Pāʻia Voted 8th Happiest Seaside Town

Pāʻia town, file image by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

Pāʻia was voted the eighth Happiest Seaside Town in America according to results of a poll conducted by Coastal Living.

Although it had been identified in the past as Maui’s Historical Plantation Town in area signage, Pāʻia is better known for its hippie vibe, surf culture, boutique shops, a Tibetan Buddhist Dharma Center, north shore Halloween haven, the occasional jaywalker, and swimsuit material worthy of national headlines.

The 2013 ranking was part of an annual list compiled by Coastal Living, and was based on reader response.

The publication’s online edition posted the results of the survey in which Beaufort, South Carolina topped the list.

Other locations identified for ranking in the publication included: (#2) Harwich Port, Massachusetts; (#3) Sanibel Island, Florida; (#4) Sag Harbor, New York; (#5) Newport, Rhode Island; (#6) Rowayton, Connecticut; (#7) Kennebunkport, Maine; (#9) La Jolla, California; and (#10) Pescadero, California.