Page 12) Things to Do in Kauai in 2026 – Tours & Activities | HawaiiActivities.com

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Kauai

All Reviews for Fern Grotto & Wailua River Cruise

Overall rating

4.47

528 Reviews
Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
River Cruise
Activity Date: 2017/02/04 | Posted on: 2017/02/17

The location was very hard to find. Price was fair. The man entertaining was kinda corny. I was expecting more.

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Must do!
Activity Date: 2017/01/16 | Posted on: 2017/02/16

Four of us thoroughly enjoyed the river cruise to fern grotto and Smith Family Luau experience afterwards. We had researched luaus on the Hawaiian Islands, and I am convinced we found the ideal one. Loved the gardens and cultural dance show!

Packages: River Cruise & Tropical Luau Combo
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Beautiful!!
Activity Date: 2017/01/17 | Posted on: 2017/02/11

He most beatiful views I have ever seen!!....will definitely return!!

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Worth Every Penny
Activity Date: 2017/01/09 | Posted on: 2017/01/13

Such a great experience- travel up the Wailua River, learn about history (Hawaiian and movie), visit the beautiful fern grotto, and learn the hula on your boat ride back to the dock. Easygoing and enchanting, photographic and peaceful.

Attended as: Friends
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Majestic
Activity Date: 2017/01/05 | Posted on: 2017/01/09

Wow, what a wonderful experience! The fern grotto was breathtaking and I loved how they taught us how to hula!

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families with Young Children
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Great activity
Activity Date: 2017/01/03 | Posted on: 2017/01/07

Nice crew, entertainment (Hula and hawaiian music)

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Lovely cruise in Nature
Activity Date: 2016/12/23 | Posted on: 2016/12/27

On a lovely sunny morning the cruise up the Wailua river to the Fern Grotto was a lovely experience. The entertainment was delightful and all staff friendly and helpful. Explanations about the history and nature were good.

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Enjoyed this!
Activity Date: 2016/12/22 | Posted on: 2016/12/26

Beautiful, interesting, very enjoyable. Crew were wonderful!

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Fern Grotto
Activity Date: 2016/12/16 | Posted on: 2016/12/19

The Smiths river boat trip to the Fern Grotto was wonderful. We loved the live entertainment, they were great.

Packages: River Cruise & Tropical Luau Combo
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Best Luau ever
Activity Date: 2016/12/16 | Posted on: 2016/12/19

We have been to Luau's on all the islands but none of them can compare to the Smiths. The place is gorgeous. We felt like we were walking around in Disneyland. The food, service and show was excellent!

Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
My 50th birthday luau
Activity Date: 2016/12/02 | Posted on: 2016/12/06

What a fabulous time! Loved this luaua show. It was best I've seen! Ate way too much but thoroughly enjoyed my evening!

Attended as: Families
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
My 50th bday
Activity Date: 2016/12/02 | Posted on: 2016/12/06

Enjoyed trip up river much. Very nice crew. I wish they knew more about physical science of area. The history they shared was great. thx!

Packages: River Cruise & Tropical Luau Combo
Attended as: Families
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
River cruise
Activity Date: 2016/09/28 | Posted on: 2016/10/22

It was nice, although it was short. I rented a kayak for the same river. Hindsight I should of did my homework.

Attended as: Couples
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Waimea Canyon Sightseeing Tour & Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto
Worth the time and money
Activity Date: 2016/10/19 | Posted on: 2016/10/22

The bus went with broke down when we were at Waimea canyon that gave us more time to spend at the beautiful Waimea canyon at the expense of missing the lunch. In spite of this we enjoyed every bit of it. The guide/driver did a nice job of keeping us engaged all the time.

Packages: Standard Tour
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
relax and enjoy
Activity Date: 2016/09/21 | Posted on: 2016/09/27

My wife and I loved the quite trip down the river the music was great and the scenery was beautiful. Highly recommend to all looking to relax and escape it all!

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Disappointing
Activity Date: 2016/09/04 | Posted on: 2016/09/25

Hurricane Iniki did in the fern grotto which I had not been aware of so was disappointed in that as it was always so beautiful. Other than that the river ride is always nice and Wailua such a beautiful place. The crew and entertainers were delightful and all in all it's a fun ride but as I said the fern grotto which is what most come to see was pretty much done in my mother nature. I had been on this ride more than once and first time as a child as my father was born in Lihue so I knew the grotto as it had been years ago so this most likely is what led me to my disappointment but first time goers will still find it a lovely trip and fun for all. Aloha

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Beautiful ride!
Activity Date: 2016/09/06 | Posted on: 2016/09/09

This activity works for the whole family. The river is lovely and passengers get a bit of entertainment and a bit of history.

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Good entertainment
Activity Date: 2016/09/02 | Posted on: 2016/09/08

The staff and Captain were very nice. The musicians were outstanding! Loved the walk back to the boat, down the path through rain forest. A little disappointed in the viewing distance from the Fern Grotto. It was explained that in 2006, the area received torrential rainfall and suffered a mudslide. Since that time they had to built back the tour area, which means a viewing stage/deck, quite a ways away from the Fern Grotto itself. You can no longer go to the mouth of the cave, and pictures did not turn out well.

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Beautiful!
Activity Date: 2016/08/04 | Posted on: 2016/08/27
Deb

Such a beautiful part of the island! We had a great time on the tour, our guides were amazing.

Attended as: Families with Young Children
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Nice relaxing ride on the Waimea River
Activity Date: 2016/08/18 | Posted on: 2016/08/22

We 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.

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Must Do Activity on Kauai!
Activity Date: 2016/07/18 | Posted on: 2016/08/13

This was my 3rd trip to Fern Grotto over the years and it never disappoints! The entertainment is awesome! Everyone is so friendly and accommodating! There were 18 of us on this trip and most were first timers, they loved it! Can't come to Kauai and not see the Fern Grotto!!

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
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Waimea Canyon Sightseeing Tour & Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto
Average Trip
Activity Date: 2016/07/31 | Posted on: 2016/08/12

The Fern Grotto was a guided tour, which I did not realize when we signed up. The boat ride up the river was nice. The guide pointed out various places along the river. Your time is very limited at the Grotto. The guides there rush you along to the site, explain the grotto, sing, and then you are rushed out. I wanted to explore the trail a bit and take photos so that was disappointing.

Attended as: Couples
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Waimea Canyon Sightseeing Tour & Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto
Great tour!
Activity Date: 2016/08/06 | Posted on: 2016/08/09

Our tour guide was Jonna. She was friendly,,knowledgeable of Hawaiian history and folklore. She drove safely while she shared about the sights we visited. Her sense of humor and kindness was evident as she inquired about how each of us was doing. My husband and I finished our tour having learned about Kaua'i and the sights. We loved our tour and will recommend to friends to make time for this tour!

Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Fern grotto
Activity Date: 2016/07/26 | Posted on: 2016/08/09

Enjoyed the relaxing boat ride. The ride back was extra fun with music and my crazy mom who got up and intertained everyone aboard. The workers seemed to enjoy it.

Attended as: Friends
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Couldn't of been happier
Activity Date: 2016/07/16 | Posted on: 2016/08/06

The singing the dancing the engagement and kindness of the staff is what makes this the best boat ride around

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families with Young Children
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Boat ride and laua
Activity Date: 2016/07/20 | Posted on: 2016/07/23

Lots 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

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
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Waimea Canyon Sightseeing Tour & Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto
Waimea Canyon and Wailua River Cruise
Activity Date: 2016/07/03 | Posted on: 2016/07/06

Jack was a great tour guide and the day passed very quickly with jokes, historical information, and a beautiful cruise to the Fern Grotto. The singers were beautiful in sentiment and voice, showing us the beauty of the Hawaiian culture . I recommend this as it is a great way to be engulfed in culture and see most of the island , including great picture spots.

Attended as: Couples
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Poi
Activity Date: 2016/07/01 | Posted on: 2016/07/04

Extremely pleasant, and affordable. Beautiful, must see fern grotto. We ate our imaginary Poi.

Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
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シダの洞窟 観光遊覧船 ハワイ唯一の航行可能な川を行く!<英語ガイド/半日>
Second time.
2回目
Activity Date: 2016/06/10 | Posted on: 2016/07/03

I first visited the Caves of the Ferns 20 years ago, and this was my second time. Since I was participating alone, I had assumed that the tour boat would have an English guide. However, on this day, there was a boat with a Japanese guide, and I was able to join that one. It was a chartered boat for a group of Japanese tourists, so I was lucky. Unfortunately, I couldn't enter the Caves of the Ferns. A new observation deck was established, and I had to view it from there, which was disappointing. However, the explanations from the Japanese guide made the situation clear, and I understood it well.

シダの洞窟は20年前にはじめて行き、今回が2回目でした。一人参加のため遊覧船は英語ガイドになると観念していました。ところがこの日は日本語ガイドの船が出るのでそちらに乗せてくれました。日本人の団体のためにチャーターした船でした。ラッキーでした。シダの洞窟には入れませんでした。展望台が新設されてここから眺めることになり残念でした。日本語ガイドの説明で事情がよくわかり納得でした。

Attended as: Solo Travelers
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Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula
Fern grotto boat cruise
Activity Date: 2016/06/15 | Posted on: 2016/06/18

Nice boat ride. Great entertainment and historical info. The Fern Grotto was a Beautiful place and glad they have preserved it so nicely.liked it was not too long.

Attended as: Families
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Things to Do in Kauai in 2026 – Tours & Activities | HawaiiActivities.com
Accessible only by boat on the Wailua River, Kauai’s Fern Grotto is a lava rock cave draped in lush ferns, moss, and tropical plants. This natural wonder has long captivated visitors with its beauty and cultural significance. Enjoy a scenic river cruise with live Hawaiian music and storytelling, and enhance your experience by combining it with Smith’s Luau—one of Kauai’s most popular traditional Hawaiian luaus—for a truly memorable evening.