Did you grow up in Hawaii?

Travel Info
If so, what was it like? Do you go to the beach a lot, or do you not go because it's always there anyway and isn't anything special? What would you say is different about growing up there than other places?

Thank you.

Travel Tips

I grew up on Oahu in Kailua and Ewa Beach until I was about 10 years old. This is a long time ago, in the late 50's and early 60's, but it was great.

All the Aunties (other kids' moms) would feed whatever kids showed up at their houses, so there were all kinds of cultural variety to enjoy and learn about. I would go to Sunday school, and then have hula lessons right after. Japanese language classes on Saturday mornings.

Summer Fun camp where we learned hulas, ukulele, lei making, basket weaving, tapa cloth making, archery, swimming, track, and arts and crafts.

We would ride our bikes 3 or 4 miles to the beach whenever we wanted to. We didn't go in the water unless our parents were there, but there is lots of fun to be had on the sand. We spent a lot of time climbing the mountainside behind our house, playing in the forested areas, climbing trees, bringing home tadpoles. I remember being out doors most of the time, and coming in only for homework, dinner, bath and bed. There were always 5 to 10 kids in the neighborhoods to play with all the time, and we played hard.

We ran around in bathing suits with shorts, shoeless, or sometimes with rubber thongs, biking, skating, skateboarding.

We didn't even lock our doors at night. It was an amazing place to grow up.
Others

You have to remember that there are Hawai'i, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu, each is unique with their own special areas.

The most populated, Oahu, is by default, where most people grew up on and it too is varied depending on where you live on the Island. The lifestyles vary considerably if you're on the North Shore, Kailua, Manoa district, Kaimuki, etc.

Hawai;i's uniqueness is really found in the cultural diversity of the State. Aside from the obvious natural beauty, beaches and mountain ranges, the great variety of foods is like nowhere else in the USA in terms of variety and availablility.

The biggest drawback is expense. Everything costs more there than in the rest of the lower 48.

Living on any of the other Islands is more laid back than Oahu but anywhere on any Island is a great experience when you're always just minutes away from beaches or forests.
Yes......I was born, raised, and still reside in Hawaii and would never have it any other way!

Personally I didn't go to the beach a lot (due to an uncle being lost at sea and my personal dislike of sand in areas where it doesn't belong) but my older brother was a beach bum and spent a LOT of time there. On the rare occasion that I went to the beach, it was usually for someone's birthday party and a good time was had by all.

Growing up in Hawaii is a bit different than other places only because Hawaii is a "melting pot" where people of different races and cultures are able to co-exist happily. People here are often of mixed ethnic backgrounds and have adopted other ethnic background's cultural practices as their own. Racial hatred is virtually an unknown here (by those of us that grew up here) and it shows in everyday life.

Hope that my answer helps you understand life in Hawaii......
I was born and raised in Hawaii....Pearl City & Mililani to be exact....being Hawaiian/ filipino it makes sense right lol.....

Personally I love Hawaii but I could never live there again. I am now living in Southern California and although I miss my home land from time to time, living there I just could not take into consideration. It is a great place to visit but not to live. I moved when I was about 18, it's an island, there is only so much for growth. Do not get me wrong I would not change my heritage or race for anything but the Island itself has changed a lot....it's filled with tourist and non native Hawaiians, kind of feels just like LA just w/ prettier beaches.
Ohhhhhhhh, I wish!!! I grew up in Michigan, but I have visited the island of Oahu six times (Honolulu/Waikiki area), and have met some people who live there. They are soooooo friendly there!!
We plan (if all goes well), to retire there someday.
I was born and raised in Hawaii and I have to say I can't see myself be raised any where else. I really grew up with everyone as a family, you consider family friends uncles and aunties and you look at their children as your cousins. I think you learn from a young age how to treat people in a good way and as family since you are so use to it. I use to spend every summer at my grandma's house and with my cousins, we would spend the whole time together and play and walk to the park. Then on weekends my family would go fishing or swimming at the beach with your aunties and uncles, and their cousins, and your cousins, you have so much family; I think in the mainland it would be like a reunion in a sense. During the summer I use to go to the beach ALOT and it was always special, you have your family around (not all familys are like this) and you don't worry because you know they are taking care of you. I definately didn't appreciate it back then, but it really was something special. You can't say that about other places, because you aren't raised around your cousins and aunties and uncles. At least it isn't considered normal. I was really raised by not only my parents, but by my entire family and what's good about that, is that you always have someone watching out for you and you really learn how to respect everyone. Being Native-Hawaiian it is also engrained in me to be proud of my heritage and of where I came from, I learn that from my family and the traditions that are past down. I think that the way the heritage is passed down is really different too, because my family really tried to keep the traditions alive, the amount of Hawaiians in Hawaii is decreasing for whatever reason, so it's like a struggle for your family and you feel more willing to embrace it in that sense, because you want to keep your family strong since it's a part of you.

I think growing up in Hawaii to enjoy it is determined on whether or not you enjoy being together as a family and whether or not you you embrace what comes with living in Hawaii.

You know, if you live here and try not to speak pidgin english or don't know how to speak it you'll have a hard time being accepted into that culture and style of living and also if you don't know how to respect the land and the people that live on it. Also, you gotta love spam and you gotta love rice, because that is a part of every locals diet. I don't know why mainland people think spam is gross, yeah it looks funny, but it's so good when you cook it up.

Another great thing about living in Hawaii is....if you live life actively and doing stuff and appreciating all the things that come with living here, if you stay active you don't have to worry too much (you still need to think about it) about getting overweight or fat. My uncles and cousins are big, but that's because they love to eat XD

Sorry, but ANOTHER great thing about growing up in Hawaii is that you can live off the minimum, you don't grow up being materialistic, because you are use to wearing rubber slippers (slipper thongs in the mainland) and t-shirt and shorts, girls it's a little more pricey you know, but everyone for any occasion you wear rubber slippers (yes, sometimes even weddings, and church, and school). And local food is pretty cheap, considering we eat spam and rice, or portuguese sausage and rice, or teriyaki and rice.
Hope I helped :D