All Reviews for Toddler-Friendly (Ages 2-4)

Very well organized. Beautiful gardens. Loved the peacocks. Food was delicious and plentiful as were the complimentary drinks. Show was very entertaining and educational as several cultures were represented. Highly recommend adding this to your must-do list while in Kauai.

A fantastic experience. A well run family business who welcomed its guests and made you feel part of the Smith family sharing their culture and traditions.

Walter “Kamika” Smith was a great host and extremely gracious to my family providing a personal glimpse into his family’s history.

Mahalo Kamika,

Dennis, Madeline, Adeline and Grayson Urbsnski

This was a quick sightseeing adventure that was worth the cost. The boat trip was relaxing with authentic music one way and informative talk the other way to and from the Fern Grotto. The Fern Grotto is not as impressive as it once was due to storms that have torn away some of the older, longer ferns, but it was still worth the trip.

Loved it! The staff was wonderful! The dancers were amazing

Great people and had a wonderful time. Would book again.

Beautiful show and great people. Had a wonderful time!

Tony and Cam were very friendly and humorous. They stopped at all the amazing places. We took the 8:30 AM tour and got to see dolphins, turtles, beautiful caves and multiple waterfalls. Snorkeling was fun and could see coral reef and many types of fishes. I would highly recommend Makana Charters to my friends and family.

I had a BLAST!! Captain Dave and his first mate were the best tour guides and I would recommend this to anyone. I had a hard time with sea sickness, and both Dave and his helper were so attentive and helpful. I truly had an amazing time.

We had a superb experience with our tour specially with our tour guide Domi who entertained us well. He’s excellent and very knowledgeable. We highly recommend this company and if possible look for Domi!!!

Our host Sparky was really interested in our experience levels and kept on reminding us on how to surf,, I will always remember our fun morning! He taught us so much!
Thank you!

This is a wonderful tour. The boat is comfortable and a mild ride for all ages. The waterfall and fern grotto are beautiful. You receive history of the area and enjoy Hawaiian song and dance. There is time to walk around and enjoy the beauty

Great show for the whole family. Would highly recommend it.

It was a great experience. One of the best that we have attended.

Excellent show, talented dancers and entertainers.
Food and drink was great.
Vendors for souvenirs were good quality also

There are hardly any Japanese people here.
But there is Hawaiian music and hula, so I never got bored. It became a wonderful memory.

殆ど日本人はいません。
でもハワイアンミュージックやフラがあり飽きません。素敵な思い出になりました。

What a great Luau! It has the down home feel of family since it’s all the Smith Family clan putting it on. It is located on a beautiful site by the Wailua River with beautiful gardens and birds to walk amongst. The food was fabulous and more than you could ever eat. An open bar. Who does that?! The dinner entertainment was great and then the show!! Best show around. Beautiful theatre and stage and not just any old Hawaiian dances but something from every culture that created the Islands and all with a story to tell. Just can’t say enough! They even walk you out to the parking lot to say Aloha❤️ LOVED IT❤️❤️

the folks involved were friendly, informative and fun.
the scenery was lovely and the grotto very unique
the music on the way back and the dancing was great and even got to practice ourselves
the weather could have been better but no control over that

My husband and I came to Kauai for my 50th birthday. This show was truly the highlight of our entire trip. It was worth every dime. This show provides a true Hawaiian experience from the food, the show, tour of the property, and the fern grotto river tour.

Had an awesome time. Crew was friendly and the singers were great!

Amazing views and relaxing. Truly enjoyable! Great for everyone

Gorgeous views in that island
Drive is easy and welcoming staff there

We had a wonderful time. Very enjoyable smooth ride in the river. The foliage was very pretty. Easy walk to the grotto. It was fun before when you could go up in the grotto. Enjoyed the singers and hula dancer. Would definitely recommend it.

We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and narrative. Disappointed that we couldn’t go to cave,just on platform for a look.
Did this tour years ago and got to sit up in caves and was more impressive..

Smith family knows how to do everything with style class and professionalism.. always a great family time. Everyone knows how to make you feel apart of everything

The boat was interesting. The hula dance experience on the way back improved the overall tour. It was hard to enjoy the Fern Grove because you are crowded with many people.

This was our first time visiting the lovely Fern Grotto, and we had a wonderful time. The crew were so sweet, especially with our daughter who got into one of the local plants that made her cry and tongue swell. They performed hula and sang beautifully, playing to the children on board. We highly recommend this short river boat ride for families with young kids.

Very entertaining. The seating during the show were very uncomfortable, however.

My wife and I had a fun and entertaining experience at the Smith Family Luau. Transportation by bus was prompt from the Nawiliwili cruise pier. We were greeted with shell leis and had a quick tram tour of the gardens. My wife absolutely loved taking photos of the gardens flora. After the tram ride we watched the roasted pig be unearthed from the underground cooking pit. Then we went to the large pavilion where pre-dinner cocktails were served. I saw the crowd and said to myself “oh brother”, but the bartenders had a system set up that made the lines move quickly and getting drinks was no problem. We we called up by tables for the buffet, which also moved quickly, and the authentic Hawaiian fare was delicious! During this time we were entertained with Hawaiian music and dance. After the delicious food and drink, we walked over to the amphitheater to view the evening dance entertainment. As it was well after dark, the stage was lit and had a live band playing most of the dance numbers. We were treated to native Hawaiian, Tahitian, Philippine, Japanese, and Maori dances. After the show, we made our way to the buses and back to the pier. The entire experience took about 4 hours.

Recommendations include wearing bug spray, especially for the outdoor show, and if you would like a leisurely, extensive tour of the gardens, get there before 5 o’clock, to beat the crowds and the sunset.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Veltra. When we got to the site, the operators mistakenly charged us for transportation, which had already been paid in the original purchase. As we were a “captive audience” at the time, I went ahead and paid it again, and would sort it out later. The next day, I received an email from Veltra stating that they caught the error, and would refund the amount to my credit card. A few days later, I received the credited amount. I didn’t have to lift a finger. Now that’s proactive customer service!

We were originally not going to attend a luau but decided last minute to do so as this was recommended by locals as a must do experience. The family and staff were wonderful, absolutely loved talking to the Aunties. The food was good with a variety to choose from. The show incorporated different dances representing the different backgrounds in Hawaiian culture in addition to the Polynesian beginnings. The gardens were beautiful. Definitely recommend this luau as you get not just food and a show but a chance to walk through the gardens with a tram tour to start and also to talk to the friendly staff. They all have such wonderful stories and experiences to share!

Our only opportunity for a Luau was on Kauai when our ship overnighted. This was an excellent choice. Optional transportation from cruise ship, be prepared for long lines, was a great add on. You arrive in plenty of time to explore all the gardens with time to spare before the Imu Ceremony. Lots of time to find a seat in the pavilion before your table is invited to the buffet line. After you are done eating, make your way to the theater to get a good seat for the show. It's a good show, but goes on a bit too long. Make your way back to the parking lot to board your bus for the short ride back to the cruise terminal.