National Tropical Botanical Gardens
Tucked away in Lawa'i Valley, these gardens include lands and a cottage once used by Hawai'i's Queen Emma for a summer retreat. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the rambling 252-acre McBryde Gardens to see and learn about plants collected from throughout the tropics. The 100-acre Allerton Gardens, which can be visited only on a guided tour, artfully display statues and water features that were originally developed as part of a private estate. A secluded cove known as Lawa'i Kai can be reached through Allerton Gardens (only on tour, with no time for romping around in the sand); the beach is otherwise largely inaccessible to the public. Reservations are required for tours of Allerton Gardens, but not for the self-guided tours of McBryde Gardens. The visitor center has a high-quality gift shop with botany-theme merchandise.
Besides harboring and propagating rare and endangered plants from Hawai'i and elsewhere, NTBG functions as a scientific research and education center. The organization also operates gardens in Limahuli, on Kaua'i's north shore, and in Hana, on Maui's east shore. www.ntbg.org. OPEN: McBryde Gardens Mon.-Sat. 9:30 - 2:30, Allerton Gardens tours Mon.-Sat. at 9, 10, 1, and 2, Sun. at 10 and 1.
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Island: Kauai
Address: Lawa'i Rd., across from Spouting Horn parking lot, Po'ipu, HI
Phone: 808/742-2623
Price (USD): Self-guided tour (McBryde) $20; guided tour (Allerton) $35
Source: Fodor's