Hanalei Colony Resort

The secluded beachfront setting treats you to nature at its best – pristine and unpolished. Just getting to Hanalei Colony is an adventure in itself. Cross the single-lane Hanalei Bridge, the first of seven on your way to the resort. Then pass through the frozen-in-time hippie/surfer town of Hanalei, and look for the Old Hanalei Schoolhouse, which now houses boutique shops and restaurants. Have your camera ready for the Instagrammable green Wai’oli Hui’ia church set against a dramatic mountain backdrop. Once you’ve arrived at the resort, settle in, then go sip an espresso and peruse the locally handcrafted art and jewelry on display at the Napali Art Gallery & Coffee House before exploring the grounds. For dinner, see if you can get a table at the award-winning Mediterranean Gourmet, named Best New Restaurant in Kauai as soon as it opened, followed by multiple accolades after that. Fill your days with water sports and local excursions, making time for an afternoon escape to the day spa for a treatment or two. (Pro tip: schedule a beachfront massage – the private thatched hut opens out to views of the ocean.)

Each well appointed vacation residence has two bedrooms and one and a half baths, furnished with the signature design flair of Hawaii’s renowned Philpotts Interiors. Choose from ocean view, partial ocean view or premium oceanfront views (steps from the beach) – each with a spacious private lanai for morning coffee, evening happy hours or late night card games. Committed to a truly “unplugged” experience, the resort has a no-TV, phone or stereo policy, so you won’t be subjected to a thumping bass line from a neighboring condo. Stock up on the fixings for all your family favorites. The fully equipped kitchen makes it easy to cook sit-down dinners and hearty breakfasts, or pack picnics for the day’s adventures. Keep breakfast simple with yogurt parfaits and fresh fruit, and stock up on snacks for evenings around a board game or a fierce hand of Hearts.

Kauai’s 50 miles of stunning beach are the main attraction, but that’s just the beginning. Feast on traditional local fare and learn a few new dance moves at a luau, or go mountain water tubing through the former irrigation system of a sugar cane plantation with Kauai Backcountry Adventures. Birdwatch at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge or Kilauea Point, or go deep sea fishing for marlin or yellowfin tuna. Horseback rides take you to a hidden waterfall where you can jump in for a swim, or go conquer the 11-mile Kauai Trail on foot. Boat excursions depart from the gorgeous Napali Coast for the best views of the dramatic shoreline – choose from catamarans or the more adventuresome zodiac rafts. Golf is a must, even if your strokes need some fine-tuning. Princeville Makai and many of Kauai’s other golf courses rank among the top 100 in the U.S. – and the settings are spectacular.