What To Do In Hawaii - Foster Botanical Garden #travel #hawaii

There are so many wonderful things to explore in Hawaii. I am so entranced with the beauty of the island of Oahu and visiting Foster Botanical Garden gave me the opportunity to see stunning flowers, majestic trees, and much more.

At the entrance to the garden is a Visitor Information Booth where we received a map for a self-guided tour. It's only a $5 entrance fee for travelers to Hawaii, which is a fabulous bargain for a fun and educational half-day trip! They also offer guided tours at no extra charge.

Foster Botanical Garden is a beautiful home for many birds and lizards. Fortunately, there are no snakes in Hawaii! As we followed along on the self-guided tour, I was amazed at  all the different kinds of palm trees.

Throughout the garden, which covers 21 acres, there are small plaques on many of the trees that provide the name of the tree. The Upper Terrace, which is the oldest part of the garden, dates back to 1853, where huge trees tower overhead.

There are other special areas in the garden, such as the Lyon Orchid Garden and the Butterfly Garden, among others. The weather in Hawaii is simply wonderful, ranging in temperature from about 75-85 most of the time, with small, intermittent showers that keep the islands' plants and flowers growing.

In the couple of weeks we've been here, we have seen a short rain shower nearly every day, followed by hours of wonderful sunshine. The combination of rain and sunshine produces lots of rainbows, which is why Hawaii is called the Rainbow State!

Lots of the trees in this tropical wonderland had fruits growing on them. I got to see some fruits I've never even heard of! Foster Botanical Garden encourages visitors to avoid touching or eating the plants to avoid any adverse reactions.

There are 24 "exceptional trees" throughout the garden, marked with gold labels, designated by City Ordinance. There is also a Prehistoric Glen that features cycads, which are deemed "living fossils" because they were here long before the dinosaurs.

The picture above is just one of the Exceptional Trees! I was amazed at the height of some of the trees and even more amazed at the width of some of them. We had so much fun following the self-guided tour - it was like a scavenger hunt, looking for the next numbered plant.

The flowers were everywhere, including on many of the trees. Many of them were in different stages of blooming, so I was a bit sad the Cacao tree wasn't in bloom yet, but I giggled at the Sausage Tree (yes, it's a real thing!).

The Baobab Tree (below) was so impressive! It would probably take at least 10 people holding hands to reach all the way around the tree.

The Pitcher Plant (below) is a carnivorous plant, which means it eats meat. The cup shape contains a sweet smelling juice that entices insects inside. Since the insects cannot get out of the juice, they become a meal for the plant. Isn't nature amazing?

Below are some of the beautiful flowers throughout the garden:

There is also an Economic Garden filled with lots of herbs and spices. I could smell it long before we walked through it. I also found this fun totem pole near the giant Baobab Tree, which made for a fantastic photo opportunity!

Foster Botanical Garden also has a number of Corpse Flowers. These incredible plants only bloom every 5-7 years. The one below is due to bloom this week! When it blooms, it emits a horribly stinky smell. Although I would have liked to see it bloom, I'm not sorry I missed the smell.

Pineapples are nearly synonymous with Hawaii, but did you realize that they didn't originate here? They were actually introduced into the Hawaiian Islands in 1813, by a Spanish advisor to King Kamehameha. In 1901, James Drummond Dole started what we now know as the Dole Pineapple.

Foster Botanical Garden is a wonderful way to spend a morning or afternoon. There are a few picnic tables outside if you want to bring along a picnic lunch. Be sure to stop in the little gift shop to find unique gifts, some made by local artisans.

Foster Botanical Garden is located at 50 North Vineyard Blvd, in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. They are open seven days a week and offer a daily guided tour at 1pm. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and very friendly. Make sure you wear sturdy, comfortable shoes and apply sunscreen. Find their web page HERE.

Click HERE to see what else to do in Hawaii!

Sole Provisions - Fashionable, Comfortable Shoes for Summer Fun

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Summertime means more outside time, and finding comfortable shoes is the best way to make sure you are enjoying every moment. Now that I'm living in Hawaii, I'm finding myself doing much more walking than I've ever done. I was so excited when Sole Provisions invited me to try the Vionic Tia Sandals in Charcoal.

I am so in love with these shoes! They are amazingly comfortable! As I slipped them onto my feet, the insole wrapped perfectly around the bottom of my foot, with plenty of arch support and little massaging points in all the right places.

The material that sits between my toes and wraps around my heel is super silky-soft, almost to the point where I don't even feel it's there. There is just enough elastic to keep it on my heel with no slippage.

The woven strap features different colors of gray and offers the perfect amount of give when I'm walking. The two kinds of straps are independent of each other, making them very easy to put on or take off. This cute style comes in Charcoal, Black, Berry, or Teal.

The soles are made of a durable rubber material, designed to prevent slipping even when they are wet. I've walked all around Waikiki in these shoes, even across the beaches, and they are a dream to wear. I absolutely love my Vionic Tia Sandals!

Sole Provisions has been offering fantastic shoes since 1997. They have great styles for women, men, and kids. They even offer free priority 2-3 day shipping! No matter where you're going this summer, be sure your feet are unbelievably comfortable so that you can truly enjoy yourself.

Shop at www.soleprovisions.com for summer flip flops, sandals, athletic shoes, loafers, pumps, boots, clogs, and so much more. Be sure to check out their handbags and accessories too. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to be the first to know about new styles and special promotions!

www.soleprovisions.com

Giveaway! $50 Lily Nily Jewelry Gift Card

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to the Red, White and Blue

Giveaway Hop

Hosted by LeahSay's Views

and Planet Weidknecht

June 17 - July 6

I've teamed up with a wonderful group of bloggers to bring you a giveaway hop where you can win all kinds of great prizes! Each blogger is hosting a giveaway on their blog and you can enter to win each one on the list below. Good luck!

I'm giving away a

$50 Lily Nily Gift Card!

Lily Nily offers a fabulous line of quality fashion jewelry for girls. These stylish bangles, bracelets, pendants, necklaces, earrings, and rings will quickly become the go-to items in your girl's jewelry box. Lily Nily jewelry features designs girls will love!

Got a cheerleader? Check out the Cheerleader Pendants!
Is she your little princess? Order her the Princess Wand Bracelet!
Have an animal lover? The Dog Paw Stud Earrings will be her favorite pair!

There are so many to choose from AND Lily Nily offers free shipping to all 50 states!

I received the Red White and Blue Heart Pendant and the Red White and Blue Heart Stud Earrings. I am so impressed with the quality! They are both 18k gold-plated brass and enamel, feature a two-sided design, and are hand-painted. Each item arrived in a beautiful pink gift box. This adorable jewelry line is perfect for birthdays, holidays, special events, or just to remind her that you love her. Your girl will be delighted with her Lily Nily Jewelry!

Want to win?
To enter to win a $50 Gift Card to shop at www.lilynily.com, just fill in the giveaway form below. Giveaway is open to US residents, ages 18 and up. One winner will be randomly selected. Giveaway ends on July 6, 2016. Good luck!

Bloggers Wanted! Good Ole Summertime Giveaway Hop (7/23-8/12)

Join LeahSay's Views and Planet Weidknecht

for the "Good Ole Summertime Giveaway Hop Event"

July 23 - August 12, 2016

The Good Ole Summertime event is not "themed."

When you add your blog home page link below, you are agreeing to the following:
And yes, some of the things listed should be standard, and we've removed blogs from events for not following our simple rules. If you have a question about a prize being acceptable, please ask.

Post your own dedicated giveaway for this event, from July 23, 2016, at 12:01 a.m. (one minute after midnight) until August 12, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. Everyone should set their post according to EST. Posts without a visible post by 4 AM will be deleted from linky.

Your Giveaway may be self-sponsored (with a gift card or PayPal ONLY *no exceptions*) or a company-sponsored (prize shipped directly from the sponsor to the winner). Giveaway prize must be family-friendly and valued at a minimum of $25.00, not the suggested retail price, the SALE price must meet the $25 minimum.

Blogs without a giveaway post live at 4:00 a.m. on July 23 with ALL requirements will be removed from the linky. Sign up closes on July 21, 2016.

***You are not required to post in advance of the giveaway event, HOWEVER... if you would like to help promote and bring in more participants, please place the event button in your sidebar, and link back to this post so others can join the fun.

We encourage you to also join the Weidknecht Events Facebook Group at
http://www.facebook.com/groups/WeidknechtEvents/

Your giveaway post on July 23, 2016, must include the following:
- Good Ole Summertime Hop Event Button
- Links (nofollow, right click to copy the hosts links to insert into each host's name) to the hosts, LeahSay's Views and Planet Weidknecht (LeahSay is one word)
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- Your giveaway description, along with a photo of the NEW prize, and your contest form.

Giveaway Hop reminder and linky code will be provided at least one day before the hop begins, by email (make sure you double check your email when signing up).

Questions can be directed to [email protected].

Join the fun and promote your product with a great group of bloggers!

Please sign up with your blog name, HOME PAGE link, and email (double-check). If you add a link to any page other than the home page of your blog you will be removed from the linky.

Weekly Giveaway Linky - Wednesday Wealth (June 15 - 21)

An InLinkz Link-up