Proposed master plan for Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden includes new tourist fee

KĀNEʻOHE (HawaiiNewsNow) – Dozens of community members joined botanical garden staff Wednesday night for an interactive presentation of the near-final master plan for Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, which includes proposals for renovated facilities and a tourist entry fee.

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The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation presented the long-range plan during an informational session at Windward Community College.

The effort to draft the first-ever master plan for the 400-acre garden began last fall and was developed based on input from workshops, focus groups, and public meetings.

Proposed garden improvements

The phased plan is intended to guide the future of Oʻahu’s largest botanical garden for the next two decades.

Proposed physical improvements include upgraded facilities with more interactive features, community gathering areas, and an enhanced main entrance relocated further away from nearby homes.

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To help offset the cost of these developments, officials are considering a tourist entrance fee similar to the one at Hanauma Bay. The concept is already gaining traction after the garden tallied over 729,000 visitors last year.

Balancing tourism and preservation

The 400-acre botanical garden has served the Windward Oʻahu community since opening in 1982. The plan aims to expand the garden’s role as a community resource while remaining responsive to the needs of Koʻolaupoko residents and preserving the ʻāina.

Amid record-breaking attendance, the city implemented a one-day-a-week closure on Thursdays starting in 2026 to help preserve the park, which also completed an extensive road repaving project in January 2026.

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City officials expect to release the finalized master plan this fall.