Info about North Kohala. Hawi/Kapaau? (Hilo, Kailua: 2014, rentals, homes)

[Momma_s]

Hi, all. I've been lurking the BI forum for a few months now, scoured it's contents, and am ready to ask a few questions...

Can those of you who have personal experience living in North Kohala tell me a little about it? We will be moving to BI next year, and until recently, had been determined to move to Waimea. Now we're wondering about Hawi/Kapaau, but there isn't much info on City Data regarding...

1. How are the schools up there? I understand public schools are more or less a "no-no," but looking for personal experience. I've looked up scores, school sites, etc.

2. What is life like in that area for teens? Sports, activities/classes outside of school, etc.

3. Are homes that are away from coast at risk for flooding because of the low elevation?

4. How do you feel about the commute to Waimea?

5. Where do the locals usually grocery shop?

6. How is internet service in the area? What providers?

**Any other information you'd like to share!**

Please, I don't need the normal "lecture" on visiting and living first before buying. We're on it!

Mahalo!

[nwcountrygal]

I know the best prep private school is in Wiamea for entire island. There is grocery shopping in Wiamea although my favorite place to shop small kine is Taka Store in Hawi. If from mainland commute would be nothing. 30 minutes. Hawi drier Kappa'u wetter. Area local but very much northern California moved into in the 90's. The area is amazing if you can afford the cost. Small kine again. If you don't have a washer dryer then you go to Wiamea or Kona for laundry. Not really any bars closes up in town and quiet before 9pm.

For rentals to find with the Lava in Puna at this moment could change most places getting snapped up by people that can afford. It is other than Puna my favorite place on the island. Amazing place. Lots and Lots of whales.

Flash floods at most.... small kine. For most part no.

Small town attitude... no big city really no big city all island but like living in smaller than small town. Go in to store and they know your name name what you ate for dinner last night what your doing tomorrow. It has great library on Hawaii time schedule.

Saturday is the farmers market in Hawi for produce.

[hotzcatz]

HPA may be the best prep school in the entire state, although it could also be second to Punahou on Oahu. I think if you have a job at the school, your kids get to go there for either free or a very reduced amount, you could look into that, if it mattered.

Kohala/Hawi is a lovely area. Kinda remote, though, and you'll find yourself having to either occasionally trek to Kailua-Kona or Hilo for various reasons. I think it does have better weather than Waimea, but there's only one real road to and from Waimea and when the bridge washed out several years ago they had to detour around down through Kawaihae to get to Waimea for a couple of months or so.

But it's a lovely area.

[cagary]

North Kohala is a very windy place. I couldn't live there because of this, but its a good area to produce your own electricity from wind turbines. Some people there do. Here's a wind chart for the Big Island.

http://www.mauielectric.com/vcmconte...m_19July04.pdf

[Due]

Originally Posted by cagary

North Kohala is a very windy place. I couldn't live there because of this, but its a good area to produce your own electricity from wind turbines. Some people there do. Here's a wind chart for the Big Island.

http://www.mauielectric.com/vcmconte...m_19July04.pdf

This is somewhat misleading.
North Kohala includes more areas than Hawi and Waimea. We live in North Kohala but closer to Kawaihae port. It can be windy at times, but it's not every day or night.

Regardless, It is a great area that is less developed and is more private.

[JoDan]

When I visit the BI I really enjoy trips to this area. On my last visit in 2013 I enjoyed the hike west of Hawi that goes to the Mookini Heiau and the birth place of King Kamehameha. It was windy, but I expected it. Such a beautiful walk along the coast!

[hotzcatz]

Originally Posted by Momma_s

2. What is life like in that area for teens? Sports, activities/classes outside of school, etc.

I don't see that this has been answered much, nor am I a teen, nor do I live in Hawi/Kapaau, but I suspect there's not a lot for teens outside of school sports and activities. They will probably want to go into Waimea or Kailua-Kona for activities. Waimea has a skate park. Honokaa just built a nice skate park, too. Is there a swimming pool in Hawi/Kapaau? I don't think there's one in Waimea? Honokaa has one as well as a nicer one in Laupahoehoe, although that's probably too far from Waimea. There is a big park up there in North Kohala, though, the Kamehameha park, are there many activities there for kids? Probably canoe paddling down out near Kawaihae and there might be a paddling club that would go out of Keokeo beach park or whatever the name of the beach park is there. There is also the hike into the valley at the end of the road.

Originally Posted by Momma_s

3. Are homes that are away from coast at risk for flooding because of the low elevation?

What low elevation where? Most Hawaii soils soak up water really well so having enough surface water to flood doesn't happen in many areas at all.

[Due]

quote=Momma_s;36623365]Hi, all. I've been lurking the BI forum for a few months now, scoured it's contents, and am ready to ask a few questions...

Can those of you who have personal experience living in North Kohala tell me a little about it? We will be moving to BI next year, and until recently, had been determined to move to Waimea. Now we're wondering about Hawi/Kapaau, but there isn't much info on City Data regarding...

1. How are the schools up there? I understand public schools are more or less a "no-no," but looking for personal experience. I've looked up scores, school sites, etc.

Waimea has great private, although costly, schools. The Hawi pubic schools seem to be well received.

2. What is life like in that area for teens? Sports, activities/classes outside of school, etc.
I don't have this information.

3. Are homes that are away from coast at risk for flooding because of the low elevation?
Low elevation in North Kohala? We are .58 mile from the ocean and are at 450+ feet elevation.
Most of North Kohala has cliffs on the ocean and is higher away from the ocean: never seen or heard of any flooding.

4. How do you feel about the commute to Waimea?
We drive to Waimea several times a week: only 11 miles each way from our area. Kona is about a 35-45 minute drive, which is not a big deal to us.

5. Where do the locals usually grocery shop?
Costco every few weeks where we buy milk and other items in bulk, along with fish, meats, fruit. Also Waimea grocery stores for local grass-fed beef and a few other items. To Farmer's markets every week to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables and, occasionally, the local fishmonger near the Kawaihae Port for fresh local-caught fish.

6. How is internet service in the area? What providers?
Time Warner Cable for us: good service with minimal outages.

**Any other information you'd like to share!**

Look at this for more information http://www.kohalamountainnews.com/1.html
Be sure to look at the 2014 news.

[Due]

More school information: Ratings and Reviews for Kohala High School in Kapaau HI - Zillow School Information

[Momma_s]

Thanks for all of your responses. They have been helpful!

We just got home from our trip, and have decided to keep concentrating on our move to Waimea. We stayed in a home at 3100 elevation, and tried to immerse ourselves, and live like we would when we move there as much as we could. It felt like we were truly home, and I cried when the plane took off... Now it's a matter of reminding myself that our time in CA is now temporary.

A few of our thoughts:
Hawi/Kapauu areas are a little *too* remote for us at this point, and warmer than we're looking for. We spent time at the Kamehameha Park, and it's a lovely park! So many things to do in that one spot.

Although the schools in North Kohala rate decently online and score wise, we were unable to tour them, and I had a very difficult time having any of my questions for the schools answered by the people I spoke with. The schools looked a little run down on the outside to us.


When we landed in Kona, we stopped by Costco on our way to Waimea, and the rest of our trip we shopped at either KTA or Foodland in Waimea. The selection in the stores are much smaller than I've ever experienced, and a lot of items borderline expired. Even though we're currently in an expensive part of CA, I still had grocery store sticker shock! Could hardly believe a gallon of organic milk was almost $10!

The various farmer's markets throughout the week were a treat to visit, and helped supplement groceries, but I didn't feel the prices were any better than buying in the store. It seemed like several vendors were reselling items they'd purchased at Costco... This annoyed me. Oh well...

Waimea continues to be as lovely as we remembered. There is a big difference in the weather/atmosphere between the 3100 elevation where we stayed, and Waimea's downtown at ~2600ft. I thought CA has some wild variations in microclimates, but these Waimea microclimates are off the hook! LOOOVE IT! We had a great time predicting the temperature where we were compared to 10 minutes down the hillside, and were continually amazed watching the clouds roll over us, and down the hill. This was a fun way to vacation, but way too wet and humid that high for us to live comfortably. It was so wonderful leaving town to the beach to warm up instead of heading to the beach to cool down like we do now in CA...

*sigh*
Aloha a hui hou akua, Hawaii