Summary
No visit to Kauai, Hawaii’s Garden Isle, is truly complete unless you take the time to visit one of the island’s beautiful botanical gardens. These gardens offer a refuge for plant life, and for the ecotourist, there is no better way to learn about imperiled local plant species than in the very spots where they’ve found safe haven. Consequently, these gardens hold a special place on the Garden Isle.
Kauai is home to three of the five gardens that comprise the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG): Allerton Garden, McBryde Garden, and Limahuli Garden and Preserve. The remaining two gardens are Kahanu Garden located near Hana on the island of Maui and The Kampong located on Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove, Florida. The National Tropical Botanical Garden is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to discovering, saving, and studying the world’s tropical plants, sharing what is learned. Today, the NTBG encompasses nearly 2,000 acres of gardens and preserves.
Limahuli Garden and Preserve
Limahuli Garden is located on the north shore of Kauai right before the road ends at Ke’e Beach, in Ha’ena. This beautiful tropical garden is back-dropped by the majestic Mount Makana, more popularly known as Bali Hai, famous for its role in the 1958 film South Pacific.
This 17-acre terraced garden is part of the 985-acre Limahuli Preserve. It is recommended to pick up a copy of the garden guide at the visitor center and then follow the 3/4 mile Limahuli Garden Loop Trail. This trail takes you past examples of the numerous plants used by the original Hawaiian settlers from Polynesia for art, clothing, shelter, tools, and food.
Limahuli Garden is open Tuesdays through Saturdays. Self-guided tours are available from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and cost $20 for adults (18 years and above). Children 18 years and younger are admitted free. A guided tour is offered at 10:00 a.m. and costs $40 for adults, $20 for children aged 10-17 years. However, no children under 10 are allowed on the guided tour, and reservations for the guided tours are required in advance.
Allerton Garden
Allerton Garden is a masterpiece of garden art, transformed by the hands of Hawaii’s Queen Emma, a sugar plantation magnate, and most recently an artist and an architect. The result is breathtaking, featuring deep-purple bougainvillea, giant Moreton Bay fig trees that were featured in Jurassic Park, numerous water features and sculptures, the lovely Lawa’i Stream, and much more.
Allerton Garden is located in the secluded Lawa’i Valley. Tour check-in is at the Southshore Visitors Center, a short distance from the Valley rim. The garden is open daily, but it is accessible only by 2-1/2 hour guided tours. Tours depart on the hour from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. During some periods of the year, the 9:00 a.m. tour is not offered. The cost of the tour is $50 for adults (13 years and above) and $25 for children aged 6-12 years. Children 5 and under are admitted free. Reservations are required in advance, and all tours include garden transportation into and out of the valley.
An Allerton Garden at Sunset tour includes admission to the home where the Allerton family lived, greeting numerous world figures such as Jacqueline Kennedy. This tour also offers a beverage and dinner provided by Living Foods Gourmet Market and Cafe on the stunning lanai as the sun sets into the Pacific. Ticket prices are $95 for adults and $45 for children (6-12). Children under 5 are admitted free of charge.
McBryde Garden
McBryde Garden in Lawa’i Valley is home to the largest ex-situ (“off site”) collection of native Hawaiian flora and exotic plants in existence. This garden includes extensive plantings of palms, flowering trees, heliconias, orchids, and countless other plant types from the Pacific Islands, South America, Africa, and Indo-Malaysia.
Visitors have the opportunity to observe many rare, endangered Hawaiian plants and learn about the efforts being made to save them in a living laboratory where scientists continue to learn new things about these plants and their uses. However, a visit to the garden requires a one-mile walk over mostly unpaved or grass paths with some uneven terrain and some paved or rock stairs.
McBryde Garden is open daily and is accessible only by a 15-minute tram ride from the Southshore Visitors Center. Trams depart on the half-hour mark from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. In summer, an additional 3:30 p.m. tram is added. Visitors can board a return tram on the hour of their choice, with the last tram departing the garden at 4:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. in summer). Visitors should allow 1-1/2 hours within the garden. The cost of the self-guided tour of the garden is $30 for adults (13 years and above) and $15 for children aged 6-12 years. Children 5 and under are admitted free, and reservations should be made in advance.
Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Garden
Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Garden is located on Kauai’s north shore near the town of Kilauea. Originally begun as a landscape project by Joyce and Ed Doty in 1982, the garden has grown to over 240 acres, including 12 acres of diverse gardens that feature one of the largest collections of bronze sculpture in the United States. Since 1999, the garden has operated as a not-for-profit foundation, now open to the public for tours and private events.
The property also includes the Doty’s former home, orchards, and a 110-acre hardwood plantation that helps ensure the sustainability of the garden for future generations. The Na ‘Aina Kai Orchid House Visitor Center and Gift Shop is open each Monday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.; and Fridays 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. The garden is closed to the public on weekends and holidays. Moreover, Na ‘Aina Kai offers only guided tours of their gardens, conducted by an expert docent, and suitable for those over 13 years of age. The garden provides a variety of tours, by foot or by tram, ranging in length from 1-1/2 to 5 hours and priced from $35-$85, depending on the type of tour and duration. Reservations are recommended.
Smith’s Tropical Paradise
One of the most visited areas of Kauai is located within Wailua Marina State Park on Kauai’s eastern side, or Coconut Coast. On the shore of the Wailua River, you’ll find Smith’s Tropical Paradise, which includes the popular Smith Family Garden Luau, the Fern Grotto Wailua River Cruise, Smith’s Weddings In Paradise, and the Smith’s Tropical Paradise botanical and cultural garden.
This 30-acre garden features over a mile of pathways, showcasing more than 20 types of fruit trees, a bamboo forest, the popular Flower Wheel and Flowering Tropicals area, and a Japanese-themed garden. As a result, the garden is a popular spot for an afternoon picnic, wedding, or their evening luau.
Smith’s Tropical Paradise is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The entry price is just $6 for adults and $3 for children aged 3-12.
Explore Kauai’s Natural Beauty
Experience the stunning botanical gardens of Kauai for a unique glimpse into the island’s lush ecosystem. These gardens provide invaluable insights into the native plants of Hawaii and highlight the conservation efforts taking place to preserve this tropical paradise.
