I believe that which side of the island is rough vs. quiet depends quite a bit on when you go. When I’ve been Ke’e beach on the north shore has always been very tranquil and great for kids, it has nice reef protection and simple sand bottom in a large section. Plus the north shore is just wonderful!

Hi,
I just got married there, and it was hard to leave! I absolutley love the south side, but the waves are usually a little higher there. I would recommend the north side and Kee Beach. lots of fish, a nice hiking trail, some caves nearby and gentle beaches..
the photo is of Poipu..

Poipu’s really great for snorkeling, swimming, boogie boarding, etc. So depending on how old your kids are, I’d recommend that.

Poipu beach has a nice reef protected swimming area wih almost no waves and nearby playground equipment. Ke’e is lovely at the very end of the road on the north side of the island.

We’ve never been in December, but I thought the north shore was the side with rougher surf during the winter months. Ke’e is great for little kids during the summer (if you like to share your beach with a zillion other people), but I think you should look into it before booking a north shore stay at that time of year.

I always recommend that people get a copy of The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook; it is the single best resource we have for the island.

We’re not big Poipu people, though I know a lot of people who love it there. We just aren’t into the whole big resort and crowds thing. We stay in Kapaa, but don’t use the beach at our condo. My kids (they’re older than yours, but there were a lot of younger school-aged kids there too) liked Kalapaki Beach a lot this summer. It’s on a bay in Lihue and one of the only crowded beaches I enjoy. There is a small stream that empties into the ocean there that sometimes makes for a large, shallow area depending on conditions.

Staying in a condo is great, especially with the kids along, as it gives a little more space to spread out and a nice home-base of operations. Plus you can pack picnic lunches to take to the beach which will save a lot of time and money.

Have a great trip!

Tunnels on the North shore for snorkling and swimming, Queens bath near the Princeville Resort. Ke’e beach is great but crowded (Tunnels is a few miles on the right before that – it is kind of hidden – ask the locals.) Also, canoe rides are great on the Wailua river. Also hiking the first leg of the Napali Coast is cool and good exercise, but I wouldn’t go swimming at the secret beach at the end of that section. Also, the dive bar across from Postcards and next to the dolphin is a cool place and affordable, it’s in Hanalei Bay. All of the places are on the North Shore.