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    Hawaii Nature Center

    4.7 (41 reviews)
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    Taking a break
    Carrie G.

    Hikers park in the lot at the bottom of the street then go up and around the long way rather than walk along the paved road. The path is a lot longer to reach the trailhead and it's muddy so after you wash your shoes be prepared and bring a change of shoes for your car! There's a decent amount of parking but it does fill up, and the trail is clearly marked and easy to follow (aka, I trust myself not to get lost!!) It's a decent workout- and the loop means you have a different view of stuff throughout the hike, vs having to turn around and go back the same way. It takes me about 1.5 hours to do the ~3 mile loop. If you go with kids or people who take their time, plan on at least 2.5 hours. If you turn right at the bench and trail map sign at the beginning of the trail, that side is dryer, and is a steeper ascent, but the other 2 parts of the loop are mostly downhill. If you go left, it's lusher and muddier but mostly uphill at a less steep slope for more of the trail. There's 2 bench spots on the trail you can sit and rest at. There's a few water crossings, but it's not deep. Dog friendly! The beginning of the trail has several signs marking the types of plants, and 2 bridges that go over rivers. I know they do kids education programs and I think they do a great job in the community. The gate closes at sunset. I've never been locked in, but have gotten stuck past sunset the time I brought a friend who brought a baby so we were slowed down and had to do the last mile by my phone's flashlight. That was gnarly!!

    Cindy L.

    We came here for my daughter's preschool field trip. Yes, a bunch of 3 to 5 year olds running around. The Nature Center provided a great outing for the kids, we started with an introduction of the forest with story time. Went onto a 30-minutes hike up the hills, exploring different leaves, trees and insect sounds, then came back to the center to play some kid's activities like jumping like a grasshopper, petting rabbits, digging for worms and etc. TIPS - Must wear insect repellent and shoes. The Nature Center also have programs for non-school events, like birthday parties, or just a family time to explore the woods.

    Lori I.

    We had a bunch of 6 yr old boys here for a birthday party and they got down and dirty and had a great time. There were two parts to the 2hr guided nature hike/tour: NATURE HIKE 1. Collect items to make a TERRARIUM...The boys (and a few brave girls)dug for worms, picked up rocks, sticks, leaf skeletons, seedlings, bugs, slugs, snails and piled them into a bucket.... (Since my son doesn't usually get to dig for worms, I think this was the highlight of the whole entire experience). 2. Along the way, they saw the Lo'i Kalo (taro patch), a colony of bees, and different types of flora/fauna. They also learned about decomposers, and a little bit about the life cycles of the plants/animals. The hike was short and easy, slightly uphill, and was very muddy and slippery. A few kids slipped on the way down, so you've been warned...they were covered with mud by the end of the trail... TIP: 1. WEAR INSECT REPELLANT. 2. Wear shoes that you don't mind getting all muddy. 3. WEAR BUG SPRAY. 4. Wear long sleeved shirts/long pants. 5. SPRAY THAT BUG SPRAY ALL OVER YOU. I had long sleeves with cuffs, long pants (with no openings) and sprayed my neck and face but the mosquitos still managed to bite my ass through my pants. (!!) When the boys got back to the pavillion, they assembled their terrariums. Miss Michelle was awesome and really got the kids into designing and building a self-sustaining ecosystem in their jar. The kids would have been completely happy with that, but then it was time for part 2: FISHING in Makiki Stream: The Hawaii Nature Center provided the nets for all the kids and Michelle took them down to the stream and explained where the best places were to find fish. Since it had just rained, the water was brown but all the kids managed to catch shrimp or fish and put them in in the buckets. They released their catch after they were finished (most of them did, anyway). TIP: 1. WEAR BUG SPRAY. 2. In a large group of boys, there is a very good chance that one of them will either jump in or get very wet. BRING EXTRA CLOTHES AND DRY SHOES. 3. WEAR INSECT REPELLANT. 4. Make sure your son does not put the shrimp in his pocket to take home. 5. Blah blah blah...BUG SPRAY. Birthday party for a bunch of boys=Awesome!

    Angelo A.

    We just attended a birthday party (for a large group of energetic 5 year olds) at the Hawaii Nature Center - and it was FANTASTIC. The Nature Center provided (very patient) guides who led the kids on a bug hunt in a nearby field and fishing for shrimp in the adjacent stream. After a break for birthday cake, they concluded with a fun craft activity. The kids were excited and engaged the entire time. There's a covered area with tables, as well as bathrooms. Not sure what the exact cost is, but the mom hosting the party said it was reasonable. Would definitely recommend the Nature Center as an option for a fun birthday party. Even if you're not attending a party, the Nature Center is the starting point of many trails/hikes into Makiki. We already have plans to take visiting family members here. Limited parking available (small lot). Bring LOTS of bug spray!!!

    took a hike on the trail
    Jessica R.

    I went on a field trip today with a 1st grade class. this place is in makiki & around by tantalus area. once we got there there were 3 people who split the class in half to show them seperate areas. the first area we went to was the fishing area. we hiked down a trail (not too long) & our mentor showed us how to capture little shrimp in nets. dont worry we put them back in the stream haha. oh and i must warn you to wear mosquito repellent because there is the load of mosquitos there! very itchy! esp if you're with kids. orrr you could wear pants and a long sleeve. the second area we went to was the grasshopper field. yes this was cool! we got little jars to capture grasshoppers and we also put them back in the meadow. the kids loved this activity! the third area we went to was a hike. this hike was kind of long. we experienced all the plants & habitats on the hike & saw a taro farm. the kids were kind of grumbling but having fun at the same time because there were so much to see on this hike. it rained the night before so it was kind of muddy (which was not fun for me) lol overall, this is a fun & adventerous place for kids & they said they also do bday parties & camps there. wow!

    Judie H.

    BEST PLACE EVER!!! This was one of the field trips we went to through the Hula Conference. They have many things tailored to teaching kids all about the land and how to preserve and respect it. Sometimes you need to listen to how they lecture 4th graders to get that "ahhhh ha" moment. The way our guide Jamie taught us about how the hawaiian islands were formed was the cutest thing ever. Very interactive...very informative. The hike after the lecture was beautiful. Afterward she brought us up the hill to a beautiful view of the whole Waikiki area. A halau sister who grew up here told me she had a childhood birthday party here one year and she LOVED IT...if you have kids...you should bring them to the camp here. Worth it...very worth it

    Keoni V.

    Great weekend programs for keiki. Top-notch educators and great nature experiences. We attended three classes and loved all of them!

    I can't post the cute ones around the circles due to being minors but they had a blast
    Michelle B.

    I took my students here for a field trip today. We had Ms Brooke as your guide. She was so incredibly patient with my students. I warned her ahead of time that my students are a little rambunctious and she just rolled with it. She kept them preoccupied and engaged the entire day. When the students started to become off tasked, she quickly moved on to a new activity. The day started under a covered area where she reviewed the plant, gas, water, nutrient, animal life cycles. She reviewed all the material with the students and then we were off. We started on a trail up through the forest which lead to a stream. We talked about the water cycle in more detail and then the students went fishing in the stream. The students decided this was a great time to get wet, so many of them hoped into the water. We then continued through out the trail stopping along the way to talk about the other cycles of plants, gas, nutrients and animal cycles. The students loved talking about the nutrient cycle and loved looking for worms in the mud. This was a great day for the students. They were covered head to toe in mosquito bites, mud, and soaked to the bone but they were happy. Kudos to Ms. Brooke for working with our class and having the patience of a saint. I would highly recommend the Hawaii Nature Center for a field trip or just to go hike around.

    I am a teacher and i took my kindergarteners here for a field trip and it was amazing!!!!! We had a guide (mr. Taylor) who was amazing with the kids. He knew how to work with them so well and the kids had a blast! It was nice to see the kids get a little dirty in nature, at first they were apprehensive but they soon were having fun. Kids need to play in mud sometimes and unfortunately many kids aren't given that opportunity. I LOVED IT!!!! Best field trip I have ever taken my kids to!

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    Gorgeous, less crowded so you can truly enjoy being surrounded by lush scenery and wildlife.

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    Mahalo for taking the time to comment. We hope to see you again soon.

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    Hawaii Nature Center Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Hawaii Nature Center

    Do you still do birthday parties? I was looking online for information. Thanks!

    Yes, they do. https://hawaiinaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024.30.01-HNC-Birthday-Party-Flyer.pdf

    Are we allowed to decorate for birthdays? And do we get to do all 3 activities or do we choose 1?

    Aloha! Yes, you are allowed to decorate for birthday parties as you wish. You pick one of the activities due to time constraints. Mahalo for your interest!

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    Review Highlights - Hawaii Nature Center

    We talked about the water cycle in more detail and then the students went fishing in the stream.

    Mentioned in 10 reviews

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