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I've noticed that many NY transplants seem to like San Francisco better than LA. LA has sunnier weather, but it is more spread out and the general vibe of LA is very different than the eastern cities. It is less frenetic and quite casual. People tend to spend a lot of time outdoors, though the water shortage has definitely made it less green in recent years. If possible you should visit before moving, just to get a feel before you make a decision.
Risk taking is not always fun....I moved to southern Vermont from ny because my of my husbands new job. I wasn't reluctant toward Vermont at first and thought it would be neat living there. Boy was I wrong. I had been to Vermont before visiting and thought it seemed nice.....a nice place to visit that is but I realized living here was a different story. It may have to do partly with location we chose even though it's only 10 minutes or so away from a busier town but overall I'm so sick and bored to death here. Everything gets old fast and it just feels so very isolating to me and to an extent it is kind of rural especially in comparison to where I used to live. You cant even get to a mall without driving over an hour. I'm not a mall person but sometimes you need to shop for clothes and do practical things that requires shopping and stores. Vermont is a very earthy place and requires a certain type of personality to fit in well as I soon learned. I'm just not that person- no I'm not an outdoors earthy physical adventurous person. I do certainly have an appreciation for nature and it's beauty- especially northern California- its beaches, wonderful trees....just something there that feels so nice. Vermont has its beauty but it just gets old to me- maybe because everything looks the same for miles and miles. I also hate the super long dreary winter and miss the sun.
I understand the perfect weather may not exist but I just would like something more consistent and not have to worry that the next mile in we'll land in a tropical sweaty jungle. I bet southern California would probably ft my liking as far as weather but I've never been there. Anyway obviously I would have to visit Hawaii before making final judgments but my gut is probably right as from the description a lot of it sounds eerily similar to where I am now with the rural factor. And aside from the rest, the vog thing disturbs me but maybe I'm wrong since noone else here seems to mind. Maybe I've watched too many movies on volcanoes.
Trust your gut but I think you need to go visit for at least a couple of weeks. Vog is an issue and especially for those with lung problems. Isolation is also an issue and where you would be living would be worse. Kona is a tourist town definitely. Hilo gets rain but it is a warm one etc. Volcanoes are alive and well.
The people are very much into their culture etc. and outsiders are not always welcome. Once you have done all the tourist stuff, their is not a lot to do but hang out on the beaches, swim etc. which is just fine with me by the way. It is a great place to people watch which I love to do. They also have bug issues etc. Where you would be living is a small town that is cooler and windier. Ii personally did not care for the area that much. Their is a big cattle ranch there. Food is very expensive but they have great farmers markets. If you are not an outdoor kind of person, then Hawaii- Big Island- is definitely not for you as that is what people who live there do. Lastly, their health care is not very good to say the least--I know, I am a nurse. The people their are very laid back and are often on Hawaiian time. To me--I love the big island and it fits most of my needs and personality. I think it would be a culture shock to you and yes, you would be bored and feel isolated. However, you should visit and then decided---also get some books and read up on it---you do not want to regret something without giving it a chance.
If you like crowded urban areas like Manhattan, it's very likely you won't like the Big Island. The Big Island is rural. You simply won't have the stores that you want. That's odd that your husband has a potential job opening in Waimea, but not in the southern California. What type of work does your husband do? What type of work do you do?
You absolutely need to visit the Big Island if you're having thoughts of moving there. The Big Island is a lot different in person, rather than what it is like on TV shows or the Internet. You should fly through LAX and spend several days in southern California to explore that area too. Unless you prefer northern California, then you could visit that area on your way to visit the Big Island.
It sounds like you'd probably prefer the weather in southern California. It's much less humid in southern California than Hawaii. There's endless areas to go shopping there too. You do have to live with the traffic and congestion. Live in the same area as you work to minimize the commute, try to live your life around rush hour, or succumb to the pain of rush hour traffic.
I've visited New York City and the New England area, including Vermont. After a visiting a very short time, I knew that I would never ever want to live there.
When you do scouting visits to other areas, never stay in hotels. Always stay in VRBO condos or houses. The condo or single family home will give you a much better feel for living there, even if it is for a very short time.
Risk taking is not always fun....I moved to southern Vermont from ny because my of my husbands new job. I wasn't reluctant toward Vermont at first and thought it would be neat living there. Boy was I wrong. I had been to Vermont before visiting and thought it seemed nice.....a nice place to visit that is but I realized living here was a different story. It may have to do partly with location we chose even though it's only 10 minutes or so away from a busier town but overall I'm so sick and bored to death here. Everything gets old fast and it just feels so very isolating to me and to an extent it is kind of rural especially in comparison to where I used to live. You cant even get to a mall without driving over an hour. I'm not a mall person but sometimes you need to shop for clothes and do practical things that requires shopping and stores. Vermont is a very earthy place and requires a certain type of personality to fit in well as I soon learned. I'm just not that person- no I'm not an outdoors earthy physical adventurous person. I do certainly have an appreciation for nature and it's beauty- especially northern California- its beaches, wonderful trees....just something there that feels so nice. Vermont has its beauty but it just gets old to me- maybe because everything looks the same for miles and miles. I also hate the super long dreary winter and miss the sun.
I understand the perfect weather may not exist but I just would like something more consistent and not have to worry that the next mile in we'll land in a tropical sweaty jungle. I bet southern California would probably ft my liking as far as weather but I've never been there. Anyway obviously I would have to visit Hawaii before making final judgments but my gut is probably right as from the description a lot of it sounds eerily similar to where I am now with the rural factor. And aside from the rest, the vog thing disturbs me but maybe I'm wrong since noone else here seems to mind. Maybe I've watched too many movies on volcanoes.
Aptos is one of my favorite coastal areas on Northern California. But as far as that goes for large shopping malls, you are still going to have to drive into the bigger cities. If you are in the bay area, its going to be sticky.. humid. At times so hot... insufferable. Then you will have hours worth of traffic, just like SoCal. They are great areas, I like them both. But with with that many people.. nope. It is the polar opposite of rural. But on a far more extreme end. BI is clearly not the place for you.. if you dont enjoy the outdoors. You probably do better on Oahu, where they have the city, amenities, and weather.
I do not mind the VOG. My husband has pretty bad allergies and asthma.. and he has not complained. The only issue I have is when it prevents me from seeing the sun. Which there are far worse things in this world than that. I have hiked in the rainforest areas on drizzling days, to go see some of the splendor in hawaii. It was refreshing and wonderful. If I need stuff.. I use Amazon Prime. But ultimately, I dont think BI has enough excitement to keep you happy. But where you find a lot of excitement, you find a lot of people, and a lot of traffic.
I would think it would be hard for someone who is use to the city life and that enjoys that kind of life to embrace country kind of living. You are just not going to have nearly the same amenities and micro cultures in rural areas as you do in the city. I have seen it many times being raised in the country and people moving in from the city. Many who move to the country for quiet living end up going nuts from boredom. These people forget to take into consideration there is nothing to do unless you like outdoor activities. Which also really has to be taken into consideration is everything about people from rural places are much different from people from the city. They think differently, they see life differently. Their pace of life is slower so everything is slower. So someone who moves to a place like this must really know with all their heart if this is what you really want because if not, you will be miserable. Some people do happen to learn to love it but they are few and far. I have lived in the city, I have lived in the suburbs, and I have lived in the country and I feel the most at home living where it is rural.
The hardest thing i believe for me and my family would be the isolation if we move to the Big Island. You are on an island 2500 miles from the mainland. We love to do road trips and explore. Often times we jump in the car and just drive to nowhere. Our oldest daughter had the privilege to work at a state park for three weeks here in VA snuggled between Kentucky and Tennessee with no interstate within a 100 miles. It is an absolutely beautiful place in the middle of nowhere surrounded by rolling hills and mountains. It was awesome to drive there and have that experience and I can see us spending a few weeks there just taking it all in hiking, fishing, and relaxing. It has been a dream of ours to be RV people when I retire and live our life on the road through the summer and just drive. So we will have to ask ourselves with all honesty if we are willing to give that up to live on an island.
There seems like there are a lot of cons on your list that you may have a hard time overcoming.
Dear Sadhere,
I grew up close to Washington DC, and lived in the San Francisco Bay area for several years, and now live in Waimea. Based on what you've stated that you don't like about where you are in Vermont, I don't think you'll like the Big Island. There are several small towns, and Waimea is a quiet town--which is precisely why we moved here. It's less expensive to live than the Bay Area (and probably most of CA), but if you want to save money while living in Waimea, you'll need to drive 45min-1 hour down to Kona for your big-box stores like Costco and Home Depot. With us still setting up our house, and doing repairs/construction, these trips have turned into day-trips. I personally don't care for Kona. It's hot/muggy, and touristy.
Waimea is fantastic, IMO. It's cooler than Kona, and living on the "green side" still has less rain than further north or on the Hilo side. When it feels like the rain will never go away, it's a quick 20 minute drive to a few nice beaches where we spend half the day, and then returning home to the rain and cooler temps is nice...
If it comes down to it, and your husband decides to move here, rent. Rent, rent, rent. A one or two week vacation won't give you a realistic view or feel of what it will be like to live here full time. It's easy to do while your children are small, which is what we would've done if we didn't have a dog or two older kids. Also, as you decide if/where to live in HI, remember to consider the cost of private schools. Public schools here... leave something to be desired...
Now, from living in the Bay Area, it is EXPENSIVE. Our rent for a small 3 bedroom was the same as our Waimea mortgage for a larger home with land, and private tuition for one child. If you move to CA, learn about being VERY water-wise, as there is an extreme drought going on there right now. It's bone dry. Find a good moisturizer! Unless you have millions to spend on a home, expect to live very close to your neighbors, and pay a lot for it. <--kind of like Manhattan, lol.
Good luck on your research! You're doing the right thing by asking opinions, and getting a feel for things before jumping into it. Be sure to visit wherever you decide to move, and if it ends up being HI, keep us posted.
Yea California is bad!!! Brown lawns - water police - have to use shower water and washing machine rinsing water to water the trees and plants so they don't die.
And you get fined if you use too much!!!
Can't wait to move to the Big a Island in Sept.!!!!!
Risk taking is not always fun....I moved to southern Vermont from ny because my of my husbands new job. I wasn't reluctant toward Vermont at first and thought it would be neat living there. Boy was I wrong. I had been to Vermont before visiting and thought it seemed nice.....a nice place to visit that is but I realized living here was a different story. It may have to do partly with location we chose even though it's only 10 minutes or so away from a busier town but overall I'm so sick and bored to death here. Everything gets old fast and it just feels so very isolating to me and to an extent it is kind of rural especially in comparison to where I used to live. You cant even get to a mall without driving over an hour. I'm not a mall person but sometimes you need to shop for clothes and do practical things that requires shopping and stores. Vermont is a very earthy place and requires a certain type of personality to fit in well as I soon learned. I'm just not that person- no I'm not an outdoors earthy physical adventurous person. I do certainly have an appreciation for nature and it's beauty- especially northern California- its beaches, wonderful trees....just something there that feels so nice. Vermont has its beauty but it just gets old to me- maybe because everything looks the same for miles and miles. I also hate the super long dreary winter and miss the sun.
I understand the perfect weather may not exist but I just would like something more consistent and not have to worry that the next mile in we'll land in a tropical sweaty jungle. I bet southern California would probably ft my liking as far as weather but I've never been there. Anyway obviously I would have to visit Hawaii before making final judgments but my gut is probably right as from the description a lot of it sounds eerily similar to where I am now with the rural factor. And aside from the rest, the vog thing disturbs me but maybe I'm wrong since noone else here seems to mind. Maybe I've watched too many movies on volcanoes.
Sounds like San Diego might be a good fit for you - it has perfect mild weather, beach, mountains, all the cultural/entertainment offerings of any large city, a solid (if unglamorous) economy with a healthy mix of private and public employment, great food and drink, and good schools (if you're willing to put up with high housing prices for the best school districts).
Or, if you're looking for something a bit less SoCal but still quite temperate/mild you could try Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo.
vnodak's post above should be a sticky for anyone contemplating moving to Hawaii, especially the B.I. I agree w/ everything they said, and more importantly, feel it's true not just for them and myself, but for nearly everyone. To move someplace so vastly different than what you're used to without first coming for a while to ck it out, and this comes from my own personal experience from when I first moved to Hilo in 1992, would be doing a great disservice to yourself. In all likelihood you would regret doing that. This same story is told over and over and over by others who have dome that, including me, so that's the drill. Go first, then decide. Don't depend on others opinions about that.
This forum is a great place to find specific answers to specific questions from people who actually live in areas, or have lived in areas, that people wish to move to. But the big reasons are ours to own, not others. We have to have all of our priorities in proper order before even attempting to make what I consider to be a difficult and risky move. Perhaps any move is difficult and risky, but moving to Hawaii for the first time is not like moving to any other mainland state. Until you actually plant your feet on the ground, there is a heck of a lot of conjecture and hope and stuff that may have nothing to do w/ the reality of the experience.
The health care issue is real, and hearing this from a nurse should make your ears perk up. If you're in good health now and doing pretty OK, then fine. If you're older and know that, like all of living beings, you are only going to get older (hopefully) and suffer medical issues, then you should pay very close attention to this. It's one of my big concerns about moving back to the B.I., and it's real. At 64, I'm not the same person who moved there in 1992.
The island is not the same either. Just a few days ago I was talking on the phone to an old family friend that moved from the B.I. to Kauai in 1999 due to health problems associated w/ the VOG. We were discussing the housing costs (rents) that have really, really increased since we moved away 11 years ago. Her comment was "they're insane!". I agree. There is no way they're worth what they're getting, but they wouldn't be asking those rents if they weren't able to get them, insane or not. Renters are apparently willing to pay them, so that is that. Good jobs that pay a good wage are scarce and to a certain extent locked up. The health insurance statistics for Hawaii are also juggled, like all government statistics everywhere. Yes, a lot of people are apparently insured, but that's of little value if someone can't find the health care facilities that they need. Many low income people in Hawaii are insured with either the state's version of the Affordable Health Care Act, or thorough the state welfare system. When we lived on the B.I., before the national health care program was even an idea, employers would hire people for just the under the minimum hours where they would be required by the state to provide insurance for the employees. So a lot of people ended up working 2 or more jobs, neither of which provided insurance. Hopefully that situation has changed w/ the introduction of the national health care plan, but I don't know that, I just assume that.
So my mantra is very simple. Visit first, bring lots of money because the place eats it up amazingly fast, and have a Plan B, C and even D just in case, because sometimes things just don't go as we planned.
Last edited by smarino; 08-25-2015 at 07:02 AM..
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