Discover Foster Botanical Garden with an Expert

Free guided tours resume at one of Honolulu’s most biodiverse botanical gardens.

Tucked away in an urban jungle of concrete buildings and bustling streets, Foster Botanical Garden is a hidden gem and provides a peaceful respite. Opened to the public in 1931, it’s the oldest of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens, which includes Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden, Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, Wahiawā Botanical Garden and Koko Crater Botanical Garden.   

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Spread across 14 acres in downtown Honolulu, the flourishing garden is teeming with flora and fauna. Here, visitors can wander by a 200-foot quipo tree that was planted in 1933, and not far they can find a bodhi tree, which was planted in 1913. Monarch butterflies flutter over pua kalauna, also known as crown flowers, and during winter months, kōlea, also known as the pacific golden plover, frequent the gardens.  

For visitors interested in learning more about the exquisite plant collection at Honolulu’s oldest botanical garden, tours are now available—the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.  

The 90-minute tours are available Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m. These docent-led tours are included in the price of admission to the garden, which is $5 for visitors, $3 for kamaʻāina (residents) and $1 for keiki (children 6-12 years old). Children under 5 can enjoy the garden for free.  

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“We are so thrilled to once again offer these tours to the public,” said Honolulu Botanical Gardens Director Joshlyn Sand in a news release. “Our dedicated and educated volunteers underwent six weeks of training to get them ready to share the garden’s ike (knowledge). Much like the changing landscape at the garden, and the diverse volunteers guiding these garden journeys, no two tours are alike. We encourage you to enjoy the tours whenever you stop by the garden, and experience Foster Botanical Garden from a variety of perspectives.” 

Reservations are recommended for the tours but not required. Visitors can make a reservation by calling 808-768-7135 or emailing hbg@honolulu.gov.  

If you can’t see the garden in person, you can still enjoy a tour on a virtual visit at bit.ly/VirtualFosterGarden.