If you’re deciding what shoes to pack for Hawaii, most first-time visitors over-pack. They bring stiff hiking boots they wear once, dress shoes they wear never, and a single pair of cheap flip-flops that fall apart on the lava rock at Hapuna. Then on day three they’re at a Longs Drugs in Kona buying replacement slippers because the ones they brought from home aren’t cutting it. You can do better with four pairs total — sometimes three. Here’s the shortlist that handles most common visitor activities on the main islands, plus the airport on both ends.

In Hawaii, flip-flops are slippers. Not thongs, not flip-flops, not sandals — slippers. It’s the standard local term, used in everyday conversation and on signs across the islands. You’ll hear “leave your slippers at the door” everywhere you go, because that’s the real rule: shoes off in homes, shoes off in many vacation rentals, shoes off when you visit anyone’s house. It’s one of the most consistent customs in the islands. A decent rubber pair is inexpensive. If you want a pair that survives wet sand and a shower rinse for years, look at OluKai. The brand was founded in 2005 in Irvine, California, but the name (Olu = comfort, Kai = ocean) and design ethos are Hawaiian, and the arch support is noticeably better than gas-station slippers. Reef and Sanuk are also fine. You can compare OluKai styles on Amazon if you want to break a pair in before the trip. One pair of slippers will be on your feet from the moment you clear baggage claim at HNL until the flight home. Pack them in your carry-on so you can change out of your travel shoes the second you land.

This is the pair most visitors skip and then regret. Hawaii has serious hiking. Slippery red mud on the windward side of every island, crumbly lava on the Big Island, and steep volcanic switchbacks in Haleakalā. Slippers don’t work on any of it. You don’t need full hiking boots. A pair of trail running shoes (Merrell, Salomon, Hoka, Altra) handles most maintained day hikes visitors commonly do. The Pīpīwai Trail in Haleakalā’s Kīpahulu district is roughly 4 miles round trip past a bamboo forest to Waimoku Falls (around 400 feet tall), and it’s regularly hiked in trail runners. A mid-priced pair handles all of it. Always check current trail conditions and any operator footwear requirements before you go. Trail shoes also double as zipline shoes. Kualoa Ranch on Oahu requires closed-toe shoes for its zipline and ATV tours. Many activity operators on the neighbor islands have similar policies, so check the booking page before you fly. One note: don’t buy them new the week before you fly. Break them in at home. Breaking shoes in helps prevent blisters, and a blister on day one can shut down a whole vacation.

The third pair earns its spot on lava-rock shorelines, in tide pools, and on the slick basalt around waterfall pools. Hawaii’s volcanic geology means a lot of the most photogenic swim spots aren’t sand. They’re sharp rock, sometimes with sea urchins (wana) wedged in cracks. The spines are brittle, lodge deep, and are brutal to remove. Anywhere you’d describe as “rocky” rather than “sandy” calls for water shoes: Onomea Bay on the Hāmākua Coast, Hāʻena State Park on Kauai, the entry to many South Maui snorkel spots like Mākena Landing. So do most stream and waterfall hikes — wet basalt is famously slippery. A basic neoprene pair is usually enough for tide-pooling and rocky shoreline access. If you’re doing serious river or stream work — fishing or advanced waterfall scrambling — locals use felt-bottom split-toe shoes called tabis. You’ll find them at outdoor stores and some Longs Drugs locations on island. Most visitors don’t need them; standard water shoes are fine for rocky shoreline and tide-pool walking. One important note: never stand on coral or living reef. It’s fragile, slow-growing, and damaging it (or yourself on it) is one of the worst things a visitor can do in the water.

Hawaii is one of the most casual states in the country. Even at higher-end restaurants like Mama’s Fish House on Maui, Merriman’s, or Roy’s, you’ll see people in nice slippers and a clean Aloha shirt. Most visitor-facing restaurants are casual. The general bar is “no bare feet, no tank tops on men, no swimwear at the table.” Sandals and shorts are normal at dinner. If you want to feel a little dressier for a special meal, pack a pair of leather sandals or low-profile loafers. That covers most luaus and resort dinners. You almost certainly won’t need dress shoes or heels — and heels become a liability fast on uneven lava-rock paths around resorts. If you’re attending a private event, a wedding, or a specific upscale venue, check the dress code on the venue’s website before you pack. Many travelers skip this pair entirely and just wear their nicest slippers out to dinner. That’s also fine.

Heavy hiking boots. They’re hot, heavy, and overkill for most maintained day hikes visitors do. Long routes like the 11-mile Kalalau on Kauai, the Mauna Loa summit route on the Big Island, and Sliding Sands (Keoneheʻeheʻe) into the Haleakalā crater get hiked routinely in trail runners. Bring boots if you’re carrying a backpacking load, tackling rough off-trail terrain, or current trail conditions warrant it. Dress shoes and heels. The casual standard holds at most resort restaurants and luaus. Heels also become a liability on uneven lava-rock paths. Rain boots. Showers can be brief in many resort areas, and microclimates mean you can drive a short distance from a downpour into sunshine. Wet windward hikes still benefit from quick-dry trail shoes or a packable rain shell, but rubber boots aren’t worth the suitcase real estate. Brand-new shoes you haven’t broken in. Volcanic terrain and miles of resort walking are not the moment to debut a new pair. Bring shoes that already know your feet.

The big-box stores carry decent footwear at fair prices. Costco has warehouses on Oahu, Maui (Kahului), the Big Island (Kona), and Kauai (Lihue), and they may stock OluKai, Reef, and trail running shoes depending on season and location — call the warehouse if you need something specific. Target has locations on the four largest islands (Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai), and Longs Drugs (now CVS-branded inside) is everywhere. Locals use Longs as the default last-minute slipper stop. For higher-end gear like real trail shoes, technical socks, or hiking poles, your best bet on Oahu is Uloha at 515 Ward Avenue in Honolulu, an independent outdoor store that carries Salomon, Merrell, Keen, and the rest of the trail brands you’d expect at an REI on the mainland. REI itself has no Hawaii stores, so don’t waste a stop looking for one. Specialty outdoor options on the neighbor islands are more limited, so plan accordingly if you’re starting your trip on Maui, the Big Island, or Kauai.

Three pairs handle most Hawaii trips: slippers, trail shoes, water shoes. Add one nicer pair if you have a special dinner. Don’t bring boots, don’t bring dress shoes, and don’t break in anything new on island. The right four pairs let you walk a black-sand beach in the morning, hike to a waterfall after lunch, change for a sunset dinner, and end the day at a tide pool — without a blister or a frantic Longs Drugs run on day three.