Foster Botanical Garden

The basics

Many people opt to explore the 14-acre (5.5-hectare) garden independently, and there's a map you can download before your visit to help you identify what you see as you make the rounds. Several times a week, a 90-minute tour is available in the morning (reservations are recommended), and classes are sometimes offered too. While Foster Botanical Garden is an off-the-beaten-path attraction, some private tours and hop-on, hop-off trolley tours do stop here.

Things to know before you go

• There's a small fee to visit the garden, with discounts for children and Hawaii residents. Kids age 5 and under visit free.

• Call the garden to reserve a spot on one of the morning tours.

• The garden has a paved pathway and is wheelchair- and stroller-friendly.

• On-site facilities include restrooms and a gift shop.

How to get there

Foster Botanical Garden is located between North Vineyard Blvd and Interstate H-1, just northeast of the Honolulu Arts District. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the garden from Waikiki, or about 40 minutes by bus; lines 2, 13, and 42 all connect Waikiki to the garden.

When to get there

The garden is open throughout the year from morning to late afternoon; it’s only closed on Christmas and New Year's Day. The best time to visit if you want to beat the crowds and the heat of the day is first thing in the morning. Gardening and craft workshops are sometimes available—check the schedule and book a spot online.

Visiting Hawaii’s Plantation Village

In the town of Waipahu, Hawaii's Plantation Village is another great spot for travelers interested in botany. While the key attractions at this living history museum include its restored buildings and recreated plantation homes, there's also a garden where you can see plants that workers from around the world brought to the island between the 1850s and 1950s.