made the Kalalau trek was “kid day” for Kim & I. We left Jeff & Patti have a day to themselves while we watched their children, Bretta and JJ (Thursday would be the solo day for Kim and myself). We headed for the ultimate kid-friendly beach,
Spacious grounds, plenty of rest rooms/showers (well maintained!) and a huge, hip playground are significant attractions. I also like that this one of the very few Hawaiian beaches with staffed lifeguards. But what really makes this beach exceptional are the two boulder-enclosed ponds which permit wave action to flow through but ensure your children won’t get swept out to sea! We took the kids snorkeling here as there is a nice collection of tropical fish bopping about this sheltered area (most of the fishies are near the boulders which comprise the water break).
Only bummer was that my niece wanted me to accompany her for a second snorkeling mission and after we returned to the shore I forgot to put my t-shirt back on and got rather crispy! A grand day for all the cousins!
If you are interested in visiting Kauai, I can heartily recommend the "Ultimate Kauai Guidebook" by Andrew Doughty & Harriett Friedman. This husband and wife team, residents of the island, have compiled a comprehensive and honest synopsis of the opportunities here, written with humor and charm. I picked this up before a return visit to Kauai and still found their insights essential.
They will tell you if something sucks and constantly update their manual. Seems like they publish a new edition every other year or so. There is something about their candor which builds your confidence in their recommendations as you peruse the book (conveniently organized, by the way). The best part is that once you embark upon your visit to Kauai and try to validate there opinions it is like "wow, totally tubular" (i.e., they are right on the money!). A seriously recommended prelude before your escape to this tropical paradise.
