We had low expectations for the Tropical dream center in Ocean Expo park, given that the park is a favorite destination for package tour bus groups. We were wrong - this is a lovely botanical garden, far better than the Southeast Botanical garden (described in a previous post called cheesy tourist attractions).
We parked at Lot 1 at the southern end of Ocean Expo park, and walked through the arboretum to get there. The place was empty save for some Japanese people playing a form of croquet. There are some interesting plants, including an arrray of the grass species grown on Okinawa.
The dream center costs 670Y pp, but is half price if you have a ticket for the aquarium from the same day. They have 3 different hothouses dedicated to orchids, and the display is really magnificent. Then there is another greenhouse for tropical fruit trees / shrubs, which makes you lament that fruit is so expensive even though many tropical species grow well in Okinawa. They also have an impressive tank of freshwater amazonian fish and a corresponding greenhouse with water-based plants. The grounds are beautifully manicured and a central pond has water lilies. The day we went they had a special exhibit on bougainvilleas. The view from the top of the observatory is lovely. If you are artistically inclined, this is the kind of place you could bring your supplies, camp out at one of the many cafe tables situated around the park, and draw/paint to your heart's content. There is a lounge / cafe and vending machines, but we did not sample anything. The souvenir shop is small and tasteful, and within the entry lobby so you don't have to see it while you are enjoying the garden.
