Places on Oahu: Tropical Farms

Basic Information

• Name: Tropical Farms
• Where: Ka’a’awa, Oahu
• Hours: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
• Cost: Free (guided tours available for fee)
• More Information: Tropical Farms website

Narrative

One of my “go-to locations” on Oahu’s Windward Coast to take my two young kids to is Tropical Farms.  My kids like to go to the farm to crack and eat the plentiful macadamia nuts grown here.  Tropical Farms is located outside the village of Ka’a’awa and just before the Kualoa Ranch which is a major tourist attraction on Oahu:

Typically I stop here at Tropical Farms with my kids before going to the nearby beach at Kualoa Regional Park.  The farm it is typically a madhouse during the day due to the tour bus crowds, but the parking lot is big enough to where I have never had any problems finding parking:

In front of the Tropical Farms visitor center is this large and impressive wood carving of a native Hawaiian father and mother which tourists love taking photos with:

The sign below the wood carving explains how it was carved in Maui in 1959:

Inside the Tropical Farms visitor center it has a variety of products for sale to include many different variety of macadamia nuts:

All the different varieties of macadamia nuts have samples that my kids love to snack on.  Every time I visit here I buy my kids a bag of the cinnamon flavored macadamia nuts which is their favorite.  The visitor center has much more than macadamia nuts for sale, it also has many other Hawaiian products as well.  I like trying out the different Hawaiian sauces:

I also like to try the free samples of Hawaiian coffee they have as well.  After having our fill of free macadamia nuts and coffee inside the visitor center, I then take may kids outside to go and crack some macadamia nuts.  Behind the visitor center Tropical Farms has a large container filled with macadamia nuts for visitors to crack open using rocks:

You would be surprised how hard it is to open macadamia nuts using rocks, but it is good fun for young kids to try and do especially when they get to eat the nut inside once they are successful:

Conclusion

Tropical Farms is a nice place to visit and crack open and eat macadamia nuts for free.  The free samplings of flavored macadamia nut and various brews of coffee inside the visitor center is another great bonus. The farm’s various offerings of macadamia nuts are cheaper than what is for sale in Waikiki; so stock up while you can!  Tropical Farms also offers guided tours of the farm which we have not tried because they were a bit pricey.  We would rather use the money to buy more nuts.  Overall Tropical Farms is definitely a location worth checking out during any drive along Oahu’s Windward Coast.