Howling Laughter and Halloween Masks at Ho'omaluhia Gardens

One of the great things about living on O'ahu is that you don't have to travel far to get a really terrific view or to experience lush gardens or forests.  Nature is in our backyard.  And our front yard.  And our side yard.  It's easily accessible year round and I like to take advantage of that.  

This past Thursday, my bestie Sarah, my hiking partner Mary, and I knew we wanted to hike, but the weather was cloudy with sporadic rain showers which equals mud and not my ideal hiking situation.  We were also on a limited time schedule again and decided that getting outside was the most important thing---so we headed through the tunnels and over to the windward side to Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens.  Ho'omaluhia, or "a peaceful refuge" is in Kane'ohe on 400 acres of gorgeous land.  I've never seen a flood protection area that looked as nice as these gardens.  There are plants (labeled throughout) from several other tropical landscapes, not just Hawai'i, making the gardens an environment that travelers from near and far can enjoy and feel at home in.

The gardens are a relatively quiet place to picnic, walk, meditate, observe nature, see ducks, fish in the lake (on weekends from 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.), paint (Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.), and even camp (9:00 a.m. Friday- 4:00 p.m. Monday).  We chose to hike around the lake for as far as we could.  Unfortunately the path that I am familiar with was closed.  We were unsure if this was because it was a weekday or because they were doing some trail maintenance (we saw several tree trimmers out while we were there).  Normally I am not one to shy away from a sign or gate or two telling me to keep out.  But something about the gate at the end of the bridge seemed more legitimate in its direction to go no further.  We wandered around exploring the grounds that were open and took some time to be extra silly with props and Halloween costumes (it's October after all) we brought along for the days adventure.

A cute fairy with glitter green wings made an appearance, perfect for the fairy tale scenery surrounding us.  A sunglass/top hat wearing rocker made an appearance on the bridge---headed to a secluded spot by the lake to play his guitar.  A scary devilish monster appeared in the trees.  And a hilarious globetrotter decked out in head and wrist sweatbands made an appearance.  What would a stroll through the woods by the lake be without some photo shoot Halloween fun?

Since 1982, Ho'omaluhia has been a refreshing oasis at the base of the Ko'olau Mountains in Kane'ohe.  I hadn't been to the gardens for a couple of years (the last time was with my boys fishing at the lake---I caught the most fish) and was happy to explore for a bit, even if we did find our trail to be shorter than expected.

There's always something beautiful to see here and the price of admission is free.  For those looking for a less strenuous way to participate in nature, Ho'omaluhia is the perfect place to check out.  For more information about the gardens, check out their website by clicking here.

Whether you go in costume or not, you will still smile and enjoy all the green landscapes that the garden has to offer.  I'm sure others go here without fairy wings, Slash costumes, or devil masks.  Brides, families looking to get a good capture for Christmas cards, or couples getting engaged, are the more likely candidates for utilizing the great scenery here at the gardens.  Either way, snapping photos for fun or for business, the gardens are the perfect back drop.

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden Info:

hours: 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
closed Christmas Day and New Years Day

45-680 Luluku Rd.
Kane'ohe, Hawai'i 96744

free admission

group tours call: 808-233-7323