Where We'll Be

The Club at Kukui'ula

Every event of the weekend happens inside one place: Kukui'ula, a 1,000-acre private club community spread across the sunny south shore of Kaua'i, just above the harbor at Po'ipū.

It is less a building than a small landscape — a plantation-style clubhouse and Great Lawn looking out over the ocean, a chain of swimming pools and a sand-bottom lagoon below it, tennis and pickleball courts tucked into the trees, and a working ten-acre organic farm up the hill behind everything.

You do not need to be a member. For the weekend, you're our guests, and the club's staff will be expecting you.

Four Days, Four Spaces

Where each event happens

Two players volleying on one of the outdoor pickleball courts at Kukui'ula, palms and trade-wind clouds behind them

Thursday, July 8 · 10am

The Racquet Courts

The Pinato Pickleball Classic

Four courts sit in a clearing of palms and plumeria a short walk from the Clubhouse, with a shaded pavilion and umbrella tables between them. Bring a paddle if you have a favorite; the pro shop can lend you one if you don't.

Morning play, before the sun gets serious — 10am to noon
Paddles and balls available at the courts; wear real shoes, not slippers
Shade, seating and cold water courtside for anyone who'd rather spectate
Reservations for the courts are handled for you — just turn up

See it on the schedule

Friday, July 9 · 5pm

The Makai Pools

Welcome BBQ

'Makai' means toward the sea, and the pools live up to it: a chain of saltwater pools with waterfalls and a slide, an adults-only infinity edge above them, and a huge sand-bottom lagoon you can walk into like a beach. The barbecue spreads out along the lawn beside it.

Relaxed and outdoors — aloha casual, and swimsuits are entirely reasonable
Kids are welcome at this one; the lagoon has a shallow sandy entry
Pools are open 7am–10pm with towel service from 8am, and there is no lifeguard on duty
Sunset lands around 7:20pm in July — stay for it

See it on the schedule

Saturday, July 10 · 5pm

The Great Lawn

The Big Celebration

The heart of the club. An enormous stretch of lawn runs from the Clubhouse veranda toward the ocean, with a lava-rock fire pit and its ring of seats along one edge and the water beyond. Dinner, drinks and dancing happen out here under the sky.

This is the main event, and the one we've asked to keep adults-only
Dressy but tropical — see 'What to wear' below; heels and lawn are natural enemies
Dinner outdoors, the fire pit lit after dark, and dancing once the plates clear
There is a rain plan; July on the south shore rarely needs it

See it on the schedule

Sunday, July 11 · 8am

The Farm

Farewell Brunch

Up the hill behind the club is a working ten-acre organic farm — raised beds of herbs and greens, banana and avocado and mango, taro in traditional lo'i, chickens, and a freshwater lake below. Brunch is on the event lawn beneath an enormous ear pod tree, with the ocean in the distance.

An early, gentle, unhurried morning — 8am, before anyone's flight
Kids welcome; there is a lot of room to run and a lake to look at
Food comes largely off the farm itself, harvested that week
It is a few minutes uphill from the Clubhouse — follow the signs for The Farm, not the golf course

See it on the schedule

The Practical Bit

Getting there & getting in

Flying in

Every flight to Kaua'i lands at Līhu'e (LIH), on the east side of the island. Kukui'ula is about 16 miles southwest — roughly a 30-minute drive on Highway 50 and then down Māluhia Road, which runs through a mile-long tunnel of eucalyptus trees planted in 1911. It is the nicest airport transfer in the state.

Rent a car

Rent one. Kaua'i has almost no public transit, rideshare is thin and unreliable outside Līhu'e, and taxi fares from the airport to Po'ipū run steep. A car also makes the beaches and the west side possible. Book it early — July is peak season and the island genuinely runs out of cars.

Arriving at the club

Kukui'ula is a private community with a staffed entry off Ala Kalanikaumaka Street. Give your name at the gate — the club will have the guest list for each event. From there, follow signs to the Plantation House and Clubhouse; parking is on site and free.

Parking

There is plenty of self-parking at the Clubhouse, and valet on the night of the celebration. If you'd rather not drive home after dinner, taxis are scarce late at night on Kaua'i — arrange a ride in advance or plan to leave the car and collect it in the morning.

Getting around Po'ipū

Almost everything in this guide is inside a ten-minute drive of the club. The Shops at Kukui'ula are close enough to walk to from parts of the community, and Po'ipū Beach Park, Old Kōloa Town and the Beach House are all five to eight minutes away.

How long to stay

The weekend runs Thursday through Sunday. If you can, come a couple of days early or stay through the following week — Kaua'i rewards the extra days, and we're looking into a few group outings for anyone still on the island.

Your Corner of the Island

The south shore

Everything on this map is real and tappable — every pin opens in Google Maps.

Where the events areBeachesEatingWorth seeingAirport

Salt Water

The beaches

Pō'ipū Beach Park

Good with kids

6 min from the club

The one everybody means. Two crescents of sand meeting at a sandbar, with a lawn, a playground and picnic pavilions behind them.

Swimming: Excellent. The east crescent is a shallow, reef-protected pool that stays calm even when the surf is up.
Snorkeling: Very good, straight off the sand — reef fish, and green sea turtles most days.
Facilities: Lifeguards daily, restrooms, outdoor showers, picnic shelters, playground
Parking: Free lot on Ho'owili Road, plus roadside overflow. Arrive before 10am on a weekend or plan to circle.

Hawaiian monk seals haul out on this beach to sleep. If one is on the sand it will be roped off — stay 50 feet back, and 10 feet from turtles. Both are federally protected.

Map

Lāwa'i Beach

4 min from the club

A small pocket of sand on Lāwa'i Road, right below the Beach House restaurant. Tiny, and the closest beach to the club.

Swimming: Fine at low tide, but the sand gives way to rock quickly and the beach all but disappears at high tide.
Snorkeling: The best on the south shore. A big protected reef with excellent coral and heavy fish traffic.
Facilities: None to speak of — no lifeguard, no restrooms
Parking: Limited roadside spots along Lāwa'i Road. Small lot fills by mid-morning.

Confident swimmers only, and check the tide before you go. Sunset here, from the seawall or the Beach House lawn, is the south shore's best-known view.

Map

Baby Beach (Ho'ona Road)

Good with kids

7 min from the club

A shallow lagoon behind a rock shelf in a quiet residential lane. Exactly what the name says.

Swimming: Ankle-to-waist deep and almost waveless. The best water on the island for a toddler.
Snorkeling: Not really — too shallow, though kids love poking around the rocks.
Facilities: None. No shade, no restrooms, no food — bring everything.
Parking: A handful of roadside spaces on Ho'ona Road. Please don't block driveways; people live here.

Map

Brennecke's Beach

6 min from the club

The little bay just east of Pō'ipū Beach Park, and the south shore's bodyboarding spot.

Swimming: Deceptive. A hard shore break lands directly on sand and injures people every year.
Snorkeling: No — but turtles regularly rest on the sand here.
Facilities: Lifeguard; shares Pō'ipū Beach Park's restrooms and showers
Parking: Use the Pō'ipū Beach Park lot and walk two minutes east.

Bodyboards only — no hard boards inside the buoys. If you're not experienced in shore break, watch from the wall.

Map

The broad golden sweep of Shipwreck Beach on Kaua'i's south shore with the Makawehi cliff rising at the far end

Shipwreck Beach (Keoneloa Bay)

10 min from the club

A wide, dramatic sweep of golden sand below the Grand Hyatt, closed at the east end by the Makawehi cliff.

Swimming: Rough. Summer swell and a strong shore break; better for walking than for getting in.
Snorkeling: No.
Facilities: Restrooms and showers at the public access; no lifeguard on the main stretch
Parking: Small public lot off Ainakō Street at the east end of Po'ipū Road.

The trailhead for the Māhā'ulepū Heritage Trail is here — 3.8 miles round trip along the cliff tops, best in the early morning. Locals jump from the Makawehi cliff; you should not.

Map

Māhā'ulepū

20 min from the club

The wild end of the south shore. Three undeveloped beaches past the end of the pavement, backed by dunes, ironwood and open pasture.

Swimming: Gillin's Beach and Kawailoa Bay are swimmable in calm conditions, but there is no lifeguard anywhere out here.
Snorkeling: Occasionally excellent, entirely dependent on the day.
Facilities: None whatsoever
Parking: Dirt lot at the end of a private cane road. The gate is open roughly 7:30am to 6pm and closed on holidays.

The access road is unpaved, rutted and dusty — check your rental agreement, since some companies formally prohibit it. Walking in from Shipwreck Beach along the heritage trail avoids the whole question.

Map

Salt Pond Beach Park

Good with kids

30 min from the club

West of the resorts near Hanapēpē, where island families actually go on a Saturday. A reef-protected pool and a big grassy park.

Swimming: Calm and well protected — one of the safest swimming beaches on Kaua'i.
Snorkeling: Decent inside the reef when it's flat.
Facilities: Lifeguard, restrooms, showers, picnic shelters, camping
Parking: Large free lot

Named for the salt pans alongside it, where families still harvest pa'akai by hand as they have for generations. The pans are not a photo op — please stay out of them.

Map

Eating

Where to eat

One piece of standing advice: book Merriman's and the Beach House before you fly. Everything else can wait until you land.

At The Shops at Kukui'ula — walking distance

Merriman's Kaua'i

Map

Hawai'i regional, farm-to-table · $$$$ · Dinner upstairs; all-day casual at the Merriman's Lānai downstairs

Peter Merriman more or less invented Hawai'i regional cuisine, and this is the south shore's best table — fish landed that morning, produce from farms you could drive to. The upstairs dining room faces west, so ask for a sunset seating.

Reservations: Book weeks out for dinner. The downstairs lānai takes walk-ins.

Eating House 1849

Map

Plantation-era Hawai'i, by Roy Yamaguchi · $$$ · Dinner

Roy Yamaguchi's homage to the multicultural cooking of Hawai'i's plantation camps — Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Filipino and Hawaiian influences on one menu. Livelier and less formal than Merriman's.

Reservations: Recommended

Living Foods Market & Café

Map

Café, deli, gourmet grocery · $$ · Breakfast through dinner, 7am–9pm daily

The most useful address on this list if you have a condo kitchen: good coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, cocktails, wine, and the island's largest selection of organic produce — no trip to Līhu'e required.

Reservations: No

Savage Shrimp

Map

Garlic shrimp, fish tacos · $$ · Lunch

Shrimp-truck cooking that graduated to a storefront. Garlic shrimp plate, paper towels, done — the best cheap lunch within walking distance of the club.

Reservations: No

Bubba Burgers

Map

Burgers · $ · Lunch, dinner

Grass-fed Kaua'i beef, an unreasonable number of slogans on the wall, and a reliable answer to a hungry seven-year-old.

Reservations: No

Lappert's Hawai'i

Map

Ice cream and coffee · $ · All day

Kaua'i-born ice cream, made in small batches down the road in Hanapēpē. Kaua'i Pie is the order.

Reservations: No

Kaua'i Culinary Market

Map

Farmers market · $ · Wednesday afternoons

The Shops host an open-air farmers market on Wednesdays — island growers, a chef demo, live music, food trucks. If you're on the island midweek, go.

Reservations: No

Around Po'ipū — five minutes

The Beach House

Map

Pacific Rim, oceanfront · $$$$ · Dinner

It sits directly on the water at Lāwa'i Beach, and it has won Kaua'i's best-restaurant award more or less continuously for two decades. You are paying partly for the view, and the view is worth it.

Reservations: Essential — book a month ahead for a sunset table

Red Salt

Map

Modern Hawaiian, seafood · $$$$ · Breakfast, dinner

Inside the Kō'a Kea hotel on Po'ipū Beach, with a Kaua'i-born chef and a quieter, more polished room than most of the south shore. Good sushi, and a very good breakfast.

Reservations: Recommended

Keoki's Paradise

Map

Seafood, steaks, mai tais · $$$ · Lunch at the bar, dinner

A vast thatched-roof room built around a lagoon and a koi pond — thoroughly, cheerfully touristic, and everyone has a good time anyway. The Bamboo Bar in front does cheaper food, live music and the famous hula pie.

Reservations: Recommended for dinner; the bar is first-come

Puka Dog

Map

Hawaiian hot dogs · $ · Lunch

A Polish or veggie dog driven into a toasted bun with a hole through the middle, then filled with tropical relish and garlic-lemon sauce. Absurd, specific to Kaua'i, and genuinely good.

Reservations: No

Da Crack

Map

Mexican, takeout window · $ · Lunch, early dinner

A walk-up window in a strip mall with a permanent line and burritos that justify it. Cash-friendly, no seating — take it to the beach.

Reservations: No

Old Kōloa Town — ten minutes

Kōloa Fish Market

Map

Poke, plate lunch · $ · Lunch, until they sell out

A counter the size of a closet turning out the best poke on the south shore for twenty-five years. Get there before 2pm, get the ahi, eat it in the car.

Reservations: No

Little Fish Coffee

Map

Coffee, açaí bowls, bagels · $ · Breakfast, lunch

Where to go on the morning after. Proper coffee, smoothie bowls, and a porch to sit on in Old Kōloa Town.

Reservations: No

Kōloa Pizza Kitchen + Bar

Map

Pizza · $$ · Dinner

The right answer on a night when nobody wants to think about dinner. Good crust, cold beer, a patio, and children are entirely normal here.

Reservations: No

Worth the drive

Hanapēpē Friday Art Night

Map

Food trucks, galleries, live music · $ · Friday evenings

Kaua'i's oldest town — the one from Lilo & Stitch — opens its galleries and lines the street with food trucks and music every Friday night. Thirty minutes west, and the most charming evening on the island that costs nothing.

Reservations: No

Japanese Grandma's Café

Map

Japanese, sushi · $$$ · Lunch, dinner

Serious sushi and hand-made soba in an old Hanapēpē storefront, and a genuine surprise this far from anywhere. Pair it with Friday Art Night.

Reservations: Recommended

Beyond the Beach

Things to do

Twenty minutes, free, everyone

Spouting Horn

5 min away

Surf forces through a lava tube and fires a plume of seawater fifty feet into the air, with a groan behind it that Hawaiian tradition attributes to a mo'o — a giant lizard — trapped under the shelf. The overlook is a few steps from the parking lot.

Just show up. Best at higher tide and bigger swell; late afternoon light is the prettiest.

Map

A view down through Allerton Garden toward Lāwa'i Bay on Kaua'i's south shore

Half a morning; gardeners and Jurassic Park fans

Allerton & McBryde Gardens

5 min away

The National Tropical Botanical Garden's two south-shore gardens sit in Lāwa'i Valley directly across from Spouting Horn. Allerton is a series of outdoor garden 'rooms' and contains the buttressed Moreton Bay figs from the opening of Jurassic Park; McBryde is wilder and self-guided.

Allerton is guided tram tours only and books out — reserve well ahead. McBryde is self-guided by shuttle.

Website Map

An hour, an afternoon, or a rainy morning

Old Kōloa Town

8 min away

Hawai'i's first sugar plantation town, now a row of restored wooden storefronts with shops, shave ice and a small monument to the plantation era. You drive through it on the way to and from everywhere.

None needed.

Map

An hour, free, coffee drinkers

Kaua'i Coffee Estate

20 min away

Four million coffee trees on the old McBryde sugar land above Kalāheo — the largest coffee farm in the United States. Free self-guided walking tour and a tasting bar with a dozen roasts open to anyone.

Walk in for the self-guided tour and tastings; the guided farm tour is bookable.

Website Map

The red and green walls of Waimea Canyon on Kaua'i under scattered cloud

A full day

Waimea Canyon & Kōke'e

75 min away

Ten miles long, 3,600 feet deep, and red as Mars — Mark Twain's 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific.' Keep climbing past the main lookout to Kalalau Lookout, where the road ends above the Nā Pali cliffs.

No reservation. Go early: the summit clouds in by late morning, and the top viewpoints have small lots.

Map

The fluted green cliffs of the Nā Pali Coast dropping into the ocean

Half a day; the single best thing on Kaua'i

Nā Pali Coast boat tour

25 min away

The catamarans and rafts leave from Port Allen, about twenty-five minutes west, and run up the roadless northwest coast beneath 3,000-foot fluted cliffs. Spinner dolphins are close to guaranteed. Morning departures get the calmest water.

Book before you leave home — summer sails out weeks in advance. Take motion-sickness medication beforehand, not after.

Map

A traditional Hawaiian sailing canoe under sail off Kaua'i's south shore

Anyone staying at The Lodge

Golf, spa and the Huaka'i guides

at the club

The club has a Tom Weiskopf golf course, the Hi'ilani spa and fitness centre, a bike hale that will put you on an e-bike, and in-house guides running surf lessons, snorkel trips, kayaking and outrigger sailing. Guests of The Lodge have full access.

Through the Island Hosts desk at the Plantation House, 808-742-8000.

Website Map

Weather in July

Warm, breezy and reliably sunny — the south shore is the dry side of Kaua'i.

July highs sit around 85°F, lows around 72°F, and the trade winds run all day.
The sun sets about 7:20pm, so the celebration begins in daylight and ends under stars.
Rain here comes as a five-minute shower, not a day. The north shore gets the weather; Po'ipū rarely does.
The ocean is about 80°F. Nobody needs a wetsuit.
Hawai'i bans sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate — bring mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide), or buy it on the island.

What to Wear

Pickleball Classic

Whatever you'd play in, plus a hat. Court shoes, not slippers.

Welcome BBQ

Aloha casual. Sundresses, aloha shirts, shorts. It's poolside — bring a suit if you want to get in, and a light layer for after dark.

The Big Celebration

Island formal. Long dresses, aloha shirts or a linen jacket — no one needs a tie. It's all on grass, so block heels or flats will serve you far better than stilettos. It cools off pleasantly once the sun goes down.

Farewell Brunch

Casual and comfortable. You're on a farm; wear shoes you don't mind in red dirt.

Questions

Asked & answered

The weekend

Do I have to come to everything?+

No. Come to what you'd like. Your invitation lists the events you're invited to, and the RSVP form lets you answer for each one separately — it genuinely helps us with counts, so please answer each line even if it's a no.

Wait — is this a wedding?+

Sort of. We married two years ago in a small ceremony with just our immediate families. This is the celebration we always wanted to have with everyone else, timed to our second anniversary. There's no ceremony to be on time for — just a very good party.

What should I wear?+

Island formal on Saturday — long dresses, aloha shirts, linen. Nobody needs a tie, and nobody wants a suit in July. The other events are relaxed. See 'What to wear' above for each one.

Can I wear heels?+

Everything on Saturday is on grass. Block heels, wedges or flats will carry you through the night; stilettos will not survive the walk from the car.

What happens if it rains?+

There's a covered plan for the celebration, and the club has done this many times. But Po'ipū is the driest corner of Kaua'i and July is its driest month — a passing five-minute shower is the realistic worst case.

When should I fly in and out?+

Arrive Wednesday or Thursday if you can — the first event is Thursday morning. Sunday's brunch starts at 8am and finishes gently, so a Sunday afternoon departure works, though staying through Monday is more civilised.

What about gifts?+

You're flying to Hawai'i to see us. That's the gift. Truly, nothing else is expected.

Getting here

Which airport?+

Līhu'e (LIH) on Kaua'i. Most mainland routes connect through Honolulu (HNL) or come direct from the West Coast. Don't book Honolulu and assume you can drive — Kaua'i is a separate island.

Do I need a rental car?+

Yes. Rideshare is unreliable outside Līhu'e and there's essentially no public transport. Reserve early — Kaua'i really does run out of cars in July.

How far is the club from the airport?+

About 16 miles and 30 minutes, most of it on Highway 50, finishing through the eucalyptus Tree Tunnel on Māluhia Road.

Where should I stay?+

Anywhere in Po'ipū or Kōloa — you'll be within ten minutes of everything. We deliberately didn't hold a room block so people could choose their own style and budget. The Travel page lists every option on the south shore with indicative rates, including a 10% discount at The Lodge at Kukui'ula (email Becca to arrange it) and Alekona Kaua'i for condos and houses.

At the club

It's a private club — will they let me in?+

Yes. Kukui'ula has a staffed entrance; give your name and the club will have you on the list for that event. No membership, card or code required.

Is there parking?+

Free self-parking at the Clubhouse, with valet on Saturday night. If you'd rather not drive after dinner, arrange your ride in advance — late-night taxis on Kaua'i are thin on the ground.

Can I use the pools, golf course or spa?+

If you're staying at The Lodge at Kukui'ula, yes — Lodge guests have full club access. If you're staying elsewhere, you're welcome at our events, but the club's day-to-day amenities are for members and Lodge guests. The Island Hosts desk (808-742-8000) can tell you what's possible.

Where exactly is The Farm?+

Up the hill behind the Clubhouse, a few minutes past the Plantation House — follow signs for The Farm rather than the golf course. Sunday's brunch is on the event lawn under the big ear pod tree.

Kids & family

Can we bring the kids?+

To the Welcome BBQ and the Farewell Brunch, absolutely — please do. We're asking that Saturday evening's celebration be adults-only.

What do we do with them on Saturday night?+

We'll share a list of vetted island babysitters. If enough families want it, we'll arrange on-site childcare for ages 5 and up — tell us on your RSVP so we know whether to book it.

Which beach is best with small children?+

Baby Beach on Ho'ona Road for toddlers — a shallow, waveless lagoon, though bring your own shade and snacks. For a whole family day, Pō'ipū Beach Park has lifeguards, a playground, restrooms and a protected swimming crescent.

Practical

Anything I should know about sunscreen?+

Hawai'i bans the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, which damage coral. Bring a mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide — and use more of it than you think, since the trade winds hide how strong the sun is.

There's a seal on the beach. What do I do?+

Admire it from 50 feet away. Hawaiian monk seals are endangered and federally protected, and volunteers usually rope off a resting animal. Green sea turtles get 10 feet. Never get between either and the water.

Is there cell service and wifi?+

Good coverage across Po'ipū and Kōloa, and wifi at the club and every hotel. It thins out on the west side, in Waimea Canyon and out at Māhā'ulepū — download your maps before those drives.

Anything else?+

Kaua'i runs on aloha time: drive slowly, let people merge, don't honk, take your shoes off at the door, and give a shaka to the driver who waves you through. And no left turn is ever as urgent as it feels.

Who to Call

Contacts

The Club at Kukui'ula

808-742-8000 — Island Hosts desk, Plantation House, 8am–8pm daily

The Lodge at Kukui'ula — 10% guest rate

Email Becca to have the discount applied

Anything else

Ask us — we'd rather answer twice than have you wondering

Local details last checked Sunday, July 26, 2026. Restaurants on Kaua'i come and go — worth a quick check before you go.

Photography

Venue photographs courtesy of The Club at Kukui'ula. Scenery from Wikimedia Commons: Pō'ipū Beach Park © Polihale (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Pō'ipū sunset © dronepicr (CC BY 2.0) · Shipwreck Beach © Markline61 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Māhā'ulepū © DarTar (CC BY 3.0) · Spouting Horn © Famartin (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Allerton Garden © Daderot (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Old Kōloa Town © Bryce Edwards (CC BY 2.0) · Waimea Canyon © OKJaguar (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Nā Pali Coast © Dcrjsr (CC BY-SA 3.0).