In ancient Hawaiian times, an epic battle took place in Waipio. By the end, the local chief prevailed and it was said that the gulch was "paved with the corpses of the slain." But don't worry, you won't see any corpses here anymore!
Waipio is located on the island of Oahu, just outside Honolulu
In ancient Hawaiian times, an epic battle took place in Waipio. By the end, the local chief prevailed and it was said that the gulch was "paved with the corpses of the slain." But don't worry, you won't see any corpses here anymore!
Waipio is located on the island of Oahu, just outside Honolulu. Its name means "curved water" in Hawaiian. Slightly removed from the tourist centers nearby, Waipio is a quiet community with a selection of available housing, great weather, easy access to local amenities and a proud baseball history. While only 11,000 or so residents call Waipio home, the greater Honolulu area is home to over half a million happy, well-tanned residents.
While there are high and low seasons in Hawaii, you'll never find a tourist-free time to search for homes. Generally, opt for fall and spring to get the best options -- you'll avoid summer vacationers and snowbirds in the other two seasons that way. Some times of year have more rain than others as well, but generally speaking, you won't need to be worried about the weather.
Waipio is a small community. Like, square-mile small. Nestled in the hills, you'll enjoy access to neighborhood parks, the Regional Park and a quiet, community lifestyle. You won't find smaller neighborhood designations per se here, but various apartment complexes will offer different neighbors and senses of place. Many of the multi-unit complexes here are individually owned -- meaning there's no central rental office to go through when you want to rent a condo or townhouse. You'll need to search for individual listings or contact an agent. However, there are several different options for one- and two-story townhouses to choose from, and in some areas, two- or three-bedroom homes for rent.
Among its many brag-worthy features, Waipio is home to an accomplished Little League baseball tradition. The Waipio Little League team beat a team from Mexico in 2008 to become the Little League World Champions. It's the second team from this area to claim the title -- the team from West Oahu won in 2005. In 2010, it clinched the U.S. Championship but lost the World Championship in a close game with a team from Tokyo.
It's Hawaii, so get outdoors and revel in the Island life. Waipio is home to the Central Oahu Regional Park, just off the Kamehameha Highway. A recreation enthusiast's dream, this park boasts 20 tennis courts, an Aquatic Center, youth and regulation sized baseball diamonds, a softball complex, multipurpose sports fields, and even an archery range for the budding Katnisses of the island. The park is the home facility for the Hawaii Pacific University Sea Warrior basketball team, the Chaminade University softball team, and, if that isn't enough, it also serves as the spring training field of the Korean Professional Baseball team, the Hanwha Eagles.
You won't have to go far for most of your shopping needs. Along the north end of town, you'll find big-box stores and services. Along the southern end are clothing retailers and an outlet mall. Yay for bargain hunting in paradise!
Restaurants range from the fast-food variety to sit-down places featuring Chinese cuisine and, of course, sushi -- why waste that bountiful nearby ocean?
Speaking of the ocean -- guess what? It's all around you. If you're moving here, get comfortable with the sea. You don't necessarily need to build your own outrigger, but you could learn to use one here. Or windsurf. Or regular surf. Or swim. Or sunbathe. You're in Hawaii, you'll figure it out.
Just south of Waipio is Pearl Harbor, with its peacefully powerful memorial to the 1941 bombing.
The island of Oahu -- meaning "gathering place" -- is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands, but the most populous of them all. The island is the result of two separate volcanoes, which built up from the seafloor over the millennia. The highest point today is Mt. Ka'ala in the Wai'anae Range, rising 4,000 feet above sea level. It is believed the island was first settled by Polynesian migrants sometime in the 11th century. European settlers first sailed into the Honolulu Harbor in 1794.
You're only a 20-minute drive from Honolulu, which gives you access to the Honolulu International Airport and everything you'd want from a major city -- including the upside and downside of a tourist hot spot. Fun fact: Honolulu is both the westernmost and southernmost major U.S. city. In Hawaiian, Honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "calm port." The city has been the capital of the Hawaiian islands since 1845, over one hundred years before it officially gained statehood.
Waipio is the perfect mix of access and retreat -- a great place to find your next rental home.
