Moving from California to Hawaii - but which Island??

[maui08]

Aloha

Being from California and having lived in Hawaii for over 10 years (Oahu, Maui and Big Island) we are looking to move back within the next couple of months! We recently relocated back to Maui from San Diego after living there for over 4 years. Prior to that, we had lived in Hawaii two other times having moved back and forth from the main land to Hawaii. At the earlier stages our kids were younger and schooling wasn't a problem...now one is 14 and the other is 5. Schools here are among the worst in the nation. Medical care is right behind the school systems. Having a family and these issues has made it difficult on us to justify staying in "paradise". Income is good for us but we are forced to put our kids in private schools which will cost about $1,000 for the two of them if we want them to have an decent upbringing.

I put my oldest in public school here for only 8 weeks and the police were at his school almost everyday for fights or drug arrests! Then you have all the "sketchy" people who live here. When you're on vacation you really don't notice it but after living here for awhile you really see that people are strung out on drugs or have real issues which is the reason they ran to Hawaii in the first place from somewhere else.

If you run across a normal family or couple you find out they are only visiting. I hope this doesn't bum you guys out. I just hate to see people make the move here and end up going back. You should really come and stay for a few months if possible before making the move. We really miss Hawaii when we live on the main land (hence our 3 moves back and forth) but when we look at the big picture, Hawaii is a really difficult place to raise a family successfully.

-Speaking of construction.....there are lots of layoffs in construction right now and many people out of work. I run a large plumbing shop here and the trades are taking a big hit with many guys out of work and returning to the main land. Ensure you have a job lined up for sure before coming if you move.

-Hawaii works out great for those who do not put their children's future before themselves or for those who do not have kids yet and want to come for a few years.

[MagaMarie]

I am ready to hear more about Kihei if anyone would like to offer up some info... I have heard there are no private schools in Kihei, so where would the closest private schools be located at? When I hear Seabury Hall is "upcountry", what areas does that exactly cover?? I have also heard the new elementary school in Kihei has a great reputation -- unfortunately, the name of the school was not mentioned.

Outside of schools, does anyone have opinions about living in Kihei? Is North or South Kihei preferred? Housing? Areas to avoid? Commutes? Nearby entertainment or lack thereof? (We actually can't wait for the slower/quieter way of life after living in the hustle and bustle of the Californian lifestyle for way too long).

Back to the subject of construction companies, I am aware Goodfellow Brothers has their office located in Kihei. Can anyone provide names of additional construction firms within commuting distance? Granted, after being in this industry for many years, I realize you usually travel to the locations of the construction projects (not necessarily where the office is located at)... but of course I have to start somewhere!

Any opinions of the area will be listened to with an intent ear!

Mahalo (again!)

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by MagaMarie

When I hear Seabury Hall is "upcountry", what areas does that exactly cover??

Outside of schools, does anyone have opinions about living in Kihei? Is North or South Kihei preferred? Housing? Areas to avoid? Commutes? Nearby entertainment or lack thereof? (We actually can't wait for the slower/quieter way of life after living in the hustle and bustle of the Californian lifestyle for way too long).

Mahalo (again!)

First of all, this is coming from someone who lives six months on Oahu, and six in California, and visits Maui every few years for a week, max.

"Upcountry" Maui refers to communities on the slopes of Haleakala, at an elevation of two to three thousand feet, like Kula:

Kula, Maui, HI - Google Maps

Here's another link which I think shows the neighborhood:

Kula Lodge & Restaurant (Kula Maui) - Upcountry Maui Lodging, Dining & Shopping

It's less tropical, because of the elevation. Protea grow there, for example.

I think "upcountry" might seem more like home to someone from the mainland, while Kihei, while right on the beach, with all that gives, is more touristy.

The west Maui areas of Kihei, Lahaina, and Kaanapali are all pretty well set up to accomodate mainland tourists, rather than mainland transplants, I would guess.

Maybe someone who actually lives there will comment.

[whynot?]

HankDfrmSD is right, "upcountry" comprises the several towns and settlements on the way up Haleakala. Seabury Hall is in Olinda, near Makawao. It's a fine school ($$$$$) on a beautiful site. Another upcountry private school is Carden Academy in Pukulani. Both are about a 30-minute drive from Kihei, possibly more with traffic.

Kihei is a good-sized (for Maui) town that is a mix of tourists, part-time residents, and full-time residents. There's not much difference between North and South Kihei "qualitatively." There are older and newer homes and condos in both. It's not that big a place, really, but it feels fairly densely populated because of the hotels and rental condos. (I think the 2000 census lists the population around 17,000.)

The beaches and beach parks in Kihei are beautiful, BTW. And Kihei has several strip shopping centers, movie theaters, etc. It's kind of tourist-y, but most of Hawaii is nowadays. Nearby Wailea is a major resort area with 4-star hotels, several golf courses, and a smallish "upscale" shopping center. Commutes would depend, obviously, upon where you're going, but most of Maui has heavy traffic on two-lane roads with stoplights and an average speed limit of 45, so an average time of 30 miles per hour is usually about right for most commute drives.

I live in West Maui, so that about taps most of what I know about Kihei. Sorry, I don't know about the elementary school or construction firms, but I'm sure the Maui phone book would list the latter. If you have other questions, I'll be glad to try to answer.

[MagaMarie]

Many thanks to the great information from everyone. It has been extremely helpful! I appreciate hearing about both the great things just as much as the not-so-great things so I can get a true perspective.

[west2east2]

I agree wholeheartedly with your views on living in Hawaii, Maui 08. My husband and I are in a similar place however, we just relocated back to California (bay area) last November.

We had both lived in Hawaii since the late 80's and moved together to the Bay Area in 2000 (on my 30th birthday!) My husband was there to finish his degree and me to find work in the high tech industry and to (finally) finish my undergrad. After three and a half LONG years, we finally made it back to the Big island (Kona) only to be shocked and awed by the changes that took place while we were gone... What happened to the sleepy "little" Big Island? Where did the Hummers come from (wait, I know where!) What's with all the traffic? Drugs and alcohol have long been a problem in Hawaii (like most places) but when did ICE creep in and begin to degrade the society to a degree that people were sleeping on the sidewalks in downtown Kailua village? Did I mention the traffic (a standstill for an hour to go 10 miles?)

At the same time, the company I worked for in Silicon Valley offered me a position we could not financially turn down, so we sold (at a good time) and came back to Calif. To make a long story short, we always missed Hawaii SO much, we decided to give Maui a try. I was pregnant last year and thought if we ultimately were going to end up being back in the islands, it would be better to have my daughter born there. Even though she's blue eyed, blond hair, at least she could have that as her birthright... On to Maui we went.... After 6 months and a bout of post-partum depression later, it was hard to get my husband started in business; we got ripped off from our landlord and also in other business dealings. There seemed to be a level of angst and aggression that we never knew before. The economy was headed (and still is) rapidly downward... and it just no longer felt like "home" even though it is stunningly beautiful and there's no other place like it on earth. Both Hawaii and we somehow changed without us really knowing it until being back there again and faced with all of the challenges that appear on all of these threads (and they're all valid by the way - the good, bad and indifferent - you just have to figure out what works for YOU.)

Now, living in beautiful but expensive Marin county, my daughter is in the perfect place to go to school, live in a safe community, progressive people, organic everything, etc... Even though my husband and I are still grieving our loss of what was when our lives were simpler in our 20's (work for cheap, live for cheap, go to the beach, barbeque, surf, etc...) we know that overall it's best for our daughter and even with degrees and education, the lifestyle we want is hard to come by there these days.

That's not to say we don't dream of somehow being able to make it all work to go back practically every day... and maybe the rainbow will make its way over here and make it possible for us to justify going back, just not now, not yet...

Good luck to all whether coming or going from the magical islands of Hawaii... you'll never be the same either way!

Cheers~

[moparfan]

Well I think Oahu should be first just because of the job market. Stay for awhile then visit the other islands later. But hey thats just me, big island slow and maui too congested...not like the good old days... yes ewa beach is traffic nightmares and not to mention "HOT" I am lucky to live near diamond head so neighborhood is great.

[kawika52]

Aloha MagaMarie. Hows your search going? I wanted to echo Cynmkolohe on the Big Island. I really liked the Hamakua coast area there too. Youre on the north side of Mauna Kea there which would shield you from any lava flows. Honokaa there is a really neat little town. And home prices around Hilo are among the cheapest in the state but are catching up. For nightlife, shopping and jobs your best bet would probably be Honolulu and Oahu. And actually my favorite Island is Kauai. Its a lot like west Maui but even more scenic (if thats possible!) and more laid back. My wife and I are considering moving to Kauai part time after we retire in a couple years but were not ready to die yet! Shes a Filipina RN and I work for the Dept of Agriculture (a natural for Hawaii eh?) We will both have pensions and are planning to work part time there too. We have family back here so we dont want to move there full time. If you have any other questions feel free to ask, theres usually someone on here who can help you out! Aloha a hui hou!