What do I want to do on my birthday? Let's go take a walk in the park!…read more With the hustle and bustle of the holiday weekend and events here and there, I wanted somewhere less crowded and quiet. Foster Botanical Garden came to mind. I haven't been here for a very long time! The entrance is located along Vineyard Blvd. - westbound, right after the Kuan Yin Temple. There's plenty of free parking. Out of all the City and County botanical gardens, this is the only one with admission, but it's well worth the price - $5 for adults, $3 for Hawai'i Residents, $1 Children 6-12 (so, 13+ are adults?), and free for kids 5 and under. There is a free docent-led 90-minute tour at 10:30am - every Monday and Wednesday to Saturday - anyone can join. Walk-ins okay if there's space, or make reservations via email or phone. Before heading in, you can grab a map and a bird checklist. The garden itself is very well kept and quite spacious. There are two restrooms - one on the left and another on the right. They were quite clean! All areas, trees, and plants are clearly marked. Be on the lookout for the "exceptional trees" such as the Baobab, which looks like elephant legs; Cannonball Tree, Kapok, and etc. The Orchid Collection in the greenhouse has a nice variety with the infamous Corpse Flower. Overall, a very nice, well-maintained place to visit and worth the admission fee. Even though you're in town, next to the freeway and busy streets around, you still feel a sense of relaxation and calm while connecting with nature and admiring the vast collection of trees and plants. I wouldn't mind getting the annual pass for $25 just to take my lunch here!

Was still open at the end of the year and New Year's Eve which was lovely for a holiday stroll :)…read moreWas kinda busy which was nice because usually when we got it's kinda empty. People want to come during the holidays :D

This garden is extremely beautiful and looks like it's straight out of a movie! The entrance way is…read moreiconic so def enjoyed viewing the scenery when we drove in. They don't allow you to stop or get out of your cars to take pictures where the entrance way is so be cautious. They do have cops surveillance if you do try to take pictures; mainly bc they want to preserve the garden from guests possibly destroying it. Currently, they close on Thursdays so make sure you look at their hours closely! Entrance is free and if you keep driving, there is a free parking lot for guests. Guest service also has bathrooms, a mini exhibit of plants, and pamphlets for you to view each of the gardens. We didn't have time to visit all of garden but got to see the pretty main garden so that was nice! They have a few bench tables too so you could probably bring food and eat outside. Def recommend visiting if you're in Kaneohe area.

For sure its beautiful there. Warm day with slight breeze. The reason for 3 stars is because…read moreseveral sections were closed off to the public leaving only a few other areas to visit. Very lush and very hilly so if you decide to walk be prepared. Bring water. At the front visitor center there is a 3D map of the gardens with a docent there to help visitors. I have to say she was not very helpful and a bit terse when folks asked questions. She didn't like repeating herself but what the heck everyone is a new visitor never been there before? Anyway we went out on our own and figured it out. Had a good time with taking pictures and seeing the landscape

Finding the peace…read more.. Literally as Yelp direction kept leading me to Kapiolani Community College though close but not where it's at as it's actually to the left of Diamond Head State Park entrance which is quite easy to find. This little park is a slight hidden place that's pretty green and decently maintained with a couple of areas for you to enjoy one is closer to the entrance that has a lovely peek of the Wilhemina Rise area and a lovely place that I thought would be the perfect photo op spot for a cool gift from a thoughtful friend with BunBun is this cool cooler tote from TJ's! Using one of a bunch of stones and some benches for a place to relax and noticed a giant rock with a plaque that's a time capsule which will be opened on October 24, 2049! The other section is a bit more shaded as this circular garden has some stones placed with various peace quotes and though wanted to take more pics there was a gentleman chilling and didn't want to disturb him and majority of the area does have a path for easy access between gardens and up to Diamond Head as I've been here countless times and never knew this area existed is quite insane lol! A great spot for those that can't do the hike but enjoy a bit peace of time. Thank you!

A chill little park outside of Diamond Head State Park. Great place to sit under the trees and…read morerelax after a hike at Diamond Head and before catching the bus back to town.

Moanalua Gardens is such a lovely, central place on Oahu to come and enjoy a little rest and…read morerelaxation in nature. My husband and I have been coming here for years, and remember coming here when we first started dating. The price went up a little bit to a few bucks a person, but it's still worth the entrance fee. We came back here with our kids, who had never been, and they had so much fun playing in and around the huge trees, running around the big open spaces, and feeding the ducks in the duck pond. A picnic was a delight at a table, and we brought a blanket to sit on and eat snacks again a little later while we were walking around. The bathrooms are nice and renovated. Really appreciate that touch. Overall, a great place to come for a little communue with nature.

5star beautiful trees,ginger, taro patch, mango trees, ulu, koi pond right off the freeway,…read moreliterally. Look for the green patina gates. Lots of free parking on a Monday morning . Entree fees are a bit pricey if u not a kamaaina @ $10, so minus a star. Restrooms available, no food or drink to buy, so bring your own bentos and mat,only about 4 tables. And its hawaii, so ants and flies!

It's spring time! And oh boy does my little backyard need a refresh. I've been to their plant store…read morein town before, but this is more like a garden center rather than a houseplant store. I loved looking around at all the plants. As in most places in Hawai'i, if you're prone to getting bug bites (aka me), you might wanna spray on some protection or cover up. I love that they have a mix of plants, produce, and really cute products. Everything you'd need from moss poles, spray bottles, ceramic pots of all sizes. I even got a really cute plant sticker for my water bottle.

This botanical oasis is lovingly tended with awesome pots and fancy plants like albo monstera, a…read moreplethora of succulents for the beginner and advanced green thumbs and much much more. The staff is helpful and kind and do a great job at explaining how best to care for your plant children. There's also a nice selection of veggies both to start a garden or to eat for dinner tonight. Aside from that it is a very relaxing atmosphere to walk through and explore. For those that are more mosquito prone, wear some bug spray or a citronella sticker to keep the little bites at bay.

Simply put...love this place!! Great atmosphere, friendly staff, quality food/drinks, live…read moremusic...can't ask for more.

Came here initially because I was invited but went back again because of the great food in service…read moreThey have a great outdoor area, which is The Garden, but in between the fine dining area that's inside and the garden is kind of a patio. They let me sit there with my dog, which was nice because it was a perfect evening to enjoy great food and live entertainment!

I had some questions about Zoysia grass, and Santiago of Hapa Landscape took the time to…read morethoughtfully respond to my email and provide very helpful insights on the pros and cons of different Zoysia grasses. I especially appreciated his honest and professional approach. In fact, this is consistent with my experience from 10 years ago when I hired Hapa Landscape to remove several trees from my yard that were encroaching on my neighbor's property. They handled the work professionally, and it is nice to see that same level of care and responsiveness continues today. Highly recommended. K.H.

I hired Hapa to provide a solution to stop water seeping into my father's house during the most…read morerecent heavy rains. Santiago did a wonderful job assessing my father's yard and designing a trench under the lawn to handle the heavy rains. The work was completed over two days and we are really happy with how the project turned out and the people who did the work. The price was very reasonable and they stuck to the estimate. We would definitely recommend Hapa!

Must visit spot if you're visiting Kaneohe. It's about 15-20 min drive from the botanical garden…read more You have to enter the Memorial Park to get to this temple. It's a smaller replica of the actual temple from Japan. We ordered tickets online for $10/person and $6 for parking. They don't check your tickets when you enter which we thought was very strange lol. It's very beautiful and peaceful with the mountain and smoky cloud in the background. They have a couple benches for you to sit. You can enter the temple but it's actually pretty small. They have artists and vendors under the temple too. I loved seeing all the koi fish and mini pagoda up hill. There's also a large bell that you can ring for funsies.

As someone who avidly visits this temple, I was very disappointed during my most recent visit. I…read morehave not been able to come as often lately due to being busy, but the changes since my last visits are honestly upsetting. According to staff, many of these changes are due to new management, and it really shows. It feels like the temple now caters heavily to tourists, even prioritizing bus and tour group parking over regular visitors. They no longer accept cash and are completely card-only, which was frustrating. On top of that, all parking now requires payment. It used to just be an entry fee, which was understandable, but now you have to pay for both parking and entry. You can really tell the shift toward a more tourist-centered experience. While the informational papers are nice, there are so many of them now that it feels excessive. They also charge for photos at certain "immersive" spots, around $20 for a single digital image, which feels unreasonable. What makes me the most sad is how the atmosphere has changed. I always loved coming here for the peacefulness, the koi, the quiet environment, and the kind staff. Now it feels less relaxing. There are no longer proper shelves for shoes inside the temple, just the floor, and the cubby areas seem to be gone. The shoe policy is also not enforced. Within 30 minutes, I saw multiple tourists walk in with their shoes on without any issue. It is disappointing to see how much has changed. Not accepting cash, increased costs with paid parking, and the overall shift in environment have made the experience feel less genuine. I have visited at least five times before, including before, during, and after COVID, and it is sad to say I will probably be coming much less often now.

Lucious green park in a residential area. I don't think it's quite as famous, but it's a favorite…read moreof mine since it's not as crowded and the park itself is shady, safe and calm. There's a small playground for kids, basketball court and ample parking. Great place for a picnic

On a Sunday afternoon, we went here to check it out. The park has playground, lots of trees and…read moreplants, and is very spacious. It is great place to hide out and have a picnic. Right next door to the park is Queen Emma Summer Palace which has its own entrance.

Koolau Farmers is a locally owned/operated nursery and garden supply business that are home…read moregardening experts. It was started in 1938 by East Oahu farmers and a Kailua papaya cooperative as a farmer-founded business entity that shifted from farming to home gardening. Today, it supplies plants, floral arrangements, fertilizers, pesticides, garden tools, etc. for home gardeners. There are currently two locations for Koolau Farmers: Kaneohe and Honolulu (McCully). This review is for the Honolulu location. Items that the McCully location carry include: bromeliads, flowers, fruit, orchids, palms, fruit trees, peppers, tropical fruits, shrubs, soil, trees, veggies, hono hono orchids, dwarf fruit trees (Meyer lemon, Tahitian limes, Naval oranges, jabong, grafted mango, avocado). It also offers seed starting supplies, fertilizers for plants and flowers, worm composting bins; and info re growing and care of indoor potted plants, organic gardening, soil testing, and proper lighting. What brought us to Koolau Farmers is my lilikoi vine that I've had in my back yard for a number of years. With the help of bees, the vine had flourished and produced many delicious fruits for homemade lilikoi desserts, such as lilikoi chiffon pie, lilikoi curd, lilikoi bars, and more. But in recent years, the flowers would bloom, but because there are no bees to pollinate the lilikoi flowers, no fruits are produced. Questions to Koolau Farmers confirmed that there is a lack of nesting sites for carpenter bees (I think they're known as the black bumblebees that we no longer see) to pollinate the lilikoi flowers, resulting in a lack of fruit. According to Koolau Farmers, the flowers must be hand-pollinated instead. Staff provided instructions to my hubby on how to hand-pollinate the beautiful lilikoi flowers. A work in progress, and I'm sure more questions to follow. Then the next project will be our dwarf local orange tree. Where is the fruit? There's a single tiny orange on it, yes, only one! Hope Koolau Farmers can help us on this one! Another work in progress. Staff is very knowledgeable, helpful, and provides helpful guidance. An unlikely spot in urban Honolulu to have a nursery and garden supply store, but I'm glad that it's there! The interior space is not that big, but houses boxes of fertilizers and various home gardening equipment for home gardeners. There may be displays of seasonal items on how to grow certain plants, such as hono hono orchids. Open daily from 8a to 5p. Free parking in the private lot. On the outside private lot are scattered variety of healthy local plants, herbs, orchids, and fruit trees. We look forward in working with Koolau Farmers and knowing that they are there to help us with our home gardening needs!

Complaint! Parking Area, Use if Space. McCully Branch These…read moreare the things that I noticed that could be help improve service and accommodating vehicles: 1) Workers are not very attentive when I was waiting to check out at the Cashier. 2) lots of space inside of store for plants and non-plant items (e.g. Pots, trays, posts, Soil "to make room in parking area", etc. 3) make room for parking, move tractor out from front exit. Maybe move forklift next to wall close to where soil is now and the current parking stall. 4) Where the current location of the Plastic Pots and other items are, it can be used to house other supplies, or small potted plants. 5) Remove table that is in front in parking. 6) Remove plants along NORTH wall and Herbs along the WEST wall in the parking area. It is good to have a lot of options in plants and etc. As a suggestion, it is also good to have Customers come "into" the store than to have them hang out in the parking area. Pedestrian safety is also a concern. I had to watch for pedestrians as I was parking and backing up when leaving the store parking area. This is "Safety" issue for your store. Koolau didn't have anyone outside monitoring the parking lot. There was a lot of traffic and it was hard to maneuver a vehicle in such a congested and small space. Feel free to email me should you have any other questions. Signed, a Concerned Customer