Hawaii

Hawaii was a nicer place fifty years ago. It's way too overpopulated now and has all the major urban problems like any other U.S. city: homelessness, drug addiction and dealing, violent crime, prostitution, home invasions, gangs, etc. Worse yet, on Oahu anyway, is a maze of double-decker concrete freeways that constantly bottleneck with traffic due to too many vehicles and very limited space. Tempers flare along with the traffic woes and one sees just what "aloha" means then. "Aloha spirit" did exist fifty years ago, but today it's as phony as a cheap plastic lei. While many see Hawaii as a visitor, they are unaware of the facade called "aloha." Don't believe all those ads touting how beautiful and clean the islands are either: sewage and waste from all those resorts, hotels, condos, and homes are discharged offshore. If you're a surfer, you'd know what I'm talking about because chances are you've encountered the "kukae" as you catch a big wave. There's plenty of other beautiful tropical places to spend your hard-earned money on than overrated Hawaii: Cook Islands, Fiji, Seychelles, Maldives, and the Caribbean to name a few.

yeeeeeee

too far away from anything

hawaii is not that nice of a state.....it's in the middle of the pacific...it shouldn't even be part of the united states and it has no importance finacially

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My experience in Hawaii is limited.  I went to the Island of Kuai'i for my honey moon and loved it spent a brief time in Honolulu but not enough to gage the city.  I'm giving Hawaii a five star rating to due its natural beauty and climate.  Come in its paradise

I find tropical climates stultefying.  If there's a place to live in Hawaii that has enough altitude (3,000 feet or more) to get into a slightly more stimulating climate then I might like it.

I wish i lived in hawaii the weather is beautiful and it is such a beautiful place

I've traveled to a good number of places over the years in numerous different loations but Hawaii was, by far and away, the most magnificent place I've ever been. The scenery is everything you'll think it'll be and more. The people are just lovely and there are so many fun and pleasant things to do. Everyone should go once in their life - I'd take Hawaii over Europe or anywhere on the US mainland any day!

Truely a paradise if there ever was such a place. I prefer the lesser inhabitated island to Oahu but who could complain no matter where you go it's one jaw dropping site after another.

I was born and raised in Hawaii. Like most others here of a plantation slavery historical background, I am a mixture of Chinese, Hawaiian, Filipino, and Portuguese. We are terribly racist against foreigners (that includes mainland US), the prices for all commodities are outrageous, and crime is rampant - especially against tourists. Please stay away.

Incredibly beautiful, not as hot as you'd think and also not as expensive. O'ahu is getting a bit crazy though, but still beats any east coast urban armpit on the mainland.

I've heard about it and seen it on TV before, but it seems like an overrated place. I'm sure it is nice, but if you want something like Hawaii which is cheaper, then go to the Gold Coast, Australia. The Gold Coast not only has perfect weather and the beautiful high rise beach apartments, the beaches are good, the views are stunning, and the prices are not too bad. Plus it has forests and awesome theme parks.

I was surpised to find it not quite as much of a paradise as it is famous for. There are some very very very poor, crime and drug ridden areas, beyond anything in the inner cities of the mainland. Yes, there are very beautiful areas as well. But it is EXTREMELY expensive. Another California? California and heck, even Manhattan is a bargin basement compared to much of Hawaii. Yes a great place to vacation, and i am guessing that is how most people are rating it based upon. But don't go their and expext to not have to worry about crime at all, especialy around Honoulou. If you don't believe me, watch this show on A&E; DOG, The Bounty Hunter They show you the other side of paradise that you wouldn't believe.

Increasingly hard to visit and have an enjoyable experience

Still a wonderful paradise- however becoming terribly expensive- another California- and those high costs are dragging down the states appeal rapidly despite the eden it is.

A vast and beautiful paradise for the most part.On the otherhand,horrible overpopulation,heavy traffic and extremely expensive.I do base my rating only on Oahu, as I haver not been to the other islands.

Awesome vacation spot. Not a realistic place to live unless you are independently wealthy and/or retired. Best weather of any state and most buetiful beaches. Paradise.

Kauai and Maui are the prettiest islands, closely followed by the Big Island

Beaches trees and volcanos what else is their to do.

The only US State that deserves to be called paradise.Cooling trade winds, with white to black beaches- soaring mountains and exotic flora. Cosmo diverse population- I cannot think of a more pretty place to live in the USA.

Breathtakingly beautiful. Hawaii really is paradise - the weather is perfect, the mountains are pristine, the ocean is warm. It is, however, a vacation spot. You would be bored stiff if you lived here. But to relax and enjoy, you can't beat Hawaii.

Great for visiting, but not really made for living. At least not if you were in the 98% of people not helped by bush's tax cuts, lol. It is very nice and the natives are friendly, but it is very expensive, not to mention the people in hawaii are stingy!!!!!

A most beautiful corner of the planet populated by natives who are liberal, easygoing and very pleasant. Great climate. The music there is compelling. Kauai, Maui and the big island are much more appealing than Oahu, although the north shore of the latter is very nice. The downside is everything is so expensive, it's virtually impossible to afford the real estate there, its isolated location tends to make one feel a tad out of it if you visit there too long (I spent six weeks there in 1992, so I speak from experience), there's too much dependence on tourism (which has its pitfalls) and too many of those Japanese milling around.

Paradise with an ocean view! tolerant and diverse- costs are high- which prevents it from getting a 5.

Love the place but think that it shouldnt have been taken by the US.

Nice place to visit, but a terrible place to live. Racism in the schools, high taxes, no jobs, high prices for everything, not to mention you're stuck on an island - there is no countryside whatsoever on Oahu and you can't just jump in the car to get to any. On the other hand the trade winds make every day pleasant - not too hot and not too cold. The people are very pleasant and laid-back.

best place to vacation!

Hawaii is one of many things that makes the United States the greatest country in the world. The next time you hear some foreigner tell you how great their country is and how bad the U.S. is just say, hey, you know Hawaii, well we own that.

I enjoyed visiting Hawaii. It's true that Honolulu is like any other city in the US; indeed it reminds me a lot of my home city of Miami. However, go out to Maui, Kawai, and the Big Island and you'll find the best beaches and some great natural attractions as well. Halekala Volcano in Maui is something else, especially at sunrise. Visit the Volcano national park in the Big Island to see an active volcano erupting. The Northeast sides of all the islands have great surfing, the south and west sides have all the resort hotels. You can find tropical jungles on all the islands along with desert like scenery. The weather is usually great throughout the state; really the temperature throughout the year fluctuates between 65-90 degrees. Lots of interesting things to do, great scenery.

America's paradise

The ultimate vacation for US citizens.

I really love Hawaii, the great sceneries and the kind caring people. Great beaches too,...unlike those fake beaches in So. Cali.

Many Hawaiians believe that they should return to the sovereign status of nationhood they enjoyed before their Queen and government were deposed by the U.S. Once you've visited Hawaii, you'll understand why.

Best island

It's great. Some day I hope to live there. Maui is #1.

Nice area, nice weather, nice beaches. But too touristy. Should never have been made a state in the first place.

Hawaii is number one – big surprise! Yes, the weather is as close to perfection as you will ever find, the land and beaches are gorgeous, and the people friendly (well the ones I knew when I lived there were). Still – God help me! It’s a bunch of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! Great for a vacation but after awhile the island you live on slowly, but surely begins to shrink. I left in 1976 and have not wanted to return since.

Beautiful, and I totally agree with the other poster who said to get off waikiki beach and see the beautiful surfers on sunset beach!!!! I went in November, and the weather was still beautiful...everything was just perfect!

Receive a free nights stay as our gift when you stay at least seven nights at our ocean front 1 bedroom suite overlooking beautiful Kailua Bay on the Big Island of Hawaii. For more info and pictures go to: http://community-2.webtv.net/tideldave/doc (our personal web site)

This seems like a really cool place to visit; it's just so far removed from the mainland and---well, I can't put my finger on it, but it seems a bit too laid-back for my taste. Plus, Honolulu's one of the most expensive cities in the country in which to live. But it does have terrific weather, breathtaking, panoramic vistas, a couple of active volcanoes with rather interesting lava floes, so I guess the positives outweigh the negatives here.

My wife and I have visited four different islands. We are amazed at how each island offers a unique paradise. Our favorites are fishing in Kona and lava on the Big Island. The down hill bike ride on Mauithat starts at the highest peak at dawn with a 32 mile glide through catus,eucaliptic forest,to sugar cane, pinapple fields and finally to the beach. Kauia had beautiful rain forest and the grandest canyon of the islands. Finally, Oahu was a delight to see the cultural exhibits, snorkeling, beaches, and the fantastic climb to the top of Diamond Head. Take time to enjoy the scenary and nature at its fullest. Carry your camera and don't be shy. Hawaii can renew your spirit and appreciate God's wonders.

Easily one of the most beautiful, awe-inspiring states. You can snorkel through schools of amazingly colored fish in Huanama Bay one day and watch magma flowing into the ocean from Volcanoes National Park the next. And if you’re there be sure check out Pearl Harbor – there’s an interesting museum/memorial on the water over one of the battleships sunk by the Japanese.

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

I went to Oahu during my spring break, and it was fantastic!!!! Going to the rain forest and touring out the whole island was the best part. Please, get out of Waikiki Beach, too many tourist. Go to Sunset Beach to see some good looking men surfing. But remember, Sunset Beach is not for swimming....no way!!!

Maui was my favorite island, but the entire state is beautiful.

Hawaii is paridise- I've lived there for 5 years and loved every one of them.

There's no better place to be in the whole USA.

A nice place for vacation.