Less than 10 minutes from my house is one of the 5 Honolulu Botanical Gardens, Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens located at 45-680 Luluku Road in Kaneohe. This is a 400 acre garden that has rainforest trees and shrubs from the tropics of the world.
Ho’omaluhia means to “make a place of peace and tranquility.” The Gardens are open to the public for picnic areas, walking trails, weekend campsites, meeting rooms, and an art gallery. There is also a 32 acre lake (no swimming) where wildlife live and visitors can do catch-and-release fishing.
This Garden is an enormous hidden gem in the middle of Kaneohe with the majestic Ko’olau mountains in the back and acres to explore. Ho’omaluhia is a perfect place for children to run around and enjoy the scenery and activities or for families to enjoy a private picnic. All large trees, shrubs, and plants are labeled with their names for educational purposes.
The Garden is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Free guided garden tours for the general public are Saturdays at 10:00 and Sundays at 1:00 pm. Camping is available from 9:00 am Friday thru 4:00 pm Monday and a permit and reservation is required. Catch-and-release fishing is open weekends from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Dogs and alcohol are prohibited in the Garden. For more information call (808) 233-7323 or visit the Hononlulu.gov website online.
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