Last Updated: 12/06/21
There’s a reason the hashtag #LuckyWeLiveHawaii has over 3.3 million posts on Instagram. Living in Hawaii is an experience like no other, and we at Royal Hawaiian Movers get to enjoy it every day.
When you live in a place where the Aloha Spirit is the law, you want to share it with everyone you encounter. If you’re thinking about moving to the Aloha State, we want to share with you the top 14 reasons we love it here. (Is now a good time to mention that you’ll see rainbows just about every day, including on your license plate and your driver’s license?!)
Just in case you need a little push to move to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, here are 14 reasons why we think you should come on out and become part of the ohana.
Reason #1: Two Words: Island Hopping
When you move to Hawaii, you’ll have six major inhabited islands to choose as your home – the Big Island, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai.
Thanks to frequent interisland flights, you’ll have easy access to all of the others, each of which has its own character. Hop a Mokulele Airlines flight to enjoy Kauai’s small-town charm and iconic waterfalls. Or jump on a Hawaiian Airlines jet to Honolulu for a world-class food and wine experience in its burgeoning culinary scene. Or pop over to Molokai to explore its rich history and deep connection to traditional Hawaiian culture.
Once you live in Hawaii, its islands are just waiting for you to explore.
Reason #2: Adventure for Every Type of Adventurer
Many people don’t realize just how diverse the geography of the Hawaiian Islands can be, which opens the door for just about every type of outdoor adventure.
Of course, Hawaii is a watersports paradise, and a lot of activities revolve around the ocean, including:
Reason #3: Playing Tourist Can Be Fun
When you talk to other people about moving to Hawaii, you’ll probably hear someone say, “Living in Hawaii isn’t the same as being a tourist in Hawaii.”
They’re right, but consider what a huge advantage it is to have access to the tourist lifestyle whenever you want it.
With activities, restaurants, bars, and excursions designed to host around 9 million tourists a year, you can “play tourist” any day of the week and have a blast. From sailing to ziplining to helicopter tours and tasting excursions, there’s always something to do. Even if you want to just kick back and enjoy a few mai tais while watching one of Hawaii’s favorite sunsets, you’ll find plenty of establishments who are happy to offer you a front-row seat to the view. In other words, you’ll never run out of things to do!
Don’t forget to ask about kama’aina discounts! If you’ve got a Hawaii driver’s license, many places will offer you 10%, 15%, or even 20% off your bill, making it a little more affordable to enjoy those things that probably you drew you to Hawaii in the first place.
Reason #4: Your Family and Friends Will Be Stoked to Visit
If you need a little encouragement to enjoy all the touristy parts of Hawaii, what better excuse than showing your friends and family around your new island home?
Trust us, you’re going to get visitors once you move to Hawaii. (Especially if you have a spare room!) For many, Hawaii is a dream vacation, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to escape to a tropical paradise. Knowing someone who lives in the islands is just one more reason to buy a plane ticket and knock Hawaii off the bucket list.
If you’re worried that moving to Hawaii means not seeing as much of your loved ones as you’re used to, let us reassure you. Move to Hawaii, issue an open invite, and watch as your friends and family start planning their visits.
Reason #5: Leave Seasons Behind
(But Only If You Want To!)
When many people think of Hawaii, they think of wearing aloha shirts, shorts, and flip flops year-round. Depending on where you choose to make your home, that wardrobe can be your reality.
Yes, it’s true that frosty winters aren’t a thing in Hawaii. Temperatures do get a little cooler during the “winter” months. However, that means averages in the seventies, not in the teens!
If you love a little seasonality, you’re in luck. Did you know that you’ll find 10 of the world’s 14 climate zones within the Hawaiian Islands? The Big Island is the only one that’s home to all 10 of them. However, you can find seasonal weather in many places in Hawaii, if that’s what you crave.
Evening temperatures in Maui’s Kula neighborhood can get down to the 40s, giving you that feeling of a crisp New England fall. Kohala Mountain Road on the Big Island can also off you that little seasonal nip. Even Mililani on Oahu at just 627′ offers some cooler temperatures in the winter. You’ll also find that Hawaii gets more rain in the winter, although that’s not the kind of season change most people crave!
So as you choose your home in Hawaii, look for the kind of weather you’ll want to enjoy. Keep in mind that at least some form of changing seasons can be found, as can those famously year-round warm and sunny temperatures.
Reason #6: Enjoy Life at Island Speed
When you drive on Hawaii’s 55-mile-per-hour highways past all the conveniences of home, like Target, Walmart, and Costco, you might think for a second that you’re on the mainland.
But real Hawaii life moves at its own pace. Visit a local farmer’s market, spend some time on Oahu’s North Shore, or take the ferry to quiet Lanai. Grab a couple of beach chairs and spend the day gazing out from the shoreline. In Hawaii, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to enjoy the laid-back attitudes and “island time” speeds that remind you that you’re on an island in the Pacific.
If you want to get the most out of your time in Hawaii, your best bet is to take the advice of a popular local bumper sticker: “Slow down. This isn’t the mainland.”
Reason #7: Food You Won’t Find Anywhere Else
As home to the nation’s largest share of multi-ethnic Americans, Hawaii is a true melting pot of culture. This is nowhere more evident than in its food.
In addition to the traditional food that originates in native Hawaiian culture, you’ll also find strong influences from China, Portugal, Japan, and the Philippines. As workers from these countries came to find employment on Hawaii’s plantations, they brought many of their culinary traditions with them.
A traditional side dish you’ll see at luaus with diced salmon, tomatoes and onions
A noodle and broth soup with Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino influences
You’ll find Spam atop of rectangle of sushi rice, Spam on nachos, and Spam with over-easy eggs
It consists of one scoop of rice, one scoop of macaroni salad, plus one kind of meat
These fried dough balls, dipped in sugar, are often paired with a strong cup of local coffee
A combination of frozen açaí puree blended with milk or juice and topped with a variety of fresh fruits and nuts
Reason #8: Breathtaking Beaches…in Every Color
Hawaii is famous for its picture-perfect white-sand beaches, lined with palm trees. With over 400 named beaches in the islands, each with its own unique features, you’re sure to find one to fall in love with. Did you also know that you can find many colorful sand beaches in Hawaii?
Punaluu on the Big Island is one of the most famous. It gets it’s dark color from basalt in the sand, deposited from past lava flow.
You’ll find red sand beaches, like Kaihalulu on Maui. Kaihalulu owes its color to iron deposits in the surrounding geography.
You’ll even find a green sand beach, Papakolea, on the Big Island. It gets its color from a large amount of olivine crystals in the sand.
Whether white, black, green or red is your color, we know you’ll find a beach to your liking. Don’t forget to snag a couple of beach chairs at Costco when you arrive! They’re sturdy, and they’ll serve you well throughout your time in Hawaii.
Reason #9: Rich History That Lives on in Tradition
You may know that the United States overthrew the Hawaiian Monarchy in 1893, for which President Bill Clinton officially issued a legislative apology in 1993.
Although the monarchy is long gone, Hawaii’s culture and traditions live on. Some of them endure in cultural centers and museums, like the Iolani Palace on Oahu, the only royal palace in the United States. Others continue in traditions, like hula dancing, which is still taught by kumu (teachers) who preside over halau (schools) where students study the traditional art.
If you’d like to learn more about the culture and history of the Hawaiian people, you’ll have plenty of opportunities in Hawaii.
Start with a visit to Iolani Palace on Oahu to learn the history of the Hawaiian Monarchy, or stop by the Bishop Museum to take in the long history of Hawaii, starting with the first Polynesian arrivals. You can also explore activities that celebrate Hawaiian culture, such as the Festivals of Aloha, the Merrie Monarch Festival, the Uncle Richard Ho’opi’i Leo Ki’eki’e Falsetto Contest, and the Hawaiian Island Festival.
Finally, take the time to read about the 1600 years of human history on Hawaii, so you can get a fuller picture of these beautiful islands. Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen, written by Queen Liliuokalani, offers one poignant viewpoint from Hawaii’s last monarch.
Reason #10: The Aloha Spirit
When you land in Hawaii, you might feel something different in the air. Even if you don’t feel it right away, chances are you’ll encounter it during your stay. We’re talking about the Aloha Spirit, which is “the breath of life and love that we share with each other,” according to Danny Kalekini, Hawaii’s ambassador of aloha.
When you arrive, we hope you feel the aloha spirit. It’s a guiding philosophy and a practice that creates a beautifully deep connection to the land of Hawaii and all its people.
You might experience it when exchanging a smile, viewing the most vivid rainbow to ever grace the sky or walking a beach at sunrise. You might also feel it in a tug in your heart when you board the plane to leave. It’s a feeling that makes many people head to Hawaii—and stay.
Reason #11: Why Wait to Live the Lifestyle of Your Dreams?
For many people, working remotely has become their reality. If you’re one of those people no longer tethered to a specific location, why not finally move somewhere you’ve always wanted to—like Hawaii? After all, there’s no time like the present.
You wouldn’t be alone in making the leap. Data from the Hawaii Tourism Authority showed that from August 1–November 15, 2020, the daily number of people arriving in Hawaii with the intention of becoming new residents rose to an average of 180 people a day. That number was closer to 150 per day in 2019.ii
In other words, if you’ve always wondered whether to move to Hawaii, now’s the time to say, “Why not?!”
Reason #12: Rainbows Everywhere
Once you move to Hawaii, you’ll quickly see why it’s called the land of rainbows. Besides gracing Hawaii’s license plates and driver’s licenses, you’ll see real rainbows in the wild frequently in Hawaii, sometimes even as often as once a day. These majestic natural occurrences are a special reminder of why Hawaii is such an incredible place to live.
Curious why there are so many rainbows in Hawaii? It’s largely due to the islands’ unique geography. As Hawaii’s trade winds blow, they bring in moist air from the Pacific. As these winds hit the sides of the islands’ steep mountains, the air rises and cools, creating rain—and the perfect conditions for rainbows.
Rainbows also figure large in traditional Hawaiian culture, in which rainbows symbolized the presence of gods or chiefs. In fact, Hawaiians have many specific words for rainbows, including:
- Kahili – A standing rainbow shaft
- Hakahakea – A greenish rainbow
- Punakea – A barely visible rainbow
- Ānuenue kau po– A moonbow iii
Once you see the beauty, clarity, and variety of rainbows in Hawaii, you’ll understand why the ancient Hawaiians devoted so many words to these striking phenomena.
Reason #13: Incredibly Talented Local Musicians
Given that the official YouTube video has 1.1 billion views, you’re probably already familiar with Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, which Ukulele Magazine called “the best-selling piece of Hawaiian music of all time.”iv Although Bruddah Iz is no longer with us, you’ll find plenty of talented local musicians in Hawaii performing everything from traditional Hawaiian songs to new interpretations of older classics to modern compositions.
To give you a quick introduction to the Hawaii music scene, check out a few of our recent favorites:
Reason #14: The Cost of Living Is Worth It for Unforgettable Experiences on a Daily Basis
Yes, the rumors are true. Hawaii is one of the most expensive states in the U.S. Because almost everything is imported, prices are higher, especially where groceries are concerned. (If you want to know how much it will really cost you to live in Hawaii, check out our article, Get the Facts: The Cost of Living in Hawaii.)
That said, more than 1.4 million people are currently making it work, so why not you!?
After all, where else in the world can you swim with turtles in the morning and go spotting humpback whales in the afternoon? Or look at an active volcano like Kilauea and camper through an old tunnel created by lava flow, also called a lava flow? Or even better, strap on a scuba tank and swim right through an underwater lava tube as you pass by a banded angelfish, one of the 20% of the fish population which can be found nowhere else?
In our opinion, all you have to do is stand under a clear night sky in Hawaii and look up to know you’re someplace special. With almost zero light pollution, you’ll see things you’ve never seen before.
And, when you move to Hawaii, you’ll see all these sights as part of the natural course of your days and nights.
So What Are You Waiting For?
These ten things—and more—are just waiting for you in the Hawaiian Islands. Plus, when you arrive, you’ll probably find ten more of your own that make you want to embrace the spirit of the hashtag: #LuckyWeLiveHawaii
If you’re ready to pack your bags and need some assistance moving your belongings, we can help. Reach out and we’ll get you on the way to making the Aloha State yours.
