Get the best of both worlds in Princeville
So, you want the rugged volcanic rises of the Na Pali Coast but you don't want to kick it like a surfer in the seaside shacks? You want to laze on Hanalei's golden-sand beaches and visit its hearty farmers' markets but still want the luxuries of an all-American vacation? Cue Princeville, which sits capping the tall cliffs on Kauai's north shore with its resplendent mansions. Princeville vacation rentals are swish, stylish, and packed with mod cons, and they still manage to command sweeping sea views over the Pacific and the verdant summits of the Halelea Forest.
Princeville is peppered with beaches and volcanos
Beaches – the main reason so many flock to the Aloha State each year. Princeville has its very own private jewel. Hidden between two black-rock cliffs and studded with boulders, little Pali Ke Kua Beach is the stuff of postcards and travel brochures. The Na Pali Coast reserve is, of course, another must-see along the shores, and little Hanalei town is steeped in sugar-growing history – the local Grove Farm museum can help with that. The mist-topped peaks of the Halelea Forest Reserve also always beckon – don the boots and prepare for glimpses of formidable ancient volcanos.
Princeville shines in the springtime and fall
While Princeville vacation rentals fill up to bursting during the winter months with snowbirds flocking the chilly weather of the contiguous 48 US states, it's hardly a surprise that's the priciest time of year. It doesn't have the prime weather, though. That accolade goes to the spring and the fall, when the temperatures are regularly around the high 70s and low 80s, there's plenty of sun, and there aren't so many people jostling for the most attractive villas on the north shore coast.
Princeville sits between cliffs and volcanos
The north shore of Kauai is surely one of the most distinctive natural wonders in the whole Aloha State. It's carved and crashed through by the soaring peaks of the Na Pali Coast, rising almost vertically from the crashing Pacific Ocean in sinewy ridges that often pierce the clouds. In its shadow, you can seek out bottlenose dolphins and blue whales. Immediately behind the town is the Halelea Forest Reserve. That's where the volcanic ridges rise and rise to meet dense woods packed with palms and wild boar.
Transportation to and around Princeville
Fly into Lihue Airport (LIH), the closest airport, located 19.1 mi (30.7 km) from the city center.