Grove Farm & Kauai Plantation Railway

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Acquired in 1864 by George Wilcox, Grove Farm was one of the earliest Hawaiian sugar plantations on Kauai. The unchanged old homestead is now a living museum with the main house, farm, office, workers homes and private cottages beautifully maintained and nestled in tropical gardens, orchards and rolling lawns.

Tour the gracious old home created by the son of Protestant missionary teachers who helped create the Waioli Mission in Hanalei. Walk through large rooms cooled by breezes from shaded verandas and marvel at the elegant furnishings and Oriental carpets. Magnificent koa wood, wainscoting, ohia wood floors and hand crafted furniture of native woods further adorn the home.

Your tour will linger in the home's spacious kitchen. Here you'll enjoy a delicious treat of Grove Farm Ice Box Cookies (a favorite of Miss Mable Wilcox) and Grove Farm Mint Ice Tea, served by your gracious hosts.

Following the museum visit, drive a short distance to Kilohana Plantation for a ride on the Kauai Plantation Railway. This narrow-gauge railway will carry you comfortably through almost 100 acres of orchards and animal pastures.

Climb onboard the "King Kalakaua style" wooden cars at the Kilohana camp station where you'll begin an informative ride through working fields of sugar, pineapple, banana, papaya, coffee and tropical flowers and hardwood trees that enhance the story of agriculture on Kauai yesterday and today.

The train cars are reproductions of the railway cars of the period of King Kalakaua, who was a monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He reigned from February 12, 1874 until his death in San Francisco on January 20, 1891.

The cars are elegant with hand finished wood interiors and offer a fascinating ride back through history to the plantation days of Kauai. Your conductor points out many of the more than 50 fruits and vegetables that are growing on the farm, including exotic varieties of pineapple, papaya, mango, and rambutan. Much of the produce that you see growing here goes to Kilohana's renowned restaurant, Gaylord's.

Perhaps the most popular part of the trip will be the farmyard. Friendly goats and other farm animals greet you as you stop to stretch your legs half way through your journey. If you want to, you can feed your farmyard friends a treat; your conductor will give you bread specifically for that purpose!

At the end of your tour enjoy some free time to explore the unique shops and galleries before returning to the ship.

Special Notes:

Wilcox House at Grove Farm boasts floors made of native Koa wood and rare Oriental carpets. Visitors are required to remove their shoes before touring the house.

The Grove Farm portion of this tour is a walking tour and guests must be comfortable standing and walking for approximately two hours.

Tour order may vary.