Aloha!  I'm taking the family to the Big Island in a couple weeks and wanted to see if there are any "must see" gardens that are kid friendly.   ("Kid friendly" meaning that its an easy stroll through type of place, probably with bathrooms nearby-- the kids are 7 and 4).  

We're being tourists on the Kohala Coast, I'm guessing most cool tropical gardens are on the Hilo side... I'm a little nervous about the whole dengue fever thing going on there right now so we'll be rocking the bug spray.  

Hawaii Tropical Bontanical Garden is a must visit. It was the highlight of our trip. Although it'll be a steep hike for the kids, the paths are paved and it would definitely be worth it. Enjoy!

Hi Chris,

The only "kid friendly" garden I can think of would be Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden a few miles north of Hilo (on the so called "Scenic Route" by Onomea Bay) and it's definitely worth seeing, just in general. Not to downplay the danger or problems with dengue fever but I should mention that for those living here it's a total non-issue. That being said, bug spray is always a good idea, and especially at HTBG.

Aloha,

Bo-Göran

Great info, I'll definitely plan on checking out Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.  

Would it be too much to plan additional stops on the Hilo side that day?  How much time would be reasonable to spend strolling through the gardens, more of a half-day thing or more of a 1-2 hour thing?

I'm trying to remember how long we spent, but I think the kids especially would be done after a couple hours. You may want to spend longer than them, though. 

There are plenty of great stops on the way, though.

One hour would definitely not be enough, and I agree, a couple of hours probably close to ideal considering a 4 and a 7 year old. And with kids that age you may want to check out Ken's House of Pancakes, corner of Highway 11 and 19 in Hilo. Street names are Kamehameha Avenue for Hwy 19 and Kanoelehua Avenue for Hwy 11. To confuse the issue, you will see the name Mamalahoa Highway on various maps for BOTH of these streets but this name is not on ANY sign in Hilo. Ken's is a very "local" place and would be good for kids (as well as adults). Servings are very generous... And lots more than just pancakes. As a matter of fact, pretty much anything and everything.

About 3-4 miles south of Hilo there's a sign for Hilo Zoo, to your right as you're heading south out of Hilo. About a mile up that side street. No charge to enter and lots of palms as well as animals but not a big zoo. An hour or so will be sufficient. You may also want to stop by at Moku Ola (Coconut Island) just off shore from Banyan Drive, a mile away from downtown (east). Walk out across the short bridge and enjoy the view. A small sandy beach. The kids will enjoy getting their feet wet there. OR, drive about 2 miles out on Kalanianaole Avenue to Onekahakaha Beach, where there's a very protected white sand beach, perfect for all ages. If you drive out there on a weekend you will NOT find parking however. A weekday ideal.

Ooh, don't forget What's Shakin'. Very close to the gardens and delicious smoothies.

Feel free to contact me if you want to check out a garden closer by, or when you are visiting Kailua Town. I'm about 35 mins from Kohala, up above Kailua. It is kid friendly as long as you can keep an eye on 'em. I'm having the Hawaii Island Palm Society by on Sunday, so things should be fairly well picked up and presentable (for a change).

Oh - and the dengue fever thing has really tapered off the last few weeks. Only one new case in the last several weeks, so there is a good chance it will end completely soon. 

On March 18, 2016 at 1:58:54 PM, Dypsisdean said:

Feel free to contact me if you want to check out a garden closer by, or when you are visiting Kailua Town. I'm about 35 mins from Kohala, up above Kailua. It is kid friendly as long as you can keep an eye on 'em. I'm having the Hawaii Island Palm Society by on Sunday, so things should be fairly well picked up and presentable (for a change).

Oh - and the dengue fever thing has really tapered off the last few weeks. Only one new case in the last several weeks, so there is a good chance it will end completely soon. 

Great, I may just take you up on your offer!