Why I Love Upcountry

I've lived in Pukalani for over 21 years now — by far the longest I've ever stayed in one place. That's not an accident. Once you've lived Upcountry, it's hard to imagine wanting to live anywhere else.

Our backyard view looking towards the airport & Kahului Bay.

Part of it’s just practical. We've got our own locally owned and run grocery stores, locally owned restaurants, cooler weather that makes you actually want to be outside & views that still stop me some mornings. And despite feeling tucked away far up the hill, we're only fifteen minutes from the airport, Costco & anything else we need down below. You get the quiet without giving up the convenience.

But honestly, the real reason is the neighborhoods. These are the kind of streets where families have lived since the late '70s and early '80s — they raised their kids here, and now those kids are raising their own kids in the same place. That kind of continuity is rare anywhere, let alone somewhere as small as Maui. It's also incredibly walkable; on my weekly walks I can rack up three to five miles without even trying, just winding through the neighborhood.

Given all that, there's a great sense of community and pride here that's always been strong, but it became something even deeper after the fires in 2023. Since then, my husband and I have been so proud to volunteer and support Mālama Kula Foundation, a nonprofit that grew directly out of that tragedy to help families who lost their homes and land Upcountry. Fun Fact: We actually lease them a piece of our Kula property as their base yard — it's a small thing, but it's meant a lot to be able to give back in a real, ongoing way. Three years later, that work is still happening, and it's not slowing down.

Sometimes people ask me if I’d move somewhere "easier." Honestly? I couldn't imagine living anywhere else.