Good walking neighborhoods? (Hilo, Kailua, Hawaiian Paradise Park: to rent, credit, houses)

[HiloDiver]

Good article, thanks BI Cat!

[lindashane1019]

We will be on the BI for 10 days in early-June, so we are hoping to look at it with fresh eyes as potential residents! We are definitely looking into Hilo and 20 minutes from there in any direction (as long as the neighborhood is friendly). Does anyone know anything about Hawaiian Paradise Park--seems close to lots of services, but that could just be wishful thinking.

[HiloDiver]

HPP is super high crime, I have lots of friends in that area and it's pretty common to hear that someone has come home and all of their stuff is gone. There's a reason why homes and property are so cheap there. Also, driving to and from Hilo is tough because of the traffic. I've attended parties down there after work and been trapped in horrific traffic jams.

When you drive around Hilo proper, you might find the appearance of the housing to be quite depressing. If you're willing to get out of town a bit, things are much, much nicer looking.

[hotzcatz]

Crime, mostly thefts, are pretty high in the Puna district. If you head to the Waimea side of Hilo (I think that would be "North"), there is a lot less crime but house prices are much higher.

Still, for a walkable neighborhood, it might be best to find the area you want to walk to and then look directly adjacent to it to see what's available.

[Big Island Cat]

Once again Hotzcatz makes a lot of sense with her suggestion for the OP. I am a little surprised that Hotzcatz didnt not suggest Honoka'a however. I get the impression that Honoka'a is compact enough to walk about safely on the makai side of the highway, although some of the roads may be a little steep. The parks, schools and downtown are all right there, along with a small grocery store. However that is just my general impression based on the times we have driven through that town. I have a fondness for that little town and the Hamakua Coast. Whichever way the OP goes, I wish her success in finding the perfect spot in Hawaii.

[lindashane1019]

If you're willing to get out of town a bit, things are much, much nicer looking.

Which areas would you recommend we check out while we're there? (Thank you!)

[lindashane1019]

Sorry--I just saw your post about Honoka'a! Everyone's advice--both positive and negative--is greatly appreciated and I thank you!!!

[Robin Rossi]

Originally Posted by lindashane1019

My family of 5 (including two elementary school age kids, plus a grandmother) is seriously considering a move to the Big Island from San Francisco within the next year. We visited several neighborhoods in the North Kona area, but all the residential areas seem so isolated from stores and services. Ideally, we would love to be able to walk to a park or neighborhood restaurant or small grocery store. This is especially true for my MIL who won't be able to drive for many more years, but she likes to stay physically active.

We are hoping that maybe changing our focus to the Hilo area would give us better success at finding a good walking neighborhood. Any advice?

What is a "MIL"?

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Robin Rossi

What is a "MIL"?

Mother In Law.

[hotzcatz]

Well, I am quite fond of Honokaa, especially since we live here now. It's great to be able to walk to the grocery store, the library, the shops, the post office, the dentist, the quilting group, etc. etc. You can walk to all these places, but it would be nice if we'd put in some sidewalks. At some point they will probably appear but at the moment a lot of us are on the side of the street instead of on a nice sidewalk.

Didn't I mention Honokaa on an earlier "walk-able neighborhood" post? Honokaa is also one of the few towns that doesn't have the highway running through the middle of it. Waimea is almost a walk-able town and they have the in-town shuttle bus, but their main thoroughfare is the highway that runs through it. Hilo is walk-able in some areas.

HPP isn't walkable, partly because everyone is sitting on a one acre lot so there is so much room between the houses that it isn't walkable. To be a walkable town, you need smaller lots closer to each other interspersed with bigger lots for the parks and businesses and such.