If you are going to Maui and to the top of the volcano, bring warm clothes. It’s absolutely freezing up there. I was fortunate that we went the day we switched hotels so my suitcase with my winter jacket was in the car. Everyone else up there was in shorts and tshirts and they were miserable.

OP here. Thanks all! Will add all these things to our list. We are staying on Kauai and Maui, both at Hyatts. I'm surprised so many are saying we don't need water shoes as that was something I saw mentioned in many blogs/reviews I read. We don't have Keens but the teens do have crocs. They don't like to wear them into the water though.

Definitely rash guards. I also agree with light reef shoes or socks (not crocs) because some beaches are very rocky.

Maybe floral shirts for the teen boys—they are surprisingly expensive in Hawaii and you can get them for cheap at old navy and then they have something to wear to restaurants that don’t allow t shirts.

Melatonin.

Costco card — Costco is huge on the island and has the cheapest gas plus a great place to buy chocolate covered macadamia nuts to bring back as gifts.

My teen girls are grossed out by other people’s snorkel gear and life vests so we bring our own.

A blue ikea bag works really well for the beach.

On our last trip to Europe I bought a pack of the nylon shopping bags that fold down to a little square into a travel pack and I will never travel without them again—they are so handy. I clip them onto our bag in case we buy stuff shopping. They are lightweight, strong and can go in the washer if they end up smelling fishy.
It was this or something similar:
https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Shopping-Washable-Geometric-Lightweight/dp/B08B7TVXWR/ref=sxbs_sbv_search_btf?adgrpid=75998228334&content-id=amzn1.sym.50fca4fc-05a8-473b-90b6-758fcbdaf1b9%3Aamzn1.sym.50fca4fc-05a8-473b-90b6-758fcbdaf1b9&cv_ct_cx=amazon+shopping+bags&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ym_Ju4kk-nrWi0kvm9gz4w.On9xAU3wjXJ8OGfZ1uD72iF0B3Kq-OPE4bFaKRNuQAs&dib_tag=se&hvadid=631496333457&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9007528&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12538190121501807335&hvtargid=kwd-298291732016&hydadcr=11122_13568185&keywords=amazon+shopping+bags&pd_rd_i=B08B7TVXWR&pd_rd_r=4ad918d7-cdff-4d3b-ad7d-78eba3fb046f&pd_rd_w=22ORJ&pd_rd_wg=MOdT4&pf_rd_p=50fca4fc-05a8-473b-90b6-758fcbdaf1b9&pf_rd_r=Y77YHWZKGR6N6MQGCQ0W&qid=1709069765&sr=1-1-61bf7050-ae74-401d-8cd4-f22b66b7f5ac

Also multiple swimsuits especially for the women because they are expensive to buy on island (except at Costco!).

It is a really easy vacation so don’t stress.

When you get to your hotel, check near the dumpsters or outside hallways—people often abandon body boards or sand toys etc. that they have bought on island to leave for future guests. It’s often cheaper to buy and then abandon than to rent for a week or two.

If you want to take underwater photos, get a red filter for your camera. It counteracts the blue and makes photos look like what you actually experience (otherwise everything just kind of looks blue)

We went to Oahu and big island and kept snorkel gear and towels in the car. Yes to reef shoes. We got very lightweight shoes. Also we got Turkish towels to bring with us. They dry out so much faster and work just as well. We hit multiple beaches and we also did North shore but it was closed because the waves were enormous. Thankfully there was a nice tide pool on the beach so we could cool off while watching the insanity. But it wasn’t that hot there. Humidity is crazy, particularly on the Kualoa side of Oahu. So being something to wear or just be ok with Janis Joplin style.

More layers than you might think you need. It can get fairly chilly, especially if you visit any higher elevation areas.

It’s the easiest trip to pack for!

If you don’t bring it, you can buy it there.

Flip flops, lots of shorts and tanks/tees and bathing suits. Cute evening sun dresses.

Done.

Rent snorkel gear. Water shoes will not be used.

In addition to what has already been mentioned --

+ bring waterproof cases for your phones. pelican makes the best ones
+ if you plan on going out on boats or in the water, my family likes to bring our own rash guards or wetsuit tops for warmth and sun protection. you can also rent them at the boating companies but they are never as comfortable or well fit.
+ agree keens are the perfect shoes for hawaii

enjoy!!

Which islands will you be visiting?

Anonymous wrote:We will be taking our two teens to Hawaii, with connections on the west coast.

I’ve read we all want water shoes? Should bring snorkel gear or just rent there. Any other things I should bring that are not obvious?

What about the flight? Any favorite neck pillows or other gadgets? Any other things I should be thinking?

Thanks in advance.

Are you in an Air BNB or hotel? Our rented house had all the gear we needed, in all sizes - and the beach bag too.

Looking back at my past self, I'd say stuff for hair. It was easy to say that I wasn't going to worry about something so frivolous on vacation, not so easy avoid cringing when I saw how insane I looked in all my photos. I have hair that gets very frizzy in humidity and straightening it wouldn't work in Hawaii, but a salt spray and a claw clip were great.

I've been to Hawaii three times and each time the hotel had snorkel gear available to guests for free. But all of those hotels had good snorkeling off the resort's beach. So consider the circumstances under which you will be snorkeling; check to see if your hotel offers the equipment, and if you are taking snorkeling trips on a boat the boat will offer it. I say otherwise, just rent it.

I never needed water shoes.

Getting to Hawaii is so much time in the air that I have to make sure I have headphones and water and a neck pillow for travel. Hate the flights.

Anonymous wrote:We brought our own snorkel gear and went to a big wave beach on our first day there. No one got injured but both of my boys lost their snorkel gear in big waves!

We brought Reef safe sunscreen. We didn’t bring water shoes or use them or wish we had them. But those keens sound interesting.

We also didn't bring water shoes. Kids just wore their usual crocs.

We brought our own snorkel gear and went to a big wave beach on our first day there. No one got injured but both of my boys lost their snorkel gear in big waves!

We brought Reef safe sunscreen. We didn’t bring water shoes or use them or wish we had them. But those keens sound interesting.