The best travel gifts for the travelers in your life

The best travel gifts are something that the traveler in your life will actually appreciate and use – and never leave home without. We’ve put together a lineup of gifts for people who love to travel. From small to large, to tiny essentials to bags and socks, these are the kind of gifts that will put you on the nice list for years to come. Travel gifts for her, travel gifts for him and, yes, even travel gifts for you.

Best Travel Gifts – Camera gear & accessories

Compact Travel Tripod

For versatile, compact, portable tripods, it is hard to beat the Joby GorillaPod. The company has tripods suitable for every size of camera from smartphones up to larger professional DSLR and mirrorless camera. With flexible legs, you can attach a camera to a tree branch, a ship railing, a signpost. And (sssshhhhhhhhh) it’s small enough you can even get it into places that ban tripods … like museums and other attractions.  

Insta360 ONE X

Capturing 360-degree images wherever you travel is becoming increasingly popular. In many cases, a 360-degree image or video tells the travel story of a location far better than a still photo or even a video. The Insta360 ONE X is the upgrade to the immensely popular Insta360 ONE and synchs to an iPhone or Android device remotely. It also captures 5.7k resolution at 30 fps, which when coupled with two built-in mics will make this the ultimate action camera.  

Peak Design Camera Clip

Michael loves his Peak Design Camera Clip. It attaches easily to any belt or shoulder strap of a pack making it very easy to carry a camera hands-free but always keeping it readily accessible. With the clip, snapping into and out of our Manfrotto tripods is also quick and secure.  

MindShift PhotoCross Sling Bag

Therese can’t get enough of this sleek sling for her camera gear when walking about on travel. No, you won’t get legions of lenses in it (she has the smaller 10), but 1-2 extras, notebook, wallet, and a few miscellaneous items all fit superbly. Straps on the rear hold a tripod nicely or a coat or other gear. A side pocket is great for a water bottle or other small items. And the waist belt allows it to carry without being a load on your shoulders.  

Best Travel Gifts – Health, safety & comfort

Sea to Summit Travelling Light RFID wallets & card holders

All your IDs should be protected by RFID to keep out prying eyes thesedays. And for travel, you want lightweight and durable in your wallet. The Sea to Summit Travelling Light wallet series is just the ticket. Secure full-wrap zip, snug outside pocket for a metro ticket or receipt, inside dividers, zipper coin compartment, and slim enough to be a great travel companion. Also look for card-holders, travel pouches and money belts.  

Security Door Stop Alarm

For solo travelers who worry about safety — or for those who worry about the safety of solo travelers in their lives. The GE Security Door Stop Alarm uses a single 9-volt battery. Simply wedge it under your room door (be it in a VRBO, guesthouse, hotel, or hostel, and anyone who tries to enter at night will be stopped. The loud alarm will wake you up as well as anyone else nearby.  

Grayl Water Filter

A water bottle and highly efficient water purifier all-in-one – ideal for international travel. Each filter cartridge has activated carbon to absorb heavy metals and chemicals in the water improving taste, as well as a filter system that will stop bacteria, viruses or protozoa in their tracks – before they start a party in your body. One caveat — filter cartridges last up to 300 bottle refills (40 gallons) so be sure to replace them frequently as you won’t know when they stop working.   

Travelrest travel pillow

Everybody will have their fave, but no international traveler can be without a neck or travel pillow with today’s airline seats. Therese particularly leans toward the cross-body Travelrest because of how it allows you to snuggle in. The HandyCosy is also a fave because of its compact coziness.  

Best Travel Gifts – Clothes and accessories

Darn Tough Socks

Are we seriously suggesting socks are a perfect travel gift? If you are giving them Darn Tough light cushion or ultralight cushion socks with merino wool, yes!!! These socks are some of the best darn socks our team has ever worn for travel, period. And we’ve worn a lot of socks. Tough with a perfect fit around your toes. No manky smells, no chafing.  

Go Gear Silicon travel liquids bottles

It’s the simple things that make travelers happy. Like liquids in toiletry kits that don’t leak, refill easily, and pack compactly. These little silicon tubes (and the tiny tubs) make Therese do a happy dance every time she pulls out her shampoos and lotions.  

Eagle Creek Pack-it cubes and organizers

Far be it from us to repeat advice, but we simply cannot travel without several of these cubes and organizers from Eagle Creek. Sure, they nestle into your suitcase to keep you organized, but small ones can also serve as mini-totes and a place to stash a few small items and drop into a day bag too. The Specter and Specter Tech lines are particularly nifty since they are utterly light as a feather and tough as nails. Don’t leave home without them.  

Nite Ize S-Biners

Lockable S-Biners by Nite Ize are another must-have for any trip. Let your imagination go wild in using them – attaching sometime to your carry-on, locking together zipper pulls on a backpack, hanging something in your hotel room, or carrying a key or other item from your belt…. That is just the start. We always have several with us.  

Best Travel Gifts – Electronics and portable power

Anker Powercore

With all the electronic gadgets everyone totes around these days, a portable powerbank is essential to keeping smartphones, camera batteries, and other gadgets powered up. It is extra important to ensure your smartphone stays powered when traveling since it likely contains your tickets, boarding passes, maps and essential info. The Anker PowerCore 10,000 is super small, super powerful, and super efficient.  

Skullcandy Crusher Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphone

A Bluetooth headset is a must for travelers who want to listen to music or watch videos or programming on their tablet or computer while traveling. The Skullcandy Crusher features superb sound, rapid charging, and up to 40 hours of battery life on one charge.  

Coast flashlights

Not sure we can name one of the Coast flashlights since we have an entire wardrobe of these durable lights. Therese particularly likes the rechargeable ones (HP3R, HP7R), the tiny G20 Inspection Beam, and any of them that allows clean focusing. These come in super handy for lighting your way on a dark street or trail, or for “light painting” for photographic effects.  

Best Travel Gifts – Caffeine for the road

AeroPress

It is, quite literally, the perfect travel companion for coffee lovers. Simply add boiling water, press, and enjoy a very delicious cup of coffee. And clean-up could not be easier. No more fumbling with a coffee-ground slurry in the hotel room. Simply push down on the plunger to eject a coffee-puck of compress coffee grounds into the trash.  

Soto compact Helix coffee filter

If you are a java fiend, then you need to keep the mo-jo going on the road. There are an array of compact, collapsible coffee filters these days. The Soto is so light you don’t have to think twice about taking it along.  

Travel gifts Just for fun

Watercolor World Scratch Off Map

The perfect gift for any traveler. This scratch off map of the world is 24 inches by 36 inches, hangs nicely on any wall, and comes packaged in a poster gift tube. A fun way to be able to track and share — quite colorfully — where you have traveled in the world. Take a look at our Travel Essentials We Always Pack story for a number of delightful, small, verrrrry giftable items!