I thought I would share what I brought with me on my recent trip to the Big Island of Hawaii! (Full post on our trip coming soon!) The Big Island is full of diverse climates so packing is not that straightforward. From a swimsuit to a hat and gloves (yes I said that!) it is impossible to travel light when visiting here!
Anytime I pack for a trip I like to stick to a color palette. For Hawaii, I love the idea of marigold and moss green items. I have really been attracted to both of these colors lately and they really fit in well with the Hawaiian color scape. Beyond Hawaii, I cannot wait to take most of these things into summer. It feels nice to have gotten a head start on summer shopping already then!
What To Wear on Big Island Hawaii
Swimwear
Swimsuit // Hat // Sunglasses
Bikini Top // Bikini Bottom // Hat // Sunglasses // Beach Bag
Obviously any beach destination packing starts out with adding swimwear to your suitcase. Mostly I only pack a bikini but knowing we were doing a lot of water sports, I needed to add a swimsuit too. I have not bought a swimsuit in years. I never have liked how they look on me, but I was willing to put in the commitment to try and find one that would work. Usually I start my swimwear shopping at Everything But Water and thankfully here I found this suit! I was attracted to the color first on this suit. Yet, the moment I put it on, I did not need to look any further! It is super flattering on and very comfortable. A few different color options are available as well. I have had several other women message me when I first featured it on Instagram, letting me know that they too bought this suit too and love it!
I also added my Seafolly bikini to my suitcase as well. This bikini is pretty much the only one I wear. I bought it at least three years ago and it has held up so nicely! It is also available at Everything But Water with many color options.
Daywear
White Tee (sold out but similar here)// Denim Shorts // Bandana // Sunglasses
Tank // Denim Shorts // Bandana // Sunglasses
Tee // Denim Shorts // Hat // Sunglasses // Bag // Shoes (not shown) // (Cardigan old)
So if there is one area I overpacked, it would be in this category here: Daywear. I pretty much lived in cutoff denim and tees the entire trip. Finding a great pair of cutoff denim for anyone still not in their teens and 20’s is not an easy task though. I took a shot in the dark and ordered these cutoffs from Nordstrom on-line. They run large but I still ordered one size up from what I usually wear for a more loose and relaxed fit. I ended up loving them! Comfortable and mom appropriate without being too short or too long.
Another item that served me well just about about every day was this bandana/neckerchief my daughter picked up from Old Navy. For times I did not want to wear my hat, I loved adding this to my hair. It was perfect while on the boat and ranch or for adding to a pony tail. It is more similar in weight to a handkerchief so it never felt hot on my head. Old Navy has a ton of pattern options in their stores!
Going Out
Skirt // Shoes // Bandana // Sunglasses // Top old but good option from same designer here // Bracelet vintage
Like most islands, casual style is the name of the game in Hawaii. It is always nice to get dressed up at least once though and I was so happy I brought this skirt for a dinner out. Easy to pack with tons of flexibility to pair with a top, this maxi skirt is perfect for day or night. I really cannot get enough of this color either and it worked perfectly with these sandals!
Activewear
Backpack // Shorts // Tee // Sunglasses
When visiting the Big Island, activewear is where most of the packing comes into play. Snorkeling, hiking, horseback riding and zip lining to name just a few of the activities you need active wear for! You also have to take into account changing environments on the island as well. Hawaii has ten of the world’s fourteen climate zones with difference weather conditions depending on where you are at. On the Big Island you will find a tropical coast, a snow covered mountain, volcanoes, rainforest, beaches, deserts and arid grasslands. That meant we packed denim, windbreakers, hats, gloves, long pants, jeans, hiking shoes, tennis shoes, running shoes, running shorts, wicking shirts, swimsuits, UPF protection tops, backpacks and fanny packs! Phew! It was a lot! (We never did make it to the top of the mountain though).
The two items, other than swimsuits I made the most use out of, were this backpack and these shorts. I already professed my love for this backpack in last week’s post here and this is not my first time introducing these shorts to the blog either! From Athleta, these are such a travel friendly pair of shorts to bring along. Breathable, packable and made of wicking material, I love that the also can pass off as an everyday short as well. Additionally, I love the length and the fact that there are pockets!
To see what I am also loving lately, head to my updated Currently Coveting Items page here
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Thanks for stopping by!
L, M