Maunawili Valley Neighborhood Park

Always a favorite spot, very clean, and well-maintained. This park has beautiful scenery of the mountains! Also, the public bathrooms and working water fountains are extremely helpful. Parking was fairly small but park was nice.

This is an Oahu treasure! It's free, relaxing, and full of wonderment. A great place for a family picnic, for a stroll to do some casual bird watching or just to enjoy the beautiful plants in this huge Hawaiian garden. On the day we visited, there was a local art show exhibiting some talented local artists' paintings. The weather was perfect, and we spent a little time exploring the beautiful grounds. There seems to be lots of events here, including fishing in the reservoir and meetings in the garden's headquarters.I wish I had had a full day to explore the Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens or lived closer to the park to visit more frequently. But even in the short time I had, I got a sense of things - the serenity and peace that envelopes you as you wander about and explore.I highly recommend a visit when you want some unwinding time. Enjoy!

It does not get more beautiful on O'ahu than Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens! Situated on the windward side in Kane'ohe, it's very easy to drive to off the main roads (or walk from convenient bus stops). The gardens have limited hours and close at strict times, so be sure to research before you go. Driving through an unassuming residential neighborhood, the entrance can been seen heading mauka. A guard booth will guide you in. The park road is a curving dead end, leading through many camping and picnic areas. To camp overnight, you must get a vehicle permit at the office beforehand. Your first stop is the main office building which has nice restrooms, classrooms, and administration. It is here also you can walk to the lake through an area showcasing the main trees and plants found around the park. Keep an eye out for local birds, mongoose, and boar!Each campsite area is somewhat unique; some shady, cool, and damp, others out in the sunshine and open air with beautiful vistas of the mountains around. Maps are available at the office and helpful to learn the names and see all the park has to offer. The road continues and essentially wraps back around to the highways, but the far gates remain locked.My most recent visit was with the Honolulu Disc Golf Association, where an immense disc golf course was set up at the far end of the park. The course had the added benefit of showing off all the majesty of this location. Thank you to the park for hosting the club!Facilities are some of the cleanest public areas around with showers, sinks, and toilets all with running water. They also have cooking areas, both uncovered for charcoal and covered for gas. This is the perfect place to come for a day of outdoor recreation or relaxation; great to explore by bike or on foot. It is great for group events. Tourists and locals alike must come enjoy this free and pristine place!

FREE ADMISSION. BRING BUG SPRAY. FREE CATCH/RELEASE FISHING ON WEEKENDS. BRING BREAD. BRING BUG SPRAY. Bring sunscreen. Bring chairs. BRING BUG SPRAY. This review is mostly about the FISHING:Located on the windward side tucked away in a residential area is one of the larger botanical gardens on this island with a huge lake stocked with hungry fish. My kids usually go here for field trips but I had never gone here on the weekend (which is when you can fish) until recently.Usually when I think of 'botanical garden' I think of a bunch of different plants and flowers on a trail. This is nothing like that except for the first minute as you walk down to the gorgeous lawn and lake down below.Over the years we've gone here for a variety of reasons: just to eat lunch, over night camping (Boy Scouts), short hike, and of course the fishing is fun if you can catch something.HOURS: daily 9a-4pmFISHING HOURS: SAT/SUN 10-2. PRICE: FREE, and free parking.WHAT: hiking, fishing, picnic, feed the ducks, feed the fish, catch some fish (must hike 20min). FISHING: catch and release. Barbless hooks only. No casting. Bamboo poles are provided first come first serve, last one distributed at 1p, must bring back by 2:30. Must be able to hike downhill 20minutes and back up 25minutes. There is only one edge of the lake where it is ok for "fishing". We saw peacock bass and Red Devils in the water but we only caught the Reds.BAIT: white bread, not provided. The trick is to attach your bread so that it floats at the top. Don't roll it into a ball or it will sink. The fish are smart because they get fed bread on the other side of the lake, so they bite the fluffy floaters and ignore the bread balls.It's hot and humid here even on cool days and tons of bugs live and breed here so I don't like to come here too often. However, this is a great place to come, especially if you have kids. Even more so if they love fishing. BRING BUG SPRAY, apply it AS SOON AS YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR. PS Beware of leptospirosis. Bring gloves to unhook and touch the fish. Bring hand sanitizer, there are no bathrooms by the lake.

Spectacular plants, ferns and flowers with impeccably groomed grounds. Uniformed employees were busy with the upkeep throughout the grounds. The gardens have great access for vehicles, including handicap access abs parking, as well as those riding bicycles, runners and walkers. Views among the entire paved route and in designated parking areas allow great visuals for those unable to get out of their vehicles as well during inclement weather. There appears to be camping spots as well as day parking. There is also a visitors center. While driving through the gardens I observed some of our Navy men and women running along the paved routes. There were walkers of all ages and speeds out and about.

Loved this park as a kid and now take my kids there. We like to let them practice riding their bicycles down on the basketball court when it's not in use. Small playground with slides. Large open field below is technically off limits as the land rescue helicopters there when people get stuck on Olomana and Maunawili Falls trail. But I've seen people letting their dogs run around as it's a great open space. Also have seen some disc golfers playing and there are tennis courts that are often being used. Public restroom as well. Seems to be a maintenance person or guard on certain days making sure no one is parked there for hiking Olomana.

I had no idea about this place............but last year when there was a special ceremony for my friend (who passed away unexpectedly), I wasn't able to make the ceremony, but a few weeks later, one of my good friends took me to this park so I could pay my respects to my friend.Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens is located in the Kaneohe area............the best way I remembered getting there was my friend driving me up the road to the side where the "Joyce & Masa Okazuya" business was. As we headed up the valley, suddenly there was a park entrance. I swear, if my friend didn't take me here.........I don't think I could have found this place.This special park is actually a City & County park............and I must say it is maintained really well! A very beautiful park hidden in the Kaneohe neighborhood. There are hiking trails, camp sites (you need to get a permit), picnic tables, numerous types of exotic plants, and a large pond with fish.Before we headed out to this park, we stopped by Joyce & Masa's to pick up some food, and as we headed into the park, we found the special spot where they held a special ceremony for my friend. We found a bench, sat down, & had lunch to honor my departed friend.It was so peaceful here.........and as I ate, I could not help but think about the good times we had together.........What a great place to visit.........and there is no charge to get into the park too! What a deal!

The Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden (approximately 400 acres) is a botanical garden located at 45-680 Luluku Road, Kāne'ohe, Oahu, Hawaii. It is part of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens, and is open daily, without charge, except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day.The garden was established in 1982, and designed and built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers for flood protection. It is a rainforest garden, with plantings from major tropical regions around the world, grouped into distinct collections that focus on Africa, Hawaii, India and Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Melanesia, the Philippines, Polynesia, and the tropical New World. Special emphasis is placed on conserving plants native to Hawaii and Polynesia, as well as arecaceae, aroids, and heliconias.The garden includes a lake (32 acres) and walking trails, as well as a day use area, campgrounds, and a visitor center with lecture room, exhibition hall, workshop, and botanical library.WikipediaThe first stop driving in is the restroom/gift shop/information center. This Botanical Gardens is so vast you literally have to drive through it and stop at each separate point. We did just that.Halfway through our self guided tour, it started to rain. There is nothing like the rain you get in Hawaii, it smells so clean and fresh, straight from the heavens above. Of course we had to walk through it, felt so nice!The map is very handy and outlines the whole park. Almost every stopping point has a restroom, picnic area and a few with camping areas. This would be a lovely place to camp out and sit back and view the stars at night. The very last stopping point dead ended next to a small enclosed power station. There is so much to see here you could probably come back at least a dozen times and see something new you missed on the previous trip.So wonderful to see such dedication and care for the numerous plant varieties that thrive in this setting. It gives me hope for the future.

Nothing was going to ruin my older sons last day of freedom. Not a pregnant mothers ailments, nor his toddler brothers tantrums, or the fact that it was raining cats and dogs. He pulled the line, "you P-R-O-M-I-S-E-D, and a promise is a promise" on me and I had to fulfill it.All my son had asked for when school was out was the opportunity to go fishing. I've been to this gorgeous garden before because a college course. This place is huge. There are all sorts of things to do here, cloud waching, guided walks, crafts, camping, and you can have your wedding here. But thanks to the Honolulu Family Magazine I found out about the catch and release program at Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens. Tips: * Near the visitors center there are two indoor areas where you can view art with your children. FREE! * Wear Walking Shoes (I preferred wearing my crocs because it was muddy and raining. I can't stand walking in drenched foot wear.) * Beware of the man eating mosquito who pry on pregnant women! Bring mosquito repellent* Bring H20 and snacks* Rain Gear & extra clothes (I fell down and my toddler decided to make mud angels) * Fishing Bait -no live bait- We brought 3 loaves of bread from the Loves Bakery outlet in Waipahu. It only cost $3! * They provide bamboo fishing polesThere are NO bathrooms at the site. The bathrooms near the office where you sign out the fishing poles are clean. There is another bathroom at the bottom of the hill and this is your last chance to use the bathroom. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EVstacYIkIJyZDim8PoMOw?select=rtzlNX5CZU2Juh-ma21lWQ#LCiCFPDQSF6bVvn-01LqDgThere is covered siting area before you see the lake to have a picnic. There are cement benches sparingly around the area, but they are uncovered. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EVstacYIkIJyZDim8PoMOw?select=rtzlNX5CZU2Juh-ma21lWQ#IG6snGC2u8w9eyDBzcktOgInformation:FREE! FREE! FREE! This is totally free! Fishing is available Saturday and Sunday.From 10-2pm. There is an easy 20 minute hike before you get to the fishing area. Follow the red fish signs. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EVstacYIkIJyZDim8PoMOw?select=rtzlNX5CZU2Juh-ma21lWQ#kEZJyvUhh98f5da3gr5Y0QThere are tons of ducks before you hit the fishing area and they love bread. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EVstacYIkIJyZDim8PoMOw?select=rtzlNX5CZU2Juh-ma21lWQ#V9YqgKe90TLoAN_n2sjYxw A volunteer told us this is a better spot to feed the fish, if we wanted to just feed them. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EVstacYIkIJyZDim8PoMOw?select=rtzlNX5CZU2Juh-ma21lWQ#Ia4MZp4ueK9yMmLR5Lr0pAMy son caught a good amount of fish and many so close to catching. To see the smile on his face and watching my whole family having a blast was totally worth the rain, my embarrassing fall, my toddler mud bathing, and almost being eaten alive (just me) by the mosquito's.

I had no idea that such a huge, beautiful park lies minutes from my house. And for a City and County-managed facility, it's maintained very well. The park can be easily accessed from all major roads on the windward side. Off Likelike, turn right on Anoi Road, right on Luluku Road. Off Kam Highway, turn mauka onto Luluku Road (near Aloha Gas/Island Mini Mart). The park is at the end of Luluku Road. The park itself is gigantic. 400 acres of rainforest trees and shrubs from the tropics of the world. In addition, there is also a lake with fish and ducks, hiking trails, picnic tables, and camp grounds. I'd guess that the most popular attraction at this park is the lake. The lake is accessible from the visitor center (which is the first thing you encounter after the main gate). Just follow the signs to the Lake or ask someone at the visitor center. The path starts as concrete, then turns to gravel, and then grass, so wear appropriate footwear and be prepared to walk on uneven terrain. If you have a stroller, make sure it has good wheels. Bring a large picnic blanket, sunscreen, rain gear, insect repellent, snacks or bentos, and bread to feed the fish and ducks. And don't forget your camera, as the views are majestic.Please adhere to the 15 mph speed limit - there are a lot of pedestrians that walk on the road.Pets, alcohol and ball playing are not permitted.Free guided garden tours are Saturdays at 10 am and Sundays at 1pm. Camping available by permit only.Open 9-4 daily, closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. FREE admission!