Moanalua Gardens are a privately owned public park offering 24 acres of unspoiled grounds and famed for the large monkeypod tree and historic cottage found within the park. The vast gardens are located about 15 minutes north of city centre Honolulu. The park is popular for recreation-seekers, sightseers, and those just looking to get away from the city in a safe, welcoming spot with rolling green fields and groves.
The gardens were originally the property of the Kamehameha Royal Family, who originally founded the Kingdom of Hawaii. Today, they attract visitors from all over the world and make for a serene retreat on your family holiday. With the picturesque surroundings, the Moanalua Gardens also host weddings and other events.
Moanalua Gardens - one of the highlights of 9 Most Instagrammable Places in Honolulu (Read all about Honolulu here)
History of the Moanalua Gardens
In 1884, Samuel Mills Damon, a businessman of the Hawaiian kingdom, inherited the land of Moanalua and its 6,000 acres. The land was once the property of the House of Kamehameha. When Damon moved to Moanalua in 1890, he lived in the summer cottage of Prince Lot Kapuaiwa, the prince of Kamehameha V, and set to restore it.
Moanalua Gardens was established in 1898 after Damon travelled to Edinburgh and met a young Scottish horticultural landscaper, Donald Macintyre. He brought Macintyre to the island to create the gardens and build lawns with shade trees, mangos, monkeypod trees, and tropical plants and flowers. Glass atriums were built all over the gardens to display exotic plants, such as orchids.
photo by Eric Tessmer (CC BY 3.0) modified
Highlights and features of the Moanalua Gardens
There are 2 major attractions within the Moanalua Gardens public park. The first is the Kamehameha V Cottage at the garden's western end, a property owned by the reigning royal family in Hawaii. The cottage was built in the 1850s by then-prince Lot Kapuâiwa, who would become King Kamehameha V. It has occupied 4 different locations in the park over the years.
The second major attraction is the massive Hitachi tree, a monkeypod tree known for its unique umbrella-shaped canopy. It's at the centre of the park and is registered by the City and County of Honolulu as an Exceptional Tree, meaning it cannot be moved or destroyed without city approval. You could also see the exotic greenhouses throughout the garden.
What to know about the Moanalua Gardens
Though the Gardens are open to the public and considered a public park, they are on privately owned land. As such, there is a small entry fee, though children under 6 get in free, and children aged 6-12, Kama'aina, and military veterans get a discounted rate. The gardens are accessible by car and have private parking. The site is also accessible by bus.
For people with disabilities, portions of the park are accessible. Still, some parts may be difficult to access by people with limited mobility because of the nature of the unspoiled wildlands. The gardens have a small gift shop with souvenir glasses, mugs, keychains, drinks, snacks, and apparel to purchase as a memento of your visit.
photo by Eric Tessmer (CC BY 3.0) modified
Moanalua Gardens
Location: 2850 Moanalua Rd A, Honolulu, HI 96819, USA
Phone: +1 808-834-8612
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