Planning a Kauai vacation? Below you'll find some of the top beaches and state parks on the island:

Kalapaki Beach on Rice Road, Lihue, East Kauai is considered the best beach in all of the island’s east coastal region. The beach resembles a half moon of golden sand that leads to the Kauai Marriot Resort & Beach Club. This location is ideal for swimming, surfing, bodysurfing, boogie boarding, and windsurfing.

Poipu Beach Park on Poipu Road, Poipu, South Kauai is the top beach on the south side of the island and is in fact a combination of two beaches separated by a sandbar. The left side has a lava-rock jetty that safeguards the sandy-bottomed pool where the majority of families bring their kids. The right side offers an open bay for swimmers, snorkelers and surfers.

The weather as well as the layout of Poipu Beach Park helps make it a particularly special Kauai beach destination, offering great waves for swimming and surfing, beautiful reefs and marine life for snorkeling and good, steady wind for windsurfers. You'll also find white sandy beaches, rocks, grassy areas and shady spots. The sandbar called Nukumoi Point is fairly unique since ocean currents rush to the beach from opposite directions forming a tombolo by sand deposition. Restrooms, showers, picnic areas and lifeguards are available.

Polihale State Park on Old Mana Road, West Kauai is the last beach on the westernmost tip of the island. It is also the largest beach in all of Hawaii, measuring 17 miles long and about 300 yards wide. This is a perfect place to have picnics, sunbathe, stroll in the sun's rays as well as play beach sports. Temperatures seem to rise higher in the area compared to various other beaches in Kauai.

Some points of interest in the park include Hawaiian temples or heiau and burial sites, the forbidden island of Niihau and Barking Sands Beach. Sand dunes can rise up to 100 feet and currents can end up being very strong as a result of the full exposure of the shore to the Pacific Ocean. The facilities in Polihale State Park including picnic tables, showers, drinking water and restrooms. There's no lifeguard, so do be cautious when going off-shore.

Anini Beach County Park on Anini Road, North Shore Kauai, is considered one of the safest and most protected beaches on the north shore of the island. It is an ideal Kauai beach destination, boasting top conditions for swimming, snorkeling and windsurfing. This spot is gorgeous as well since it is found on a blue lagoon right at the foot of emerald cliffs.

The beach is 3 miles long, protected by the longest and widest reef in Hawaii. The locations on and off shore continue to bring in tourists with the abundance of shallow and deep blue waters and white sand beaches complete with shells and cowries.