Smith's Kauai Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto with Live Entertainment
Overall Rating
4.46
Nice relaxing ride on the Waimea River
Reviewed by: Jackie Benavidez, 2016/08/22We took the morning tour and really enjoyed it. We were entertained by musicians on our way to the Grotto and was even taught a simple hula dance. The Grotto was beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed the history lesson of the area. I would definitely take this tour again.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/08/18 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Boat ride and laua
Reviewed by: Bob D, 2016/07/23Lots of fun. Entertainment was great. Narrative was very informative. Grotto was awesome. We included the laua which was most fantastic. Food beverage and entertainment was great. My first laua and my best. Thank you for a great evening. All the staff were very friendly
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/07/20 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
So enjoyable!
Reviewed by: Kim Wood, 2016/04/20We loved our afternoon river cruise! The entertainment was great and the fern grotto was breathtaking! Staff members were warm and very inviting! We will recommend this activity to others!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/04/17 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Beautiful trip,very peaceful.
Reviewed by: Penny, 2016/04/16Wonderful time very peaceful. All the people were very friendly like family.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/03/25 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Delightful river trip
Reviewed by: Della, 2016/04/02Was awesome to return to fern grotto after 44 years. Well done!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/03/30 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
AMAZING! If you haven't booked a luau this trip Do THE CRUISE!
Reviewed by: Maren, 2016/03/14When we booked our trip to HI my husband had been 3-4 times already. I hadn't been at all. He convinced me not to book a luau. We really like food and figured we'd save the money for something else. Once we got to HI I was really-really bummed we didn't have a luau on the docket, and it was too late to book anything.
This cruise was amazing and once we did it we weren't so bummed about missing the luau. The cruise is so peaceful. The guide is a smith family member and his family owns the land surrounding the river. He knows so much about the land and has tons of stories he tells while you cruise up and down the river.
You stop at the fern grotto, which is so cool. It's a must see on any trip to Kauai. The musicians on the cruise play songs and play a special song to people who have just gotten married or celebrating anniversaries.
Then on the ride back the musicians play native songs. It's the next best thing to a luau.
Already did it once but will do it again!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2015/05/26 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Wonderful tour
Reviewed by: Melissa & Pat , 2016/03/10A must if in Kauai... Beautiful sights and a wonderful staff!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/03/09 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Wonderful Day (Despite the Rain)
Reviewed by: Jef,Terry Saperstein, 2016/02/03Enjoyed the Hawaiian show immensely which I was not expecting. Enjoyed the show despite the rain at the grotto. You should highlight the entertainment with such a pleasant show.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/01/31 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Worth every penny spent!
Reviewed by: Lisa, 2015/12/20Great value for your money. Got to experience a lot of the culture, food, boat ride and much more . Learned about the Island we were visiting as well! It was an excellent item to spend on.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2015/12/04 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Wailua Cruise
Reviewed by: Kyla, 2015/12/06We are newlyweds, so the cruise to the Fern Grotto was very cool since weddings used to be held there!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2015/11/13 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Fern Grotto River Cruise
Reviewed by: Jessica, 2015/11/14This was a great adventure, perfect for everyone! The guides were wonderful and the entertainment on the way back was fun. For $20 this is a great deal. I will definitely do it again!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2015/11/06 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Enjoyable but not as impressive as a trip 10 years ago
Reviewed by: Marcia, 2015/09/19Everything on Kauai has a beautiful plant variety. It is awesome
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2015/08/28 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Had fun
Reviewed by: John , 2015/07/22the river trip was fun, they had entertainment on our return from the fern grotto. The grotto was very nice to see, with ferns growing upside down. I recommend doing this at least once
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Cruisin' down the river
Reviewed by: Bud & Babe, 2015/05/03Excellent! Good music, good stories, wonderful local flavor!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2015/04/08 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
great show and scenic trip
Reviewed by: Jill, 2015/03/25The performers we're so friendly and entertaining. you could tell they enjoyed presenting the music and dance show. the river ride was scenic and relaxing. the walk to the grotto and back was beautiful. highly recommend. don't book online with another company for $40 each. its only 20 when you book on this site.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2015/03/20 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
This activity should be discontinued
Reviewed by: Chris , 2014/12/13The fern grotto is a piece of Hawaiian history. Originally the site of a huge waterfall, before the river was diverted for irrigation, and originally the site of hundreds of ferns, before being battered by cyclones, this place is not what it once was.
It would have been a very impressive tourist attraction in the early 1900s but unfortunately ferns need water to grow and as it is with the river not going through here this place will never be as impressive and at the moment the tourist operators are trying to flog a dead horse.
Unless they divert the river back through here and let the ferns regenerate I would not recommend it. Time to put this activity out to pasture!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/11/19 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Awesome entertainment!
Reviewed by: Hulala, 2014/12/09I was not particularly excited about this excursion because the fern grotto is all dried up and you can't go in anymore. However the entertainment was great. I dont think they could have made the excursion better with all the story telling, music and dancing. It was alot more than i expected and it was a great start to the luau we saw after!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Off the bucket list
Reviewed by: arkhas, 2014/11/15If you don't know what to do with your time allotted to satisfying curiosity, take this cruise. It offers usual Hawaiian fare of beautiful scenery not accessible otherwise, enthusiastic entertainment complete with hula dance, and a photo op against inaccessible fern grotto
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/10/20 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/10/30 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Padricipant
Reviewed by: Sharon Norris, 2014/10/05Very lovely experience and I would recommend everyone participate in this adventure.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/10/01 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
More than expected!
Reviewed by: MarshFamily, 2014/09/20This tour is awesome! So much more than expected! The family/crew were all very nice and very entertaining! I would recommend this tour to anyone looking to learn a little bit of island history and relax on the comfortable boat!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/09/17 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto
Reviewed by: Shirin Khosravinejat, 2014/08/23It was fun. Polite, professional staff,
Enjoyable performance; however the stop was somewhat short at fern Grotto.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/07/31 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Not so exciting
Reviewed by: Jim, 2014/08/10River was calm. Performance was nice, but overall not so exciting. Won't do it again.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto
Reviewed by: Jackie, 2014/08/04I was disappointed. I had been there about 4 years ago and the Fern Grotto was beautiful with lots of beautiful flowers to look at. It was so over grown you could hardly see the water fall. I also felt rushed, no time to admire the flowers that were there. I would not recommend this.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/07/28 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Fern Grotto
Reviewed by: deborah cothran, 2014/06/15Great! For $18 each, picked up at resort, trip down river to the Fern Grotto. We knew that previous rains had altered the view, so there was no disappointment. Live entertainment on the way out and a great island history lesson on the way back. A good, short tour of this part of Kaua'i
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/06/10 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Wailua River Cruise
Reviewed by: Dan and Holly, 2014/05/31Awesome time! We were very pleased with our experience!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/05/05 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Wailua River cruise to Fern Gratto
Reviewed by: marlene, 2014/05/31We would recommend to everyone. Really enjoyed the view. If you for to Kauaii you have to see.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/05/05 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Absolutely loved the cruise!
Reviewed by: Deb L, 2014/05/01The cruise up the river on the barge was well narrated and very enjoyable. A great deal of history and general information about the area was shared with us, and various landmarks were pointed out.
Once we reached the Fern Grotto, we were entertained by the Smith family as they played the traditional wedding song, and we were given additional information about the Fern Grotto itself - including it's history and how it was made famous.
The return ride on the barge included the entertainers joining us and continuing the music and dancing. Visitors were encouraged to learn to hula and taught various moves.
As someone who tends to get very seasick, I had no issues at all on the cruise. Not even in the slightest.
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/04/15 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Fern grotto
Reviewed by: ZNmez, 2014/03/08The cruise was not too long, about two hours in total. The Wailua River is beautiful! The crew did a great version of the island "wedding song" while at the Fern Grotto. It was amazing to learn to hula from such talented dancers! Such a beautiful art!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
Fern Grotto Tour
Reviewed by: Kauai Val, 2014/01/28This is an awesome activity. I love the leisurely cruise up the river, the beautiful tropical foliage, the traditional Hawaiian music and the hula entertainment. This is the best bang for your buck in the islands. Definitely a must do!
| Rating: | |
|---|---|
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2014/01/25 |
|
Was this comment helpful?
[Yes]
|
|
