Whenever I think of the best travel gifts, there’s one thing that all these items must have in common: I can’t imagine going on a journey without them. There are several occasions -from Christmas presents to birthday gifts- when I keep thinking of what I could buy for the people I love. Each of us knows some dedicated travelers or people willing to travel more. So, in the end, there’s always one question: what could it be a unique gift for a traveler?
It’s not easy to reply, and during the last decade, I tried to answer this question several times. While I bought and offered a bunch of different presents, sometimes I wasn’t that happy with my choice. So, I’m writing down a list that includes travel gift ideas based on my feedback. Moreover, I own most of these items, and since I’m also a traveler myself, I thought that if they are helpful for me, they could very well be beneficial for other travelers.
I tried to keep my list of the best travel gifts relatively short. That’s because I didn’t want to add failed presents or things I regretted buying (either for myself or others). I also tried to include gifts for different kinds of travelers: from safari-goers to travel photography enthusiasts and from city breaks lovers to people who daydream of distant places. So scroll down the list, and you will hopefully find some great gift ideas for travelers.
*Some of the links are affiliate links. It means that if you buy something, I might earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. The product images are clickable and will bring you to your closest Amazon store.
The best travel gifts
Christmas, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, or birthdays: here’s a list of the best gifts for travelers I prefer buying and offering to people who enjoy going on journeys.
1) A portable air purifier is the best travel gift right now
I think that’s the number one item every traveler should have. The Wynd Plus is an air purifier that guarantees excellent air quality in closed rooms. As you can imagine, that’s a valuable item for people who spend time in hotel rooms and feel insecure during this horrible pandemic. Using a medical-grade filter, the Wynd personal air purifier can trap particles such as pollen, dust, and pollution.
Wynd Plus is an excellent travel gift because you can use it anywhere: airplane, car, office, hotel rooms, and more. Moreover, it is the size of a water bottle, so you won’t struggle to fit it in your luggage—a must for every traveler.
You can buy here the Wynd Plus.
2) Portable espresso machine for travelers
This travel gift has worked the best throughout the years. I bet some travelers don’t like coffee -it’s just that I didn’t meet one so far. However, if the person you have in mind enjoys coffee -or can’t think of starting the day without a cup- that’s probably one of the most practical travel gifts you can buy. The coffee quality is excellent, and there’s a wide variety of machines. Some use a rechargeable battery (my choice always), while others are hand-pressed.
The portable espresso machines are handy for people on a city break and hikers or free campers. And, of course, you can use them even when you are not traveling, but you have to spend an entire day outside in your hometown. For people who enjoy drinking espresso multiple times daily, that’s a must.
The best manually operated espresso machines are the Staresso and the one by Wacaco. They cost pretty much the same, so see for yourself which one you like the most. As for the ones with batteries, the portable espresso machine I chose in the past was the one by Conqueco. Do keep in mind that it operates with Nespresso capsules. Check them out.
3) Travel polaroids zine to feed your wanderlust
That’s actually one of the products I create, and I believe it’s a good fit for the list. After shooting polaroids for years, I started my own polaroid zine. Each issue contains a bunch of polaroids shot in various locations. Ideal for a compact coffee table mag, these zines will fuel your wanderlust, and they’ll make you want to grab a polaroid camera and explore the world.
You can buy the polaroid zines exclusively at my travel shop. Check them out.
4) Cord Organizers is among the best travel gifts
Everybody thought that most of our devices would charge wirelessly by now, but that’s unfortunately not the case. On the contrary, we must carry several chargers and cords whenever we go on a journey. To name a few: laptop chargers, smartphone chargers, camera chargers, LED light chargers, etc. Apart from the mess in the suitcase, the number of chargers creates a relatively modern need: a case to organize them and, more importantly, not to lose or damage them.
As it’s always the case, there’s a workaround, and it’s a handy one. There are dedicated cord organizers; sometimes, they look like small pouches, while other times, they resemble agendas. The latter is the one I use for my journeys because I prefer to have both the chargers and the cords somewhere safe. My to-go cord organizer is a leather one by Twelve South.
5) Blocking Travel Wallet: one of the best travel gifts
Similar to the previous one in organizing your stuff but with different usage, the travel wallet is one of the essential pieces of a journey. It’s actually where you’ll store your credit card(s), money, passport, and other valuable documents. Even if these are not the most expensive things, they are definitely the ones you don’t want to lose while traveling. Personally, the last thing I want to lose when I’m on the road is my passport -it means a bad mood, bureaucracy, and the stress of remaining stranded somewhere.
The specific travel wallet is reasonably priced, and it’s also waterproof. I find it important here that thieves cannot scan your cards or documents (yes, they can do such a thing) due to the material and design of the wallet. Moreover, you can organize everything you have with you due to the number of pockets and layers. There’s even an external pocket for your smartphone. It’s made by Defway, and you can check it out here.
6) Packing Cubes: an excellent travel present
Once again, this is an item about organizing your stuff (don’t worry, the rest of the things are different) but equally important. The packing cubes are here to stay, and you can practically organize your clothes and everything in your suitcase without stress. I have used packing cubes for a couple of years now, and I can’t imagine going on a journey without them. People say -and it’s true- that you can pack more things when you use travel cubes than when you don’t. Initially, I was skeptical, but soon I realized they are extremely helpful when you are on hand-luggage-only trips.
The packing cubes are perfect for business travelers and travelers who tend to overpack. Several brands offer packing cubes, so it’s a matter of taste. I use the Amazon Basics ones, but I’m also very tempted to use the travel packing cubes by Veken due to their style and different sizes. Needless to say, there are always loads of colors to choose from.
7) Travel journals: the most classic of travel gifts
So, as I promised, there are no more things about organizing your stuff. Hmm, but how about managing your travel memories? For people who love writing and traveling (apparently, I’m one of them), a travel journal is an excellent gift for writing down their experiences and keeping notes from the road. I guess I don’t have to say that I always have a travel journal with me. Unsurprisingly enough, even though countless companies create travel journals, I use the ones by Moleskine. However, I have also ordered one by September Leather (leather, with refillable pages) as a gift. I got such great feedback that I’m currently considering it for my next journey.
I usually go for the Plain/Blank one Moleskine even though it is designed mainly for painters (hint: it’s the perfect travel gift for a painter) because I’m not too fond of the ruled ones. But, once again, there’s a great variety to choose from, so check them out.
8) Pendleton Blanket
A travel gift that comes at a price, the Pendleton blankets are among the top things for hikers, free campers, or travelers searching for a fancy item to cover themselves on a boat or an airplane. The Pendleton Blankets are made of pure virgin wool. I bought one as a present, and it’s one of the things that I never regretted offering. I’m linking here to the blanket I bought but also check their other designs.
9) Scratch-Off Maps
A scratch-off map is probably ideal if you are searching for a travel-related gift for someone with incurable wanderlust or an excessive bucket list. While this is not something they will take with them on a journey, it could very well be something to stare at at home. Scratch-off maps are precisely what their name betrays: maps that you can scratch the surface of every place you visit and reveal it. That’s how you can keep an eye on your bucket list -and that’s also how you can plan your next journeys.
I don’t own a scratch map so far, but I’d love to buy one soon. It’s a beautiful addition to the living room, and if, for whatever reason, you can’t travel right now, it’ll always give you some new ideas and make you daydream of places, distant or not. The one I’d love to buy either for me or as a present because of its colors.
10) City Maps Glasses
Well, I have a thing for maps, so let’s not just leave them behind. When I discovered the city map glasses, I knew I had to buy a couple of them. Although they only currently come with American cities, those glasses are what you’d imagine: glasses with city maps on them. I found the idea unique, and I can’t wait for the company to create some city map glasses from European cities as well. You can see the glasses here.
Bonus: you can buy city maps coasters too!
11) Portable Bluetooth speaker: a travel gift for everyone
One of the things that we sometimes miss when we travel is listening to music at the desired volume. Sure, one can always use earbuds, but the truth is that no one wants to be “wired” all day long. That said, buying a portable Bluetooth speaker seems to be the only option. There’s a wide variety of products available, but travelers must always make the most of the available space in their luggage. The ideal Bluetooth speaker has to be, therefore, small and lightweight.
The one I use ticks both of these boxes and one more: it’s waterproof. I guess that one can’t ask for more, especially when the price is a real bargain. The portable Bluetooth speaker I propose is this one by JBL.
12) Travel backpack
Backpacks are one of the most personal choices for every traveler out there. They have to fill in every traveler’s need, and picking one is tricky. Buying the ideal backpack can sometimes be a long process, so I initially thought of not including them in my list of the best travel gifts. But here’s the thing: I’m delighted with mine. The Herschel backpacks are excellent. It’s not just about their unique style and design. I find it more important that they are sturdy and fit everything I want to pack: laptop, cameras, journals, etc.
As I already said, buying a backpack can be the perfect gift for a traveler but make sure you know the person well. If you do, don’t think about it twice. The Herschel backpacks come in different sizes and colors, of course. Here you can see the Herschel backpack that I always have when traveling.
13) Travel pillow
For many years in a row, I traveled without a travel pillow. But as it often occurs on the road, your body will ask you for extra comfort. I didn’t buy my travel pillow: I got it as a birthday present from my brother. At first, I thought it looked big and not so convenient to carry. But ask me now, and I’ll tell you that whenever I start packing for a journey, the first thing I consider taking with me is that travel pillow. After I started using it, I never had a neck ache after a flight, and I could even sleep on the plane (very unlikely for me).
What I also find noteworthy is that it’s a memory foam pillow. That said, it somehow “remembers” the shape of your neck. So in a way, this travel pillow feels almost tailor-made after a couple of uses. See my pillow here.
14) E-Book reader: a perfect travel gift idea
I always had a thing for printed books, but I somehow adapted to contemporary life. While I still buy books at home, having an e-book reader on my journeys always feels more convenient. It saves me space and can give me the variety I need when I’m on the road. Sometimes the books I had with me were not “compatible” with the journey, and then I had nothing to read. With an e-book reader, though, you have more options, plus you can buy and download travel guides.
I guess it’s not a big surprise that I use a Kindle. It’s super-lightweight, I don’t have to charge it that often, and millions of titles are available. I use this version of the Kindle Paperwhite. However, if you want to splurge, there’s also the Kindle Oasis.
15) Travel books
In direct connection with the previous section, sometimes I bring one or two printed books with me. I could go on and on for hours talking about my favorite travel books, but I won’t do that. So instead, I will link here to an older post of mine that deals with the best books of travel literature. There you will find 15 masterpieces -and I would seriously envy you if you haven’t read some of them at all. You see, when I read them for the first time, I got itchy feet and wanderlust.
Apart from inspirational reads, these books will offer you loads of travel tips for your upcoming trips. So, make sure to check those 15 amazing travel books here.
Bonus: 10 travel graphic novels for illustrated wanderlust.
16) Universal travel plug adapter
You can’t go wrong with a universal travel plug adapter. It will save you from stress, especially if you arrive in the middle of the night and can’t charge your smartphone or laptop. I always have one with me (in fact, I keep it stored in my luggage) just in case. It might not be a fancy piece of equipment, nor a very good-looking one either, but the truth is that a travel adapter is a thing that you might use one or two times and save you from trouble.
As with most things, there are plenty of those adapters on the market. I use this international travel adapter, and I’m glad it comes with a USB-C.
17) Wireless headphones for travelers
I guess that each of us wants to travel with fewer cords and wires, which’s not always easy. So I bet that every traveler you ask will be happy to have only wireless equipment while on the road. Even though it won’t happen that fast, some things are wireless nowadays, offering peace of mind. Buying wireless headphones sounds, therefore, like a great idea.
Not that long ago, I bought a pair of noise-canceling JBL headphones, and I’m genuinely thrilled. Together with the travel pillow, these are the two things that I can’t imagine traveling without them. Check the wireless headphones here.
18) Ticket stub memento boxes
Are you one of those people that don’t want to get rid of anything they collect while traveling? Moreover, are you one of those people collecting tickets and receipts from your journeys as proof that you don’t want to forget anything? If that’s the case, there’s an excellent idea for a travel gift: the memento boxes. Imagine them as frames where you can store your tickets and see them anytime. Of course, you can also hang the frames on the wall or keep them on your shelves.
This is actually one of my most recent discoveries, and I am considering buying even more of them. Check the memento boxes here.
19) A Polaroid camera is a perfect travel gift always
Talking about tickets and nostalgic trip memories, one should mention one of the most nostalgic items of all time: polaroid cameras. Polaroid photography declined for a couple of years, but it’s again rising. I wrote an article about traveling with an instant camera long ago, explaining why I love it and still do it. Soon after writing that article, I bought a new polaroid camera and started documenting my journeys. Sure, the film is expensive, so you have to use it with consciousness. But if you are selective with your shots and don’t overdo it, you’ll have some great printed photos.
The camera I’ve been using for quite some time now is the Polaroid OneStep+. That’s an excellent polaroid camera with a big plus: it connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone, and you can use manual settings. That’s a true game-changer for polaroid photography. I also wrote an extensive camera review, offering instant photography tips. You can check the polaroid camera here. If your friend is into photography, that’s probably one of the best travel gifts you can buy.
20) Portable tripod for every travel photographer
Even though most modern-day smartphones and cameras come with stabilization technology, a travel tripod is always useful. First of all, if you are traveling solo, you might want to place the smartphone/camera somewhere to take a photo of yourself. On the other hand, if you are more into creative forms of photography (night shots, long exposures, etc.), a travel tripod is a piece of equipment you’ll need. If a photographer friend of yours is going on a journey and you know they don’t have a tripod, buy one for them. It will surely be handy, and they’ll be forever grateful to you.
I own two tripods, a very compact one and a professional one. The compact tripod comes in handy for both smartphones (with an extension case) and cameras, and I use it most of the time -I have this one by Manfrotto. The professional one is very useful, but unfortunately, it is heavier and less compact. That said, I’ll have it with me only if I’m working on a project or whenever I travel to places for specific shots. I also use a Manfrotto one.
21) A tiny 4K video camera for travel videographers
A new trend appears, and it’s videography. If the 10s were the decade of photography and Instagram, it seems that the ’20s will be the decade of video. Small travel cameras might be the next big thing in the industry, and offering one as a travel gift sounds like a fantastic idea. Remember that you might have to splurge here, but a 4K camera more petite than a smartphone sounds tempting, right?
For the past 15 months, I’ve been using the DJI Osmo Pocket camera. That’s a tiny device capable of shooting in 4K. What fascinated me the most was that it comes attached to a tiny gimbal. Gimbals (imagine them as stabilizers) usually weigh a couple of kilos, which costs quite some money. But how about a small device that films stunning footage in 4K and has a gimbal? A perfect travel gift idea for people into adventure travel or vlogging that comes with good battery life. I couldn’t ask for more, and that’s why I bought one.
I wrote a very long review of the DJI Osmo Pocket, and there’s also a separate post with my best travel videos with it. If it sounds tempting and you know a guy willing to film their journey, look no further for a travel present. See the DJI OP here.
22) Globe
I thought of finishing this long list with a nostalgic touch. Globes are always fascinating because you feel like having the world in your hands. I still remember my illuminated globe back in the late ’80s, when I learned geography and most likely caught the travel bug. Sometimes I feel nostalgic for these old times, and I illuminate that old globe at night. That said, a globe might not be helpful for someone’s journeys, but it’s hands down one of the most special travel-related items.
My old illuminated globe looks like this one, but I also found another one that looks more tempting. You see, in this globe here, you get an extra: you can see the constellations illuminated.
Best travel gifts: Bonus Section
I’m adding a bonus section because even though I thought of buying these things as presents, I haven’t done so far. It’s not that I find them uninteresting: they just didn’t fit the people I thought of offering them. These are more travel accessories and less travel gear but do check them out because they might be a good fit for useful travel gifts.
- Binoculars
- Toucan Premium, a language learning tool (see how it works on my Toucan tutorial)
- Luggage tags
- Compression socks for travelers
- Premium filtering water bottle
And, if you are looking for even more travel gift ideas, feel free to take a look at my travel shop: you’ll find -among other stuff- my limited edition of a travel book about a remote Greek island.
More articles: The best travel camera, Greek islands on a budget, Start your blog today
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Last Updated on November 5, 2022 by George Pavlopoulos