Hawaii Kai

Hawai'i Kai is the vision of Henry J. Kaiser, who carved a planned community out of swamp land: a place where families can shop, visit the library, educate their children and grow old. For Kaiser, the plans required some genuine 'imagineering' to realize his vision of a water-based community, complete with homes built along the shoreline and boats cruising the waterways. The community was founded on April 27, 1961, when an official document transferring 6,000 acres was signed between Kaiser and the trustees of Kamehameha Schools.

Today, many of the 27,657 residents that call the area home see it as their own little Venice--a water-based suburb just 12 miles east of downtown Honolulu. Hawai'i Kai, so named by Kaiser because it means "Hawai'i by the sea," spans from Kawaihae Street in the west to the Hawai'i Kai Golf Course to the east. It is bounded by the Ko'olau Mountains to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south.

Over the years, Maunalua Bay has been transformed into a water sports heaven, where tourists and residents jet around in personal watercraft, parasail and fish. The Koko Head Marina--once an ancient Hawaiian fishpond called Kuapa--provides docking for local boaters and sponsors an annual Festival of Lights Boat Parade. The Hanauma Bay nature preserve lures millions of visitors a year to its shores for spectacular snorkeling, and farther down Kalaniana'ole Highway is the Koko Head Shooting Complex and Koko Crater Botanical Garden, a public garden located inside the extinct Koko Head volcanic crater.

The community has established itself as an upscale area where, according to 2006 figures published by the Honolulu Board of Realtors, the median home costs $850,000; a townhome sells for an average of $555,000. In this suburban enclave, home sale prices have soared with a recent spate of new home construction. Hawai'i Kai is one of Hawai'i's wealthiest zip codes, with a median family income of $87,664. Almost half of Hawai'i Kai residents report Asian ancestry, while 31 percent are white.

Statistics from the U.S. Census 2000 and the Honolulu Board of Realtors.

Kaimuki/Palolo

One of Honolulu's oldest residential neighborhoods, Kaimuki has been called the closest thing to a "college town" Hawai'i has to offer. Wai'alae avenue, which runs through the center of town, is home to an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, and small businesses--some of which have been around for a very long time. Families who have lived in the area for generations contribute to a close-knit community--and the people who live here love it.

Kaimuki means "the hot oven" in Hawaiian, a fitting name for one of the warmest areas in Honolulu. During his reign, King Kalakaua started an ostrich farm here. According to the 2000 Census, Kaimuki is home to approximately 48,839 residents, 59 percent of whom report Asian ancestry. With its prime Honolulu location between Diamond Head and Manoa, there is never a shortage of things to do in this colorful neighborhood.

Palolo Valley is a 2,584-acre melting pot of culture, farming, and small businesses. Located just northwest of Kaimuki, orchid farming has been particularly successful here.

The area has struggled with gang activity and a "rowdy" reputation in the past, but Palolo residents are proud of a community that has deep roots. They show how much they love the area each September during the Palolo Pride celebration, which takes place at Palolo District Park.

Kahala

Back in the 1800s, Kahala was a barren, lackluster flatland of dry, stony soil and scrub grass. Like Hawai'i Kai decades later, it was considered kua'aina, "country," and of little interest to anyone, let alone the very rich and well connected.

Today, Kahala is not only one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world, it has some of the most expensive real estate in existence.

Located between the shops and restaurants of Kaimuki on the West, Aina Haina on the East, and enclosed by the Koolau mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Kahala is primarily a residential community. The well-maintained homes are just a couple miles from the tourist Mecca of Waikiki.

The Kahala Hotel and Resort, with its dolphin lagoon, white sand beach, and fine dining establishments, is known as the hideaway hotel of Hollywood stars. The adjacent Wai'alae Country Club and Golf Course is the site of the world-famous annual Sony Open golf competition.

The air-conditioned, carpeted "boutique" Kahala Mall sits next to the elevated H-1 freeway which bisects the mauka and makai areas.

The area has shopping, parks, beach access, recreation and public and private schools, and is just 15-minutes from the downtown center of business in Honolulu.

The most expensive homes line the beach front. That exclusive area was pricey enough in the 1980s, before foreign tycoons triggered a buying frenzy that shot prices beyond the reach of most working residents.

Kahala also has many residents who are old-timers living in older homes, some for more than 50 years.

Median house/condo values in 2005 stood at $569,377, some rising considerably in the early 2000s real estate boom.

In 2005, estimated household income — for residents of the 96916 zip code — was more than $64,000, according to 2000 census figures.

Diamond Head/Kapahulu

Around 200,000 years ago, Diamond Head was an explosive volcano spewing hot lava. Today, it is one of Hawai'i's most recognized landmarks and one of the best residential neighborhoods on O'ahu.

The area around Diamond Head serves as home to over 27,500 residents generally made up of single-family units. However, the premier piece of real estate in the area is known as the gold coast, homes and apartments at the foot of Diamond Head near Kapiolani Park.

Le'ahi (the Hawaiian name for the crater) covers 350 acres with its width surpassing its height. The public trail to the summit of Diamond Head crater covers .7 miles and is a 560 foot climb. Slap on plenty of sunscreen, throw on a hat, and bring plenty of water to hydrate in the basking heat. A 1.5 to 2 hours to hike take you to to the crater's rim and panoramic view of Honolulu.

The ocean area in front of the crater has some of the best surfing and windsurfing spots on the island. Directly behind Diamond Head is Kapiolani Community College, Diamond Head Theatre and Le'ahi Hospital.

Residents also make good use of Kapiolani Park which hosts cultural festivals, children's soccer games and the Honolulu Zoo.

The area between Moili'ili and Kaimuki and in the shadows of Diamond Head is Kapahulu with a population of more than 22,300 people. With the University of Hawai'i and Hawai'i Pacific University a short bus ride away, it's the perfect place for college students to call home and easy to understand why 61% of the residents are renters.

Along Kapahulu Avenue is where you will find dozens of shops and restaurants. The small mom and pop businesses that retain an old Honolulu feel. The famed Rainbow Drive Inn continues to serve some of the best plate lunches to hungry surfers that just got out of the water, construction workers on their break, or tourists wanting to try something new. For dessert, the famous Leonard's Malasada's or Waiola Bakery & Shave Ice are just down the street.

The small novelty shops also give antique buyers the opportunity to score a good find. Specialty shops lines the Kapahulu area with vendors selling everything from vintage aloha wear to surf and kayak shops. Schools in the area include Thomas Jefferson Elementary, Diamond Head School and I'olani School. The Ala Wai public golf course sits along one side of Kapahulu along with a public library and meeting rooms for ballroom dancing and neighborhood board meetings.

Most of the streets are layed out in neat grid pattern streets with homes that have been occupied by the same families for generations.