Origin
Lihue, HI
Late night in Lihue on Tuesday
Local time
2:22 AM
HST
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lihue, HI to Kapa‘a, HI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
17m
Distance
8.2 mi
13 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lihue, HI
cottonbro CG studio
Kapa‘a, HI
William Chen
Trip Overview
Traveling from Lihue to Kapa‘a is a quick 8.2-mile journey that typically takes about 17 minutes. This route is best suited as a short day trip, making it an easy transition between these two prominent areas in Hawaii. You will primarily utilize HI 56 and Kuhio Highway to navigate the distance. With a fuel cost of just $2, this drive is highly budget-friendly for any traveler. Because the trip is so brief, you will not need to plan for overnight stays, allowing you to focus your time on your destination. It serves as a straightforward connection between two hubs on the island.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| HI 56 | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Kuhio Highway | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Oxford Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fujii Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Kauwila Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
HI 56
— 5.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lihue, HI and Kapa‘a, HI.
1
Start on Fujii Street
363 ft
·
18 sec
·
Fujii Street
2
Turn right onto Oxford Street
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Oxford Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto HI 56
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Kuhio Highway
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto HI 56
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
HI 56
5
Turn left onto Kauwila Street
94 ft
·
5 sec
·
Kauwila Street
6
Arrive at destination
Kauwila Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 8.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Oxford Street
Turn right onto Oxford Street
Navigation decision point
7
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
HI 56 / Kuhio Highway
At end of road, turn left onto HI 56 / Kuhio Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
3
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
HI 56
Turn left onto HI 56
Navigation decision point
4
8.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Kauwila Street
Turn left onto Kauwila Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.78 one way
$3.55 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $1.87 | $3.74 |
| premium | $5.98 | $1.93 | $3.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.81 | $3.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.86 | $0.39 |
| Efficient EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.72 | $0.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.52 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Kapa‘a, HI
Late night in Kapa‘a on Tuesday
Local time
2:22 AM
HST
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
17m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 70% of this drive takes place on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on HI 56, which features a longest uninterrupted stretch of 5.7 miles. The transition from the town environment of Lihue onto the Kuhio Highway provides a consistent pace for the majority of the trip. Navigating through Oxford Street helps you finalize your arrival into Kapa‘a. The drive maintains a functional, efficient character that prioritizes direct travel over winding backroads.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on HI 56.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on HI 56 and Kuhio Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Oxford Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Oxford Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (HI 56 / Kuhio Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (HI 56): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
230 ft
9 ft
Total Climb
83 ft
Total Descent
304 ft
Highest Point
230 ft
Elevation Range
222 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 8.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on HI 56. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Oxford Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (HI 56 / Kuhio Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (HI 56): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kapa‘a, HI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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