Things to Do at Princeville: An Honest Golf Story, Hanalei Bay, and the Nā Pali Coast
Princeville sits on Kauai's north shore, a windward, wetter, and lusher setting than the leeward south-shore resort corridor around Poipu, and its attractions reflect that: two historic golf courses with genuinely different current fates, the crescent sweep of Hanalei Bay just down the hill, and the Nā Pali Coast rising along the coastline further west. This page covers what direct research could confirm -- the Makai Golf Course's 2024 reinvestment, the Prince Course's reported closure, Hanalei Bay's beaches, and the Nā Pali Coast's scenic and hiking draw -- and is honest about what it can't confirm, including any specific tour-operator names or current permit fees, which change and should be confirmed directly with the relevant park or agency before you go.
Golf at Princeville: Makai Course Reinvested, Prince Course Closed
Princeville's golf story is a genuinely mixed one, and worth stating plainly rather than spun either way. The Makai Golf Course underwent a reported $3 million refinement project and reopened all 18 holes in 2024, per a Troon press release and Golf Business Monitor coverage -- a real, currently marketed reinvestment in one of the resort's two historic courses. The Prince Course, once a nationally ranked design, is reported closed, per its own listing under "Closed" on Top100GolfCourses. This page did not independently confirm the Prince Course's exact closure date or whether reopening is planned, and does not speculate on either -- if a golf course's current status matters to your decision to buy or visit, confirm it directly with Princeville's own resort or club operator before assuming either course's status.
This page also did not independently confirm the specific designer names behind either course, so none are stated here rather than guessed. What can be said honestly: one historic Princeville course closed, and the other was reinvested in and reopened in full in 2024 -- a real, balanced amenity picture for a resort community, not a story of pure decline or pure triumph.
Hanalei Bay: The Beach Just Down the Hill
Hanalei Bay -- a wide, crescent-shaped bay backed by Hanalei town and the mountains behind it -- sits just down from Princeville and is the most commonly cited beach draw for the area, with beach parks along its shoreline offering swimming, surfing, and paddling depending on season and swell. Conditions here shift meaningfully with the time of year: summer generally brings calmer water more forgiving for swimmers, while winter swell can bring larger surf that draws experienced surfers but is worth real caution for casual swimmers and families. This page did not independently confirm current lifeguard staffing, parking rules, or seasonal advisories for Hanalei Bay's beach parks, so confirm those directly with Kauai County or the specific beach park before you go.
Hanalei town itself, reached via the same single stretch of Kūhiō Highway that connects Princeville to the rest of the north shore, offers a low-key mix of shops and casual dining along its main road, distinct from Princeville's resort-community setting. This page treats Hanalei as a nearby draw rather than attempting a full town guide -- confirm current business hours and offerings directly rather than assuming anything below holds true when you visit.
The Nā Pali Coast: Kauai's Signature Scenic Coastline
West of Princeville and Hanalei, the Nā Pali Coast's cliffs are among Kauai's most recognizable scenery, and the drive out toward Hāʻena along the north shore's single road offers real, currently accessible viewpoints of the coastline before the road ends and the cliffs become accessible only on foot or by water. This page treats Nā Pali as a genuine scenic and hiking draw reachable from a Princeville base, not a manufactured attraction -- the coastline's dramatic, sea-cliff terrain is well-documented and independently verifiable across Hawaii tourism and geography sources.
The Kalalau Trail, the coast's best-known hiking route, begins at Hāʻena, further down the same single road that also carries the ongoing Hanalei Hill closure pattern described on this destination's overview -- so check current road status before planning a trailhead trip, not just trail conditions. Hiking and camping on the Nā Pali Coast require permits, and this page will not state a specific current fee or permit-system detail, because those change and should come from the source directly: Hawaii DLNR's own Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park permit system is the official, current source for trail access, camping permits, and fees, and should be checked directly before any hiking trip, not assumed from secondhand figures.
What This Page Doesn't Cover, and What to Confirm Before You Go
This page covers what direct research could confirm: the Makai Golf Course's 2024 reinvestment and full reopening, the Prince Course's reported closure, Hanalei Bay's beach draw, and the Nā Pali Coast's scenic and hiking appeal. It does not attempt a full tour-operator or boat-charter directory -- this page does not name specific operators, since none were independently confirmed as current, reliable recommendations -- nor a complete restaurant guide or a Kauai-wide itinerary.
Every specific detail that can change -- golf course status and hours, Hanalei Bay lifeguard staffing and parking rules, Kūhiō Highway and Hanalei Hill road status, and Nā Pali Coast hiking and camping permit requirements and fees -- should be confirmed directly with the relevant resort operator, Kauai County agency, Hawaii DOT, or Hawaii DLNR before you build a trip or a move around it. Nothing on this page is a guarantee of current hours, safety conditions, road access, or permit availability.
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Get a Free Agent Referral →Independent research, current as of July 2026. No ads. No sponsored listings. The Makai Golf Course's reported $3 million refinement project and full 18-hole reopening in 2024 is per a Troon press release and Golf Business Monitor coverage. The Prince Course's closed status is per its own listing on Top100GolfCourses. Hanalei Bay's beach and seasonal-conditions description reflects general, well-established Kauai north-shore surf-season patterns; this page does not state specific lifeguard staffing or parking rules, which should be confirmed directly with Kauai County. The Nā Pali Coast's scenic and hiking description reflects well-established, independently verifiable Kauai geography; this page does not name specific tour operators or state a specific current hiking or camping permit fee, since neither was independently confirmed as current fact -- confirm both directly with Hawaii DLNR's own Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park permit system before planning a hiking or camping trip. This page is independent research, not a safety guarantee; confirm current hours, road status, safety conditions, and permit or tour-operator specifics directly with the relevant resort operator, Kauai County agency, Hawaii DOT, or Hawaii DLNR before you visit.