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Old 03-05-2010, 05:48 AM
 
67 posts, read 257,812 times
Reputation: 22

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Hi,

We are dreaming of moving to a warm climate, with laid-back people, and overall a more simple life. If you have been to both places, which would you choose? Here are some things that are important to us:

Schools - in Hawaii, we'd have to send our daughter to private; in CA I think public in that area is very good?

Weather/scenery/beauty - which is better?

Cost of living - both are expensive, but I think HI is more costly

Traffic - bad in Honolulu, not sure about Ladera Ranch/Laguna Niguel - I'd be working in Laguna Niguel

People - have heard HI is very laid back, probably more so than CA?

Things to do - we enjoy outdoor activities, beach, hiking, etc. Also like to have good restauarants and stuff to do with a family

We currentlly live in the Washington DC area and are ready for a change! Thanks!
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Old 03-05-2010, 06:08 AM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,329 posts, read 93,734,875 times
Reputation: 17831
Quote:
Originally Posted by binkybarnes View Post
Hi,

We are dreaming of moving to a warm climate, with laid-back people, and overall a more simple life. If you have been to both places, which would you choose? Here are some things that are important to us:

Schools - in Hawaii, we'd have to send our daughter to private; in CA I think public in that area is very good?

Weather/scenery/beauty - which is better?

Cost of living - both are expensive, but I think HI is more costly

Traffic - bad in Honolulu, not sure about Ladera Ranch/Laguna Niguel - I'd be working in Laguna Niguel

People - have heard HI is very laid back, probably more so than CA?

Things to do - we enjoy outdoor activities, beach, hiking, etc. Also like to have good restauarants and stuff to do with a family

We currentlly live in the Washington DC area and are ready for a change! Thanks!
How much time have you spent in each place?
Do you also have a job offer in Hawaii?
Which place offers a better "Plan B" should the "Plan A" job not work out?
Would you have to do much traveling? If so, would being on the mainland minimize long trips? Or, would you have lots of trips to Asia, and would Hawaii work out better?
Where are your parents? (Which place makes it easier for trips to the grandparents?)
Does either state have better tax benefits?
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Old 03-05-2010, 08:37 AM
 
916 posts, read 3,699,107 times
Reputation: 318
Quote:
Originally Posted by binkybarnes View Post
Hi,

We are dreaming of moving to a warm climate, with laid-back people, and overall a more simple life. If you have been to both places, which would you choose? Here are some things that are important to us:

Schools - in Hawaii, we'd have to send our daughter to private; in CA I think public in that area is very good?

Weather/scenery/beauty - which is better?

Cost of living - both are expensive, but I think HI is more costly

Traffic - bad in Honolulu, not sure about Ladera Ranch/Laguna Niguel - I'd be working in Laguna Niguel

People - have heard HI is very laid back, probably more so than CA?

Things to do - we enjoy outdoor activities, beach, hiking, etc. Also like to have good restauarants and stuff to do with a family

We currentlly live in the Washington DC area and are ready for a change! Thanks!
Ladera and Laguna Niguel are both inland communities. If you're looking for that "beach" type of scenery and lifestyle you should look at some of the cities in southern california on the coast.
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Old 03-05-2010, 06:19 PM
 
1,530 posts, read 3,789,084 times
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Well, haven't been to Hawaii. But an in Niguel every week. LN is a very nice place. But despite not having seen it, I'd go with Hawaii.

Since I'm in the area, I can say, I'd definitely not mind living in LN. Fairly upscale place. Was walking around on Crown Valley Parkway the other day around midnight without any worries about crime, etc.

The whole of Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Ladera, etc. is a very nice place to live, no doubt about it.

Trust me, you'll probably like it significantly better than D.C. (unless you are African American. DC being majority black, and Orange County not being so, might factor into your feelings, other than that, if you are working class or poor, you may find it problematic here. Cost of living is very high. Property prices, despite the crash are high and taxes are high, not sure how it compares to the section of D.C. you are in presently though, as I understand there are spots in D.C. that can claim the same. In any event, weather here is better, and it doesn't have nearly the politicized culture of D.C. To me it's simple, D.C. sucks, O.C. rocks. LOL!)
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Old 03-06-2010, 04:53 PM
 
67 posts, read 257,812 times
Reputation: 22
JMadison - I agree completely! OC is way better than DC (although I am actually in Northern VA (NOVA), but still, I agree, practically anywhere in CA is much better). I have lived in Monterey, and loved it except I found it too cold. The job in LN pays better than the one in Honolulu, but right now I am feeling pulled by the islands...my sense (and I could be way off) is that LN and that whole area (i.e., between LA and San Diego) will be similar to DC/NOVA in that everyone is working hard to keep up with the Jones', whereas Hawaii seems much more laid back. My impression (and I am not trying to be rude but just stating my overall sense) is that in SoCal, fake is OK (ie, fake nails, fake breasts, fake tan) but my sense is that in HI, fake doesn't go over too well. And I am more of the anti-fake variety. But I have a good friend in Ladera Ranch who loves it there, and so I am seriously considering that area...but even he said Honolulu probably has the edge, b/c the weather is better.
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Old 03-09-2010, 02:13 AM
 
81 posts, read 195,877 times
Reputation: 46
Orange County has more variety as far as culture, things to do, etc..

Binky I agree with most of your points...

While Hawaii has the tropical island effect going for it, you either like it or you don't. I'm not sure the weather is better because I do not like all the humidity. I had a friend who moved to Hawaii and loved it and is back in California. He mentioned things are more expensive there and obviously it's a very small island. Things are very slow there (kick back) and expensive. Maybe if I were to retire I'd live there but OC has much more variety. The people there are definitely more down to earth though. I just think Hawaii would get old to me unless I had a very large bank account and was there to retire. I do have other friends there also too.
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Old 09-11-2010, 01:23 AM
 
17 posts, read 51,202 times
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I'll take LAGUNA NIGUEL for its beautiful scenery, perfect climate, proximity to the ocean -- without the typhoons, tsunamis, or outrageous tourist prices!
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Old 09-11-2010, 01:26 AM
 
Location: southern california
61,288 posts, read 87,391,501 times
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laguna hands down. i like it there. and i can jump in the car and go anyway. in hawaii i can only go in circles.
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Old 09-11-2010, 03:14 AM
 
Location: Colorado
4,023 posts, read 5,526,489 times
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Contrary to what Naples always says every time somebody asks about Laguna Niguel, I see the ocean from my house and I live about 5 minutes from the water, in Laguna Niguel, (and that's only because there are several stop lights between my house and the ocean). True, Laguna Niguel goes inland, but many houses see the ocean.

Not everybody is 'fake' in Laguna Niguel and I would venture to say that not every wahini who fills out a bikini in Hawaii is 'real'.

There is no way to get 'island fever' in Laguna Niguel or Ladera Ranch...you can always escape to another area in a car.

Hawaii is beautiful, tropical and humid, and for allergy sufferers, this means mold and mildew. When the breeze dies down, they've also got mosquitos who leave scars.

Unless you want to live on pineapples, coconuts and guava, food and home essentials are not cheap in Hawaii. (But Hawaii does have some Costcos now, so you could get some goodies there)....

Laguna Niguel does not get hurricanes.

Laguna Niguel has Trader Joe's..... (just had to throw this one in since so many people love TJ's)... Heck, maybe Honolulu has one by now, I dunno......(and I'm too lazy to check their site).

True, life is more laid back in Hawaii, (well, actually, it depends on your location, and as others have mentioned, how much money you have in your bank account), but it is not a cheap area. What exactly do you mean by 'laid back' anyway? T-shirts and muu muus?

Honolulu is not slow-paced at all....it just feels that way when you are on vacation, sitting around eating shave ice and sipping guava juice and Lava Flows. (My husband's best friend was raised there and still has family there... I've been there several times, but always as a tourist).

Your two California choices are bedroom communities.......they go to sleep. Parts of Honolulu never sleep...

Honolulu has more gangs than L.N. (Do not go to unpopulated beaches alone, no matter how seductive they are).

I don't know about public schools in Hawaii, but L.N. has good public and private schools, too.

Cars rust on islands surrounded by salt air.

Islands have beautiful sunsets but ours aren't too bad either, come to think of it.

Out of all 3, you will have the best, most temperate weather in Laguna Niguel. Ladera Ranch gets hotter.

For me, Hawaii is a vacation spot......I could not live there. The big island is the most diverse...dry, volcanic on one side, tons of rain on the other...cowboys...it even gets some snow. My husband could live on Lanai, but not me.

Good luck in your decision and I am sure it will be the best decision for you and your family, no matter what we all write.
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Old 09-11-2010, 09:00 AM
 
298 posts, read 627,934 times
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I currently live in Ladera Ranch and love it and I lived in Hawaii as a child. I love Hawaii as a vacation spot but would never want to live there again on a permanent basis. Hopefully things have changed but attending school in HI was not a good experience. The local kids were not welcoming at all to white kids. I had very few friends and was chased home from school many days. I have an adult friend now who said the same thing happened to her while living there, like I said though, hopefully that has changed. Traffic from Ladera to Laguna Hills is not bad. It's when you have to commute on freeways when it gets overwhelming. Weather: I prefer the weather in Ladera. Hawaii was very humid and was one of the reasons we moved back to CA. Laid back: HI is definatly more laid back but I would guess Ladera or Laguna Niguel would be more laid back than DC. Cost: Both places are expensive but HI is higher. Fakeness: There are no fake accents on me so there are down to earth people in OC too. Most here find the show Housewives of OC to be very embarrassing for us. Ladera is VERY family oriented and the kids are busy. I think Laguna Niguel may be a little older kid community but still family friendly. Good luck.
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