Wailua River State Park

The Wailua Complex, a National Historic Landmark,[2] was once the center of chiefly power on the island. It contains the remains of several important structures: places of worship (heiau), places of refuge (puʻuhonua), and sites related to royal births.[3] The most important sites are:[4]

• Hikinaakalā (Rising of the Sun) Heiau, which includes the Hauola place of refuge (puʻuhonua) and the Kiʻi Pōhaku ancient petroglyphs, at the mouth of the river adjacent to Lydgate State Park[5]
• Malae, also known as Malaea or Makaukiu or Mana Heiau, a huge, rectangular luakini heiau almost 400 feet long on the south side of the river just above Highway 56[5]
• Holoholokū Heiau, also known as Kalaeokamanu, adjacent to the pōhaku hoʻohānau (birthing stone) and pōhaku piko (navel/umbilical stone), where women of high rank would give birth and bury their afterbirth and umbilical cords[5]
• Poliʻahu (also spelled Poliahu) Heiau, a large luakini heiau high on the narrow ridge between ʻŌpaekaʻa Stream and Wailua River[5]
• Bellstone (on the same ridge), used to announce important events, such as royal births[5]

Of these, only Holoholokū has been largely restored.[4]

Wailua was the land of the ali'i (kings) and was one of the largest ahupuaʻa (subdivisions) on Kauai. It is said that King Kaumuali'i's favorite place to live was in Wailua. There are Hawaiian heiaus starting from the mouth of the river all the way to the summit of Mt.Waialeale. The huaka'i po (Ghost Warriors) are said to walk ancient trails along the river at night up to Mount Waiʻaleʻale. Wailua has many legends about it and was once home to many Hawaiians.

• List of Hawaiian state parks
• Smith Family Garden Luau