This serene, pretty town has played a major role in Hawaiian history since 1778, when Captain James Cook became the first European to set foot on the Hawaiian Islands. Waimea was also the place where Kaua'i's King Kaumuali'i acquiesced to King Kamehameha's unification drive in 1810, averting a bloody war. The town hosted the first Christian missionaries, who hauled in massive timbers and limestone blocks to build the sturdy Waimea Christian Hawaiian and Foreign Church in 1846. It's one of many lovely historic buildings preserved by residents who take great pride in their heritage and history. The town itself has the look of the Old West and the feel of Old Hawai'i, with a lifestyle that's decidedly laid-back. Waimea beaches are sunny and sandy, but near-shore waters are often murky with runoff from the Waimea River. It's an ideal place for a refreshment break while sightseeing on the West Side.