Think Living In Hawaii Is Paradise.. Think Again.

Okay sure, we have the gorgeous beaches, endless summers and Mai-Tai's that will kick your a**. We have breathtaking waterfalls, amazing flora and seafood to die for. We have a lot to be thankful for on these rocks, but living here and being immersed in the island life is not for everyone- I assure you.

I think my entire family and friends wonder why I don't spend every day at the beach and are confused as to why I don't have a gorgeous island tan or know how to surf. So, I put together a few reasons why living on the island of Oahu is a completely different experience than what mainlanders may envision.

Prices:
Think paying 9 dollars for a gallon of milk. This should be the end of this article...  but for your enjoyment I will continue. Everything is expensive, and when I say everything, I truly mean EVERYTHING. Want to go out for dinner? Plan to spend 60+ bucks and that's without drinks. Want to go out for dinner in Waikiki? Plan to pay an additional $25 for parking. It's astronomical. From groceries to entertainment... be prepared to drop a small fortune just to live month to month.

Traffic:
Ohau is rated among the top three worst cities for traffic in America. Once my husband and I spent 2 hours trying to get to a Christmas party that was only 10 miles away. Here's a little fun fact: We don't talk in miles on Oahu. We talk in minutes. For example, Waikiki is 15 minutes away from where I live- on a good day (Technically it's only about 5 miles). When you live here, you avoid traffic like a pack of zombies wanting to rip your face off. Rush hour- forget about it, and rush-hour starts from 630am-9am and 2pm-6pm. Traffic is what keeps me at home binge watching Netflix with my daughter- seriously.

Parking:
Let me enlighten you about parking and trying to do anything in Waikiki. Since this little gem of an island is so filled with tourist, parking for residents is virtually impossible. Fortunately, we found a secret hidden parking lot downtown. And no... I'm not going to tell you where it is either. If it wasn't for this parking lot, I would never ever visit Waikiki.

Isolation:
Listen, you can only go around this island so many times. To go anywhere else requires a plane. It's a hard pill to swallow. No road trips, no short flights to family and definitely no cheap options to go explore and have some fun beyond the North Shore... which I've seen about a dozen times. Unless you are a self proclaimed gazillionaire, you are very limited as what you can do and where you can go.

Playing Tour Guide: 
We love it when friends and family come to visit and especially the ones who have never visited the islands before. Until we realize we have to play tour guide, yet again. Once you've been forced to attend your 15th Luau, you sorta wish you came down with something completely debilitating just to get out of it.

Of course, in the end, anywhere you live is what you make of it. The island life is perfect for a lot of people and I know several families who just can't get enough of this state. However, in my humble opinion, feel free to visit.... and then go home. Believe me, it's not quite worth it for the perpetual sunny days and turquoise waters. It's a great place to spend a week or two, or heck, even three, but trust that living here is much more than sunshine and sand.


Please feel free to comment below and let me know about your stay in Hawaii. Did you visit? Do you live here? I want to know!