Nawiliwili Kauai Lighthouse
The Nawiliwili Lighthouse was a little more difficult to find , but the drive offers great views and a peaceful escape from tourists.
To find Nawiliwili we turned down the road, like we were going to the Marriot Resort and drove as far as the road goes. Eventually we came to an abandoned shopping center area with some very nice views. Follow the road around to the other side of the shopping center. The road will turn to dirt and will eventually lead to the Nawiliwili Lighthouse.
From the lighthouse there are great views of the golf course. Unfortunately, the lighthouse had lots of graffiti all over it, so it was tricky to photograph up close. This spot is a great spot to watch the airplanes arrive, they are really close.
Kilauea Point Lighthouse & Wildlife Refuge
If you love lighthouses come see the Kilauea Point light house located at the north end of the island of Kauai. There is a spot to park and take a photo from a distance without having to pay the entrance fee and the views are gorgeous.
If you want to be closer and see the birds, which I highly recommend. It cost a few dollars to get into the park. They also have binoculars available,so you can get a better view of the beautiful birds.
While we were there we saw Hawaii’s state bird, the Nene Goose, along with several other varieties of birds.
The lighthouse has the largest clamshell lens in the world. In 1913 it had the ability to send a beam 20 miles out to sea and could be seen 90 miles by air. The lens is incredible. It cost a whopping $12,000 in 1912 and was built by French craftsmen. It is no longer used though, in the 1970’s the lens was replaced by an automatic light.