Published: September 16, 2023 Updated May 1, 2025
Everyone knows the basics to pack for a trip to Hawaii — swimsuits, flip-flops, and sunscreen are a given. But there are a handful of important items that travelers often forget, and trust me, you’ll wish you had them once you arrive! After traveling to Hawaii as a family of five, we’ve learned firsthand which things you really don’t want to leave behind. Here are the top 10 essentials you might not think to pack–but definitely should–for your Hawaiian vacation.
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10 Things People Forget To Pack For Hawaii
1. Quick Dry Hiking Sandals Or Athletic Water Shoes
Quick dry hiking sandals are so helpful to have if you will be doing any cliff jumping, river paddle boarding, or swimming along the rocky beaches. We used them multiple times on the Road To Hana in Maui and for our hike to the beach in Kalaulau Trail.
My husband and son used the Camel Crown sandals and my daughters and I have the Dream Pairs. They both dry quickly and are very comfortable. We did not break them in before our Hawaii trip and had no issues with blisters or rubbing.
If you don’t like the look of hiking sandals, these athletic water shoes are great, too!
Hiking sandals or athletic water shoes are a better alternative to traditional water shoes as they have a sturdy sole and won’t slip off. Check out more information on when we used these in Our 10-day Kauai & Maui Itinerary.
2. Lightweight Sand Resistant Towels
Lightweight Sand Resistant Towels are so helpful to have. They are light enough to pack in a backpack, dry quickly and are great for drying off, as a picnic blanket and we used them as actual blankets on are flight to Hawaii.
Sand Cloud is the brand you hear most about. We have a couple Sand Cloud towels and I really do love them. As a family of 5, I didn’t want to have to buy 5 Sand Cloud towels so I also purchased a few of these Bay Laurel towels, which are about $30 cheaper and we loved them. You can definitely tell the difference between the quality of the two–Sand Cloud is thicker and feels more like a towel. But the Bay Laurel are a good cheaper alternative.
3. Collapsible Travel Cooler
The cooler fit our 5 lunches, snacks and drinks in it and did not have any issues with leaking. We put our ice in ziplock bags inside the cooler.
4. Travel Backpack
We liked these Venture Pal backpacks because they fold up into a little zip up pouch that is easy to pack. My husband had the 40L and I had the 35L. They are both wonderful. You can fit so much stuff in them and they are incredibly lightweight and breathable.
Our 40 oz Hydro Flask water bottles fit in the side pockets of both size backpacks and there is an adjustable buckle for the top of the water bottle to keep it from coming out when you bend over. Personally, I liked the outside zipper pockets on the 35L for my smaller items. My husband liked the wet bag compartment in the 40L backpack, to separate your wet items from dry ones. You can’t go wrong with either one!
For our Hawaii trip, we just had two of these but we liked them so much we ended up buying them for each of the kids for our next trip. We can’t say enough about how great these are!
5. Snorkel Gear
There are so many great beaches to snorkel at in Hawaii. Be sure to bring your own snorkel gear. We bought these top rated snorkel masks which come as a 2 pack and loved them. We did not bring flippers to save space when packing. If you prefer flippers, this kit is one of Amazon’s best sellers.
These full face snorkel masks are all the rage and perfect for all ages. The great thing about the full face snorkels is there is no mouthpiece, and the snorkel adjusts from above water and below water, so you can breathe normally. The full face snorkels also fold up more compactly, making them easier to pack.
6. Winter Coat & Accessories
7. GoPro
If you are going to be snorkeling (which you absolutely should be) a GoPro is the best way to take photos and videos underwater. We use the Hero13 which has vibrant underwater colors! You will want to get the floating handle accessory to use when snorkeling.
Amazon also sells bundles that include the floating handle, a memory card, back up batteries and a case. If you need those, it is slightly cheaper in a bundle. Remember to pack this in your carry-on bag, don’t risk putting it in your checked luggage.
8. Phone Lanyards
One of my favorite items when I am traveling is this inexpensive but amazing phone lanyard by CACOE. I wear it cross-body and my phone is always in reach when I want to take a picture. It is also easy to quickly unclip your phone to hand to someone to take a picture. Highly recommend!
9. Reef Safe Sunscreen
10. Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are one of those items that you wonder how you ever traveled without. Each member of my family has their own set in their own color. When packing for a family of 5, we have to combine suitcases to save space. Packing cubes make it so easy to quickly pass out everyone’s clothes and can go immediately into a drawer to stay organized. If you are going to be island hopping and have to pack up mid-vacation they are an absolute must. We use the Veken packing cubes and just love them.
11. Apple Air Tags
This is something you don’t know you need until it’s too late. Take it from me, as this was exactly my situation. My luggage was lost on a flight home from Nashville this year. (Thank goodness it was the way home and not the way there). They didn’t find my luggage for 6 weeks! I had given up that it would be found at that point and replaced most of the items that were in my suitcase and filed a claim with the airline for the cost. A week later, my suitcase showed up on my porch. Of course, I couldn’t return the replacement items that I had already used. When I was filling out the airline claim form, the very first question on the form was “Does your luggage have an AirTag in it?” The answer, unfortunately, was no.
The Apple AirTag connects to your “Find My iPhone” app, and lets you track the location of the AirTag. It’s best to buy a keychain to put the AirTag in. You can get the keychains for cheap on Amazon. These are the ones we use.
12. Extra Phone Chargers For The Car
If you are traveling as a family, be sure to bring a couple extra phone chargers to keep and leave in the rental car each day. Most cars have USB ports, some have ports in the backseat as well. Having extra chargers to leave in your car each day is really helpful, especially on long drives like The Road To Hana.
I like to bring the dual-charging blocks to use in our accommodations. Dual charging blocks allows the kids to share one block if there is a limited number of outlets, or allows you to charge your watch and phone at the same time.
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