3 Months in Hawaii (Honolulu, Kailua: hotel, live, bus)

[lainies10]

We are looking to move to Hawaii in Jan. for about 3 months and would like to know where is best for two mid20 girls should live. We would like to experience more of the beach life than the ubanized but would like to be close enough to maybe a city for comfortability. Any recommendations?

[hotzcatz]

If you want a city in Hawaii then the only option you have is Honolulu. Towns we have on each island but only Oahu has anything close to a city. Try Kailua on Oahu or Hawaii Kai or even Waikiki itself. Three months is basically a really long vacation so sticking around the tourist areas is probably best.

The local folks don't want to become your friend if you are only going to be here for three months. They are really wary of becoming friends with folks who then leave. It gets really tiring to make friends and then *poof* they are gone and you never see them again. Same with employers, it is a lot of work to hire folks who then turn around and leave. Folks are nice and friendly to strangers and tourists but as far as becoming true friends with them it isn't likely. Sort of like Florida's "snowbirds" - folks who go to Florida for the winter and then disappear when it gets warmer where ever the folks came from. Any place with a seasonal influx of people is going to have a slightly standoffish local population for exactly the same reasons.

[cynmkolohe]

In your case, I might consider spending a week or so in Waikiki, then the bulk of my time at the North Shore...more laid-back and geared toward the "beach lifestyle". But it's not really a difficult drive to Waikiki if you are in the mood for nightlife. Just make arrangements for your drive home, or to stay in a hotel overnight!

[goldenplover]

How exactly are you defining city? Because to someone from Littleton, CO, oh my goodness was Honolulu a big busy and crowded place! Also, will you have a car, or will you need to rely on public transportation? Honolulu is the only "city" per se in Hawaii, although as hotzcatz said, there are many towns. I recommend you stick to the touristy areas, although you could probably find some affordably housing up near manoa, kaimuki area. public transportation on oahu is excellent- although you should get a monthly bus pass. Kailua is very pretty, but is by no means a "city" like you may be used to and commuting from one side of the island to the other is a bit of a headache (think massive traffic).