Are you looking for eco-friendly things to do on Kauai with kids? Keep scrolling to read my top Kauai farm tours for families worth a stop.
This list of Kauai farm tours for families was written by Hawaii travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
Looking for something different to do on Kauai besides hitting the beach?
Farm tours are hands-down one of the best ways to get your kids engaged, learning, and actually excited about where their food comes from.
I’ve been to Kauai more than 40 times (yeah, I’m basically a professional tourist at this point), and I’ve dragged my kids to pretty much every farm tour on the island.
Some were total winners, some were just okay.
Here’s my honest take on the best Kauai farm tours for families, ranked by which ones my kids still talk about.
Quick side note: if you’re feeling overwhelmed trying to decide which farm tours to book or how to fit them into your itinerary, I can help you create a personalized plan that makes sense for your family’s interests and schedule.
1. Kalalea View Farm (My Top Pick)
East Side | $50 per person, $200 minimum | All ages welcome | 90 minutes
This is hands down my favorite farm tour on Kauai, and my kids would 100% agree. What makes it so special? It’s completely customizable AND super hands-on.
Here’s how it works: you pick 3 activities from their list, and they build your tour around what your family actually wants to do.
When we went, my kids chose to make their own sugar cane juice, harvest a banana tree (yes, you literally cut down a whole banana tree and take bananas home), and make guacamole from scratch using avocados we picked right there.
The owners, Brian and his family, run this farm and they’re so welcoming.
Brian gave us machetes (don’t worry, he supervised closely) and let the kids hack away at sugar cane.
My 12-year-old son still talks about carrying that banana tree back to the truck.
Other activity options include:
- Pollinating passion fruit and pumpkin
- Picking tropical fruit
- Making hot sauce
- Planting seeds
The best part? You could come back next year, pick three different activities, and have a completely new experience. That’s what makes this place so genius.
Pro tip: They sell amazing products at the end like honey and hot sauce. The hot sauce is legit good if you like spicy stuff.
Book through their website: Make reservations ahead of time since it’s a private tour. You can also check out my full Kalalea View Farm review for more details and photos.
2. Lydgate Farms Chocolate Tour
East Side | $135 adults, $95 kids (7-12) | Kids must be 7+ | 3 hours
If you have a chocolate-loving family, this tour is basically heaven. My 8-year-old literally said this was “the best farm tour on Kauai,” and honestly, I get why.
You spend three hours walking through their botanical gardens, tasting Hawaiian fruit (we tried like 7 different kinds), sampling cacao fruit straight from the tree, and then… the chocolate tasting.
Oh my gosh, the chocolate tasting. You try SO much chocolate, and it’s all incredible.
The guides are super knowledgeable about the whole bean-to-bar process, and they explain it in a way that even kids understand.
Plus, they give you award-winning honey samples and show you vanilla beans growing on the vine.
Fair warning: it’s pricey. But if chocolate is your thing, it’s worth every penny.
We ended up buying a bunch of chocolate bars to take home, and they’re way better than anything you’ll find in a grocery store.
Age restriction: No kids under 7, which is actually smart because it’s a long tour and there’s a lot of standing around during the tastings.
Book through: Viator
Want to capture your family’s farm tour experience with professional photos?
Save $20 when you book Flytographer through my link. They have photographers all over Kauai who know the best spots.
Read more: Check out my full chocolate farm review for all the details.
3. Kauai Coffee Company Farm Tour
South Shore | $50 adults, $45 kids (8-18) | Kids must be 8+ | 1 hour
If you want a farm tour that involves riding in an open-air vehicle through coffee fields with ocean views, this is your spot.
The tram ride takes you through 4 million coffee trees on the largest coffee plantation in the United States.
Your guide explains how coffee goes from seed to cup, and you get to see the processing plant, a gulch, and farm animals.
The best part? At the end, you get fresh Kauai Coffee and you can do a free tasting of all their different roasts.
My son tried coffee for the first time here (don’t judge me, he was 9 and it was basically a latte with tons of cream), and now he thinks he’s sophisticated.
There’s also a free self-guided walking tour if you want to save the $50 and just explore on your own.
The free tour has good signage and you still get the coffee tasting, but you miss out on the tram ride and all the behind-the-scenes areas.
Book at: Kauai Coffee website
More info: Read my full Kauai coffee farm tour review
4. Kauai Sugarloaf Pineapple Tour
East Side | $85 adults, $45 kids (4-12), free under 4 | All ages | 2 hours | Thursdays only at 10am
If you’ve never picked your own pineapple, this is where you do it. The tour is run by Paul and Jude, the owners, which makes it feel super personal and authentic.
You walk through fields with 250,000 pineapple plants (yes, really), see pineapples in every stage of growth, and if Mother Nature cooperates, you get to harvest your own pineapple to take home.
You also plant a pineapple crown, which my kids thought was pretty cool.
The highlight? The Pineapple Phrostie at the end. It’s literally just frozen pineapple pushed through a juicer, but it tastes like ice cream.
My kids were convinced there was dairy in it. There’s not. It’s just that good.
Important: This tour only happens on Thursdays at 10am, so plan accordingly. You need to reserve in advance by emailing them.
More details: My full pineapple plantation tour review
5. Ho’opulapula Haraguchi Rice Mill and Taro Farm Tour
North Shore | $84 adults, $50 kids (5-12) | Ages 5+ | 3.5 hours | Wednesdays only
This one is special because it’s the ONLY remaining rice mill in all of Hawaii. The Haraguchi family has owned this farm for generations, and they’ve rebuilt the mill three times after fire and hurricanes.
The tour takes you into the taro fields (you’re literally walking in the lo’i patches), and you learn about taro farming, which is a huge part of Hawaiian culture.
You also get to see endangered birds since the farm is in the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge.
The tour includes lunch with taro-based dishes, poi pounding (and you get to taste it), and lots of history about rice farming in Hawaii. It’s educational in the best way.
Tours happen on Wednesdays by reservation only. It’s $84 for adults and $50 for kids 5-12.
Contact: info@haraguchiricemill.org or call 808-651-3399 ext. 2
The Hanalei area is stunning. If you’re planning to spend time on the North Shore, my Kauai Travel Guide has a whole section on North Shore activities and where to eat.
6. Kilohana Plantation Train Ride
East Side | $22 adults, $16 kids (3-12), free under 3 | All ages | 40 minutes
Real talk: this one is mostly for families with young kids. If your kids are older, they might find it a bit boring.
But if you have toddlers or preschoolers who love trains and animals? Perfect.
It’s a 40-minute ride through the plantation where you see tropical fruit trees and then stop to feed pigs, horses, goats, and sheep. My kids were like 3 and 5 when we did this and they loved it.
It’s also a nice low-key activity if you’re already planning to go to Kilohana Plantation for the Koloa Rum tasting (adults only, obviously) or lunch at Gaylord’s restaurant.
Book at: Kilohana Plantation website
Bonus: Other Kauai Farm Tours Worth Knowing About
Kauai Kunana Dairy Farm: Goat farm with cheese tasting. Great for animal-loving kids.
Hawaiian Organic Noni Farm: This one is actually FREE, which is pretty cool. It’s a 2-hour educational tour about noni farming. Kids must be 8+.
Common Ground Kauai: More of a regenerative farming experience with a farm-to-table meal. It’s geared more toward adults but older teens who are into sustainability would probably dig it.
Quick Farm Tour FAQs
What’s actually grown in Hawaii? Everything from coffee and chocolate to pineapple, bananas, papaya, mango, taro, and tons of citrus. Hawaii has perfect growing conditions for tropical crops.
Which Hawaiian island has the most farms? The Big Island, by far. There are over 4,000 farms there. But Kauai is called the Garden Island for a reason – the farming scene here is awesome.
Does Dole still grow pineapple in Hawaii? Nope. Dole and Del Monte moved most pineapple production out of Hawaii in the 1980s. The biggest commercial pineapple farm in Hawaii now is Maui Gold on Maui.
My Honest Take: Which Farm Tour Should You Actually Do?
If I had to pick just one? Kalalea View Farm, hands down. The hands-on activities are unbeatable, it’s customizable so you can tailor it to what your kids will actually enjoy, and it’s reasonably priced compared to some others.
If you’re chocolate lovers, add Lydgate Farms. It’s expensive but amazing.
And if you have really young kids, the Kilohana train is an easy win.
Can’t decide which tours fit your family best or how to work them into your itinerary?
I offer personalized trip planning where I help overwhelmed families figure out exactly which activities to book and how to make the most of your time on Kauai.
I also talk about farm tours and other unique Kauai experiences in my podcast, Hawaii Travel Made Easy.
Check out this episode on farm tours and agricultural experiences if you want to hear more about what makes these tours so special.
Want More Kauai Planning Help?
If you’re still in the planning stages and want a complete roadmap for your Kauai trip, I’ve got you covered:
Free email courses (these are seriously helpful):
Complete travel guides:
- Kauai Travel Guide for Families – This has everything: daily itineraries, where to eat, where to stay, and all the best activities organized by area.
Planning a Multi-Island Trip?
If you’re island hopping, check out my other guides:
Pack Smart for Farm Tours
Don’t forget to bring:
- Closed-toe shoes (trust me on this)
- Sunscreen and hats
- Bug spray (especially for the taro farm)
- Reusable water bottles
- A small cooler if you’re picking fruit to take home
Need help figuring out what else to pack? Check out my Hawaii packing essentials posts.
Rent a Car for Farm Tours
You’ll definitely need a rental car to get to these farms. I always book through Discount Hawaii Car Rental because they compare rates from all the major companies and usually have the best prices.
Looking for more things to do on Kauai
- Best Things to Do on Kauai with Kids
- Best Kauai Luaus
- Kid-Friendly Kauai Tours
- Where to Eat on Kauai with Kids
P.S. Join our Hawaii Travel with Kids Facebook group to get connected with other families planning a trip to Hawaii!
