by Margaret Sloan, Sunset production coordinator

Our collective family fantasy of swimming in romantic tropical pools along Maui’s famous Road to Hana was dashed by the time we got to the 10 mile marker. Secret waterfalls are evidently no longer secret, are difficult to reach for the less agile in our group, and trails that might lead to a pristine jungle pool are blocked by “Trespassers will be prosecuted” signs. With 27 more long miles to Hana, we were all afraid this was going to be a long—although admittedly beautiful—drive, with no place to experience the tropical landscape.

But having been disappointed at the 10 mile marker, we were cheered a half mile farther down the road.

Garden of Eden! View waterfalls! Picnic under fruit trees! Restrooms! The signs promised. We pulled in.

This is no cheesy tourist trap; the Garden of Eden Arboretum and Botanical Garden is the heart’s work of Alan Bradbury, arborist and landscape designer. 2 miles of trails wind through the perfectly manicured 26 acres, past tropical plants that are labeled with names and short squibs of information about the plants, and handcrafted rain shelters. And even the ultra-cool teenagers in the family were stunned by views of the vast Pacific Ocean and—best of all—the rock that starred in the opening scenes of Jurassic Park.

It’s a long drive  to Hana, but we spent several hours exploring the Garden of Eden and lunching in a rain shelter at the top of a hill, basking in the fresh trade winds. We ran out of time to check out the gallery of locally created art and the resident bird show (macaws and cockatoo) but the gardens were beauty enough. $10 per person, $5 for ages 12 and under; Open daily, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; 10600 Hana Highway (on Highway 360, between mile marker 10 and 11); mauigardenofeden.com or 808/572-9899.