The Lyon Arboretum is one of my favorite places in the whole wide world!
Maintained by the local university, you don’t have to pay to attend the Lyon Arboretum, although donations are accepted. I visited this place ten years ago and it seared into my memory.
Open expanses of beautiful trees. Seems George of the Jungle could be flying through the trees at any moment. The arborists bring in hosts of plants from around the world to this location – so you’ll spot plants and vegetation from Africa, Asia, and beyond. Fantastic! All the plants are on a large hill, and you can run around and explore throughout the hill on a myriad of paths and trails.
Everywhere you look – a new plant.
Moanaloa Gardens in Honolulu, Hawaii
I specifically visited the Moanloa Gardens as I really wanted to visit and see the Hitachi tree, one of Japan’s most recognized branding symbols. As someone in digital marketing, this highly interests me. And guess what? The tree was as majestic and beautiful as I had visualized in my mind! It was absolutely gorgeous.
Although we kept getting pelted with rain off and on, I got my picture with the tree, with my husband stepping in a fire ant hill and all – and enjoyed our time here.
One thing I learned post-visit, was that the Moanaloa Gardens are where the nightwalkers reportedly walk by the most. If seen, you should not look them in the eye, but lay on the ground still, doing best not to breathe. There’s also a home to King Kahmmeme here too – built for the royalty of the time.
Luckily, it’s only a few dollars to visit the Moanaloa Gardens, so be sure to make a visit on your way back from Pearl Harbor when heading back to Waikiki. It’s just a quick little stop off the freeway!
