Five Reasons You Should NOT Visit Hawai‘i on Your Next Vacation

Hawaii • March 7, 2019
A person is walking on a sandy beach near the ocean.

Listen, we get it. Choosing a vacation destination is tough. So many places, so little time. Hawai‘i complicates that decision even more because deciding to vacation here is only step one—you still have to decide which island(s) to visit! What to do, what to do?

We thought it would be a good public service to offer you five great reasons why Hawai‘i should not be on your list of vacation options. If, after reading this article, you still want to come then check out some of our articles to help guide you on which island to visit.

1.  You just don’t get the beautiful beach and tropical water thing.

Hapuna Beach
Disgusting, right??  [Hapuna Beach on the Big Island]

If you don’t enjoy the beach, you just might want to look elsewhere. That’s because we’re surrounded by them. Which, when you think about it, is the definition of the term “island.” If, on the other hand, you love beaches, then this is the place for you.  Click here  for more information on some of Hawai‘i’s best.

2.  You’re an “eat to live” instead of “live to eat” person.

Wasabi Masago Poke from Alicias
Yummy! I mean, if this is your thing.  [Wasabi Masago Poke from Alicia’s Market, Honolulu]

Hawai‘i has become known for being a real foodie state. It is the most culturally diverse population in the U.S. and the restaurant scene here over the last 25 years has reflected this. What makes Hawai‘i truly unique is the almost endless combinations of fusion cuisine, offering creative and novel twists on flavors from around the world. So if Oxtail Dumplings or Kale Avocado Tacos don’t appeal, you may want to look into London or some other less adventurous place.

3.  You prefer winter to summer.

Snow blower in blizzard
Are we having fun, yet?

Speaking of London, if you prefer cold weather to warm, Hawai‘i might not be your best choice. Honolulu is the only city in the U.S. that has average high temperatures in the 80s twelve months a year! No matter when you arrive, you’ll find that we’re in some variation of summer thatʻs likely more pleasant than where you came from.

If you’re overruled by your traveling companions and end up here anyway, there are mountain peaks over 10,000 feet on both Maui and the Big Island where you can wear your beloved jacket.

4.  You suffer from volcanophobia.

Halema‘uma‘u Crater in Kīlauea Volcano
Scared of volcanoes? Then keep scrolling.  [Halema‘uma‘u Crater in Kīlauea Volcano. Photo: NPS/Jay Robinson]

Although, those moutaintops might not be a good idea if you’re afraid of volcanoes. Hawai‘i’s islands are nothing but a series of (mostly dormant) volcanoes, so anyone who fears them should likely relax elsewhere. If you’re somehow still forced to come, you’ll want to look into Kaua‘i or Oah‘u first, since they’re the oldest islands in the chain and all the volcanoes there are extinct. We think.

You will definitely want to avoid the Big Island of Hawai‘i, since it is home to Kīlauea, the longest continuously active volcano in the world. Haleakalā, on Maui, however, is considered dormant and won’t give you much trouble.

5.  You just want to get away from your roosters for a while.

Yup, we’ve got roosters here. And they act just like roosters everywhere. If you’re trying to escape your rooster’s morning wake up call, consider other locales than Hawai‘i. If you do come, Waikīkī on Oah‘u is rooster-free last time we checked.

If you love beautiful beaches, clear tropical ocean water, great food, perfect year-round weather, gorgeous mountains with a little lava thrown in, and some country life reminders, then we’re probably still on your vacation list.

And if not? Then, aloha!

For further help with your decision-making, read our Top 10 Reasons to Visit Oah‘u , our Top 10 Reasons to Visit the Big Island , or any of our other fun and informative articles !

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