What to Wear in Hawaii + Destination Inspiration
Going to Hawaii? You will definitely want to be prepared. Deciding what to wear depends much on what you will be doing. Before I went recently, I bought all new clothes to wear. (I love Amazon Prime! Clothes at an amazing price and it’s shipped to your door in two days with free returns. You can use this coupon for 30 days for free if you don’t have it!) There’s definitely a different vibe in Hawaii, unlike any other place. If you have been before, you know what I mean. If it’s your first time, yay! You are going to love it. I bought new clothes because there’s no other place that you can wear so much floral print, flowers, and shells. So I wanted to take full advantage of the fun opportunity to dress cute! Continue reading to find out what to wear in Hawaii!
Now that the vaccine is out, Hawaii has opened to travelers! You can check out this website to see more information about COVID19 and traveling to Hawaii.
- What to wear to different events
- Beach day essentials
- Luau style
- What to wear hiking
- Haleakalā volcano trip tips
- What to bring whale watching
- Must-have Hawaii items
Dress for the Occasion
What you pack depends much on what you will be doing while visiting Hawaii. For the most part, Hawaii is a warm state (even in the winter months!). Some adventures are colder than others, such as higher elevations and when you are going out on a boat. No matter what you are doing, Hawaii is very casual. When you go out at night you can go with an “island casual-dressy” look.
Beach Days
You can’t go to Hawaii without going to the beach at least one day. Most resorts are just 20 feet from the water, so it makes it easy to get there. You will want to get a beach bag and throw all your essentials in it. I like to bring my own cute beach towel, but you could also just grab one at your hotel.
Beach Trip Essentials
Click on any of the links below to buy straight from Amazon.
- Beach Towel
- Beach Bag
- Sunscreen
- Water
- Sun Hat
- Swim Suit Cover-up or Extra Clothes
- Sunglasses
- Hair Detangler
At most of the beach areas, you can rent umbrellas or a chair that has a cover. If you decide not to rent one, just sit on your beach towel! Read more about what to pack for the beach here.
Sun hat / / You won’t want to go to the beach without a sun hat. I wore one almost every day, whether I was at the beach or walking around town. Definitely a Hawaii must-have.
Beach towel / / If you are staying at a hotel, you can always take one of their towels for the day to save room in your luggage. I like taking my own because it’s bigger and cuter.
Beach bag / / A beach bag is another must-have for Hawaii. I love throwing all my important stuff in a large bag for the day. Even on the days I didn’t walk to the beach, I still packed it full of my daily essentials and extra clothes and threw it in the backseat of the Jeep.
Sunscreen / / There has been some new research come out recently that most sunscreens have a chemical (oxybenzone) that has been killing the coral reefs. Don’t be that person. Sun Bum is one of the only brands that is safe for ocean life. Stock up on Sun Bum sunscreen, lotion, chapstick, and more (it’s awesome).
Water bottle / / Hawaii is all about recycling and no plastic. So order a cute bottle and you can refill it anywhere you go. Make sure it is spill proof that way you can just throw it in your beach bag!
Swimsuit cover / / I like swimsuit cover-ups rather than shorts and a shirt because it’s less awkward to take off before you jump in or lay out to tan. There are so many cute cover-ups! You can also wear a dress or a skirt with your swim top.
Luau
Luau’s are very popular in Hawaii. When you go, you will want to dress in aloha attire. Floral maxi dresses, skirts, and Hawaiian button-down shirts for men. Add all of the seashell necklaces and lai’s you have collected from your hotel to complete your luau outfit!
Maxi dress / / A floral maxi dress is always a good dressy casual go-to.
Wedge heel / / Complete your tropical look with a pair of wedges!
Hawaiian button-down shirt / / Men’s aloha shirts are a must-wear in Hawaii. A luau is a perfect place to wear one, too. Amazon has hundreds of different prints to choose from!
Hiking
There are so many places to go hiking. If you are staying on Maui and are going on the road to Hana, you can stop at many hiking areas throughout the drive. Every time I go hiking, I wear jean shorts and a shirt over my swimsuit with Tevas. (Tevas are the best hiking sandals ever!) Many people wear athletic shoes hiking, but I’m a sandals kind of girl. If you are too, I always recommend Tevas! (A few parks require closed-toed shoes for hiking.)
Hiking sandals / / Tevas are my favorite hiking shoe. But there are many brands of hiking sandals like Chacos, Keen, and Tevas. I like bringing sandals along because you can just rinse them off if you get muddy.
Hat / / A hat is a definite must-have while hiking. My favorite hat to wear is a woven sun hat, but I also wore a ball cap a few hikes.
Swimsuit / / Always wear a swimsuit under your jean shorts and shirt because you never know when you will come across a waterfall that you want to jump in!
Visting Volcanoes
If you are staying on Maui, the Haleakalā National Park is a must-do. The top of the dormant Haleakalā volcano is over 10,000 feet above sea level, so it is going to be very cold! It’s about an hour drive up the volcano.
Haleakalā Volcano Road Trip Essentials:
Click the links below to buy from Amazon.
- Snacks
- Essential oils for motion sickness (I love this one)
- Natural Peppermint Nasal Inhaler
- Drinks
- Warm Jacket
- Pants (to throw on over your shorts)
- Dramamine
A popular attraction on the volcano is watching the sunset and rise. You don’t need a reservation to watch the sunset, but you do need one to watch the sunrise. If you aren’t sure what day you are going to make it up to see the sunrise, book a few days to make sure you have a spot the day you decide to go. You can book here at the Haleakalā National Park website.
Jacket / / You are going to want a jacket for the top of the volcano. It is about 50 degrees colder than sea level. If you don’t bring a jacket, you are going to get up there and not enjoy it!
Pants / / You probably won’t be wearing pants the day you drive up the volcano, so you might want to throw a pair in your bag to put on over your shorts. The warmer you are, the more you will enjoy the scenery.
Dinner & Shows
Everything in Hawaii is pretty casual. When you are going to a fancy restaurant or a dinner show, you may want to dress up a little. A cute floral dress and wedges would be best.
Whale Watching
The winter months are the time when whales are in Hawaii. It is still usually about 75-80 degrees, but it gets so chilly when you are out on the water! For whale watching, you can just wear shorts and sandals, but I recommend a jacket. You will also need sunglasses. I like wearing a hat, but wear one only if it will stay on in extreme winds. You will want to braid your hair or pull it up.
Whale Watching Must-Haves:
- Sunglasses
- Sun Hat
- Jacket
- Camera
Sweater or Jacket / / It gets pretty chilly when you are out on a boat. Be prepared with a throw on sweater or jacket.
Hat / / You will probably want to wear a hat every day in Hawaii. And a bucket hat goes so well with the boat style!
Must-Have Hawaii Items
There are a few things you will want to buy before you go to Hawaii.
Backpack / / No matter where you are going or what you are doing, a backpack is a must-have. I bought a woven backpack to go with the Hawaii style, and I loved it! It was so easy, especially while hiking and shopping.
Sunglass strap / / My recent Hawaii trip was the first time I have used these sunglass straps, and they are amazing. I didn’t have to worry about my sunglasses at all! I bought a beaded pair to go with the tropical mood.
Birkenstock’s / / Birkenstock’s are the best shoe ever! They are so comfortable. Get a pair for your Hawaii vacation.
Beach bag / / I used my beach bag almost every day, even if I wasn’t going to the beach. I packed everything in there for the day and threw it in the Jeep. I put extra clothes, my swimsuit, snacks, water bottles, and other things that I didn’t want to carry around in my backpack all day but I still wanted with me.
Plan your trip!
Now you are prepared with what to wear in Hawaii and what to bring. This blogger has some really great tips on where to go and stay in Maui.
Just a few Hawaii tips:
- Always use sunscreen.
- Pack fewer clothes, more hats and swimsuits.
- Never leave anything in your rental car.
- Take lots of pictures and videos with an underwater camera. Buy my favorite one here.
- Visit another island for a day or two.
- Read in advance and make a short list of everything you would like to do.
- Stay no shorter than a week.
- Don’t just stay at your resort.
- Go to the restaurants the locals go to.
- Start planning your next trip before you leave!
- Buy a Hawaii Revealed book!!
Buy a Hawaii Revealed book!
You will hear many people recommend you to buy these books (there is one for each island). They are so detailed and informative! You will want to buy the one for the island you are visiting at least a month in advance.
I was not sponsored or gifted any of these products. Some of the links are affiliated, which means that by purchasing I make a small amount at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting me!
Which island are you going to?
How many times have you visited Hawaii?
6 Comments
Taylor
Thanks for the great post, I got the Maui Revealed book, and it really helped! I love the free packing list too!
Taylor . http://www.simpleandjoyful.com
Alex
Hey Taylor!
That Maui Revealed book is awesome! It helped me on my recent Hawaii trip, too!
Thank you for commenting!
Alex @ Exploring Lifes Beauty
Travel Mom?
Love the post thanks for all the ideas!
Alex
Hey Travel Mom!
Thank you so much for commenting!!
Alex @ Exploring Life’s Beauty
D
Stay no shorter than a week??? Sure, Jan.
Cathy Davids
Be sure to buy reef friendly sunscreen.