GOBankingRates recently compiled a list of the 20 richest retirement towns in the United States. To obtain the results, the site studied American cities with a population of more than 15,000 where at least 25 percent of people are adults 65 and older. After isolating 131 cities, GOBankingRates determined each city’s median annual household income to find the 20 wealthiest locations.
The top spot on the list went to Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. There, the median annual income is $166,747. Rounding out the top five were: Highland Park, IL ($159,567); Bainbridge Island, WA ($151,290); East Honolulu, HI ($151,224); and Melville, NY ($146,302).
In addition to claiming the wealthiest spot on the list, California was also to be home to the highest number of wealthy retirement towns, claiming five of the list’s 20 spots. In addition to Rancho Palos Verdes; Walnut Creek ($129,971); Laguna Beach ($141,875); Cerritos ($124,460); and Novato ($110,948) made the cut.
Florida had the second-highest number of rich retirement towns, with four locations listed. Naples ($135,657); Lakewood Ranch ($114,511); Palm City ($111,394); and Palm Valley ($118,245) are the richest retirement locations in the state.
Naples, in particular, was found to have the highest 65-and-over crowd of any city on the list, with seniors making up 54.6 percent of the city’s 19,315 residents. East Honolulu had the second-highest concentration, with residents in that age bracket comprising 27.4 percent of almost 50,000 residents.
You can peruse the full list below, and head over to GOBankingRates to check out the complete report.
Smack in the Pacific, thousands of miles from the nearest landmass, the Hawaiian Archipelago is as isolated as it gets. It’s the world capital of endemism—with one of the highest numbers of species existing nowhere else on Earth. There are more endangered species per square mile here than anywhere else, making the islands of Hawaii one of the planet’s most unique—and uniquely vulnerable—ecosystems.
Prior to human influence, new plants and animals carried by wind and water were incredibly rare here. A single new species made this commute every 50,000 years or so. Today, invasive species arrive in Hawaii once every 18 days. Most of the species on the island today co-evolved over millennia, creating a diverse and stable balance. Add in one dominant species though, leave it unchecked, and Hawaii’s delicate ecosystem is in trouble.
Environmental imbalance can be tough to gauge globally, but in Hawaii it’s felt almost immediately. Invasive deer, pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle are responsible for widespread destruction of lowland and native ecosystems, including critical watersheds.
What’s the largest invasive threat of all in Hawaii at present? No question, the seemingly benign Axis deer—a relatively new species surging toward a monoculture.
Muise and his team aim to monitor and manage Mauiʻs Axis deer population to a healthy carrying capacity.Lucianna McIntosh
Multiplying like… deer
In 1959, nine Axis deer were introduced to the island of Maui. Today, their population threatens to soar to hundreds of thousands, compromising the island’s open space if they aren’t managed effectively.
Enter Maui Nui Venison, a company founded on a single goal: tackling this problem head-on in a grounded and environmentally sound way.
“We’re never going to have sales goals,” says company founder and CEO Jake Muise. “We’re only going to have management goals.”
Maui Nui officially opened for business last year, but it’s been in the works for over a decade. The catalyst dates back to a clerical mistake during Muise’s college years. A native of northern Canada, he moved to Hawaii and was accidentally placed in an all-Polynesian dorm. This led to extended stays with local families over the holidays who familiarized him with the island’s Axis deer (over)population.
“It started with recreational bow hunting,” Muise recalls. “Eventually, figuring out a way to manage this invasive species became my biggest passion.”
NIght shift. The Maui Nui Venison crew.Courtesy Image
A win-win business idea is hatched
For his capstone project, Muise wrote a business plan mimicking New Zealand’s deer management program.
“My thesis was completely wrong,” notes Muise. “You can’t domesticate Axis deer. But it did put me on a path toward starting a non-profit—the Axis Deer Institute, which eventually became Maui Nui Venison.”
Muise’s first project out of college was removing four Axis deer that had been illegally introduced to the Big Island—a 90,000 square mile area. Despite very few invasive species projects being successful in Hawaii, this one was.
“That spurred a lot of conversations in Maui,” says Muise. “Eventually we realized that to be effective on an island-wide basis, we couldn’t rely on the grant process for funding. That led to the creation of Maui Nui.”
By working with large landowners across the island, Muise and his team aim to monitor and manage Mauiʻs Axis deer population to a healthy carrying capacity. “Having the Axis deer viewed as a resource instead of an invasive species is ultimately best at every angle—for people and the animal too,” says Muise.
Populations of Axis deer are located using Forward Looking Infrared (FLI) technology, which detects heat signatures.Lucianna McIntosh
Maui Nui’s method starts with data. All its venison is sourced from the field—a process unique to the company. Using Forward Looking Infrared (FLI) technology to detect heat signatures, the Maui Nui crew is able to compile deer population surveys and assess large areas with strikingly accurate population density predictions—of about 95 percent.
“This helps us understand resource availability and explain to landowners the cost of deer on their property,” says Muise. “It also forces us to be accountable and harvest responsibly.”
Jake Muise gearing up for the night shift.Courtesy Image
Night time’s the right time…
All the harvesting is done at night. It’s less stressful for the deer, which are never baited, fenced, penned, or corralled. Thanks to the absence of natural predators and seasonal swings, Axis deer experience minimal stress in general. “When animals are stressed, they rapidly deplete sugar stores and lactic acid levels, causing serious effects on meat texture and flavor,” Muise explains. “Our effort to source stress-free is an ethical choice—and a difference you can taste.”
Using a mobile slaughter facility, Maui Nui also does its processing in the wild, while following the regulations of a brick-and-mortar facility. The company’s mobile harvesting process is both USDA and FDA approved, with a USDA inspector for the duration of the harvest and a USDA veterinarian to inspect every animal.
“We only have a three-hour window every night, so the only way to make it happen is to bring the processing part with us,” says Muise.
Night shift. The Maui Nui Venison crew.Courtesy Image
Balance is the key
Thankfully, with years of collected data on Axis deer, Maui Nui is able to harvest with incredible efficiency. Muise says their database details every deer sighting, bullet fired, and weather condition from each harvest along with any other factors that enable effective tracking. “We’re able to harvest seven deer in an hour,” says Muise. “That pace wouldn’t be possible without all the data we’ve collected.”
Muise and his team spent years flying in inspectors from Oahu, all out of pocket. Using a local inspector since last year, Maui Nui can perform up to 14 harvests each month, creating a more consistent supply of venison. The company employs 16 full-time staff—and counting. The company is growing, but the standard exponential growth model isn’t the vision here.
Maui Nui recently partnered with Patagonia Provisions, to scale distribution and gain market exposure.
“I’ve always looked up to Yvon [Chouinard] for his tireless focus on environmentalism while growing a sustainable business. We don’t plan to work with many companies, but Provisions was a perfect fit. We needed their help to tell our story and educate more people. A big part of their business model is to find smaller producers—farmers, fishermen, and hunters like us—to incorporate our products into their platform. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. And they support our mission of management before profits,” says Muise.
The goal is to achieve balance, working with major landowners to help them manage Axis deer to a population that works with the ecosystem. The population curve is on pace to quickly triple, so time is of the essence.
Once that benchmark is reached, Maui Nui won’t get any bigger. “We’ll actually get smaller, which I guess makes this a fairly odd business structure,” Muise laughs. “Hopefully we’ll be here in three years.”
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Daydreaming of distant tropical sands, warm emerald water, rustling palms, and majestic green mountains—with you embedded somewhere and everywhere in that postcard-perfect scene? After 18 months of COVID lockdowns and extreme travel restrictions, who isn’t? The good news: Early last month Hawaii officially lifted its COVID-19 pre-travel testing restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers, so escaping to Hawaii’s signature, all-purpose pleasure isle, Oahu, is idyllically possible again. There’s no better place than Oahu to soak up some serious sun and fun in paradise—and here are our top five outdoor excursions to prove it.
Each of them alone is worth the trip. Better yet, tackle all five to fully make up for all those rough months of daydreaming. Yeah, you’re really out there now.
If you’re looking for a reason to get out of town and soak up some sun in paradise, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 5 outdoor excursions in Oahu, all worth the trip alone—but if you can tackle every one while you’re there, you’ll not only come home fully re-energized, but you’ll also have some epic photos and video to make even the most adventurous travelers blush.
Photo: Benny Marty/Shutterstock
1. Snorkel at Shark’s Cove
World-famous Hanauma Bay is home to some of the finest snorkeling and diving on Oahu, and also some of its thickest tourist crowds. Escape those hordes at your own better kept secret—Shark’s Cove. Tucked up on Oahu’s North Shore, Shark’s Cove is cheaper (read: free), just as gorgeous, and the perfect spot for savvy adventure travelers to spend a day on the island’s outer coast. And don’t let the name fool you. There are no sharks here.
Park along the highway or in the small dirt lot on the beach side, unpack your gear, and dive into a tropical cove teeming with thousands of benign, brightly colored fish—including the Hawaiian state fish (and unofficial state tongue-twister), the Humuhumunukunukuapuaa. Swim a tad farther out to score up-close encounters with the resident honu (green sea turtles).
Please respect the reef by not standing or sitting on any part of it; wearing reef-safe sunscreen; and keeping a safe, respectful distance from wildlife (without feeding them).
Tasty tip: Grab a bite at the iconic Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, parked right along the Kamehameha Hwy in Haleiwa.
Photo: Sara Komo/Shutterstock
2. Hike Diamond Head
If your idea of a good time is thrashing your quads, glutes, and hammies, you’ll need to take the Diamond Head hike.
Just up the road from downtown Waikiki, the signature walkabout at Diamond Head State Monument is nothing you’ll need to train for. It’s a doable 1.6 miles round trip with only 560 feet of elevation gain.
At a moderate pace, it’ll take about two hours to get up and down. But you’re in Hawaii. Take your time. Soak it in. Bring water, snacks, comfortable shoes—and definitely a camera for one of the island’s most unbeatable payoff panoramas at the top.
Built in 1908, the trail to the summit of Leʻahi (Hawaiian name for Diamond Head Crater) will make you appreciate the geographical significance of this volcanic crater, as well as the historic military role this vantage point afforded U.S. defenses.
If you can muscle yourself up and down the trail before noon, it’ll make the conversation over lunch one for the books, guaranteed.
Photo: Tommy Pierucki/Shutterstock
3. Surf Waikiki
What Hawaiian vacation would be complete without some surfing?
This is the very place where modern surfing was launched. Legendary waterman Duke Kahanamoku called the famous breaks of Oahu his office. All levels of surfers come for either the monster winter waves up at the North Shore to the gentler barrels of Waikiki. Go for the latter if you’re newer to surfing. The long, shallow, sandy contours of Waikiki are ideal for mellow, rolling waves that are as forgiving as they are thrilling.
Rent a board from any of several vendors set up right on the sand if you want to go it alone. Or sign up for some surf lessons from several schools up and down the beach.
A favorite surf school in town is the Ohana Surf Project, located across from the Honolulu Zoo. Their instructors are known for getting you up on your feet, as well as filming your entire session for some epic Instagram posts and teaching moments.
Advanced surfers can head to more challenging spots within walking distance of the main stretch—with names (Bowls, Kaisers, Diamond Head) that will ring familiar to surfing zealots near and far.
Photo: Joanna E. Murphy/Shutterstock
4. Jump Off the Waimea Rock
Waimea Bay is where surfers from all over the planet flock each winter to see if they have what it takes to ride some of the biggest breaks on Earth. The world-renowned big-wave surf spot is located up on Oahu’s North Shore at the mouth of the Waimea River.
We’re talking waves that can be several stories high (on moderate days)—and even bigger when the ocean feels like it. But fear not. During the summer, it’s usually about as flat as a lake up here. In other words, perfect conditions for swimming, floating—and leaping off rocks.
The famous rock at Waimea Bay is about the best entry-level rock jump you can find up here, with several spots to choose your point of entry from.
An easy climb straight from the sand lands you anywhere from six to 15 feet from the water’s surface, with plenty of clearance as you hit the ocean. From down here, you can bask in the warm, calm water and enjoy the rest of the show: A steady stream of local kids and gravity testers of all ages line the top of the rock to showcase their epic leaping skills.
Word to the wise: Get there early. The small parking lot fills up quickly—with overflow parking along the highway.
Photo: Canvas Images/Shutterstock
5. Explore the Reef at Bonzai Pipeline
We mentioned the North Shore is mercifully flat during the summer months. What better time for non-professional surfers to test ride one of the deadliest surf spots on the planet and live to tell the tale?
More people have died (or come close to it) riding the Bonzai Pipeline than just about any other big-time surfing magnet on the planet. What makes this spot so deadly? During the swell-rich winter season, waves have about as much power as a freight train. Coupled with curling over a brutally sharp, shallow reef, these waters are a recipe for danger.
This is exactly why snorkeling the reef during the mellower summer is such a cool experience for surf enthusiasts of all levels who’ll likely never throw their hat in the ring when the Pipeline awakens later in the year. The jutting fingers of reef, the dark holes, the sheer treacherous nature of this spot are astounding—and far safer to view in this season.
As legendary surf filmmaker Bruce Brown put it, “In the holes [at Pipeline], you find pieces of surfboard… teeth… things like that.” For surf culture enthusiasts, now’s the time to see it up close without being punished.
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Where to Stay on Oahu: White Sands Hotel
While there’s no shortage of hotels in touristed Waikiki, White Sands is one of the area’s true hidden gems. Located off the main drag—but just one block from the beach—the charms of classic Hawaii are quietly residing at this little throwback hotel, which appears unassuming from the outside.
Inside, it’s a tropical oasis, transporting guests back to the 1960s, complete with vintage decor like rotary phones, vending machines (yes, they have Hawaiian-themed playing cards) and rope-swing seats at a poolside bar accompanied by an endless laid-back soundtrack.
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Each room is uniquely appointed with eclectic, old-school furnishings while providing modern comfort. On an island that can get pricey, the White Sands Hotel offers wonderfully affordable options for both couples and families, while also providing suites for the full luxury experience. Yet another welcome throwback in timeless Oahu.
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Where to Eat in Oahu: Fete
Listing the top places to eat in Honolulu warrants its own article. Our own “best restaurant” nomination goes to Fete. Tucked a bit off the main drag in Chinatown, a short $10 Uber ride will whisk you to one of the most inventive, unique, and overall must-visit restaurants in the area.
With hip, modern decor and a mellow dining scene that made us feel very comfortable (during COVID protocols at the time), this restaurant from Honolulu-born owner and chef Robynne Maii accurately calls itself a “Seasonal New American neighborhood restaurant with local roots and a global outlook—where classic techniques meet island flavors and ingredients at their best.”
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The menu’s signatures include Coconut Kaua’i Prawns (with curry leaves, lime, and black pepper), and linguitini carbonara (with slab bacon and Portuguese sausage), and Kaua’i Ranch Korean hanger steak.
One of our favorite dishes of the evening was the grilled carrots appetizer with a sunchoke aioli and sunchoke chips. Trust us, you gotta try these carrots. For drinks, they offer a fine selection of craft beers and several craft cocktails worth writing home about—from a signature Ma’i’i Tai and Noho Mule #3 to (the winner of the evening) a Spicy Kitty (Tito’s, Yuzuri, Hawaiian chili-infused oleo saccharum, shichimi spice, muddled shiso, and club soda) served in a glass that alone is worth ordering the drink for.
Editor’s Note: Check all local CDC guidelines before you travel, as restrictions are constantly changing with the global pandemic
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Hawaii has been getting a lot of attention this January thanks to an incredible run of swell, most notably “Super Swell Saturday.” But while 99% of Hawaii’s jaw-dropping surf clips come from one of its many world-class surf breaks––Jaws, Pipeline, Waimea Bay, etc.––we found one where the surfing takes place in a river.
Jamie O’Brien and Ben Gravy are not only great surfers, but these two have managed to gain huge Youtube followings by documenting their surf adventures. While Ben Gravy is from the Midwest and made a name for himself surfing a wave in all 50 states, JOB is a pro surfer based on Oahu’s famed North Shore. Despite their different backgrounds, the two surfers are great ambassadors of the sport and document their surf lifestyles in an unfiltered format.
So what happens when you put two of surfing’s best vloggers together? Well, they make it a mission to surf one of Hawaii’s top novelty waves. The Waimea River wave is fickle yet rippable, and only breaks when a rainstorm has swollen the river and water goes pouring into Waimea Bay. Of course, you can’t exactly control when that happens. On this particular occasion, the Waimea River wave turned on in the middle of the night.
Not to be deterred, JOB and Gravy brought in some flood lights, flares and a whole lot of courage. Surfing this powerful river wave––which empties into punishing shorebreak––is dangerous enough during daylight hours. At night, this beast gets a whole lot scarier. Check out their chaotic session in JOB’s edit above (river surfing starts at 17:30) or Ben Gravy’s edit below (starts at 10:30).
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In case you haven’t heard, Hawaii got hit with a massive swell this weekend. The biggest day was January 16, which is being referred to as “Super Swell Saturday.” And there’s good reason for that, as these three surf clips demonstrate.
1. Jetski Mayhem at North Shore Outer Reef
This monster set caught everyone by surprise. Fast forward to 2:00 to see the mayhem unfold.
2. Tow Surfing Insanity at Jaws
Female charger Justine Dupont came away with the barrel of the day. Kai Lenny raised the bar of high-performance big-wave surfing (yet again). And a 12-year-old rode a wave that would terrify 99.99% of grown men. Watch all eight minutes, it’s well worth your time.
3. John John Florence’s Mega Barrel
JJF finally got that coveted win at Pipeline last month and now he’s on a mission to find a bigger barrel. This outer reef bomb could only be described as ridiculous.
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