For some, planning your Hawaii wardrobe is all part of vacation fun. However, others may struggle to answer the question, “what should I wear in Hawaii?”. Regardless of if you’ve already excitedly mentally packed, or dread even thinking about it, it’s still a good idea to make sure you’ve accounting for every scenario.

I grew up in Waikiki, and therefore was surrounded by vacationers. I know that sometimes tourists get a bad rap, but I loved them. People from all over the world flock to Hawaii, and bring their languages and customs with them. Hearing all the different accents and languages fascinated me.

Additionally, I was obsessed seeing all the different fashion and styles people wore in Hawaii. I remember being at a dinner show once, and some people had on tank tops and jean shorts, and others were in evening wear. The best part was, no one batted an eye! It was all good, just be yourself.

What should I wear in Hawaii?

Often our clients ask, “what do I wear in Hawaii?”, or “how should I dress for different activities?”. Since we want your Hawaiian vacation to be as stress-free and fun as possible, we’ve compiled suggestions for how to dress for different activities in our all-inclusive Hawaii vacation packages.

 Please remember, Hawaii is all about having fun, experiencing paradise and “hanging loose” – so these are only suggestions – there is no right or wrong!

In general, during the day we recommend that you dress comfortable and casual, unless you’re at the beach. A good beach cover-up will be very useful, enabling you to go from the beach, to shopping, to grabbing a quick snack. Don’t forget the reef-safe sunscreen! We recommend comfortable shoes for walking, shorts, sun dresses, and t- shirts. 
In the evening, most people switch over to dressy casual – slightly dressier than their daytime attire – khaki shorts or trousers, polo shirts, aloha shirts, skirts, sundresses, etc.

What Should I Wear in Hawaii at Restaurants?

Dining runs the gamut in Hawaii, especially in Honolulu. You’ll find everything from mom & pop plate lunch diners to Michelin Star-worthy fine dining. For the most part, you can get away with very casual dress. Some restaurants such as Michel’s, Hy’s and La Mer have a dress code.

• Breakfasts: Come “as you are.” Shirts and sandals or casual shoes are required. Bathing suit cover-up is fine. Come casual.
• Dinners: Most of the dinner restaurants in our Hawaii All-Inclusive Vacation Packages suggest you wear dressy-casual attire. For example, for ladies we recommend sundresses, skirts or dress slacks and blouses. Men usually wear polo shirts, aloha shirt with trousers or khakis. Sandals are fine. Gentlemen, you are welcome to wear a dinner jacket, but unless specified, this is not necessary.

Evening Meals & Activities

• Luaus & Dinner Shows: Dressy casual, same as dinners. Most luaus are outside near the ocean, so you may want to bring a light sweater or jacket to be comfortable in the cool ocean breeze.
• Sunset Dinner Cruise & Sunset Dinner Sail: Pay attention to the description on this one. For example, on Oahu and the Big Island, we offer a Sunset Dinner Cruise option, but on Maui and Kauai we have a Sunset Dinner Sail. The distinction is important, because the cruises is slightly more formal, so we recommend dressy casual attire. The sails are much more relaxed, and some of them even board from the beach, so a lot of people prefer to dress in shorts and tshirts, swimsuit coverups or casual sundresses. Flip flops are the best choice since a lot of the sails request you go barefoot.

What Should I Wear in Hawaii on Tours & Daytime Activities?

• Bus Tours: Tours such as the Island Exploration Tour, Pearl Harbor Tour, Road to Hana, In-depth Volcano Exploration Tour, et cetera are very casual. Focus on being comfortable. These air-conditioned vehicles can be a bit chilly, so consider bringing a light sweater or jacket. Some tours have a lot of walking involved, such as Pearl Harbor, so sneakers or comfortable sandals highly recommended.
• Maui Sunrise Tour featuring Haleakala Crater – It will likely be very chilly at the summit lookout. Dress warmly.

Water & Boat Activities

• Water Activities: Examples are: Tubing on Kauai, NaPali Snorkel, Catamaran Tour, Hanauma Bay, Windward Snorkel and Sail, Molokini Snorkel & more. Wear a swimsuit with a coverup, and bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and a towel. Most hotels will let you take one of their pool towels as long as you return it. You may want to bring a dry change of clothes too.

What Do I wear in Hawaii for Hikes & Zip Lining?

• Hikes and Zip Lining – Covered shoes (sneakers, tennis shoes). Sandals not permitted on most zip lines. Hat and/or sunglasses recommended. Sunscreen. Many hikes trails have uneven, rough terrain, and are exposed to the hot sun.

All in all, Hawaii attire should be effortless and casual. So whether you’re planning to live in your swimsuit, or document your outfits daily on Instagram – you do you! And don’t worry – if you forget something or don’t like what you packed…there will be plenty of shopping at your fingertips.

Contact us today to start planning your Hawaiian fashion show…err…vacation!