Tabs,
I've been watching this hread with great interest as I too have had it with being cold in San Francisco and have been "threatening" to move to Hawai'i for the past 6 months at least. (This amuses my friends as I grew up in New England but left because I couldn't handle the winters there. Now I'm a total Cold Weather Wuss.
)
You didn't mention whether you're a city or a country person, but I'm a city person so I've been wondering if Hawai'i will be too small for me. (San Francisco's the smallest place I've consistently lived to date.) It certainly is beautiful and the people were largely friendly (I was lucky enough to travel there last year). For me, I am a little concerned about how much of day-to-day goods have to be shipped over from the mainland. With oil prices doing what they've been doing, I'm worried that Hawai'i will feel the inflationary bite worse than the rest of the US.
For what it's worth, I've also considered Santa Barbara, which I'm guessing has similar weather to LA but without the LA-ness. (Note to our LA friends: it's my limitations speaking, not those of the City of Angels.Although during our recent frost last month, I must confess I briefly contemplated LA.) But, again, there's the "small" city factor with SB, for me.
I had to rule out Phoenix, New Orleans and Austin as too hot (not for me, but for my job). Hawai'i has that factor but its siren call and its warmth almost tempt me to change careers (hehe).
I'm up in Calistoga as I type this and the weather's ideal. If only it would stay this way year-round, I might even "forgive" the very "small town" mentality of the Napa Valley and figure out how to pay for a move up here!
Good luck, Tabs, with your decision and please keep those suggestions/ideas coming, friends!
(And, truly, I did not mean to disparage anyone's home in my comments above. My judgements were in relation to my own needs/conditioning. I envy you all who've found a place that feels like home to you and you each give me hope that there's such a place out there for me as well!)