Harold L. Lyon Arboretum | A University of Hawaii Research Unit

ALOHA!

Lyon Arboretum is part of the University of Hawaiʻi and a public botanical garden. We are nestled in the back of Mānoa Valley, just five miles from the bustle of Waikiki. The Arboretum has over 7 miles of hiking trails and boasts more than 6,000 taxa of tropical and subtropical plants across our nearly 200 acres.

To learn more, click on the topics in the navigation menu above.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Community classes added for September! Yoga and Mindful Hike and Nature Bathing. Scroll down for more information.
Registration for FALL NATURE DAY CAMP FOR KIDS is open! Scroll down for the link.
The School Tour/Organized Group Tour Request Form is now open for School Year 2026-2027! Go to our Education page for more information.
Now Offering Walk-Up Docent-Led Tours! – Discover the stories, plants, and history of Lyon Arboretum with one of our volunteer docents. Click here for more information.
Our Seed Conservation Lab is being renovated, and we will have frequent closures with short notice. Please check this page for closures before visiting.

VISIT

Hours:

During normal operations, we are open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, and closed on weekends and State and Federal holidays. Be aware of last-minute closures due to construction on the property. Check our calendar for closures and events.

Admission:

Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. The suggested donation amount is $10 per person.

No reservations are required at this time. Parking is first-come, first-served. If the lot is full, there is a paid parking lot at Paradise Park, located before Lyon.

Groups:

Organized groups (schools, homeschools, mommy groups, churches, business groups, etc.) with 8+ participants are REQUIRED to make arrangements with the Lyon Education Department (email Lyonedu@hawaii.edu).

K-12 schools and college groups can visit our K12 EDUCATION PAGE or UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE GROUPS for more information about our school tours and to request a tour. All school tour requests must be made through our field trip request form found on the education webpage.

A fee will be assessed for coordinating group visits.

For questions, call the MAIN OFFICE at (808) 988-0456.

Mahalo!

Community Classes and Events

SEPTEMBER CLASSES

Saturday, September 12th, 9:30-11:30 am

Create your own jade bonsai while learning pruning, wiring, and care from master bonsai artists. Includes a plant to take home.

SOLD OUT! Waitlist only – Click here to get on the waitlist: Eventbrite

Friday, September 25th, 9:30-11:30 am

Create your own Japanese kokedama! Learn this beautiful moss ball art form and take home a unique living plant creation.
To sign up, click here: Eventbrite

Saturday, September 26th, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Recharge your body and mind with a relaxing yoga session and then practice some mindfulness on a relaxing hike through the arboretum.
For details and tickets, click here: Eventbrite

Monday, September 28th, 9:30 am – 11:30 am
Trade the Monday rush for a mindful walk through Lyon Arboretum. Disconnect from your phone and reconnect with nature.
To learn more, click here: Eventbrite

Scroll below for a glance at our Lyon community classes for the upcoming months. You can also click the link below to view our calendar. To see other upcoming classes, go to our Community Class page and view the Events Calendar.

Click Here for the Events and Closures Calendar

To view information about the class, click on the calendar date and entry to open the Eventbrite link. Classes are usually held on Fridays or Saturdays.

Camps and School Tours

Registration opens on Monday, August 24th. Fall Camp runs during the DOE Fall Break, October 5th-9th.

Learn more about our FALL Nature Camp here: FALL CAMP INFO AND REGISTRATION

School Tours: We are now taking requests for school tours! Check out our school tour calendar for our availability. We do not take requests over the phone or email. Please fill out our online request form. More info here: LYON SCHOOL TOURS