Highway 19, from Hilo just past mile marker 16
About 300 acres of former sugarcane land are slowly giving way to a botanical center, which includes native Hawaiian plants such as orchids, palms, gingers, hibiscus, and heliconias. In the 10-acre arboretum, children love to wind their way through a maze made of shrubs. From within the gardens you have access to splendid views of one of the prettiest waterfalls on the isle, triple-tiered Umauma Falls. You may feel a little bit cheated, since it's $8 per person to essentially drive in, park, get out, and view the falls from a distance, but unfortunately this is the only place to see Umauma without some pretty rigorous hiking and scrambling.
Content provided by
. Copyright © by Fodor's Travel, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

