Page 2) Things to Do in Kauai in 2026 – Tours & Activities | HawaiiActivities.com

All Reviews for Fern Grotto & Wailua River Cruise in Kauai

Overall Rating

4.46 4.46 / 5

Reviews

502 reviews

Waimea Canyon Sightseeing Tour & Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto

Really great day

Reviewed by: Kara

Me and my husband love these type of tours that show you around so much of the island while sharing information. The river cruise to end the day was so breathtaking.

Local customer service: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Kara,

Mahalo for your kind words!

We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed the tour and the opportunity to see so much of the island. It’s always our goal to create meaningful experiences through storytelling and scenic exploration—and we couldn’t agree more, the river cruise is truly a breathtaking way to end the day. We hope to welcome you both back soon for more unforgettable adventures!

Warmest aloha,
The Polynesian Adventure ʻOhana

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Rating:
Packages: Standard Tour
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2025/03/27
Activity Date: 2025/02/27

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Great outing.

Reviewed by: Robert S

The river cruise to the fern grotto was a lot of fun. The local info shared was insightful and gave us several other sites to see. The entertainment was well done and fun. The walk up to the grotto was beautiful! All in all, a great outing that was a lot of fun.

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 4

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2025/03/18
Activity Date: 2025/03/10

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Very peaceful boat ride. The entertainment was really nice.

Reviewed by: Jean

This was a very traditional Hawaiian experience. Enjoyed it very much!

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2025/03/17
Activity Date: 2025/03/13

シダの洞窟観光ツアー ワイメア渓谷&ポイプ潮吹岩&オパエカア滝 <英語ガイド>

Efficient sightseeing. 効率よく観光

Reviewed by: みれたか

I wasn't confident about renting a car on my first trip to Kauai, so I signed up for this tour. It was great to be able to visit all the sightseeing spots in just one day. The guide explained everything well, but since it was in English, I couldn't understand. However, since it was a relaxed tour as long as I kept track of the meeting time, it wasn't a problem that I didn't understand English. I wasn't very familiar with the transportation situation in Kauai, but I was able to get to the golf course and the market without any issues using Uber.

初めてのカウアイ島でレンタカーするのは自信がなかったので、こちらのツアーを申し込みました。 1日で行きたい観光地を回れてとてもよかったです。 ガイドさんはよく説明してくれましたが、英語なのでわかりませんでした。 集合時間をおさえておけばゆったりなツアーなので、英語がわからなくても問題ありませんでした。 カウアイ島の交通事情がよくわからなかったのですが、ゴルフ場やマーケットにはウーバーで問題なく行くことができました。

現地スタッフ: 5

場所・雰囲気: 4

スケジュール: 4

設備: 4

サービスの快適さ: 4

Reply from activity provider

アロハ、そして五つ星のレビューをありがとうございます!

カウアイ島への初めての訪問を楽しんでいただけたと聞いて嬉しく思います。また、ツアーが一日で行きたい場所をすべて見ることを可能にしたことも嬉しいです。言語が時には障壁になることを理解しており、リラックスしたペースと全体的な体験についてのあなたの優しい言葉に心から感謝しています。ツアー以外でUberを使って移動するのが簡単だったことも良かったですね。またお迎えできることを楽しみにしており、世界中からのお客様に楽しんでいただけるよう、今後も最善を尽くしてまいります。

マハロ、
ポリネシアンアドベンチャー ʻオハナ

Aloha and thank you so much for your five-star review!

We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your first visit to Kaua‘i and that the tour allowed you to see all the places you wanted in one day. We understand that language can be a barrier at times, and we truly appreciate your kind words about the relaxed pace and overall experience. We’re also glad you found it easy to get around using Uber outside of the tour. We hope to welcome you back again, and we’ll continue to do our best to make our tours enjoyable for guests from around the world.

Mahalo,
The Polynesian Adventure ʻOhana

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Rating:
Attended as: Families
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2025/03/10
Activity Date: 2025/03/03

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Great excursion at a great price

Reviewed by: Nanci

We loved our cruise. The scenery was beautiful. The Hawaiian band playing gave it a great atmosphere. We loved every minute of it

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2025/02/26
Activity Date: 2025/02/24

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Just wonderful

Reviewed by: Good time

We had a great time! The entertainment was a nice touch.

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2025/02/19
Activity Date: 2025/02/17

シダの洞窟観光ツアー ワイメア渓谷&ポイプ潮吹岩&オパエカア滝 <英語ガイド>

I was able to efficiently visit all the highlights in one day. 見どころを1日で効率よく回れました

Reviewed by: Rosa

I participated in a day trip from Honolulu. Since it was my first time on Kauai Island, I wanted to visit the famous sights in just one day. Out of the 20 participants, 7 of us, including myself, were on a day trip from Honolulu. It was great that we had enough time at each sightseeing spot to explore leisurely. We also had a nice, relaxed lunch. At the end, there was an accident that caused traffic delays, and I was worried about whether we would make it back in time for our flight. However, the guide reassured us that they were in contact with someone at the main office and had arranged with the airline to ensure that if we missed our flight, we could catch the next one. I really appreciated that. They mentioned that they monitor the traffic conditions and the bus's current location, which made me feel secure knowing that the company operates with such attention to detail.

ホノルルから日帰りで参加。初めてのカウアイ島だったので、取り敢えず有名な見どころを1日で回りたくて参加しました。20人の参加者のうち私を含めて7名がホノルルからの日帰りでした。見どころ各所で充分な時間がありゆっくりと見学できたのが良かったです。ランチタイムもゆっくりできました。最後に事故渋滞で時間が掛かり帰りのフライトに間に合うかどうかハラハラしましたが、ガイドさんが本社?の人とやり取りしながら、もし万が一乗り遅れても次のフライトに乗れるように航空会社にも頼んでいるので大丈夫ですよと言ってくれたのがありがたかったです。道路の渋滞状況、バスの現在地などを会社でモニターしているとのことでした。細かいところまで気を配りながらきちんとオペレーションしている会社のようで安心です。

現地スタッフ: 5

場所・雰囲気: 5

スケジュール: 5

設備: 5

サービスの快適さ: 5

Reply from activity provider

アロハ、そしてあなたの思慮深く詳細なレビューに感謝します!

私たちは、あなたが初めての訪問でカウアイを私たちと一緒に体験することを選んでくださったことをとても嬉しく思っています。このツアーが、島のハイライトをリラックスした楽しいペースで見ることを可能にしたことに感謝しています。特に、予期しない交通渋滞中の私たちのチームの対応についてのあなたの優しい言葉に感謝しています。ホノルルからのデイトラベラーにとって、ゲストに安心感を提供することは非常に重要であり、私たちのコミュニケーションと調整があなたの懸念を和らげるのに役立ったことを嬉しく思います。

私たちのチームが各ツアーに注いでいる配慮と注意を認識していただき、ありがとうございます。将来、さらに多くの島の冒険でお迎えできることを楽しみにしています!

心を込めてアロハを込めて、
ポリネシアンアドベンチャーオハナ

Aloha and mahalo for your thoughtful and detailed review!

We’re so glad you chose to experience Kaua‘i with us on your first visit, and that the tour allowed you to see the island’s highlights at a relaxed and enjoyable pace. We're especially grateful for your kind words about our team’s response during the unexpected traffic delay. Providing peace of mind for our guests—especially day travelers from Honolulu—is very important to us, and we're happy our communication and coordination helped ease your concerns.

Thank you for recognizing the care and attention our team puts into each tour. We hope to welcome you back for more island adventures in the future!

With warm aloha,
The Polynesian Adventure ʻOhana

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Rating:
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2025/02/16
Activity Date: 2025/02/10

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Nice and priced right❤️

Reviewed by: Minnesota Nice

We all enjoyed the entertainment and the commentary of your beautiful island.

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

  • Here with my Auntie and Uncle

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Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2025/02/09
Activity Date: 2025/02/07

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Grotto

Reviewed by: Ks

We loved the experience, all employees were so friendly and informative.
The small stroll to grotto was lovely,

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Tips and suggestions

N/a

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Weather: Cloudy
Posted on: 2025/01/23
Activity Date: 2025/01/21

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>

I had a wonderful experience! 素敵な体験ができました!

Reviewed by: TTT

Surrounded by forests, I was able to experience things that I normally wouldn't. I also got to hear local people's songs, which allowed me to feel the essence of Hawaii.

森林に囲まれ、普段経験できない体験ができました。
現地の方々の歌なども聞くことができ、ハワイを感じることが出来ました。

現地スタッフ: 4

場所・雰囲気: 5

スケジュール: 4

設備: 4

サービスの快適さ: 4

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Rating:
Attended as: Families
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2025/01/04
Activity Date: 2024/12/09

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Okay trip

Reviewed by: April

This trip was fine, and thankfully inexpensive. The entertainers seemed to not want to be there. They went through the motions, but weren’t excited. The fern grotto was cool to see, and it was neat to go through a jungle.

Local customer service: 2

Location & environment: 2

Schedule & duration: 4

Equipment & facilities: 3

Comfort & well-being: 4

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
Weather: Rainy
Posted on: 2024/12/08
Activity Date: 2024/12/06

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

A pleasant surprise

Reviewed by: Marta

Our experience was a lot more fun than I expected .

Local customer service: 4

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 4

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Tips and suggestions

Give better advice on when to arrive.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Others
Weather: Cloudy
Posted on: 2024/11/28
Activity Date: 2024/10/31

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Wonderful trip with great entertainment

Reviewed by: Steve

We really enjoyed the trip on the river with the explanation for what we were seeing and the explanation of the grotto. The Captain and Crew were friendly and accommodated our special needs, my aunt with a walker. This is a tour I highly recommend for anyone visiting Kauai.

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Others
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2024/11/18
Activity Date: 2024/10/21

Small-Group Best of Kauai Sightseeing Tour & Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto

Awesome!

Reviewed by: Kara

Really beautiful sights and tour of Kauai with a great guide.

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Rating:
Packages: Best of Kauai by Land & River Tour
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2024/10/23
Activity Date: 2024/10/02

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Entertaining and relaxing.

Reviewed by: flying mom from ME

Really glad to go on this cruise. it was one of the best wonderful excursions we did in Kauai with reasonable cost. The ride to the Fern Grotto was very relaxing and the music and Hawaiian dance entertained us.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2024/10/21
Activity Date: 2024/09/25

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Great trip up river

Reviewed by: Brittany

Guides were entertaining, knowledgeable, and funny! They shared lots of information about the land, and culture. The boat ride was smooth and relaxing up river, and fun coming back down river. The Grotto is breathtaking! Quick easy hike to and from the grotto.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/10/12
Activity Date: 2024/10/07

Waimea Canyon Sightseeing Tour & Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto

Great Tour

Reviewed by: Ken & Leslie

The tour to the Fern Grotto was great. Really enjoyed the Kauai Coffee Plantation. First time there. Good coffee. Rest of the tour was awesome. Our tour guide was also fantastic. She gave us a lot of great information and history. Definitely a memorable trip.

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Rating:
Packages: Standard Tour
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/10/12
Activity Date: 2024/09/18

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Good times

Reviewed by: LB

Fun thanks thanks thank you mahalo mahalo nui thank you

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Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/10/12
Activity Date: 2024/09/25

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Very beautiful and relaxing. Amazing staff.

Reviewed by: Rose

Beautiful and relaxing. We had family visiting that couldn’t do a big hike, so this was perfect. The singing was such a nice touch.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families with Young Children
Posted on: 2024/10/12
Activity Date: 2024/10/10

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Like the history presentation

Reviewed by: Reena

Like the History of the river
Love the friendly staff
Love the music

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Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2024/10/10
Activity Date: 2024/10/07

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>

It was amazing! 最高でした!

Reviewed by: たばさ

The reservation process and sightseeing went smoothly, and I had a lot of fun experiencing the cruise. Next time I go to Hawaii, I definitely want to use this service again.

予約から観光までスムーズに進み、クルーズも体験もできてとても楽しかったです。
次、ハワイに行く際も、是非、利用したいと思います。

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Rating:
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2024/10/06
Activity Date: 2024/09/12

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Relaxing and fun!

Reviewed by: wings2travel

Not too strenuous a walk to the fern grotto and entertainment was very good! Worth the trip!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2024/10/05
Activity Date: 2024/09/10

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Mellow few hours

Reviewed by: Ruth

Nice boat ride and short walk to a grotto covered with ferns. Pretty walk.

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Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2024/09/24
Activity Date: 2024/09/20

Waimea Canyon Sightseeing Tour & Wailua River Cruise to Fern Grotto

What a gorgeous sight to see

Reviewed by: Kara

We loved the whole experience through the canyon, and the Wailua river from above and then on the river

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Rating:
Packages: Standard Tour
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/09/18
Activity Date: 2024/09/09

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Fern Grotto

Reviewed by: Michael Thiem

This was a great/relaxing experience. Nice cruise up and down the river, good historical information, and easy walk to the grotto. Well worth the time. If you have any problems walking then do not try this. The walk is short but why pay just for a boat ride? This was worth MY time and I would do it again.

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Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/08/31
Activity Date: 2024/08/08

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>

The Cedar Cave, wonderful hula dance. シダの洞窟、素晴らしいフラダンス

Reviewed by: 風流文

On the last day of my stay in Kauai, I participated in this experience. From the welcome music upon boarding to the entertaining talks, the journey to the fern cave, the beauty of the cave, the songs and hula dances in front of the cave, and the music, singing, and hula dancing on the return boat, it was all very rich. The final solo by the female captain just before docking, with the waves, wind, flowers, and swaying leaves... the hula dance that conveyed the beauty of nature was truly breathtaking.

カウアイ滞在最終日に参加しました。はじめから終わりまで、入船する際のウェルカムミュージック、楽しませてくれるトークから、シダの洞窟への道のり、洞窟の美しさ、洞窟前の歌とフラダンス、帰りの船の中での音楽、歌、フラダンスと盛り沢山で、とくに女性キャプテンによる寄港直前の最後のソロの波、風、花、葉の揺れ...自然の美しさを感じさせるフラダンスは圧巻でした。

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Rating:
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2024/08/16
Activity Date: 2024/08/14

シダの洞窟観光ツアー ワイメア渓谷&ポイプ潮吹岩&オパエカア滝 <英語ガイド>

Experience the charm of Kauai! カウアイ島の魅力を体験できる!

Reviewed by: Yone

I was able to fully enjoy the nature-rich Kauai Island. I truly had a wonderful experience.

Of course, I got to see the Fern Grotto and Waimea Canyon, known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, as well as the valleys and waterfalls visible along the way. The lunch sandwiches were delicious too! In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, we also stopped by a Kauai coffee shop where I could enjoy some very drinkable coffee. The driver and guide were friendly and skilled at driving. I would like to sign up for a tour with Polynesian Adventure again on my future travels.

自然豊かなカウアイ島を満喫することができました。本当に良い想いをさせてもらいました。

シダの洞窟や太平洋のグランド・キャニオンと呼ばれるワイメア渓谷はもちろん、道中にて見える渓谷や滝なども見ることができます。ランチのサンドイッチも美味しかったです!また、自然豊かな場所に加えカウアイコーヒーショップに寄ることができます。とても飲みやすいコーヒーを飲むこともできます。ドライバー兼ガイドの方も気さくですし、運転も上手です。今後も旅行の際にはPolynesian Adventureさんのツアーに申し込みたいと思いました。

  • ワイメア渓谷

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Rating:
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2024/08/12
Activity Date: 2024/08/05

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Relaxing and delightfully humorous

Reviewed by: Montefam

This river boat tour was very relaxing and enjoyable. Our guides were talented, insightful, and had a great sense of humor. The fern grotto was a lovely stroll. The live entertainment set the mood for the rest of our trip. If you are weary about going on this river boat, don’t be, it is a sweet smooth ride. We highly recommend doing this tour while visiting Kauai.

  • Sight of the Sleeping Giant from Smith’s Riverboat tour.

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Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2024/08/02
Activity Date: 2024/07/29

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Budget friendly getaway from the beach (wheelchair/kid friendly)

Reviewed by: JD

Large boat brings you about 30 mins down river with a tour guide speaking overhead. Our tour guide was very funny and was probably my favorite part of this activity. You’ll disembark at an area with walkways/bathroom through a lush rainforest that eventually ends at an area with a large cliff/cave. APPLY BUG SPRAY! There are lots of mosquitoes in this area.
Here you’ll get a short history of the location as well as some music/hula dancing.
You’ll head back to boat and return with more traditional ukulele music/hula dancing.
Wasn’t a fan of the music myself, but enjoyed the trip overall.
If you aren’t able to do a strenuous hike, wheelchair bound, or have small children this activity is short enough to get a taste of the scenery without the hassle of a rough walking trail.

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Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2024/07/18
Activity Date: 2024/07/15

Smith’s Fern Grotto River Cruise with Live Hawaiian Music & Hula

Nice afternoon!

Reviewed by: Kara

We liked this as it filled our day paired with the luau! The staff here is very friendly and the local hawaiian songs were beautiful!

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Rating:
Packages: River Cruise Package
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2024/07/18
Activity Date: 2024/05/23
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