Build Your Packing Checklist
Build a custom checklist based on your trip type, island, and travel season.
Use the List for Your Actual Itinerary
Choose a trip type, island and season, then generate the checklist. Common items stay checked when you regenerate during this visit. A page reload clears your checks. Print the generated list or save it as a PDF through your browser’s print options. Adjust quantities for trip length, laundry access, age and personal needs; this tool does not calculate those for you.
Travel Documents
For domestic flights, adults should bring a TSA-accepted form of identification. A REAL ID-compliant state ID and a passport are examples, not the only accepted documents; see official REAL ID guidance. Children under 18 generally do not need TSA identification for domestic travel, but airline requirements may differ. International trips require the documents appropriate to citizenship and itinerary. Our Hawaii passport guide explains the distinctions.
Sun Protection and Local Sunscreen Rules
Use shade, protective clothing and a suitable broad-spectrum sunscreen, following its label. Read the FDA sun-protection guidance. A “reef-safe” label alone should not be treated as a guarantee of environmental safety or legal compliance.
Hawaii’s state sunscreen law restricts selling or distributing for sale sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate without a prescription; it is not a blanket statewide possession ban. County rules may be stricter. Maui County, for example, restricts sale, distribution and use of non-mineral sunscreen without a prescription. Check the current rule for the island you visit and the product’s active ingredients.
Weather, Children and Outdoor Activities
The season choices are broad planning categories. Hawaii’s climate varies by terrain and exposure, and the forecast for your exact destination matters more than the season label. Mountain visits need different clothing from beach days; see Haleakalā National Park safety guidance For a month-by-month feel, our notes on Hawaii in August show the hot, dry end of the summer season.when planning a summit visit.
Use a life jacket that fits the wearer and activity, following Coast Guard guidance. Equipment does not replace close child supervision or suitable conditions. A packed snorkeling kit, hiking bag or warm jacket is not confirmation that a beach, trail or summit is safe or open.
For the spending side of your plans, use the trip cost calculator. Review current access notices before deciding which activity equipment to bring.