Maui: Packing Guide

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Right after we landed on Maui and were on the rental car shuttle bus, we met two couples visiting from Australia.  Daniel and I love to hear people’s stories, so naturally we asked them questions like: How many islands were they visiting?, How long is the travel from Australia?, How long were they in Hawaii for?…You get the picture.  Making conversation, they asked us the same questions.  We were on Oahu for just one day, and then spending the rest of the 7 days in Maui; It takes 5.5 hours to get to Hawaii from L.A., etc.  When we went to get off the bus, the driver helped us with our luggage and must have been listening in on our conversation because he informed his coworker outside the bus, “They’re only here for a week!,” laughing and referring to all of our luggage 😉
Yes, if there was an O.A. (over-packers anonymous) group, I could very well be the poster child.  Hawaii is a place where you’re supposed to wear the lightest of clothing: swimsuits, cover-ups, sandals, but somehow I showed up with a massive checked bag, one large rolling carry-on, a large Longchamp bag, and I may have even snuck some of my things into Daniel’s single small carry-on!  So bad, people.  I literally could have stayed for a month.
When we were packing everything back up to come home, I turned to Daniel and said, “You know, I only wore like 1/4 of this.”  He’s way too nice to me and didn’t even say a word, but I know inside, he was definitely agreeing 😉  So I thought I would take my failed experience, and pass on to you some advice about what you actually need if you’re headed off to Hawaii, or any tropical destination for that matter!
1.  Swimsuits

Obviously #1 in everyone’s book when headed somewhere tropical.  Searching the web, it’s so easy to find a ton of cute suits, but I am sure you know as well as I do that trying them on is often a different story!  The fit is so personal, but I have rounded up a bunch of really cute, on-trend ones for this summer below.  For a week-long vacation, I would pack a minimum of three suits: two bikinis and a one-piece.  Having the one-piece was really nice towards the end of the trip when the endless nice dinners and pool drinks were finally catching up ;).  My favorite suits I brought on our trip were this white bikini, this black bandeau, and this one-piece!  You can see more photos of two of these suits in this post & this post!!

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2.  Cover-Ups & Beach Bags

I don’t feel comfortable walking from my hotel room down to the pool in just my bathing suit, so cover-ups are a necessity for me…even if it’s just a kimono! [This one is gorgeous in person and only $17!  You can see more photos of how I wore it HERE.]  And brining a beach bag doubles as a way to pack your purse on the plane; just fit it inside and you only have to carry on one bag, but you have both when you get there!  The most versatile cover-up I brought was this one, and how adorable is this beach bag?!  I love the pink, but I think the navy is just as cute!

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3.  Hats & Sandals

Sandals are a no-brainer for any tropical vacation, but I never would have guessed how much I wore mine on this trip!  Our first night we were in Waikiki (before we flew over to Maui), and I wore the cutest hot pink dress and black fringed sandals out to dinner.  I got the worst blisters I think I’ve ever gotten from walking around so much, and couldn’t wear any of the cute shoes I brought the rest of our vacation.  I lived in these Tory Burch flip flops (I have the black & nude patent) and my Nikes for the rest of the week!  As far as hats go, I brought this straw one with a big bow, this super floppy black tied one, and this white striped one–all three are under $30!!

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4.  Athletic Wear

In Hawaii there are so many gorgeous hikes and outdoor adventures you can do, that athletic wear is a must!  We did the Road to Hana one day, and wearing workout clothes was a must!  Our hotel was right on Kaanapali Beach, and there’s a walkway that lines it for a few miles.  In the mornings or after dinner, Daniel and I would walk this path and talk.  We would always go back to the room after dinner so I could put on my workout clothes first, so I am so glad I brought so many!  This Nike long-sleeve was my favorite top I brought!  But, whether you’re going on a trip or not though, how can you resist these pink Nikes?!

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5.  Dinner Date Dresses

Over the course of the seven nights that we were in Hawaii, we got dressed up to go out to dinner about 5.  The other two nights, we were either tired or just getting back from the Road to Hana.  I think I brought 10 dresses, though!  Learn from my mistakes 😉  Below I linked some super cute date night dresses (that you don’t have to be going on vacation to wear!), but this Free People one [on sale!] was one of my favorites that I wore on our trip!

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6.  Easy Day-Time Outfits

Some days I didn’t even end up wearing anything other than a bathing suit, cover-up, and workout clothes!  But, if I did wear something during the day before dinner, I always reached for comfy and easy!  I lived in this Wildfox sweatshirt and these One Teaspoon shorts!  Sweaters and shorts are my favorite comfy combo! [Tip: I would say to bring a couple pairs of shorts and about 4-5 tops!]  You can see more of my favorite shorts I wore on our trip HERE!

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Other random things I couldn’t have left behind are in the tool below!  I’m a huge sunscreen fanatic, and this Neutrogena liquid one is the best I’ve found for under makeup!  It’s so thin!  Obviously it’s easier if your foundation has SPF in it, but I can’t find one I like that does, so this works amazing!

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Hope these tips helped you guys!  Are any of you headed off somewhere fun and tropical soon?

Maui: Black One-Piece Suit & Tips for Coming Home from Vacation

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