Cleaved by a two gushing streams and fronted by dramatic seascape, Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is right there among the state's best—a perfected blend of the wild and the manicured. You descend 500 feet on a boardwalk into Plantworld, getting lost on paths that lead to a tranquil koi pond, a whitewater falls and footbridge, an aviary of colorful birds, and numerous benches to sit for awhile and watch the layers of botany reveal themselves.
You don't have to have a green thumb to love this place. On the first visit the garden is overwhelming (in a good way) and after many visits you will appreciate the creativity and elbow grease that has gone into its 30-year history. HTBG is located on the four-mile Onomea Scenic Drive just north of Hilo, on a steep hillside that gives way to Turtle Cove and historic Onomea Bay.
