Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens

Our last visit to Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens was 6 years ago.  We decided to go just to get some fresh air, and we were hoping the fishing had resumed, but when we went, the fishing was still on pause.  

That didn't deter us from enjoying nature's beauty!

Crowds were minimal.  Most people were wearing masks, but there were several who weren't.  

When we got to the lake, we fed the fish (take some bread!).  

We explored just a small portion of the gardens, so we definitely need to return, and hopefully there will be fishing!

Of note - I appreciate how there are now signs on the entrance road preventing people ("influencers") from stopping and taking photos and videos.  The entrance is just a beautiful scene, but I've seen way too many posts with the backdrop, but no real appreciation for the area.

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens
45-680 Luluku Road,
Kaneohe, HI  96744
233-7323

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Wahiawa Botanical Garden

It's been a while since we took the fam to Wahiawa Botanical Garden (or anywhere, for that matter).  So one weekend we decided to go so the boys could get out in nature, get educated on different plants, and breathe in some fresh air.

The Wahiawa Botanical Gardens is free to visit, and crowds are minimal, just as they were pre-pandemic.

The grounds include lots of paths, stairs, and rocky terrain, so shoes are a must!

We saw all sorts of native and introduced plants in a variety of colors.  From ferns and bamboo, to ginger and morning glory, we came across flora big and small, and saw so many interesting flowers, leaves, and fruits.

My littlest had fun taking photos of whatever caught his eye, and it was a nice morning of exercise!

Insect repellent, a light jacket, and an umbrella are all highly recommended.

Wahiawa Botanical Garden

1396 California Ave
Wahiawa, HI 96786
(808) 621-7321

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Summer Activities for a One Year Old: Foster Botanical Gardens

Growing up I remember the hours I’d spend playing in, weeding, and tending to my grandmother’s expansive garden on Kauai. We’re fortunate that E shares my love for the outdoors and simple things. His favorite thing in the morning is to go outside and water our plants. At my parent’s house he can happily entertain himself for hours in their yard with nothing more than a plastic watering can. 

It’s 80 degrees outside, and we’ve been all been cooped up for over two months. So to celebrate the start of summer and nurture E’s growing love for plants and the outdoors we decided to plan a quick visit to the Foster Botanical Gardens. Reopened under the lifting stay-at-home orders and because it offers plenty of open space to safely social distance we thought it was a good pick for one E’s first outings since the quarantine shutdown. 

Located in Liliha right off Vineyard Blvd, it opens from 9am - 4pm daily. Admission $3 for adults (kamaaina and military) and children under 5 are free.

We arrived a little after 9 to a virtually empty parking lot (also free parking!) and gardens. When we left after 10 am there were more cars in the parking lot but not considerably more people (that we saw or encountered)

E didn’t actually interact with the plants much (except for the one plant he shouldn’t, a thorny cactus bush *eye roll*) but did enjoy running all over the grass, chasing birds, playing with dirt and leaves and crawling on some rocks. 

If you’re planning a trip to the gardens here are our recommendations:

• Bring water. We were there for less than an hour but chasing after a one year old and with the humidity you’ll need it. Plus given the current pandemic I doubt you’ll want to drink from the water fountain.
• Pack a blanket or towels to sit on. We wish we’d done this so we could sit in the grass while E ran amok chasing birds and climbing rocks. 
• Wear sunscreen. Another thing we didn’t do but should have. Though there is ample shade thanks to all the large — including many exceptional — trees there are still large swaths of sunny areas. At least we remembered to wear hats.
• Go early. Not only is it less crowded, it’s also much, much cooler. It was already starting to get a little too hot for E by the time we left at 10am. 
• Bring a face mask. Though it isn’t required to wear one in the park, masks are required when entering/paying for admission. The only time I felt it was necessary to wear one inside the park was in the greenhouse, since otherwise didn’t come close to anyone.
• Wear close-toed shoes. Todd happened to step in an ant hill of some kind when we went "off roading" down a dirt path and it really bothered him for the rest of the visit. Fortunately E and I missed that. 

For more information visit their website. 

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Wahiawa Botanical Garden

I've only visited Wahiawa Botanical Garden once, over a decade ago, and I decided to take the kids to do a little exploring.

There is no admission charge, and you simply grab a map and start exploring the 27-acre garden on your own.

There are all sorts of towering trees and colorful blooms, and it was a nice to see so many different kinds of plants and flowers - ones that we don't typically see that often.

My kids enjoyed "hiking" throughout the garden and taking the different paths throughout.  I personally enjoyed examining all the intricacies of the various types of flora.

A good pair of walking shoes is recommended since there are steep paths, a few stairways, and some areas of rocky terrain. You should also bring insect repellent.

We went on a day with some intermittent light rain, so we also brought umbrellas.

Restrooms are available.



Wahiawa Botanical Garden
1396 California Ave

Wahiawa, HI 96786
(808) 621-7321

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Ho`omaluhia Botanical Gardens

It's been a while - almost 4 years - since we've been to Ho`omaluhia Botanical Gardens.  We decided to take the boys there on a recent weekend since the last time we visited my youngest was still in a stroller.

On this visit we actually took some time to look at all of the beautiful trees and flowers.

Of course we had to stop and feed the ducks.

The duck-feeding experience was completely different on this visit.  The last time we were surrounded by ducks (and other birds) who kept following us and they were literally biting at my kids.

On this visit, there were just a few ducks swimming in the lake, and although we tried feeding them, the fish were more interested in the food!

There were quite a few people feeding the ducks, as well as others simply sitting on the grass relaxing.

It was a really nice way to spend the morning!

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens
45-680 Luluku Road,
Kaneohe, HI  96744
233-7323

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