Moving with a family to Maui-where to live? (Kahului, Kihei: houses, neighborhoods)

[TahoeSteve]

Aloha! Thinking of moving to Maui with two kids (3 and 5). We have spent a lot of time on Kauai, love Hanalei for a vacation but it is a bit too small and rainy for my wife’s liking to live. Happy wife equals happy life, they say Ideally, we’d live in a community with a good elementary school, public or private, and other young families who are welcoming to fun newbies. My wife is a musician and artist and we would both like to have that vibe in our community. We are also avid yoga and meditation practitioners. So a good studio and local sitting group would be sweet. I’d like to be within a 20 minute drive of consistent surf, both long and short board, and also near small wave beaches to play with the family. We love to cook and eat out, so farmers markets and good restaurants are key. I have my own business and work from home so employment/commute is not an issue. Initially, Lahaina or Kihei seem make the most sense for us. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.

[hothulamaui]

Originally Posted by TahoeSteve

Aloha! Thinking of moving to Maui with two kids (3 and 5). We have spent a lot of time on Kauai, love Hanalei for a vacation but it is a bit too small and rainy for my wife’s liking to live. Happy wife equals happy life, they say Ideally, we’d live in a community with a good elementary school, public or private, our public schools are not very good but I think we do have caring teachers that do their best, but on a average our public schools do not have a great reputation. here is a link to the private schools on island. Seabury is the one you hear a lot of. king kam schools are for local children. and other young families who are welcoming to fun newbies. I have not noticed neighborhoods that have lots of children in them in either kihei or the lahaina side, but in the subdivisions of kahului there are tons of school age kids. My wife is a musician and artist and we would both like to have that vibe in our community. almost any community has this vibe, lahaina has a ton of art galleries. you might like paia town it has a funky vibe and makawao town too. We are also avid yoga and meditation practitioners. So a good studio and local sitting group would be sweet. again almost every town on island is into yoga so no problem there. I’d like to be within a 20 minute drive of consistent surf, both long and short board, maui is not known for the surf except jaws which is an expert wave and only during winter season. kihei cove has waves all year from one to two feet. this is where the tourist learn to surf as well as local surfers. you will see some surfers here and there but as a whole serious surfers like oahu the best. we do have great world class wind surfing just past paia at ho'okipa. and also near small wave beaches to play with the family. baby beach lahaina side, perfect. We love to cook and eat out, so farmers markets at the north end of kihei, the swap meet on sat. and good restaurants are key. great restaurants all over the island I have my own business and work from home so employment/commute is not an issue. Initially, Lahaina or Kihei seem make the most sense for us. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.

good luck to you. can you come for a two week vacation to see where it might suit the best for you and interview some of the schools?

[winkosmosis]

Lahaina or Kihei

[Calico Salsa]

We live in Kihei, and can report you'll find more restaurants in the Lahaina area. More as in variety and more with better food. Kihei has a newish farmers market, but it is still developing. Better market up in Kula if you want to take the drive. Both areas have good beaches. Can't tell you about schools.

[NandVsMom]

My vote is northshore towns of Pa‘ia, Ha‘iku, Makawao, Kuau. Close to great private schools for all ages. Also friends attend Paia Public - small and if parents are involved, can be great. North shore surfing is more consistent than S. Maui which is only good on occasion. Lots of water sports - kite and wind surfing too. Baldwin beach is good for regular water fun and even Mama's Fish House beach is perfect for tiny ones: Kuau Cove – (Beach at Mama's Fish House) | Maui Guidebook . Yoga like crazy and natural foods emphasis. A handful of good restaurants - others a a short drive away. Makawao town - galleries, artists studios and The Hui Visual Arts Center. Still close enough to Kahului for anything else you'd need. Plenty of families, especially once you get involved in their school - less transient than Kihei and Lahaina. Check them all out and let us know what you decide.

[Bunny Foofoo]

My goal 10 yrs down the road , is to move to Maui !
Best case scenario, Makena or Wailea is my spot ...
yah if i had millions ... the houses are gorgeous !

Kihei is my next fave ...

[mauihunter]

Paia, Haiku, Makawao, Pukalani are also good options, especially if you like to surf the north shore.