Kaneohe

Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden is on my list of the top ten most beautiful nature places you can drive to. Hoʻomaluhia means "to make a place of peace and tranquility."  This breathtaking gem was built in 1982 by the US Army Corps of Engineering to prevent flooding.  There’s a lot to do here, you can even camp and fish.  There’s a nature trail by the Botanic Library that takes you to a lake. It’s...

Stand Up Paddleboards can be rented in the nearby town of Kailua at various watersports shops. Kayaks can also be rented as another option. The bay can be reached by public access points in neighborhoods at Kaneohe Bay (there are 3 on Mikiola Drive) or at Kaneohe Beach Park.Rental Options: Kailua Beach Adventures Sammy's Aloha Watersports

Friendship Gardens Trail is a loop trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii.

Likeke Falls Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii.

V Falls is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfalls located near Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii.

Ko'olau Summit Trail (Pali Puka) is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii.

Pu'u Ma'eli'eli Digging Hill is a fun hike with stunning views over the ocean. The round-trip hike is mostly flat with a few steep inclines and takes about 1.5 hours at a leisurely pace. Most of the hike is covered, so the sun doesn’t play a big factor, but it can get pretty muddy and humid after a rain. This easy hike has a big payoff at the top - panoramic views of Kaneohe Bay, from Coconut ...

Resting at the foot of the Ko'olau Mountains, the Byodo-In Temple was built to commemorate the first Japanese immigrants that came to Hawaii. This beautiful Buddhist temple is a smaller-scale replica of an over 950 year old Buddhist temple in Uji, Japan.The temple grounds host wildlife such as hundreds of koi, black swans, and peacocks replicate a feeling of being in a different country.The bes...

Named Three Peaks for obvious reasons, this spine-tingling trail allows you to hike as far as you want (picture above is the view from the 3rd peak). Don't feel comfortable about continuing? You can turn around any time. (Just remember that there's no easy exit - you have to go back the way you came.) It takes about an hour-and-a-half to get to the top of the first peak, and, when compared with...