Kicking Back at Kauai's Kealia Beach

Drivers headed to or from the north shore on Kauai have many reasons to pull in at Kealia, which is near mile marker 10 just north of Kapa'a on the Coconut Coast (east shore). You won't have trouble spotting it: Look for a line of surfer mobiles and local cars mixed in with tourist convertables along a mile-long strip.

On the agenda: Body-boarders love the rough-and-tumble shorebreak, which also draws spectators. One end of the beach has a protected cove for swimming. The long crescent of yellow sand attracts beachcombers and whale watchers. Cyclists pedal by on the long paved path that connects with colorful Kapa'a and extends another mile or three beyond Kealia to wild Donkey Beach (not reachable by car) as well as other hidden coves. Across the highway is the metropolis of Kealia, site of a weekend outdoor market and the beginning of a scenic backroad that climbs past Spalding Monument and then rejoins the highway at Anahola.

Kealia is just the spot to add a little more aloha to a fun day on Kauai.