Honolulu & Waikiki Sights

  1. Foster Botanical Garden

    O'ahu's natural heritage is exotic and beautiful. Plants you've only ever read about can be spotted in all their lush greenery at the Foster Botanical Garden, O'ahu's main botanical garden. In 1850 German botanist William Hillebrand purchased 5 acres of land from Queen Kalama and planted the trees now towering in its center. In 1867 Captain Thomas Foster bought the property, continuing to plant the grounds.

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  2. Kaka'ako Waterfront Park

    South of downtown Honolulu and just off Ala Moana Blvd at the end of Cooke St, little Kaka'ako Waterfront Park is protected from much of the city noise by a small grassy rise. Roller bladers cruise along the rock-fringed promenade, which offers clear views of Diamond Head, Waikiki and Honolulu Harbor. The 28-acre park attracts experienced surfers in the morning and picnickers in the afternoon.

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  3. Kapi'olani Park

    At the Diamond Head end of Waikiki is Hawaii's first public park, the nearly 200-acre Kapi'olani Park, a gift from King Kalakaua to the people of Honolulu in 1877. The king dedicated the park to his wife, Queen Kapi'olani. The park is the city's communal backyard, hosting sports games and family picnics under shady banyan trees. The park's tourist attractions include the Kapi'olani Beach Park, Waikiki Aquarium and the Honolulu Zoo.

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  4. Lyon Arboretum

    Nature trails wind through the highly regarded Lyon Arboretum founded in 1918 and managed by the University of Hawai'i. Dr Harold Lyon is credited with introducing 10,000 exotic trees and plants to Hawaii. Approximately half of these are represented in this 193-acre arboretum. This is not a landscaped tropical flower garden, but a mature and largely wooded arboretum where related species are clustered in a seminatural state.

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