Taking a trip to Aulani and not sure what to pack?! No worries, it’s not as difficult as you might think!
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I have a tendency to overpack, because I’m always worried I will forget something. And sure, you can always just buy whatever you’re missing when you arrive at your destination, but who wants to dip into their vacation fund for things they forgot to pack? Never fear, here’s what we found we needed while we were there, so you can be sure to have what you need and leave the things at home that you don’t.
Sunscreen
And lots of it. This may seem like a no brainer, however we saw SO MANY PEOPLE with nasty sunburns while we were at Aulani. While many people are likely trying to get a nice tan while in Hawaii, keep in mind Hawaii is probably closer to the equator than your skin is used to. You’re going to need to apply sunscreen and re-apply often.
This is something that can be purchased at the resort, however you’ll pay quite a bit more for it there. Hawaii is also moving toward reef safe sunscreen only, so if you’re able to find one in your area before your trip, we recommend packing that!
After Sun Lotion
The sun in Hawaii is intense and even if you do your best to reapply that sunscreen all day, your skin is going to need a little extra TLC after spending a day enjoying the beautiful outdoors. We like this one to rejuvenate and moisturize tired, sun-kissed skin.
Swimsuits
Whether you’re looking to go snorkeling, spend time in the lazy river, splash around in the pool, or just lay out on the beach, you’ll likely want to have your swimsuit at some point. We decided to bring a few so they’d have time to dry as well as a swim bag for transporting a wet swimsuit. Our favorite places to buy swimsuits are Aerie, Cupshe and Target. Amazon also has a great selection, especially if you wait til the last minute and need that prime shipping.
Swim CoverUp
When I wasn’t in the water, during the day I practically lived in my swim coverup. I loved this one because it was comfortable and light and offered a little extra sun protection.
Sunglasses
Another one that would seem like a no brainer, the sun is intense and you’ll want to make sure you have a good pair of sunnies. We actually brought a few pairs just in case and were glad we did. We love these ones for a fun vibe and these for everyday use.
Rompers and Dresses
As much as we both lived in swimsuits and coverups during the day, you’ll need something a little nicer to wear if you plan on dining at the table service restaurants at Aulani. We love rompers and dresses for easy to style outfits that combine comfort, while still looking cute and staying cool. We love this one and this one and always love seeing what fun designs we can find on Amazon.
Beach Bag
You’ll definitely want to make sure you have a good, waterproof bag that can be toted to and from the pool and beach areas while at Aulani. We kept our water bottles, a few snacks, sunscreen, go pro and a few other necessities to get us through the day so we didn’t have to keep going back and forth to our room. We like this one to add a bit of Disney magic to your style.
Waterproof Phone Pouch
Not feeling dragging a whole bag down to the pool? We hear you, less can definitely be more. If you’re really a minimalist traveler, we recommend a waterproof phone pouch so you can keep a few valuables with you. This one also floats, so need to worry about losing it in the lazy river. You can also buy these on the resort, but they’re $20 each, so this will save you some serious cash by buying them beforehand.
Water Shoes
Some of the areas near the beach are a bit rocky, and if you’re planning to explore those sections, you’re going to want good water shoes. Even if you aren’t headed to this section of the beach, you might want to grab a pair for walking around the resort. The cement can get pretty hot during mid day, so you’ll definitely want a good pair of shoes. We spent quite a bit of time in the sand, which can also get pretty hot and found that a good pair of sandals was also pretty beneficial.
On the other hand, if you’re planning on doing any hiking off property, you’re going to want to make sure you have a good pair of hiking shoes as well.
Water Bottle
Be sure to keep yourself hydrated while you’re at Aulani. There’s nothing worse than spending a beautiful day out in the sun, only to come back to your room feeling achy and sick. There are water refill stations at several locations at Aulani and we recommend having a water bottle with you at all times to keep your hydration in check. We love using Proof water bottles, as we have used ours in 100 degree Florida heat several times and it has kept our ice cubes from melting. That’s some serious cooling power.
Sun Hat
Here we go again with the sun…… I am happy to report that neither G nor myself got an ounce of sunburn on us while at Aulani. For two Ohio girls, that’s really pretty good! But again, we saw so many bright red sunburns that looked horribly painful. A sun hat will not only keep that intense afternoon sun out of your eyes but also add another layer of sun protection for you.
Camera
We’ve talked before about the camera gear that we take along when we are traveling. And if you are traveling all the way to Hawaii, having a nice camera is a great idea. Our Go Pro was one of our most used items during our entire trip. We also like this one if you’re looking for something a little smaller and less expensive.
Pack layers
Believe it or not, it can get quite chilly in Hawaii in the early morning and the evening. The winds from the ocean are absolutely lovely, but they can leave you feeling a little cold. I loved this sweater because it wasn’t too heavy and was perfect to layer over tees and tanks during the times when it got a bit chilly.
Fun Shirts
So this is obviously optional, but hey, you’re on vacation! Live it up while you can, right?! We had fun picking out some Aloha themed styles, including this fun Hawaiian printed shirt, this Aloha style tie dye crop top and our very own Aloha embroidered tee from our shop! We saw so many people with such bright and fun outfits and wished we had actually packed more!
Snorkeling Gear
If you read our guide to saving money at Aulani, we recommend bringing your own gear if you plan to snorkel. It’s definitely not a necessity, but if snorkeling is on your Aulani bucket list, it’s a good thing to consider.
While you won’t need to bring beach towels(Aulani provides them) and can save room by not packing Mouse ears(we only saw a few people wearing them-although if that’s your style then go for it!), these are some of the things we found that we needed the most during our trip and hope it helps you with packing too! 
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