Best Botanical Garden Tours on Oahu, Hawaii

Hawaii's island of Oahu is filled with natural beauty. From the azure Pacific to the majestic peaks of the Ko'olau Mountain Range, it is difficult to open your eyes and not see something awesome and breathtaking, nearly impossible to find a single image unfit for the front of a postcard. But nowhere is the awe of nature more evident than in Hawaii's lush gardens. Here is a guide to the best botanical garden tours on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

Foster Botanical Garden sits on over thirteen acres and boasts some of the largest trees in all of Hawaii. Here you will find one of the most spectacular collections of orchids in the islands, and plenty of spots to pose for a snapshot. Located not far from the tourist mecca of Waikiki, Foster Botanical Garden charges only five dollars for admission (children six to ten, only a buck), and you will enjoy every moment. For more information, call Foster Botanical Garden at 808-522-7060.

The Waimea Valley Audobon Center dwarves all other gardens on the island of Oahu, and is by far the most awe-inspiring garden, if you have the time to navigate its nearly two thousand acres. Formerly known as Waimea Falls Adventure Park, the Waimea Valley Audobon Center now boasts a simple botanical park, complete with a waterfall that you may be able to swim to. So bring your bathing suit! The forty-foot high waterfall does dry up at times, particularly during the summer season, but this botanical garden is still worth the eight dollar admission price, plus the two bucks to park. Children aged four to twelve pay only five dollars. Located near Waimea Bay just north of the surfing town of Haleiwa, Waimea Valley Audobon Center is a spot on Oahu to make sure to have a camera...and some insect repellent. Call 808-522-7060 for information and updates.

Off of Kamehameha Highway, just north of H-3, you will find the Ho'omaluhia Park Botanical Garden. Maintained by the county, admission is free, and viewing the garden does not require a heck of a lot of walking. Set against the backdrop of the Ko'olau Mounatins, this four-hundred acre attraction was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It serves the additional purpose of protecting Kaneohe against floods. For further information, you can contact the Ho'omaluhia Park Botanical Garden by calling 808-233-7323.

Unfortunately, no other botanical garden tour on the island of Oahu can claim to be worth the price of admission. Yes, even the freebies. But these three botanical gardens are a piece of heaven on earth, and if you can fit in the time to see them all, you will not regret it.