Hawaii is home to a wide range of towns that give older adults relaxing ways to enjoy their retirement years. Across the islands, retirees can find communities with easy access to healthcare and outdoor recreation. Coastal towns like Kailua-Kona and Līhuʻe offer ocean views and nearby medical care. Inland communities such as Waimea and Makawao provide cooler weather and an easier rhythm. Retirees may be drawn to smaller places with a strong community feel, while those wanting more services may prefer regional hubs like Hilo. Together, these Hawaiian towns offer a mix of natural beauty and everyday comforts.

Kailua-Kona

Kailua-Kona is a coastal town on the Big Island of Hawaii with fewer than 25,000 residents. It continues to attract retirees thanks to its warm weather and ocean access. Areas like Kealakehe and Holualoa are still growing, with new subdivisions adding more housing options for people who want to stay long-term.

Most medical care is provided by the nearby Kona Community Hospital, and clinics throughout the Kona district offer additional services. Some of the main landmarks are Kailua Pier, Huliheʻe Palace, Kamakahonu Beach, and Kona Commons Shopping Center. These spots help residents stay active year-round.

Hilo

Hilo is a well-known retirement-friendly community on Hawaii Island, known for being easy to walk around. With about 48,000 residents, according to recent Census data, Hilo is a regional center for healthcare, education, and government services, which helps create long-term stability for residents.

Hilo Benioff Medical Center is the main hospital for East Hawaii and provides most of the area’s healthcare. There are also outpatient and senior care services, such as the nearby Life Care Center of Hilo.

People in Hilo often spend time at places like Wailoa River State Recreation Area, Hilo Farmers Market, Liliʻuokalani Gardens, and Rainbow Falls. These spots are close to neighborhoods like Waiākea and Keaukaha.

Waimea

Waimea is a small inland town on Hawaii Island with fewer than 10,000 residents. Because it sits at a higher elevation, the weather is cooler, with daytime temperatures usually between 70 and 80°F and nights that feel much cooler.

Residents have access to healthcare through local clinics and services linked to Queen’s North Hawai’i Community Hospital in Waimea, which provides essential care for the area. The town has strong connections to Parker Ranch, one of the country’s largest ranches, as well as nearby ranchlands. Waimea attracts retirees who want a quieter inland setting, strong community organizations, and fewer people.

Līhuʻe

Līhuʻe serves as Kauai’s administrative and service center and has fewer than 10,000 residents. The town plays a central role in healthcare and government operations across the island. It is just 30 minutes from Hanapepe and offers retirees a small-town feel, with natural scenery all around.

Wilcox Medical Center is the largest hospital on the island and provides care for residents throughout Kauai. Notable landmarks include Kalapaki Beach, Nawiliwili Harbor, Kauai Museum, and Kilohana Plantation. Together, these sites support recreation, tourism, and community events across the area.

Kapa’a

Kapaʻa sits on the east side of Kauai and has about 11,000 residents. It is easy to get around on foot, with everything you could need close by. The town serves as both a place to live and a hub for businesses in the area.

Residents can access healthcare at local clinics such as The Clinic at Kapaa or at Wilcox Medical Center in Līhuʻe. Some well-known spots in Kapaʻa are Kapaʻa Beach Park, the Sleeping Giant Trail, Coconut Marketplace, and Wailua River State Park. Coconut Marketplace has a Farmer’s Market twice a week, plus live local music. Hula classes and shows are also a local favorite offered at Coconut Marketplace.

Kailua

Kailua is a residential area on the windward side of Oahu with fewer than 50,000 residents. The town is known for its easy access to beaches and well-established neighborhoods such as Enchanted Lake and Coconut Grove.

Residents have access to healthcare through nearby hospitals in the Honolulu area. Adventist Health Castle, which is located in Kailua, is one of the main options. In addition, Kalapawai Market is a local favorite to grab coffee, ube scones, and other treats.

Kailua is home to many beaches for swimming and watersports, including Kailua Beach Park. Lanikai Beach is a public beach within a residential neighborhood, with no lifeguards, restrooms, or public parking lot. For walking and biking, Kawainui Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular dog-friendly wildlife sanctuary with a scenic trail.

Haleʻiwa

Hale’iwa is known for its slower pace and strong connection to Oahu’s North Shore coastline. This historic North Shore town is said to be the quirkiest and has a population of under 5,000. It maintains a small commercial core while serving nearby rural communities.

Healthcare is available through clinics in Waialua and through The Queen’s Medical Center – Wahiawā in central Oahu.

Notable landmarks in Haleʻiwa include Haleʻiwa Beach Park, a popular spot for fishing and sunset views, and Waimea Bay, known for its large winter surf and summer swimming conditions. The nearby Banzai Pipeline draws surfers from around the world during big-wave season on Oahu’s North Shore. Residents also spend time at Haleʻiwa Aliʻi Beach Park, which has picnic areas and shoreline walking paths.

Wahiawa

Wahiawa is a central Oahu community with a population of roughly 17,000. It sits between the island’s north and south regions, and provides a quieter inland setting while still allowing access to both Oahu’s north and south coasts.

Healthcare in Wahiawa is available through in-town facilities, such as The Queen’s Medical Center – Wahiawā.

Local landmarks include Lake Wilson, where residents fish and kayak, and the Wahiawa Botanical Garden, known for its large tropical trees and walking paths. Nearby Schofield Barracks remains one of the largest military installations in Hawaii and shapes much of the area’s economy. Residents also rely on Whitmore Village for local businesses, neighborhood services, and access to agricultural areas outside town.

Makawao

Makawao is a small town in upcountry Maui with fewer than 10,000 residents. Its higher elevation gives the area cooler temperatures than much of coastal Maui, especially during the evenings.

Makawao maintains a rural atmosphere while still keeping residents close to shopping and healthcare in nearby Kahului and central Maui for routine and specialized care.

Residents enjoy art galleries, and nearby access routes to Haleakalā National Park, which draw both residents and visitors into Maui’s upland landscapes. The community also gathers around Oskie Rice Event Center, which hosts rodeos and local events throughout the year, while Pukalani Country Club provides golf and recreation with views of central Maui.

Pāhoa

Pāhoa is a small town on Hawaii Island with fewer than 1,000 residents. The community has a slower pace of life and a strong local character shaped by East Hawaii’s volcanic landscape. Residents access healthcare through clinics in nearby Hilo and facilities connected to Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation in East Hawaii.

Local landmarks include Lava Tree State Monument, where lava formations surround walking paths through tropical forest, and the historic downtown which still contains several older storefronts and small local businesses such as Tin Shack Bakery. Nearby Pohoiki Black Sand Beach has become a popular coastal gathering area following recent volcanic activity, while the former Ahalanui Park site (destroyed by the Kīlauea lava flow in 2018) remains an important part of the region’s history and shoreline identity.

Honoka’a

Honokaʻa is a small plantation-era town on the Big Island of Hawaii. With fewer than 3,000 residents, its historic main street reflects its sugar industry past with preserved storefronts and a compact town center that still serves the surrounding Hamakua Coast communities.

Residents access healthcare through Queen’s North Hawai’i Community Hospital in nearby Waimea, which provides essential services for the region.

Along the main corridor, residents frequent shops such as Tex Drive-In, known for its malasadas, and Cafe Il Mondo, a long-running local café. The nearby Kalōpā State Recreation Area offers forest trails and native vegetation, while the Hamakua Coast provides scenic coastal drives with waterfalls and ocean views. Routes toward Akaka Falls connect the town to one of the island’s most visited natural landmarks.

Hawaii Retirement Across the Islands

Retirement spots in Hawaii are found across the islands, each with its own pace of life. Towns like Kailua-Kona and Līhuʻe keep residents close to healthcare, services, and coastal scenery, while places such as Waimea, Makawao, and Honokaʻa offer quieter inland settings with strong local character. Others, including Hilo, Kapaʻa, and Haleʻiwa, balance everyday conveniences with beaches, parks, markets, and community gathering places. As people in Hawaii look for more space, fewer crowds, and reliable access to care, these towns show how varied retirement living can be across the state.

IDAHO FALLS — A 62-year-old woman was sentenced to prison for prostitution trafficking on Friday following an intense hearing.

Seventh District Judge Brendon Taylor sentenced Xue Fang Lu to five years fixed and 15 years indeterminate, meaning she could spend up to 20 years in prison. She will receive credit for the 252 days she has already served.

RELATED | New details in local prostitution case; charges temporarily dropped for former cop accused of human trafficking

Following a five-day jury trial, a jury on March 6 found Lu guilty of felony interstate trafficking of prostitution and felony procurement of prostitution related to an illegal massage business that was operated out of the Fairbridge Inn in Idaho Falls, from March to May 2024.

All of the charges will run concurrently.

The sentencing

During Friday’s hearing, as in many past hearings in this case, Lu demonstrated confusion and frustration with the court process. She continually interrupted other participants in the hearing, despite being repeatedly told to remain quiet by her defense attorney, Sean Bartholick, and the judge.

At one point, Lu held up a written sign to the camera and the gallery that read: “Double Jeopardy.” She argued through her court-appointed interpreter that she was a victim of being punished for the same crime twice.

According to Cornell Law, double jeopardy is defined as “being prosecuted twice for the same crime.”

In November 2024, Lu and her alleged former partner in the crime, Gordon Dennis Shaw, had their charges temporarily delayed due to Shaw becoming ill and unable to participate in court proceedings, according to Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal.

Shaw, an 82-year-old former Idaho Falls police officer, later had all of the charges against him dropped.

RELATED | New details in local prostitution case; charges temporarily dropped for former cop accused of human trafficking

Shaw later testified in Lu’s trial but was never again charged. According to Neal, Shaw is elderly and unable to understand the court process.

After resuming her court proceedings, Lu was put on trial in September 2025, a process that ended in a hung jury when the jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict. A new trial was held in March, when a different jury unanimously found her guilty.

During the sentencing hearing, Taylor explained this to Lu multiple times, reiterating that she has been charged in only one case in Idaho.

Prosecution’s arguments

Neal argued that Lu should be sentenced to six years in prison fixed, and 18 years indeterminate due to the depravity of her crime and the horrific circumstances that she put the victim through.

According to Neal, Lu texted the victim about an arrangement for sex in which the customers were charged extra if they preferred to have unprotected sex.

“There’s actually a discussion of an arrangement for sex which included that the individual was paying more so that he would not have to wear a condom,” Neal said. “One of the texts between Ms. Lu and the victim in this case stated that, explaining that the sex was so severe, that she had been (expletive) hacked to death for $150.”

Neal says the victim in the case was convinced by Lu to come from California to Idaho, a place where she didn’t know anybody, and stay in the hotel at all hours, only leaving to be taken to Walmart to buy food.

“She was basically in an area that she knew no one. She had no support. She had no family or friends, and she had basically no money,” said Neal. “In addition to the victim, Ms. Lu was involving an 82-year-old man who, at the time, it appears was being taken advantage of by several individuals.”

Neal argued that Shaw was being taken advantage of due to his age, stating that Lu used him to contact the victim instead of doing it herself and to limit her “exposure.”

Bartholick objected to this claim, stating that Shaw was in good enough health that he testified for the prosecution during Lu’s trial.

“The state doesn’t get to have it both ways,” Bartholick said. “You can’t go to trial and present this persona as a source of evidence, and try to use it to get a conviction, and then show up at (sentencing) and somehow claim he’s a victim as well.”

RELATED | Former Idaho Falls cop charged with human trafficking and prostitution

Defense’s arguments

Bartholick argued that his client should be sentenced to probation or a retained jurisdiction, also known as a rider, due to her minimal prior criminal history and multiple issues throughout the case, including that Shaw’s charges were dropped and Lu’s were not.

“We have a clear case of selective prosecution, where the state wants to argue some outrage when Mr. Shaw was charged, and cases against him were dismissed,” said Bartholick. “You have a defendant that’s 62 years old with one single misdemeanor, and then you have a case where clearly there was at least an alleged co-conspirator.”

At sentencing, Bartholick and Neal repeatedly made slighting remarks toward each other, instigated by Bartholick, who taunted Neal about his recent election loss in the Idaho Primary for District 7 Judge.

At one point, the prosecutor and defense attorney were arguing over the credibility of a witness, and Neal stated that the questioning had “gone far enough.”

Bartholick responded that it’s “not your call.”

Neal said, “It’s not your witness.”

Bartholick retorted with, “It’s my objection.” He then told Neal, “You’re only 30% correct,” apparently referencing the recent election in which Neal received 30% of the vote for the judgeship. Neal’s opponent, District Judge Steven Boyce, won with 70% of the vote.

Taylor asked the two to stop the personal comments and attacks multiple times during the hearing.

Lu’s statement

Before Taylor made his ruling, Lu provided a statement to the court through an interpreter, repeating her concerns about double jeopardy, her current and past attorneys, and her arrest.

“I am innocent and a law-abiding person,” Lu said through the interpreter. “(The police) didn’t read me my rights; they didn’t have a search warrant.”

Lu also told the court that she was in a relationship with Shaw and that she was having trouble finding a job.

“Dennis and I loved each other at the time,” said Lu through an interpreter. “We often had a video call with my mom. In those video calls, my mom told us, ‘You need to take care of each other.’”

The ruling

Taylor told the court he believed the prosecution had successfully shown the evidence of the crimes and that the only answer was to sentence Lu to prison.

“The state put on sufficient evidence to show that Ms. Lu contacted the victim in California and assisted the victim in coming to the state of Idaho for the purpose of performing acts of prostitution,” Taylor said. “This is a victim-based crime that certainly puts the individual engaging in prostitution at substantial risk.”

Based on her prior court conduct, Lu was physically removed from the courtroom by multiple deputies.