A quintessential Hawaiian experience is to visit—some say brave—the farmers’ markets, which are held one day each week in various parts of the island (locals call them sunshine markets). When the flag goes down to signal the opening, all bets are off and the rush is on to be the first to grab that perfect pineapple or papaya. Sharp elbows and a lot of stamina are quite helpful. Don’t be late; prime picks are gone within half an hour.

These are the best markets and their day and start time of business:

• South Shore: Koloa Farmers’ Market in Koloa on Mondays at noon; Kapaa Town Park on Wednesdays at 3pm; Kauai Culinary Market in Kolao on Wednesdays at 4pm
• North Shore: Waipa Farmers’ Market (about a quarter mile past Hanalei) on Tuesdays at 2pm; Hanelei Saturday Market at 10am
• West Shore: Hanapepe Farmers’ Market in Hanapepe Park on Thursdays at 3pm

Look for art on Kauai in the little community of Hanapepe in the west. Once a haven for opium-smoking Chinese rice farmers in the 19th century, it would be a ghost town today if it not for the myriad galleries cropping up on the town’s one main street, Hanapepe Road. There’s some junk, to be sure, but also lovely antique prints of Hawaii in Kauai Fine Art, stunning photographs at the Arius Hopman Gallery, and hand-painted tiles and ceramics at the Banana Patch Studios, all within easy walking distance of one another. To ensure that the galleries are open when you visit, go for the Friday Art Night, when you’ll have a chance to meet the owners and artists.

There’s plenty of junk in this souvenir-oriented shop, but it also sells one-of-a-kind Niihau shell leis made by the women living on the “Forbidden Island” of Niihau, just offshore from Kauai. The island is inhabited by pure blood Hawaiians only; no one else is allowed even to visit. The local men make a living by raising cattle, and the women gather shells on the beach to fashion the necklaces. Most beautiful are the leis made with the smallest shells of white or gold. Some are very intricate and can take years to make. Needless to say, they are quite expensive. The Hawaiian Trading Post has some lower-end necklaces on display; to see the best inventory, ask to see the back stock.  

Founded by rock musician Donovan and his partner Petra Frankrenreiter, this thoughtfully curated boutique in Hanalei sells an eclectic mix of the couple’s finds from their world travels. While the shop’s primary focus is clothing—it offers everything from big names like Mother to smaller, local brands—the store is peppered with other treasures including bean bags, throw pillows, dream catchers, Donovan’s artwork, surfboards, hanging chairs and more.