Happy Thanksgiving!
Let’s be honest, Black Friday deals kicked off back in July so it doesn’t really matter anymore when the holiday shopping season is upon us.
But, since every company we’ve ever interacted with has been emailing us nonstop the last few days about Black Friday and holiday gifts, we figured it was as good a time as any to round up some suggestions for holidays gifts for frequent travelers.
If you’ve got a traveler on your list, here are some of our favorite travel accessories or travel-themed gifts we’ve received or just went out and bought ourselves!
Affordable travel gifts/stocking stuffers
Luggage tags
Looking for an easy and small gift? Go for some fun, colorful, or customized luggage tags.
Passport holder
Another slim option is a passport holder or protector. We love using ours to ensure our passports stay safe and unblemished when putting them in our bags, taking them out for TSA, shoving them back in our bags, and so on.
Dry shampoo or shampoo bars
Help a traveler out with hair care by gifting some travel-sized dry shampoo or help them save on space and be eco-friendly with some shampoo cubes that simply break down and require no plastic packaging.
Packing cubes
We love, love, love, our packing cubes to help save space when packing. In fact, I might ask for another set this Christmas so I have a few extra smaller bags for socks or swimwear.
Quick dry towel
Quick drying towels are so versatile and can be used as a towel, travel blanket, or we took ours to Paris to use as a picnic blanket!
Collapsible water bottle
Help the traveler in your life stay hydrated and save space in their purse or backpack with a collapsible water bottle.
Touchscreen gloves
It’s going to be getting cold out but that doesn’t stop travelers from wanting to take photos, pull up a map, or text people! Get a set of gloves with the touchscreen fingertips so they stay warm but can use their phone as they need to.
Contoured sleep mask
This has been a life-saver for me on overnight flights as it blocks out the light but the fabric isn’t touching my eyes! I always make sure to pack my contoured sleep mask when we travel.
A little less affordable
Weekender bag
Have a traveler in your life that likes to take a lot of short trips or is able to pack like Mary Poppins and can fit a lot in a small bag? Perhaps a weekender bag is the right option! I love my weekender from Lo and Sons and I’ve been using the mini weekender from Beis as love that as well.
Luggage
Another option is to spring for a full-sized piece of luggage! Just make sure you know what size and color they would prefer.
Maybe something like the Monos Carry-on Pro?
Travel-related gift card/voucher
From flights to accommodations, you can get gift cards to help offset the cost of travel for your frequent traveler. Or, if you know they’re going to a particular destination, get a gift card or voucher for an activity, like a food tour to help them explore their destination better.
Private tour
Really go for it by organizing a private group tour so you can all travel together. Many tour companies offer discounts or freebies if you organize a group that has six or more people in it.
Tech-savvy travel gifts
AirTags
Rick makes sure our luggage and personal items have AirTags on or in them so we can make sure our suitcases are where they should be. This came in handy when we had to gate check our bags and could ensure they were with us when we landed.
Noise-canceling headphones
Whether using them for watching movies or simply blocking out other noises, noise-canceling headphones or earbuds can be a life-saver for many travelers. I pop mine in for overnight flights to ensure it’s nice and quiet in my head when it’s time to sleep.
Travel adapter
Make sure your traveler can charge their electronics when they arrive in their destination with an adapter and/or converter should they need it. You can opt for a universal adapter or purchase ones specific to a country if your traveler already has specific plans.
Battery pack
An external battery pack or charging brick was a life-saver for me when we were in Europe this fall as I take thousands of pictures on our trip and the battery on my iPhone is not a fan of that. Having the backup battery was perfect as I could take my travel shots and then charge up when back on the bus or on a train.
Kindle or other e-reader
Now, I’m old-school and bring physical books when I travel but Rick prefers to have multiple books on one device and there are times I do see the benefit – especially when space is limited.
GoPro
Help your traveler get amazing shots, especially if your traveler is into outdoor activities like mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, or snorkeling. A GoPro is a great gift to help them capture those special moments.
Post-travel gifts
Travel journal
Help your traveler remember their adventures by getting them a travel journal so they can write down what they did, what they saw, what they ate, and so on so as the memories fade, they can revisit them when they want to.
Photo print
I make sure to print at least one photo from our travels to add to our travel wall and you can do the same for the traveler in your life by printing out a photo from their Instagram feed or getting them a gift card so they can get their own picture printed and/or framed.
Scratch map or pin map
We have yet to upgrade to a colorful scratch off map, but we do have a magnetic map with multi-colored pins to show off where we’ve gone, where we’re going next, and what destinations are still on the bucket list.
Subscription box (books, wine, coffee)
Give the gift that keeps on giving with a subscription service that’s semi travel-related! There are subscription boxes for all types of services and goods out there that you could sign them up for a coffee of the month club that includes coffee from all over the world or a specific region, a wine club, or even a book club like the Wordy Traveler. What a fun way to let them relive their adventures month after month – and plan new ones!
What gifts did we miss from our 2023 travel gift guide? Tell us in the comments!
