11 Extremely Weird Things Only People From Hawaii Do
Megan Shute
Author
As the most isolated population center on the entire planet, the Hawaiian Islands are incredibly unique in everything from our scenery and land formations to our culture and common quirks. And while not everyone is the same, there are a few habits most people from Hawaii share that we will defend endlessly – because backing into your parking stall is just easier, okay? Without further ado, here are 11 things folks who’ve been living in Hawaii for a while do that might make people from other states tilt their head and ask, “why?”
1. People from Hawaii struggle to decide which beach to visit.
2. We pay very little attention to weather forecasts. After all, the weather never changes too much.
3. People from Hawaii put on a sweater when the weather drops below 75 degrees.
4. People from Hawaii have distinct preferences when it comes to sweets.
5. People from Hawaii don’t use traditional words when giving directions — we use “mauka,” or toward the mountains and “makai,” meaning towards the sea.
Related Stories
11 Fascinating Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Waikiki
Here Are 12 Things Everyone Needs To Understand Before They Visit Hawaii
25 Things Every True Hawaii Local Does At Least Once Before They Die
6. Hawaii locals will rave about the deliciousness that is spam musubi, Portuguese sausage, and the loco moco while mainlanders have no idea what we're talking about.
7. We call the 48 contiguous states the mainland. And we’ll get weird looks from those who live, well, on the mainland.
8. Many people from Hawaii are excited about Nov. 1 for one reason: Daylight Savings Time, which means that we are only two hours behind the west coast, rather than three.
9. For those who live on Oahu, we plan all of our afternoon activities around rush hour so we won’t have to be on H-1 headed west between 3 and 7 p.m.
10. We also talk about distance not in miles - but in the time it takes to get to our destination.
11. There’s this thing called sun guilt, and it sucks.
To people from Hawaii, these things seem normal, but many outsiders struggle to make sense of the cultural differences when they visit here on vacation, or even when they move here. I guess you could say we wear our roots out in the open. What are other strange things about Hawaii that you have noticed that other people find extremely weird? Share your thoughts in the comments below, then check out “You’re Not A True Hawaii Local Unless You Understand These 19 Words.”
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
More to Explore
Hawaii The Strange
Do Hawaii locals have any strange habits?
Of course, they do — did you even read this article? In addition to those habits above, many Hawaii locals refuse to use their car horns, eat more Spam per capita than any other state, and welcome geckos into their homes with open arms. Did you know that geckos not only eat up all of those unwanted bugs that somehow make their way into your home but are considered lucky?
What are the weirdest things about Hawaii?
While we might take offense to the word "weird" at times, there's no denying that the Aloha State is one of the most unique places in the entire country. From bizarre historic stories to the odd places you can visit, you'll love learning about what makes the Hawaiian Islands so quirky. I personally love telling everyone I meet about the odd and elusive colony of wallabies you'll find hiding in Oahu's Kalihi Valley.
Where are the weirdest places you can possibly go in Hawaii?
It depends on what you consider weird, but the Hawaiian Islands are home to countless incredible natural destinations that will transport you to another world. From ancient lava tubes to the pit craters of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, there are plenty of otherworldly, and sometimes weird, spots to visit in Hawaii.
When did Hawaii become part of the United States?
Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state on August 21, 1959.