With countless breathtaking beaches, near-perfect weather year-round, towering mountain peaks, plenty of rainbows, and panoramic views everywhere you look, it’s hard to argue that Hawaii is anything other than a tropical island paradise, but that doesn’t mean everything about living in Hawaii is ideal. In fact, there are a few things many people who are from the islands – or who have made the Aloha State their home – have grown to dislike about Hawaii, or perhaps even hate. Here are 12 of the worst things about living in Hawaii.

1. Terrible, soul-crushing traffic.

Daniel Ramirez / Flickr
Honolulu traffic is second only to Los Angeles when it comes to terrible traffic; the average Honolulu resident sits in traffic for approximately 58 hours annually, but if you commute in and out of the city, that number can be a lot higher. My estimates for the eight months I worked in Honolulu and lived in Ewa Beach total approximately 10 hours spent in traffic every week.

2. Feeling as though you can never get dressed up.

Alpha / Flickr
Those suits or blazers and pencil skirts are most likely just taking up space in the back of your closet. Living casually is fun for a while, but there are occasions where you wish you could dress up just a little bit without getting weird looks all night. And wearing heels? Forget about it.

3. Not being able to complain — at all.

Randy Robertson / Flickr
Have friends or family on the mainland? You definitely won’t be getting any sympathy for your problems when they’ve just been caught in a blizzard.

4. The astronomical cost of living.

Alex Avriette / Flickr
Yeah, Hawaii is paradise, but if you moved here from the mainland, you will never get used to your grocery bills; a gallon of milk costs twice as much in Hawaii verses the rest of America.

5. You won’t get to experience big concerts again.

BYU-Hawaii / Flickr
Your favorite band will never tour in Hawaii, and even if they do, tickets will be hard to come by, and cost upwards of $300.

6. Vog.

Nathanael Coyne / Flickr
In Hawaii, there is no allergy season, but instead an unpredictable source of pain, and discomfort known as vog, the volcanic smog that wafts over from the Big Island when the trade winds change course.

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7. Being constantly swimsuit-ready.

Chris Hunkeler / Flickr
Not that you shouldn't be confident in your own skin, but you can never really take a day off from shaving, and good luck hiding those holiday pounds under bulky sweaters.

8. Sun Guilt.

Thomas Hawk / Flickr
Sometimes, you need to recharge by binge watching Netflix all day, but that can be hard when you feel guilty for not enjoying the weather, and taking advantage of exploring Hawaii’s beautiful landscape any chance you get.

9. You can’t escape from people.

Kyle Nishioka / Flickr
When you live on a small island, there’s no avoiding that annoying friend from college who you want nothing to do with, or your clingy ex you never want to see again.

10. A lack of quality Mexican food.

Wally Gobetz / Flickr
Of course, the bibimbap is absolutely divine, but if you’re in the mood for spicy and guacamole-filled tacos, you’re out of luck since Hawaii is known for sub-par Mexican food.

11. Or limited access to popular food chains, for that matter.

Mike Mozart / Flickr
Sometimes, all you want are breadsticks from Olive Garden, a Chipotle burrito, or even Caribou Coffee, Tim Hortons, or whatever coffee chain is most popular in your area of the country.

12. Island Fever.

Peter / Flickr
Island fever is real, y’all. It’s easy to go stir crazy when you live on a small island, especially when the only road trip you can take is the drive around the island, and your weekend getaways consist of visiting a neighboring island.

For every bad thing about living in the Aloha State, there are at least one hundred (if not a thousand) reasons to love it here, and despite everything, our hearts will always be in Hawaii. What do you think are the worst things about living in Hawaii? Would you ever consider moving to (or back to) the mainland?

Of course, some of the best things about living in Hawaii are the incredible beaches. Check out some of our favorite Hawaiian beaches in this video:

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Hawaii Life

Megan Shute | July 27, 2020

What is it like to live in Hawaii? 

Like anywhere, there are certainly pros and cons to living in Hawaii. If you’re new to island living, you might find yourself experiencing a bit of culture shock — after all, as the most isolated population center on the planet, the Hawaiian Islands are unlike anywhere else in the world. From the islands’ culture and history to our traditions, favorite foods, and strange habits, everything about living in Hawaii is a little bit, well, different.

What are the best things about living in Hawaii? 

Despite this list of all of the frustrating aspects of life in Hawaii, there’s nowhere else we’d rather call home than the beautiful Aloha State. Here are some of the best things about living in Hawaii:

Across the Hawaiian Islands, life is a little slower, and we choose to embody the Aloha Spirit in everything we do. From the stunning, panoramic views and that intoxicating tropical ocean breeze to the mouthwatering local food and an emphasis on ohana, there are so, so many things to love about living in Hawaii — but everyone has their own opinions. We think you'll agree that the rest of America could learn a thing or two about life from the islands.

Is "island fever" real? 

Island fever, or the phenomenon of feeling disconnected from the outside world or claustrophobic from the close proximity of each shoreline, is very real to those who experience it. Seeing as Hawaii is smack-dab in the middle of the earth's largest ocean and is also the world's most isolated population center, we're sure you can understand why island fever is so common and most definitely real.

 

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