Holiday Gifts for the Traveler
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The holiday shopping season is here! If you have a travel lover on your shopping list, I’ve got tons of unique gift ideas to satisfy their wanderlust.
Whether you prefer to do your shopping on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, or at the last minute on Christmas Eve, I’ve got plenty of options for gift ideas to inspire travel in the new year.
For added inspiration and one-click shopping, I’ve included several Amazon photos and links below.
Give the gift of travel…and start crossing things off your shopping list!
Gift Ideas For Him
Airplane Footrest
Long flights can be hard on the body and can turn a happy traveler into a disgruntled tourist. An airplane footrest helps take the pressure off your back and can make it easier to get comfortable (and get some sleep) while high up in the air. They are lightweight and easy to pack, and far less expensive than those comfy seats in 1st class!
Perfect for the frequent flyer on your holiday shopping list!
Outlet Adapter
An outlet adapter is a practical and inexpensive gift that is ideal for travelers planning their first international adventure. A universal travel adapter ensures their electronics will be functional wherever they go, and this may be something a novice traveler hasn’t thought about yet.
It’s the perfect stuffing stuffer!
Backpack
Backpacks come in so many styles and sizes and can be the perfect gift for any kind of travel (and not just for men!). Trendy tourists might appreciate a stylish backpack that can serve as their carryon item or be used to carry their essentials when touring museums and shops. If he is more of an adventure seeker, there are plenty of backpacks to fit the bill! Help him check that mountain trek or cross country walking expedition off his bucket list with just the right backpack to carry all the supplies he will need with ease.
Gift Ideas For Her
Hidden Pocket Scarf
Scarves are the perfect travel accessory. They add a touch of style to any outfit, as well as warmth. And they are lightweight and take up very little room in your suitcase. Scarves with a built-in hidden pocket are also super functional! Perfect for keeping valuables safely tucked away in busy tourist hotspots. No need to carry a purse, and hands are free to explore and shop away.
Go ahead and buy one for yourself while you are at it!
Travel Journal
The best travel keepsakes are the memories we make. I’m a big fan of documenting your travels on social media, but it’s also a great idea to write down some details about your excursions. There are many options to choose from, so consider the recipient when selecting the perfect travel journal. Some journals provide blank pages for freeform writing. Others offer prompts and give the writer specific things to ponder and jot down about their trip. Some may function as a scrapbook with pockets to include travel mementos. Consider the style or travel destination of the recipient. If Paris is her dream destination, you can find many Parisian themed options. But if camping is her favorite way to travel, you can bet there are travel journals with a campy feel. The options can be overwhelming, but selecting just the right travel journal will make it a very thoughtful gift.
Luggage Tags
Luggage tags make the perfect stocking stuffer for her…or anyone who plans to jet off in the new year! Select unique luggage tags that showcase her personality and will make finding her suitcase in baggage claim a breeze.
Gift Ideas For the Kids
Foreign Currency
Some find giving cash a bit impersonal. But giving local currency to a child who will be traveling out of the country is both fun and practical! This will spark conversations about the upcoming trip and the different customs to expect, including the form of money used. Check with your local bank to make sure they have the correct currency for the recipient’s travel destination. Then slip some pesos into the kids’ Christmas stockings, or slide a few paper euros into a holiday card.
Travel Books
Age-appropriate travel books are a great way to inspire young people to think beyond their own community. Learning about customs around the world will broaden their perspective and may give them the travel bug at a young age. If an upcoming trip is planned, consider a book about that destination. Seek out fun books with lots of pictures that include the child’s specific interests so it doesn’t feel like school work, and they will enjoy learning about foreign lands!
Car Games
Help the kids be road trip ready with car games! You can find tons of games that are fun, compact, and portable. Stay away from games that are messy or have lots of small parts, and be sure to keep the children’s ages in mind. The kids will love these games and their parents will appreciate having entertainment options for their next cross country family adventure.
Little Passports
Keep the gifts coming all year long with a subscription to Little Passports. Each month your tiny traveler will receive games, toys, and information about a new destination. Various options are available for different ages and you determine the length of the subscription. Subscription boxes are one of the hottest gifts around and kids will especially love having something to look forward to in the mail each month.
Gift Ideas For the Whole Family
Scratch Off Map
Help your family track their travels with a scratch-off map. Choose a map of the United States for families working their way across the country or a world map for the family that enjoys international travel. Everyone can get in on the fun as the family reveals the destinations they have already visited. And then they can start discussing the next location they hope to scratch off!
Camping Equipment
Camping can be a fun and affordable trip for families of all sizes. Some great gift ideas to get the campsite ready include tents, sleeping bags, canteens, cooking equipment, flashlights, pop up chairs, and hammocks. Put together a camping-themed gift basket as a present for the entire family.
Don’t forget to include bug spray!
Itinerary For a Trip
If you want to go really BIG…give your family the vacation of their dreams! Have your parents always wanted to take a cruise? Are the kids begging to take a trip to Disneyworld? Would the recent graduate love the chance to head overseas? When those on your shopping list already seem to have plenty of “stuff”, giving them a trip can be the perfect gift.
While buying airline tickets for someone else is a very nice gesture, it can be a bit tricky. Instead, create a thoughtful travel itinerary, and present it to them for the holidays. The recipients can weigh in on the dates and details of the trip before everything is finalized and paid for. This is how we presented my mom with her 70th birthday trip to Paris, and it was a HUGE hit.
For European trips, I highly recommend using Europeandestinations.com. It is easy and fun to create and modify trip itineraries for just the right adventure. Once your chosen recipients receive their sample itinerary, let them in on the planning fun so they can design the final version of their dream trip!
Foreign Language Lessons
I’ve found that for most of the touristy foreign countries, becoming fluent in the local language is not a necessity for enjoyable travel. But it is common courtesy to know some key phrases. And learning a bit of French or Spanish or German is all part of the fun for families who have international travel plans in the future. Whether your family hopes to master the language or just have fun dabbling in conversational communication there are audiotapes, books, or classes tailored to any level.
Photobooks
A great way to document a previous travel experience is by creating a photobook. Gone are the days of getting prints of your photos and tucking them into a photo album (unless you are my mom!). These are a few of the photobooks I created for my family members to document several of our recent trips.
Creating a photobook is relatively easy and affordable. I love using Snapfish. But there are several great online options for creating photobooks, as well as ornaments, mugs, and lots of other keepsakes perfect for gift-giving. With tons of different sizes and styles of photobooks to choose from, you can create the perfect one-of-a-kind keepsake. Prices range anywhere from $15 to upwards of $100, but I’m always able to find coupons or great discounts. Sign up for the Snapfish enewsletter and you will be alerted of sales several times during the year.
If you are a bit of a perfectionist like me, it does take some time to put together the perfect photo book, so don’t wait until the last minute for this one! And don’t forget to factor in shipping time.
Gift Ideas For Couples
Wine From a Favorite Region
I don’t think this one needs much explanation!
No need to travel to a foreign land, just hop over to your local wine shop or grocery store to peruse the wine selection. You will likely find a vast array of wines representing regions all over the world. Pick up a bottle of Reisling for your aunt and uncle who often speak fondly of their trip to Germany. Or wrap up a bottle of Chianti for your neighbors who recently spent their honeymoon in Italy. They will be so thrilled with your thoughtful selection of just the right wine, they may even open the bottle and share a glass with you.
Bed and Breakfast Gift Certificates
A gift certificate for lodging is a great way to inspire couples to plan a much-needed getaway. Instead of choosing the travel destination and dates for your recipients, a gift certificate provides plenty of flexibility. An Airbnb gift certificate can be used for lodging all over the world. If you think they would enjoy the hospitality and charm of traditional Bed and Breakfasts, here are some of Traveling Tanya’s favorite BnBs in the Midwest. And I’m sure they would all be happy to sell you a gift certificate!
The Cloran Mansion in Galena, Illinois
INN Shipeshewana (formerly Morton Street Inn) in Shipshewana, Indiana
The Granville Inn in Granville Ohio
Julia’s Bed and Breakfast in Hubbard Ohio
Travel Guidebooks
If there is a couple on your shopping list with an exciting trip coming up in the new year, you can help their anticipation build with a guidebook specific to their destination. For European travel, I highly recommend Rick Steves’ guidebooks. They provide tons of up-to-date information and practical tips on lodging, dining, and attractions in an easily digestible format.
With plenty of colorful images, these guidebooks actually make trip planning a fun process!
Luggage
Stylish and functional luggage makes a fabulous gift! Opt for luggage that stands out a bit, instead of the all too common black suitcases that all look the same in baggage claim. Gift one piece each holiday, to help the couple build their luggage set over time. Or go for the big gift and wrap up the whole set of luggage this Christmas.
Make sure the suitcases you select roll with ease for those mad dashes between gates at the airport!
Time To Start Shopping!
Whether you are searching for stocking stuffers or over-the-top gifts for the travel enthusiasts in your life, this list should give you plenty of shopping inspiration.
The gift of travel never goes out of style!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!
What other travel-themed gifts would you add to the list? Comment below to share even more holiday gift suggestions.
Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya
Traveling Tanya is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
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