Some people value quality things, and others value unique experiences. For those who spend their money moving around the world, awesome holiday gift ideas for travelers are harder to think of. These folks aren’t so focused on owning, but on bouncing around all over the place. The more movement and new grounds explored, the better.
Travelers tend to not value things so much, but prefer to spend their time and money on making memories in new and exciting places. This can make holiday gift ideas for the traveler a little bit difficult.
Do I sound biased? It’s the category I fall in, that’s for sure!
I think someday I will absolutely love getting a beautiful gift to be displayed in our home. But since I’m in the stage of life where being rooted isn’t my priority, rather working and saving up for the next big travel adventure is, I would prefer a gift for travel that I can pack up and take with me. Or, one that represents this value in our space at home.
When I am home, I am energized by being reminded of all the incredible destinations I’ve seen in the world, or hope to, and enjoy seeing those thoughts reflected in my own space.
Here are 12 awesome holiday gift ideas for travelers that they are certain to love!
Travel-inspired coffee table book
Coffee table books rock. They do a lot of amazing things, like give your guests an idea of what types of things you care about in life enough to display front and center in your relaxing space; they inspire you with their large, high-resolution and vividly colored photos; they add decor to your living room.
If you know your traveler loved one has a favorite place in the world, photographer, artist, or theme (like Spanish architecture), giving them a travel-inspired coffee table book will be a guaranteed win.
A year’s subscription to Lonely Planet Magazine
Lonely Planet produces four seasonal travel magazines per year. Having a Lonely Planet Magazine in your hands gives you hours of entertainment, as you can explore all sorts of trending and arising destinations to visit. The imagery is stunning, and the information is invaluable and unique.
Lonely Planet knows what they’re doing. They’re my favorite travel resource, hands-down. I wait for the days I receive the new additions, and love bringing them with me on long flights. They never get old to flip through! LP also creates incredible travel guide books that I frequently use and post about.
A cute toiletries bag
When I think about packing my toiletries bag before a trip, the first word that comes to mind is “forget”. It’s hard to tell what you’ve got packed or not when you toss something into a black hole. A toiletries bag that compartmentalizes is gold; that way you can quickly account for your things, and find them once you’re away from home.
It doesn’t hurt for it to be cute and to match other luggage, either!
Tapestry with an exotic pattern
Tapestries can be used for household decor in a variety of ways, like being displayed on a wall, used as a table cloth or a picnic blanket, or a throw on the couch.
A tapestry with a pattern from a particular region or country can transport you to that place, and helps a traveler to feel like they’re somewhere else even when they can’t be.
Tote or travel bag
For some reason, it is simply more fun when you have more exciting luggage. It’s especially nice to have pieces you love to look at and look forward to using if you’re a frequent jet-setter.
Anthropologie, J Crew, and Banana Republic are some of my favorite brands to look for totes but of course, there are many, many more options out there for good-sized, quality bags.
Cocktail kits
I’ve seen these at boutiques all over, and I think they are so cute! These make for a perfect gift for someone who’s about to embark on a trip they’ve been looking forward to for a long time. It’s a great way of saying, “I’m excited for you, too!”
There are different options of types of cocktails you can make, like a gin and tonic or a Kentucky mule. If you know your loved traveler’s favorite cocktails, this will make your gift even more personal.
Fuzzy socks
I’ve written about how comfortable socks are a critical part of my air travel packing list. There’s nothing worse than being freezing for hours on end! These are a fun stocking stuffer, and the possibilities are endless when it comes to buying awesome socks.
The fuzzier, the better. It helps you cozy up on flights, and are just fun to wear around the house during the winter.
New favorite water bottle
My life changed after I got a Corksicle water bottle (thanks, Debbie! <3). I take that thing with me everywhere.
What you need to look for in a water bottle with the purpose of travel is that it can be completely shut, and is spill proof. I will always be found with my Yeti inches away from me at my desk during the workday, but the fact that I can’t close it prohibits me from taking it anywhere with me when I travel.
S’well and Corksicle are my favorites, and come in all different sizes, colors, and patterns.
Sweet headphones
If you want assurance that your gift will get good use, headphones are your way to go for a great holiday gift idea for travelers. Noise-cancelling headphones are gems for flights (think about how hard it can be to sleep with there’s a crying infant!), and can definitely be used on trips and on a regular basis at home.
I’ve yet to invest in some headphones other than the ones that come with an iPhone purchase, but after trying some out on occasion, I am convinced that having quality headphones would make traveling a lot more comfortable and fun.
Passport cover
Your passport is your MVP of items when you go abroad, so giving it something to individualize it and make it easy to spot is convenient.
I made the mistake of getting a dark colored passport cover as my first one, and I could never find it in my backpacks or purses on the go. My sister gave me a light blue one from J Crew for Christmas a couple of years ago, and not only do I love the look, but it is very easy to spot among my luggage.
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I hope these ideas help you pick out the perfect holiday gift for the travelers in your life!
-AB
