Looking for some of the best gift ideas for travelers on your holiday shopping list? As regular readers of our blog know, we are avid travelers. Over the course of our journeys, we’ve found some things that we simply HAVE to have when traveling.
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Our gift ideas for travelers
A lightweight backpack – One of the best gift ideas for travelers is a backpack. Our daughter, Meghan, recommended this backpack because is is light, folds up into itself, and is made of water repellent material. It is great backpack for day trips as well as cruise excursions and it holds your water bottles, sunscreen, and souvenirs.
Coolibar hat – We first found these awesome hats at the Garden Center in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and fell in love with them. The traveler in your life will love these lightweight and easily packable hats because they are cool, comfortable, and provide excellent protection from the sun.
Eagle Creek starter packing set – We use these packing sets for every single trip we take. Why? Because they are, in a word, amazing. When we took a four week trip to Italy, we used these and they made the whole trip work. Steve was able to pack 16 XXL shirts in one of the pack-it folders! We first found them at The Container Store but you can also purchase them here on Amazon.
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Travelon cord organizer – This cord organizer is a real game changer and is a great gift idea for travelers. They’ll know where every cord is, and will be confident that when they need it, the cord won’t be a tangled mess. Your traveler will love this handy, lightweight, tri-fold organizer. We don’t leave home without it!
External battery – Nothing is worse than wanting to take great travel photos with your smart phone and realizing you have a dead battery. This battery pack phone charger is a must for anyone on the road and is a great gift idea for travelers.
Postcard Jar – Help your traveler start a new collection of inexpensive, yet meaningful souvenirs by giving them a Postcard Jar. While on the road, they can buy themselves postcards and then either mail them or bring them home for display in this handsome jar that will quickly fill with memories while becoming a conversation piece. We started our jar full of postcards when we got married and it was the inspiration for our blog.
Smartwool ankle socks – A traveler’s feet are along on the journey every step of the way (ha!). Help your traveler have happy feet with these comfortable, durable, and warm, socks. We love them because wick moisture and don’t slip.
Bucket tote bag from Elevate – We found Elevate on our trip to Kearney to see the Sandhills Crane migration. Inside the store we found beautifully crafted leather goods, all made by small, family-run businesses in third world countries. One of our favorite items we found was this leather travel bag. Hand made from genuine leather, this bag not only looks good, but is also functional. It slips over the handle on luggage so it can be carried easily through an airport. The best thing about this gift, however, is knowing that each purchase from Elevate helps a family escaping poverty.
Travel laundry bag – Looking for functional gift ideas for travelers? Try this laundry bag that will help the traveler in your life keep dirty clothes in place and make doing laundry on the road as quick and easy as it can be. Read more about our travel tips for doing laundry HERE.
Cinch sack – This little miracle cinch sack from Eagle Creek just might be the best invention for organized travel, ever. It is Ann’s favorite travel accessory. A large pocket surrounded by small pouches on the sides, it easily holds and organizes the small things that travelers need (think lip balm, a small bottle of Tylenol, a charger, and more). Just pull the cords and it closes tightly, keeping everything tucked safely inside and easily accessible when they are needed.
More great gift ideas for travelers
Lightweight, digital luggage scale – Here’s a great gift idea for the traveler in your life: a digital luggage scale. With baggage weight restrictions on airlines, folks need to know how much their bag weighs before heading to the airport so they can avoid extra fees. While it can be pretty easy to weigh a suitcase at home, finding a scale on the road can be a different question. That’s why this sleek scale that easily slips into a bag can be a blessing to have along on the road.
Airbnb gift card – Airbnb home shares (like our Postcard Place in Pawhuska) are becoming more and more popular with travelers who want a home away from home. Armed with this gift card, your traveler can pick and choose from about 1.9 MILLION places to stay in 65,000 cities around the world. An Airbnb gift card is one of the most versatile gift ideas for the travelers on your list.
A few more of our favorite gifts for travelers
Passport wallet – Here’s another great gift idea from Elevate in Kearney, Nebraska: a leather passport wallet. Travelers on your list will love the way this wallet protects their passport and keeps their other essentials neatly together while looking good in the process. And don’t forget, each time you make a purchase from Elevate, you’re helping elevate people out of poverty.
Durable luggage tags – In a world filled with look-alike bags, travelers need an easy way to pick their luggage out from the crowd. These colorful tags make seeing a suitcase on a baggage carousel easy. Plus, they are durable enough that your traveler can go with confidence that their luggage tag won’t be separated from their bag. We’ve used these for years and love them.
Label maker – When thinking of gift ideas for travelers, you probably don’t think of a label maker, but you should. Use this to stick labels with name, phone number and other identifying information on electronics like computers and phones, It’s even a good idea to place this information inside luggage. This provides one more way that your traveler can be reunited with property should it be lost along the way.
Satin pillow case – While traveling with a pillow isn’t always practical, bringing a pillow case from home is. Ann takes one with her wherever we go to protect her fine hair from tangling on rough pillow cases in some hotels.
Postcard Jar t-shirt – We’re now offering Postcard Jar t-shirts for followers of our blog! With multiple styles and colors, there is one that’s perfect for every traveler on your list.
What are your favorite gift ideas for travelers? Let us know in the comments below and if you have questions about any of these products, just ask us!
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