Looking for a gift for that one friend who seems to be out of the country more often than in it? Or for that one family member that sighs on every trip: “I wish I bought that thing to take with me”? Seek no more! I've put together a gift list with what I feel are some of the best gifts for travel lovers.
Give them as separate gifts or create fun travel gift baskets. It's up to you!
What to add to your travel baskets
As there are many different types of travelers, I couldn't create just one list of gifts for travelers. Instead, I came up with these categories:
Contents
Click through to the one that interests you most or just scroll down to get them all.
1. Personalized gifts
Personalized presents for travelers are great because they show that you've made an extra effort. An additional benefit is that someone else might be less inclined to borrow or “borrow” the gift.
A great place to look for personalized gifts for travelers is Etsy. If you haven't heard of Etsy, it's an online marketplace where people from all over the world sell handmade or in another way unique items.
The Wander Club also makes cool personalized gifts – for yourself or others. They sell engraved rings that you can collect for every country you’ve been to and that you can then add onto a “Wanderchain” as shown in the picture above. If you know where you're travel-loving friend has been, this makes for a great gift idea.
And what's even better is that for every ring purchased, The Wander Club donates a meal to an orphaned child through their non-profit partner Rice Bowl.
Use the code WONDERFUL to get 20% off your purchase!
2. Road trip gift baskets
Road trips are heaps of fun… until someone gets bored. Know someone who's going on a road trip? They'll surely be happy to find the following items in their travel gift basket.
Road trip gift basket ideas for adults
AMAZON E-GIFT CARD FOR AUDIO BOOKS
Amazon gift cards can be used for anything on Amazon, so also for audio books. Choose your amount, add a personal note and keep your road tripping buddy entertained for hours.
I've yet to find a travel pillow that allows me to sleep perfectly comfortable on the train or on a plane, but this J-Pillow Travel Pillow is the best one I've tried so far. Most travel pillows only offer support below the chin, but the J-Pillow also supports the side of the head. It comes with a buttoned strap so you can easily attach it to your backpack, handbag or trolley.
Whether as a stand-alone gift or as part of a larger traveler gift basket, you can't go wrong with this one.
PREMIUM TRAVELER ROAD ASSISTANCE KIT
It's always best to get your car checked before going on a long drive, but even then something can go wrong and when it does, it doesn't always happen at the right time or place. This 64-piece traveler road assistance kit comes with a first-aid kit, jumper cables, a heavy-duty flashlight and more. It makes for a great road trip travel gift package and whoever gets it won't be stranded for long!
Don't depend on gas stations to fuel up on drinks and snacks. Pack the things you like at home and keep them cool in this cooler box so you can have a sip or a bite whenever you feel like it. Plus, a box like this works great for a day at the beach or when camping as well!
To create an entire road trip care package, stock the cooler box with some of the other items mentioned above.
Road trip gifts for kids
NATURAL HEALTHY SNACKS CARE PACKAGE
Road trips usually equal snacking, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. This snack pack is filled with non-GMO, fresh snacks with no artificial colors, preservatives or flavors. And it comes in a cute gift box!
Buy the natural healthy snacks package
TRAVEL SCAVENGER HUNT CARD GAME
Keep the kids busy with this game that keeps them on the lookout for stop signs, number plates with a “Z”, specific colored cars and more. It has 54 scavenger hunt cards for 2 or more players, so it lasts a while!
MAGNETIC DOODLE DRAWING BOARD
Let the little ones draw without the risk of getting pencil all over the car's interior. This drawing board comes with a pen, three stamps and an eraser.
VIEW-MASTER
I absolutely loved my View-Master when I was little and am not surprised they still make these. Kids can put disks with images inside their Viewmaster and with every click, let the story further unfold. It's such a basic concept but so much fun!
Kidding! – Well, maybe not.
3. Travel gift basket ideas
Everybody loves unpacking a goodie bag, so why not create a traveling gift basket? Use a funky tote bag or a cute basket and stuff it with travel-themed goodies.
You can even gift travel subscription boxes to keep the gifting going!
Here are a couple of travel-themed gift basket ideas to get you started.
For the food lovers
FOOD MAPS
My friend Jodi from Legal Nomads teamed up with the talented Ella Frances Sanders to create these beautiful food maps of dishes from countries around the world. They come as black maps against a white background and white maps against a black background. You can get them as posters, on tote bags, and even on T-shirts. They make for great presents for the foodie in our life. And you know what? Wonderful Wanderings readers get 10% off! Just use the code “WONDERFUL” (in caps) when checking out or shop through the link below.
Never again buy huge spice packages for those two nights of cooking at a rental apartment or lug around impractical salt packs. With this travel spices kit you're good to prepare a delicious meal anytime, anywhere.
Buy the travel spices kit here
COLLAPSIBLE FOOD CONTAINERS
These collapsible containers make for great travel gift basket items. Foodies can use them to bring their favorite snacks or fill them up with foods they find at their next your destination.
4-in-1 FORK SPOON KNIFE BOTTLE OPENER
Eat all the foods you can find when traveling without getting too clumsy while also being a bit more eco-friendly. This baby consists of a removable fork, spoon, knife and bottle opener. It's made out of stainless steel and small enough to go into your pocket or purse, just remember not to have it in hand luggage when flying.
I'm a huge tea fan so I had to include this as I've spent many a night at a foreign hotel/hostel/apartment sadened because of the absence of a water kettle. This one can heat up enough water for two cups of tea… and the cups are included! As are the spoons, by the way.
For the tech lovers
Travel tech lovers travel with a lot of tech and tech comes with cables, chargers and memory disks. This electronics organizer keeps them all neatly tucked away for easy access and at the same time protects them against damage.
There's no point in taking lots of tech on your travels if you can't charge it. This universal adapter works worldwide and can charge up to three devices at once. It also has two USB ports, a spare fuse and a pretty fancy design in comparison with most other adapters.
Alternatively, a small power strip is always handy to pack if you want to charge multiple devices at the same time. And if you take it with you to work at a cafe, it might make you some power needing friends as well.
When I'm traveling, I'm constantly on social media which means my phone usually doesn't make it until the end of the day. That's why I always carry a portable powerbank with me. It allows me to charge my phone several times, allowing me to stay active on all of my favorite channels – and to use Google Maps to get back to my hotel :D
I love my small Philips portable speaker for on-the-go movie watching and music listening. And no, it's not wireless. There are a ton of wireless, bluetooth travel speakers out there nowadays, but I consciously didn't get one of those because bluetooth drains your battery life like nothing else.
For the beach lovers
Beachgoers want to use their phone too, but preferably without getting water or sand in it. This waterproof dry bag fits most phone models, keeping them dry while you're still able to use them. You could even use it to keep your money and credit cards safe and dry too!
Lots of people forget to pack sunscreen or don't think they'll need it. Add some sunscreen to your beach lover's gift basket and make sure they take care of their skin!
QUICK DRY MICROFIBER TOWEL
Going to the beach is fun, but those beach towels always take up so much space and take ages to dry. Not this microfiber towel, though. It's super absorbent, fast drying and anti-bacterial, making it great for the gym as well.This one also comes with a little bag so you can stow the towel away easily and keep it separate from your other things.
Wrap it around your legs, sit on it, use it as a towel, fold it to serve as a pillow or wear it as a dress. A sarong always comes in handy, takes up almost no space and weighs close to nothing. It's a beach must-have.
It fits into a shoulder bag and it flops out into a massive comfortable lounger. Super lightweight and it floats on water. What else do you need for a cozy day at the beach?
For the outdoor lovers
Keep your belongings dry when venturing out into the wild… or simply outdoors. This dry travel bag is easy to wear as it has a shoulder strap and comes with a free waterproof phone pouch as an extra.
HEADLAMP
A headlamp is always practical when you venture into the outdoors. It allows you to keep your hands free to put up your tent, cook dinner, hold your book and more at night, or simply see where you're going in canyons, caves and other dark places.
WET WIPES
Wet wipes should actually go in every travel gift bag. You never know when you'll need to freshen up – in whatever way – and there's no clean water available. But especially outdoors these can make the difference between feeling like the King/Queen of the Wild and longing for a shower in a proper hotel room.
LIFESTRAW WATER BOTTLE WITH FILTER
Not finding clear water to wash is one thing, but not having clean water to drink is of a whole other level. This LifeStraw water bottle has a replaceable water purifying filter so you can drink water anywhere and everywhere. If you already have a water bottle you love or you want to have a back-up, you can also buy the LifeStraw filter separately.
What's outdoor chilling without a hammock, right? This lightweight nylon travel hammock comes in an easy to carry pouch so that it's easy to bring camping.
The Osprey Hikelite 18 comes with a mesh back panel to keep your back from getting soaked, a rain cover, adjustable straps with a trekking pole attachment as well as an internal hydration sleeve that can store a reservoir of up to three liters. The side pockets are great for water bottles and holding other smaller items.
For people who fly a lot
iPads and laptops are all good and well, but a Sudoku book will never run out of battery! It's the perfect present to go in a travel gift for people who get bored easily, just make sure you're not around when they get annoyed because they can't solve a puzzle :)
ADULT TRAVELING COLORING BOOK
Adult coloring books have been hip for a while, so what better way to keep entertained than by coloring in the city you're flying home from? Or you could imagine your future destination having the craziest colors. Anything is possible :-)
Catch up on sleep after a long journey or adjust to a new timezone regardless of how light it is outside with this travel sleep mask. It's a small gift, but a darn practical one!
Being stuck in a plane for hours isn't exactly benecifial for blood circulation and can even lead to blood cloths. These compression socks stimulate the circulation and exalerate muscle recovery after the flight.
Read more about why you should wear compression socks for travel.
Show your friends you care, give 'em a pair! Sorry. Awful rhyme. Couldn't help myself.
WIRELESS EARBUDS
You know when you're listening to music on the plane but then you move a bit and the wires of your iPod unplug, or you take off your scarf and the wires appear to be all tangled around it? Yeah, that. No more of it, I say! With these wireless earbuds you can move around as much as you want with np risk of pulling them out or unplugging from the sounds.
Rock on.
4. Gift a travel experience
Travel experience boxes
Truly great presents for travelers often have more to do with having a new experience than getting a physical item, so why not gift that exactly that – a travel experience?
Tinggly offers a variety of gift boxes from which the recipient can choose their favorite travel experience. A Bucketlist box, a Premium box, and a Birthday box are just some of the many options.
Each box includes literally hundreds of experiences to choose from around the world and is valid for 5 years.
Travel photoshoot
What better way to remember a trip than through some amazing photos? Destination photography services like Flytographer allow you to capture your solo travel adventures, romantic trips, or the fun you have with friends all over the world.
5. Practical gift ideas
This is an ideal gift for when you've set a smaller budget to buy for people. It's cheap yet super practical, because those toothbrush hairs get messed up and dirty quickly when traveling in a toiletry bag.
PACKING CUBES
These packing cubes are the best if you want to stuff as many clothes as possible in a suitcase, to organize what you're packing or to use as a laundry bag! They're super light, keep sticky clothes odors in and come in different colors.
So tiny, yet so practical if you want to have a chance of sleeping on the train, on a plane, in a hostel dorm or a hotel with thin walls, or even if you want to protect your ears when attending a local festival.
LUGGAGE SCALE
It might sound like a boring gift, but a luggage scale can come in pretty handy when you think you've overpacked – a.k.a. went on a souvenir shopping spree – especially when traveling carry-on only. This allows you to check your suitcase's weight, preventing that you'd have to start reorganizing all your things or put on seventeen layers of clothes, at the airport.
8K Flexwarm creates jacket that have heating elements around your core. Control the temperature from the app and charge your phone while you're at it. These jackets are lightweight and can be machine washed. They're the ideal solution for gentle days with colder evenings.
A FIVE-WAY CARDIGAN
Kameleon Rose specializes in clothing items that can be worn in different ways. Their 5-way cardigan can be worn as a jumper. I received one to try in black and I have a discount code if you want to order one too! Just click the link below and make sure to use discount code “wonderfulwanderings” to get 10% off any purchase on the Kameleon Rose website.
Get 10% off with code “wonderfulwanderings”
SOLID SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER, DEODORANT, TOOTH TABS
We've all been there, trying to stuff too many small bottles of liquid toiletries into a tiny plastic bag to fit in carry on luggage. Solid toiletries are much more practical for travel and are just as effective. Check out this review of the solid toiletries from Lush.
The Grand Hostels: Luxury Hostels of the World is a carefully curated collection of fun design hostels for those who want to travel in style, on a budget. Award-winning journalist and personal friend Kash from BudgetTraveller has hand-picked hostels for all kinds of travelers, such as foodies, outdoor lovers and digital nomads, while providing insights from his many years staying at hostels around the world.
GRAPHO MAP
This is the best gift for people who want to keep the the memories of a certain journey alive or want to be reminded of a special place when they are back home. The maps are all custom made to your own unique design.
I have one of these Luckies scratch maps and love them. It feels a little bit like an achievement each time you can scratch off a new place and it's simply more fun to keep track of the countries you've visited than keeping a list somewhere.
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And that was it for my travel basket ideas! I hoped this helped you with what to the gift the traveler in your life. Now tell me, which of these gifts would you like to get yourself? And don't forget: if you like this list, please share it around!
PIN FOR LATER
Elijah Erwin says
Great list! I also love travelling. Getting a gift feels awesome :D Got a Rowkin earbud as a gift from my brother few days ago and just loving it. I would love to refer it to anyone.
Sofie says
Thank you and thanks for the tip! I always worry that bluetooth stuff drains the battery quickly but maybe it’s okay with earbuds?
Kate says
Nice list! I’m also a traveller and would add satu gel wipe, steripen and solar battery pack to this list.
Sofie says
Thanks for the tips!