Hawaii vs. SD (San Diego, Corona, Coronado: real estate, how much, hotel)

[thealohaman]

It seems to create some interesting discussion when people compare cities and geographical areas. I've heard it said that SD is as close to Hawaii you can get and still be on the mainland. Anybody want to weight in on that? Also, are SD and Honolulu really comparable in any way?

[trailtramp]

SD doesn't even remotely resemble or feel like HI. HI is green through mostly tropical native landscape and huge rainfall; SD is a natural desert and the green is created by massive sprinkler networks and planted foilage. (Notice the state is turning off the freeway watering systems!)

In HI you can smell the plumeria and tropical flowers in the air, in SD you can smell and see the smog on most of the days that aren gray and overcast.

HI beaches are warm and blue and swimmably clean; SD beaches are often cold and greenish and in many areas moderately polluted and yucky.

HI beaches are filled with tourists in new bathing suits and usually clean clothes; places like Pacific Beach and OB in SD look poverty hangouts from the hood & Tijuana on any given weekend day.

Honolulu is an international wealthy tourist destination city; SD is a tourist destination for Arizonans looking for cheap hotel rooms on Hotel Circle wanting to spend a day or two at Sea World.

Oh but yes, SD has a great benign climate that is always between 50-70 degrees. Hawaii is usually hotter and humid and thus less desirable to some.

[Joker32]

Ive lived in both...I prefer SD. If you're caucasian the islands can be tough....no matter how friendly you are a lot of locals hate your guts. Weather is too humid, lots of cloudy rainy days...feels like you are far from home. SD all the way.

[rjs]

Originally Posted by Joker32

Ive lived in both...I prefer SD. If you're caucasian the islands can be tough....no matter how friendly you are a lot of locals hate your guts. Weather is too humid, lots of cloudy rainy days...feels like you are far from home. SD all the way.

Seriously.??

Anyone else ever felt, or experienced this.??

[Encinitan]

I absolutely feel that way. I'm just a White guy from San Diego, but every minute I've ever spent in Hawaii, I've felt like the locals just wanted me to leave. Like I was an outsider invading their turf. That's why I prefer vacationing in Mexico, because they are more welcoming and appreciative of you being there to visit.

[kcda]

I've lived in both, and both have their advantages. I do love the warm beaches and smell of plumeria in the air but it is hotter and more humid in Hawaii than I care for. Also, it can get boring because it's a small island in the middle of nowhere so many get tired of that, I hear it all the time from my friends who still live there. Where in San Diego, there is so much to do and you can actually drive to other states/destinations.

Hawaii has some very poor/ratty areas so I don't think the previous poster was fair to slam San Diego that way. There are some very wealthy and pristine areas of San Diego and some very nice areas that tourists come to such as Coronado and La Jolla from all over the world (not just AZ)! San Diego is loved and visited by many from all over the world. We are also not ALL desert, we have the coastal area, inland area, mountain area and then the desert. We also have natural green areas, there is green all around where we live right now in the mountains and valleys and it's ALL natural. I've seen ramshackle huts with rusted metal roofs in Hawaii, definate eyesores. I can't afford a million+ 1920's 800sf shack on Coronado because the realtors tell me people from all over the world have real estate here so lets compare apples to apples.

Try reading the local paper in Honolulu, it's written at an 8th grade level (or less). And yes, the locals aren't always friendly to caucasians. We've experienced this on Oahu and Kauai more than once. I was immediately accepted there because I'm "hapa haole" but not my husband.

That said, I still love visiting Hawaii. Love the beaches, love the food, love the smell in the air, love the big trees and trade winds, love the Aloha hospitality (from those that aren't racist), love the snorkeling and swimming with the turtles, love how beautiful and green the islands are.

[MissNM]

Dang Haoles go in and mess it up for the locals! Every place has it's share of antagonism toward outsiders.

The problem with Hawaii is the lack of variety. It gets small very quickly. At least in SD, you can get in the car and drive. Water skiing one day, snow skiing the next.

[dpmp]

I'm Asian and love both SD and Hawaii. Can't decide where I should move to when I retire. I know that the climate in HI fits my day better than SD. I haven't dealt closely with the locals so not sure how much rejection/resentment I may have to deal with.

[kcda]

As an Asian, probably none. The climate in Hawaii is awesome for a retiree. It's a wonderful place to be if you are in shorts and a tank top all the time or in your swimsuit on the beach. But to be in professional clothes commuting in your car or walking to your office, not so fun.

[rsproule]

Some locals in Hawaii are not friendly to caucasian tourists unless they are taking their money. They can be rude, and somewhat aggresive in a territorial way.