The Ultimate Gift Guide for Travelers

As of today, the holiday season officially started which means it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to spoil your loved ones with. Finding original gifts can be tricky sometimes… even more so when all they want is a weekend getaway. This year, I put together some of my favorite travel-related items and compiled them into this holiday gift guide for travelers. These are all gifts that I would love to receive myself and that will without a doubt put a smile on their lucky receiver’s face! Without further ado, here are my best picks for 2018!

Give an experience

Surprise, surprise…. Travelers want to travel! Chances are your favorite jet-setter would rather head on an adventure rather than receiving something. So this year, opt to gift an experience! Bungee jumping, helicopter ride or chocolate tasting?! Say no more. Companies such as Tinggly in the United States, Bongo in Europe or Prezzybox in the United Kingdom offer a wide variety of adventure packs from which you can choose. Exciting moments guaranteed.

Travel Coffee Table Book

The next best thing after traveling is the anticipation of a journey. Help them get some inspiration for their next trip with a travel coffee book table. With the Lonely Planet’s The Travel Book, you’ll literally be giving them the world.

Travel Magazine Subscription

Or give them a year’s worth of adventures through their favorite travel magazine! If they’re constantly on the road, consider buying the magazine’s digital edition so that they’ll always have a copy at the end of their fingertips. Two of my favorite ones include National Geographic Traveler and Geo for my German and French speakers.

Travel Scratch Map

This fun map quickly became a must-have for every travel lover and I get why. Scratching off every country you’ve been to is weirdly satisfying. Added bonus: the map gets more and more colorful as you keep traveling!

World Globe

This one is for the daydreamers that like to be reminded of traveling at all times. With a world globe on their desk, they’ll be able to fantasize about their next big journey all day long… Oh and have the answer to “What’s Buthan’s capital again?!” in a second. Keep the wanderlust flowing with this travelers’ all-time favorite object.

Universal Adapter

Switching to the more practical gifts. As someone who’s been lovingly fighting with my adapter for over a year now (I’m currently charging my computer as I’m writing these words and don’t want it to get susceptible, haha), I can’t tell you enough how important a reliable adapter is. With a universal travel adapter, they’ll never have to worry about their battery hitting the 1% mark again, nor about whether or not they have the right one for the country they’re going to!

Portable Power Bank

Which brings me to… A small travel-friendly power bank. Now, this is something I wouldn’t personally spend my money on but that could have helped me quite a few times in places where plugs were not that easy to find. If your loved ones can’t live without their phone, give them one of these (battery) lifesavers and they’ll thank you later when their phone dies on a 10-hour bus ride!

Wireless Headphones

Music makes a journey. Songs have the power to bring us back to moments, people and places, which is why I think a good pair of headphones is always appreciated. If your budget allows it, opt for wireless headphones for fuss-free travel.

Phone Lens Kit

Traveling and taking pictures go hand in hand. When you’re abroad, you want to make memories but as much as you want to immortalize every little moment, sometimes you can’t be bothered to get your camera out. That’s when phone lenses come in handy. They don’t take much space, are easy to use and make your photos look ten times better!

Insta Photo Camera

This is for the travel lovers who’ve been meaning to print their photos for a while but never actually get around to doing it. Insta photo cameras will allow them to hold their favorite memories in their hands in just a few seconds!

Travel Notebook

Besides taking photos, another great way to make sure not to forget anything about a trip is to write it all down. Which cities did we visit? How many kilometers did we travel? How many hours did we spend on buses?! Jot it down. I especially like Moleskine’s Voyageur Notebook because it’s a mix between a bullet journal and a regular notebook, making it ideal to plan a journey but also get creative on the road.

Passport Cover

Feeling fancy?! Give a passport cover. They not only look sophisticated but actually do also protect your passport on the road.

Travel Jewelry

Help them bring their wanderlust everywhere with them with this piece of dainty jewelry. This little compass bracelet will keep them on the right track!

A Piece of Luggage

A piece of luggage is a no-brainer. You cannot go wrong with giving a new piece of luggage. Depending on their needs, go for a carry-on or larger size. If your loved ones need a new one, check out away‘s beautiful designs.

Travel Microfiber Towels

What makes microfiber towels special I hear you say? Well, they fold into tiny cubes and most importantly dry very quickly, making it ideal for all the backpackers out there always on the go.

The North Face Two in One

When it comes to traveling, multi-purpose items are always better. This is my all-time favorite travel jacket for this very reason. Help the travelers in your life make the most of their clothes with this The North Face’s Triclimate Jacket. It comes with a hardshell jacket ideal for heavy rains and a warm fleece to tuck under if need be. In other words, it’s got you covered if it rains, goes below 10°C or is just a little bit chilly.

A Practical Backpack

Another great pick for backpackers. Traveling light means traveling smart so you might want to give a practical backpack that can be used in all circumstances this holiday season. A 30L bag is the ideal size to me, not too small but not too big either. It can be used on a city-trip, one-day adventure or on a longer hike.

Gift Cards

If you know about their upcoming travel plans, you can always also directly contribute to their budget or give them gift cards to help them finance their journey. Most airlines offer gift cards as well as housing platforms such as Booking or Airbnb.

Which gift would you want to receive this holiday season?! Let me know in the comments below! If you liked the ideas, please share the article with your friends and family to send them a not-so-subtle hint.

Safe travels,
Céline

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