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While we were in Kauai we were unable to rent a car for our entire trip, so we spent a lot of time around Kapa'a where we were staying. We ended up walking a lot near our hotel and stumbled upon the Smith’s Family Fern Grotto Tour Kauai. They offer a small boat tour that takes you up the Wailua River to a lava rock cave covered in lush greenery. It is a calm, and relaxing river boat ride with live music and lovely sights! We paid $30 per person, and $60 in total for two adults. We enjoyed stumbling upon this while out walking, and got some nice pictures of the grotto!
The Experience at the Smith’s Family Fern Grotto Tour Kauai:
The Smith’s Family Fern Grotto tour is located in the Wailua Marina State Park on the east side of the island in Kapa’a. For those driving, they have a parking lot with plenty of spaces! At the end of the long driveway, there is a parking lot a ticket booth, and a waiting area. We were able to purchase tickets the same day for the next tour that was running.
It was $30 per person for adults, but only $15 for
children's tickets.
The waiting area was shaded and had outside fans going, they helped us cool down on the extremely hot and humid day. There was also a small shop that had snacks, sunscreen, and other small items for purchase.
Once our crew had arrived, we were led down to the dock to begin our boarding process. The process is super easy; there are only a few steps onto the boat and the crew was very helpful the entire way. The boat was a long and wide river boat with bench seating and a top that provided much-needed shade the entire ride.
The ride up the river is very serene. The boat was set to a slow cruising pace which gave you time to take in the scenery, take pictures, and enjoy the live music being played! We enjoyed the live music and thought it added a nice touch to the relaxing setting. The crew also taught all the passengers a simple Hula dance! When they needed breaks, the captain would talk over the mic and explain a little bit about the history of where we were. Once we arrived at the dock for the grotto, the crew helped us disembark and make our way to the grotto itself.
The walk to the grotto was relatively flat and paved. It is a very lush area with lots of natural beauty and tropical plants. Once we arrived at the viewing area of the grotto, the crew told us a little bit about it and then performed a Hawaiian wedding song for us.
The crew was very helpful in making sure everyone was able to take pictures and assisted families who needed group photos. They allowed us about 30 minutes at the grotto before we got back on the boat to head back.
The ride back was similar to the ride there. It was very peaceful with the live music and narration about the area. Once we arrived back at the dock, the crew helped us all off the boat and helped us find the exit.
What to bring:
Camera
Cash for tipping
Summary:
While out walking in Kapa'a we stumbled across the Smith’s Family Fern Grotto tour and decided to give it a shot. We paid $60 for two people to go on the tour, and it lasted about an hour and a half round trip. We went on a small riverboat cruise with live music and dancing to a grotto surrounded by lush tropical plants. This is more of a one-time thing, but we enjoyed our experience, and got some nice photos! Have any of you gone to visit the fern grotto? Or want to visit in the future? Let us know below!