We wanted to get you thinking about what would make the ideal travel gift for your friend or loved one before we got into specific travel gift suggestions.
Humans have probably been giving gifts since the beginning of time, though we have a lot more gift options now than the Neanderthals did. In fact, with huge malls and online shopping, we might be inundated with options! If only making a decision was as simple as picking between the tiger tooth and the shiny purple rock.
We’ll go over some pointers and recommendations to assist you in selecting the ideal present for the traveler in your life.
Decide on the Type of Travel Gift
Knowing the type of gift, you want to buy for each friend or family member on your shopping list can be useful. Would you prefer it to be something useful and practical or something amusing that will make them laugh?
Do you want them to be inspired to travel or do you want them to have a more comfortable trip the next time? Or do you want them to be able to experience it during their subsequent vacation? Maybe you could give them something to commemorate a special trip they’ve already taken?
Do you want it to be something that several people can enjoy, such as pinning places on a map pin board, taking a cooking class with the whole family, or renting movies with travel themes?
How individualized do you want the present to be? The gift you give your spouse on Valentine’s Day is obviously going to be more special than the one you give a coworker at a work party.
Do you want them to be surprised by the gift? Or would you prefer to give them something they already require or desire?
Consider the Tastes of the Traveler
Who is the traveler you are buying a gift for? What types of activities do they like to do? What sort of attire do they don? What sort of travel do they engage in? Do they have any prior travel experience, or have they only recently begun to travel?
Are they the idealistic backpacker type, a realist who meticulously plans their schedule, a camper who enjoys the great outdoors, a volunteer who cares about the environment, an adventure-seeker who doesn’t mind taking risks, or a fan of 5-star luxury? A good practical gift for an RVer would probably differ greatly from one for a luxury traveler who spends their vacations at upscale beach resorts.
Consider anything particular about them and their manner of travel. Do they fear being robbed while traveling? Do they have a coffee compulsion? Do they have any concerns about the environment? Do they attend classical music performances in each city they travel to? Do they consult manuals? Are they over packing? Are they avid photographers? Do they enjoy experimenting with cutting-edge tech devices?
Think about how they travel and how much space they have before choosing a gift if you want to give someone something useful for the trip. A nice cooler to keep their drinks cold would be appreciated by a family driving through the National Parks in a van, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for someone who usually takes the plane.
Take Into Account the Occasion
Given that most gifts are bought to commemorate special occasions like holidays, events, and rites of passage, the occasion type may have an impact on the kind of gift you buy. Are you purchasing it for a special occasion—a birthday, Christmas, Mother’s Day, graduation, honeymoon, retirement party, farewell to your gap year, etc.?
What motivates your gift-giving? It might be to express our concern for them, to express how much we value our relationship with them, or it might be to commemorate an important occasion. Additionally, there are times when we feel compelled to give gifts during a particular holiday or because someone else gave them to us, which has led to a never-ending cycle of gift-giving!
Maximize Quality Within Your Budget
Obviously, when looking for a gift, your budget must be taken into account. To be helpful, we give price ranges for each of the suggested gifts on our list. In order to maximize quality while staying within your budget, I’d try to buy a gift.
Even though it might seem preferable to purchase several inexpensive items as opposed to one expensive item, you should ensure that the gift you are giving is a high-quality item that the recipient is likely to want and use.
No matter who exactly you are shopping for – welcome to our ultimate traveling gift overview for 2020. We will cover the best gifts for traveling, including traveling gifts for men, women, as well as children and pets!
Travel Gift Cards
People have strong feelings regarding gift cards. Some see it as taking a simple way out, or being a thoughtless gift in some way. However, during travel there are couple of things that might be considered more useful than cash. It is very convenient to give an opportunity to book cruise by themselves and track spending’s in Carnival gift card balance or simply use a Southwest Airlines gift card to book an air ticket. Of course, you may always choose one of such popular and widely used brands than can be used in trip like Starbucks or Uber.
By buying your recipient a travel-related gift card they can use the funds for whatever they wish – you are helping guarantee their upcoming trip is as exciting and full of experience as possible. What is even more, many adventurers try to maintain their personal belongings to a minimum, as extra stuff means additional luggage means additional weight. A travel gift card weighs nothing but can include a lot of metaphorical weight to their purse!
Individual Travel Luggage Tags
As anyone who’s waited for an airplane baggage slide carousel and looked desperately as it upchucks piles of bags knows, identifying your black traveling bag in a sea of various comparable black suitcases isn’t precisely enjoyable – particularly after a lengthy or difficult flight. Even worse, those unavoidable times the provider misroutes your checked luggage, which can lead to irritating procedure to get your bag back, if you’re lucky good enough for them to find it at all.
That is why personalized travel luggage tags are such perfect gifts for travel lovers. You can help the globetrotter on your checklist avoid the entire headache by prominently listing their contact details on their individual goods, not to mention giving them a stunning solution to identify their personal bags in a public. There are so many assortments to choose, whether you take a basic natural leather design, or a special wood-burned version handcrafted by an Etsy artist.
Leather Passport Holders
Most of us have a person whose Instagram feed brings us constant as well as outright envy, leaving us drooling at our work desks while they jet set around to locations like Paris and Milan. If you have actually got an international tourist to purchase for this holiday, consider buying them a leather passport holder – which provides the dual advantages of physical cover as well as an RFID force area that can ward against identity theft.
Some of these passport portfolios additionally offer room for holding credit cards, pens, and the other ephemera we have a tendency to collect while we’re sprinting from airport to airport, creating a practical traveling wallet that keeps everything in one place. As someone who had much more than one crazy minute searching her pockets for her boarding pass at the last minute, trust me: that’s a terrific gift for any traveler!
Personalized Toiletry Bag
Doesn’t matter where you go – you always have to do all the standard, daily care rituals you do at home. Certainly, keeping an eye on all those traveling toiletries can be quite difficult pretty quickly, particularly with provided small size of those airplane-friendly bottles
A personalized toiletry bag is an excellent way to guarantee all personal must-haves stay arranged and at hand, regardless where journey may take. And the monogram makes it that far more unique and also thoughtful … as well as making for a much easier time if your recipient discovers themselves staying in a crowded hostel or additional travel accommodations with a shared bathroom case.
Hoodie Neck Pillow
Got a traveler on your list who frequently flies red eyes or additional long-haul trips– and who is more concerned about comfort than style? (they are traveling, for goodness purpose! This is no time to be concerned about fashion trend.). If so, think about gifting them an object they might not buy for themselves, however which they’ll immediately start to enjoy a lot: a top quality neck pillow that also includes a hoodie, for even more warmth and also coziness during those plane, train, or car naps.
Even better, the gift of comfort does not have to make you go broke. E.g. memory foam version is available in lots of different colors and configurations and is available for much less than $20 … which is a price I ‘d certainly pay for a high-quality nap in the traveler seat.
Scents for Candles, Soaps, and Fragrances with a Travel Theme
One of our strongest senses—and the sense most closely linked to memory—is smell. We can travel back in time to experiences and locations from the past by smelling things, including places we’ve been on vacation.
If you’re searching for a gift for a traveler, think about getting them something fragrant that will bring back pleasant travel memories. You could also take them on a sensory tour of faraway locales they haven’t yet visited. This can come in the form of a candle, bar of soap, fragrance, body spray, beard oil, or incense, among other things.
Luggage Scale
Do you know someone who struggles to keep their suitcases under the weight limit for airports because they frequently overpack? They could profit from a digital luggage scale, which would make it simple for them to determine the weight of their bags before traveling to the airport.
The great thing about a luggage scale is that it spares you the time-consuming, stressful, and somewhat embarrassing task of having to unpack and repack your luggage once you get to the airport. Before you leave, be aware of its weight so you can check that it complies with airline requirements.
A luggage scale is a useful item for frequent flyers who have to pack a lot or who have to carry very heavy gear (like video or photography gear), as many airlines are enforcing stricter weight requirements on luggage.
Digital luggage scales are widely available and can be found for reasonable prices, so they make good, inexpensive travel presents.
Travel-Related Coffee Mug
When someone drinks their coffee or tea in the morning, a coffee mug can be a great, inexpensive but thoughtful gift to remind them of their love of travel and your love for them.
There are many travel-themed mugs available. Depending on the kind of mug you want to give, these could be amusing, witty, sweet, motivational, sarcastic, or sincere.
If you prefer to add your own words and images, you can also create your own custom mug if you don’t see what you want. The options are therefore limitless.
Eye Mask and Sleep Aids
There are many items that can make traveling more comfortable for frequent flyers (and light sleepers like Jess). We consider a good eye mask to block out light to be the most crucial of these. This is beneficial for overnight bus or train rides as well as for use in hotels and on flights.
There are many eye masks available, so it frequently takes a few tries to find the one that works best for your face and sleeping habits.
Of course, an eye mask is not the only effective sleep aid, so you might think about assembling a traveler’s sleep kit as a gift. Earplugs that block out sound are another effective sleep aid. Other things could be a silk travel sleep sack, a drape clip, a pillow mist, or a travel pillow.
Travel Journal
A travel journal would probably be a thoughtful gift if you’re looking for something to give a traveler who likes to write, doodle, or sketch. They can record their travels in a travel journal so they can look back on them in the future and read about them.
There are many choices available for travel diaries. Consider creating a unique design to make it unique.
Reusable Water Bottles
We believe that every traveler should have a premium reusable water bottle with them at all times. By keeping a water bottle close by, you can stay hydrated, avoid spending money on bottled water, and contribute to the reduction of environmentally harmful single-use plastic waste.
There are many different styles of travel water bottles available, ranging from compact double-walled bottles that fit into car cupholders to gallon-sized ones for people who need to carry a lot of water, to collapsible bottles for minimalist campers and minimalist packers. For those who like to add ice cubes or powder mixes, there are also these well-liked wide-mouthed ones.
Travel Wall Decals
Wall decals are excellent for wall decoration and adding a touch of individual style to a space. They are created to adhere to and peel off of a wall without harming paint or the surface of a wall and are typically made of vinyl.
Films to Inspire Travelers
The majority of people enjoy watching movies, and many of them have motivated us to travel. Consider assembling a film collection as a present for a friend who enjoys traveling. These movies may be ones about travel in general or ones about a future or ideal location.
These days, movies can be bought in so many different formats (like DVD, Blue-Ray, digital, and online rentals) that they work with almost any device.
Travel Adapter
The wide range of power outlets available worldwide is one of the more irritating aspects of traveling with electronic equipment. For international travelers, travel adapters are essential.
You can purchase reasonably priced travel adapters to attach to the ends of your plugs so they will fit into the electrical outlets in the country you will be visiting the most frequently if your travels only take you there.
However, if a person frequently travels to numerous different nations, you might consider giving them a couple of universal travel adapters that will function in virtually every nation. All international travelers require this gift, which is affordable and incredibly useful. The one we suggest has USB charging ports as well as surge protection.
Keep in mind that a travel adapter differs from a travel voltage converter, which deals with voltage.
Books to Inspire Travelers
If you are buying a gift for someone who enjoys reading and traveling, think about getting them a book about traveling. A book to read while traveling, one to learn about a new destination, or one to inspire them to travel are all possibilities. To make it a bigger gift, put a collection of books together.
Consider putting together a thoughtful book pack that includes several books that each have something to do with the traveler’s dream destination or upcoming trip if you know someone who enjoys traveling. Prior to and during a trip, I enjoy reading books about the destination.
Selfie Stick
They are used by millions of travelers, and they can be extremely helpful for a solo traveler who wants to take pictures of themselves while exploring. Also fantastic for taking pictures of couples.
They are also reasonably portable, inexpensive, and small, and the majority of them can sync with your phone via Bluetooth so you don’t have to mess with wires.
These days, selfie sticks have a wide range of features. Make sure the model, size, and operating system of the traveler’s phone are compatible before choosing one.
Passport Wallet
When at the airport or on a train, it can be inconvenient to constantly search through your bag or suitcase for your passport, travel documents, and boarding passes. This can be made much simpler by a passport wallet that collects all of your paperwork in one handy location.
A pocket large enough to fit a passport, ID and credit card slots, a place for boarding passes, a place for cash, and a zipper pouch where you can keep coins are some features to look for. Most have RFID blocking as well.
Microfiber Beach Towel
Traditional beach towels are frequently too bulky, heavy, and slow to dry for travel. Consider giving a microfiber beach towel to someone you know who enjoys vacationing at the beach or lounging by the pool.
Beach towels made of microfiber are thinner, lighter, and dry more quickly. They are perfect for active individuals. Excellent for camping, hostels, and other travel-related situations where you might need a towel.
Travel Guidebook
In today’s world, a lot of travel guides are sold in both printed and digital form, and some purchases include both.
A travel guidebook makes a thoughtful gift for anyone who is organizing a trip or who dreams of visiting a particular location someday. A travel manual can bring them even closer.
There are many different companies that publish travel guides. The options you have will be reduced based on your language and destination. Every company is a little bit different; for example, some are better known for their photography or their focus on lower prices.
Packing Cubes
Nobody enjoys packing, but since it’s a necessity for travel, you might as well get it right.
We discover that using packing cubes greatly simplifies the entire process of packing and unpacking. They made it simple for us to organize all of our various belongings into distinct compartments in our bags, making it simpler to locate items and repack.
You can save time by using packing cubes instead of digging through your entire bag to find the one item you suddenly need. Simply find the right packing cube and be confident that it will be there!
Camping Cookware
If you’re looking for a gift for someone who enjoys camping and exploring the great outdoors, we’d say some camping gear might be perfect. Any outdoor enthusiast should have a good camping cookware kit, also known as a camping mess kit, which is a collection of multipurpose cooking utensils and equipment.
This enables them to prepare meals in almost any setting, and the kits should contain a variety of functional items that are also simple to clean and store. When packed, they should ideally take up the least amount of room.
Travel Jewelry Organizer Bag
If you know a traveler who enjoys taking a lot of jewelry with them, think about getting them a travel jewelry bag. These bags offer cushioning to better safeguard jewelry and maintain organization. They are available in a range of sizes, hues, and shapes.
Being able to locate jewelry quickly and preventing it from becoming tangled up while traveling are two of the most annoying problems, but an organizer bag can help with these problems. When traveling with more pricey items, it is also simple to store the entire case in hotel safes to keep it secure.
Travel Scarfs with Hidden Pockets
If you know a traveler who likes to travel with several pieces of jewelry, consider getting them a travel jewelry bag. These bags provide a cushioning to help better protect jewelry and keep it organized. They come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes.
Two of the most annoying things about traveling with jewelry is being able to find it quickly and keeping it from getting tangled up, but an organizer bag can help prevent these issues. Those traveling with more expensive pieces can also easily place the whole case in hotel safes to keep it safer while traveling.
Dual Voltage Hair Appliances
Do you know someone who needs to blow dry, straighten, or curl their hair every day while traveling abroad? You might want to inquire about the dual voltage status of their hair appliances.
The majority of hair appliances are not made to function with other voltages because different countries use different electrical voltages. The appliance will frequently stop working, short out, or even catch fire if used with the incorrect voltage. Products with dual voltages can operate on either voltage.
Travel Cord & Electronics Organizer
Someone who has a lot of cords and devices might appreciate a gift of an electronics organizer to keep everything organized.
To keep cords and electronics in place, electronics organizers typically have pockets and straps. After that, they fold or roll up and fit easily into a carry-on bag or suitcase. To hold cords, cables, chargers, batteries, dongles, adapters, stylus pens, ear buds, SD cards, hard drives, travel adapters, and other tech accessories, they frequently have various pockets and compartments.
Carry-On Cocktail Kit
Consider giving a carry-on cocktail kit to someone who appreciates a well-made classic cocktail if you’re looking for a gift. These small kits come with everything you need to make a nice handcrafted cocktail (aside from the alcohol).
All the ingredients for your cocktail are included in the travel cocktail kits; all you need to add is alcohol and a glass. Every kit yields six drinks.
A solo traveler can make friends on a lengthy train or plane ride by preparing a few drinks for other passengers!
Eco-Friendly No Waste Travel Kits
You might consider getting an eco-friendly travel kit for someone who wants to travel more sustainably as a gift. You have the option of buying a pre-assembled kit or assembling your own.
These kits typically include a number of eco-friendly and made from naturally renewable resources items. In general, products are also cruelty-free (not tested on animals), vegan, plastic-free, reusable, and recyclable.
You can create your own environmentally friendly travel kits using some of your favorite items, such as soaps, hair care products, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, reusable make-up removal pads, cosmetics, cutlery, razors, period products, laundry soap, reusable straws, reusable face masks, reusable water bottles, etc. An eco-friendly tote bag or toiletry bag would make a wonderful present.
Car Power Inverter
If you know someone who is going on a road trip, and who also likes to pack along electronics, they may enjoy receiving a car power inverter.
These plug into the car’s cigarette lighter and transform the electrical currents from DC to AC while the car is running. This allows you to charge devices such as laptops, e-readers, tablets, TVs, breast pump machines, DVD players, and game consoles. However, most of these are NOT designed for use with high wattage devices like hair dryers or flat irons.
If you know someone who enjoys taking electronics on road trips, consider giving them a car power inverter as a gift.
While the car is running, these plug into the cigarette lighter and convert the electrical currents from DC to AC. This enables you to charge gadgets like laptops, tablets, e-readers, TVs, breast pump machines, DVD players, and gaming consoles. But the majority of these are NOT intended to be used with high-wattage appliances like hair dryers or flat irons.
Carbon Emission Offset Gifts
Know a traveler who is concerned about the environmental impact of travel and would appreciate a gift that gives back rather than a cool travel gadget? Consider donating to a worthy cause such as a carbon offset project in their name.
Travel, especially flights and cruises, has a huge carbon footprint and many travelers are concerned about the huge impact travel can have on the environment. Many travelers seek to offset their carbon footprint by investing money in ways that reduce, avoid, or remove greenhouse gas emissions (of which carbon dioxide is the biggest) from the atmosphere, or otherwise have positive environmental impacts.
Travel Scrapbook or Photo Album
Consider giving a scrapbook or photo album to a traveler you know who enjoys scrapbooking or taking pictures. This will enable the individual to compile a unique book of travel-related memories.
Or you could make them a special photo album or scrapbook about the trip you took with them if you have access to the items and photos from the trip!
Travel Router
When a person is traveling and needs to access the internet while away from home, they can use a travel router, which is a wireless range extender and access point. They can be a wonderful present for travelers who require the ability to connect multiple devices safely and securely to the internet.
They can be used as a WiFi bridge, to connect multiple devices to a network (under a single login), to increase the range of current wireless networks, and to make public wireless networks more secure.
Travel Coffee Maker
You might want to get your friend a travel coffee maker if they can’t function until they’ve had their morning coffee.
With a travel coffee maker, you can make coffee whenever you want, save money on coffee purchases, and make coffee while camping or in the great outdoors. Additionally excellent for people who enjoy coffee but detest instant coffee, which is frequently offered in hotel rooms.
Travel Medicine Organizer
Traveling can be difficult and stressful due to medical issues, which can also be a major source of worry. Give someone a travel organizer to make it easier for them to keep their prescription drugs, medical records, and medical supplies all in one secure location.
Camera Strap
For the traveler who enjoys carrying a camera but may not have one or be using an uncomfortable one, a camera strap is a great gift. In our experience, the manufacturer straps that come with the majority of cameras are neither attractive nor very comfortable.
The size and weight of the camera will determine the type of strap needed. You have more choices when purchasing a camera strap for a smaller, lighter camera.
Outdoors Bluetooth Speaker
Whether you’re at the beach, in the car, on a boat, or by the pool, listening to music on the go is a breeze with an outdoor Bluetooth speaker. They wirelessly pair via Bluetooth with your phone to produce a louder, clearer sound.
Be aware that although many Bluetooth speaker models claim to be “waterproof,” they are only water-resistant and cannot be submerged completely in water. Most aren’t water-resistant.
Dog Travel Bag
Do you need a present for a dog lover? Consider purchasing a dog travel bag with all the compartments pet owners require to store all the dog food, accessories, and toys for their pets. The bag is ideal for transportation, long trips to the park, and dropping off the dog at a kennel or dog sitter.
These bags can be used for those traveling with cats, rabbits, or pet pigs even though the majority are made for dogs.