Have you ever seen the lush jungles of Jurassic Park plastered all over Instagram and wondered where that place is? Well, my friends, it’s the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden in Oahu, Hawaii. And I’m here to give you all the tips + tricks for visiting!

History

First off, the actual place that Jurassic Park was filmed in is the Kualoa Ranch which is also in Oahu, but THIS place – the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden – is one of the most beautiful places in Hawaii. It’s approximately 20 minutes from Honolulu and the drive is breathtaking. From the second you drive in those gates, you are transported to another world.

The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden is 400 acres of absolute lushness with flowers represented from the Philippines, Hawaii, Africa, Sri Lanka, India, Polynesia, Melanesia, and Malaysia. The Koolau Mountain Range is what gives this place the breath-taking dramatic views and will leave you speechless.

Tips for Visiting

• It’s completely free and open every day from 9am-4pm.
• They have walking tours on Saturday at 10am and Sundays at 1pm.
• You are not allowed to take photos in front of the infamous entrance (pictured above, we got the shot as we were driving through in a convertible). There is always a security guard and they will stop you the second you walk past those gates.
  • THEY STOPPED US! When we tried to walk through with a camera in hand. But, the guard was kind enough to tell us to come back at like 6am as there is a hole on the left side of the fence, but we never woke up that early. Blame it on the Aloha lifestyle.
• The entire drive through the gardens takes about 20 minutes depending on how often you stop.
• They have multiple parking lots to park in for free so you can walk around the grounds.
• There is a picnic area you can reserve along with camping permits!
  • New life goal right there!

All in all, you will not regret a visit to the stunning Hoomahulia Botanical Garden and it should be top on your list for your Oahu plans. Thank you for reading and leave a comment if you’ve ever been here.

For more of our travel guides head here!

XO, C