Grove Farm museum — Attraction in Kauai

There is no better way to understand how the Hawaii plantation economy developed, incorporated land and labor through capital expenditures, and drove Hawaii towards the multicultural society it is today, than to visit the Grove Farm. And, you learn it from guides that have a depth of experience (some guides have worked at the Farm since they were teenagers) and an affection for the place that is difficult to convey---except in person. The Farm and the staff exude the deep Hawaii experience that you can't get at a tourist luau---they have their place---or in a resort. If you want to know Kauai, this is a MUST SEE.

A clear-eyed evaluation of the Farm has to acknowledge that the founders used the special hegemony and power that the United States and its citizens exercised in Hawaiian society in the mid-1800s to mid-1900s, but the Wilcox family clearly understood how that power and money came with deep obligations to educate and care-for their fellow Hawaiians, and participate in Hawaiian affairs. In many ways, Hawaii is about families and relationships, and this Farm gives a glimpse into the lives of one "prominent" family and the relationships they shared with their peers, with Hawaiian alii, with their workers, and with the people they cared-for. Don't miss it, if you are interested in having an authentic Hawaiian experience.

All the buildings and grounds have stories, and those stories have a richness not easily gained elsewhere, from the sand-painted houses to the outdoor bathtub to the wood-fired kitchen stove that cooks the cookies you eat 3/4 the way through the tour. The tour is extensive, but you end up feeling like you could stay there 2 years and still be discovering new things and hearing new stories. ...

Park at the entrance and wear shoes that you can take off easily

If my Aunty and I have come here before, we don't remember it. We enjoyed "playing tourist" and called to book our tour. Quite a few people showed up and they broke us up into two smaller groups.

RECOMMENDATION: Wear shoes that can be taken off easily. You're going to take them off and put them on a couple of times, because ... in Hawaii, that's what you do when you go in someone's house.

The "parking lot" is a little confusing. Since there are very few people on each tour, you park near the handicapped parking sign ... on the little triangle of grass near the entrance. Yup, folks on the mainland would get mad if you parked on their grass. The new interim director was jogging and waving after someone who was driving across the big lawn ... we did point out that they saw other cars parked on the far side. We also wondered at parking near the handicapped parking sign.

WOW! The koa wood in the house is beautiful. There was an old grand piano which is much smaller than today's grand pianos.

On the tour, you get a small cup of mint tea and a cookie made with Aloha! You can buy some fruits and cookies. Apparently, they also sell at one of the local farmer's markets.

Based on the pedometer on my watch, we walked a little over a mile during the tour. Overall,...

I normally review things on TripAdvisor, but had to review on Google this time because I felt so sad to see the undeservedly low score for this beautiful home and excellent tour. My mother and I went on this tour expecting something a bit different - more sugar cane and information about how the plantation "worked." There was certainly some of this, and it was very interesting, but there was even more about the house, and the people who lived there (I was so fascinated by the two sisters who lived in the house for many years, one working as a nurse, the other a politician, who eventually founded the trust that makes this historic place possible.) There are gorgeous grounds, really interesting furnishings and stories, a spectacular tour guide (we had Pam - she was so knowledgeable and a joy to listen to) and a really delightful trip to the old farm kitchen. The woman who greeted us in the kitchen, Paula Rosa, was a local who actually knew and worked with one of the sisters towards the end of her life. All together, one of the best home tours I have...