Visiting Allerton Gardens in Kauai

While Allerton Gardens is most well known as a filming site for Jurassic Park (the ‘Raptor eggs’ were found in the trunks of the Moreton Bay Fig Trees) the grounds are vast and varied featuring exotic plants, sculptures and water features.

The gardens were originally designed by Queen Emma, who resided here after the death of her husband and son. It passed through the hands of the McBryde Family, who eventually sold it to Robert Allerton in 1938. 

Allerton, who studied art in Europe, immediately began to expand the garden, creating formal ‘garden rooms’ throughout the property.

While walking from ‘room to room’, you will be enveloped in a tropical rainforest. The plants and trees are not all native. The Allertons traveled extensively and had some of their favorites shipped over from tropical Asia and some Pacific Islands.

The only way to visit the garden is by taking a tour. There are 6 tours available, some include a visit to the McBryde Gardens, as well. We choose to visit both gardens, one right after the other. The tour of Allerton was 2.5 hours long and cost $60/adult, $30/child.

Water fountains and features play a prominent role in the designs created by the Allertons. 

The Allerton family considered themselves to be ‘landscape architects’ and were continually adding to the gardens.

This feature was designed to mimic a person’s resting heartbeat. The water at the end pulses like a heartbeat.

The area with the Moreton Bay Fig Trees is the most popular spot for tourists to take pictures and linger about.

The Lawa’i stream runs behind the trees, making the area even more picturesque. 

Along the tour, your guide will give you detailed information about all of the designs within the gardens, the sculptures, water features and history of the area and the Allertons.

The Allertons were known for throwing lavish parties, with guests moving from ‘room to room’ within the gardens. This ‘room’ was a ‘dining room’.

The gardens span 80 acres, so be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes!

While we were waiting for the bus to pick us up and bring us back to the visitor center, we noticed this huge frog playground.

There were at least 100 frogs down there! We happen to love frogs, so we spent our remaining time playing with the zoom features on our cameras.

Things to Know Before You Go:

1. Wear bug spray, the mosquitoes were feasting on anyone who didn’t.
2. Wear sunscreen and sunglasses, maybe a sun hat. Although you will be in shady areas for part of the tour, many of the areas are in full sun. 
3. The tour begins and ends at the National Tropical Botanic Gardens Visitor Center.
4. There are bathrooms at the visitor center and at the beginning/end of the tour in the garden.
5. Bring water!
6. The Visitor Center has ample parking, some grounds you can walk through, a gift shop, and bathrooms.
7. They currently have a 24 hour cancellation policy, but it’s best to check their website for current policies regarding cancellations, weather issues and covid protocols.

If we ever return to Kauai, we would take another tour here. We think the dinner and house tour would be a fun experience. Our next adventure was a Napali Coast/Snorkel Boat Ride, which was simply delightful. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.

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More Botanic Gardens 

Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens in Kauai

Visiting the McBryde Gardens in Kauai

The Garden of Eden Arboretum in Maui

The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens – The Big Island

The Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago

The Olbrich Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin

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