The holiday season isn’t coming, it’s here, and if you’re still looking for presents, well, you’re not alone. But we’re here to help with the perfect gifts for travelers on your list, whether they’re frequent fliers or just dreaming of the perfect getaway (other than plane tickets to somewhere new, obviously).
Universal adapter – There are some fancy adapters out there, but we love this cute one from Flight 001 that clicks together to make just the right shape you need. Plus, with a color-coded map, you’ll never be caught off guard by the outlets, even when you’re in your fourth country this week.
Photo courtesy Flight 001
Passport cover – Let’s face it, passports are kind of boring (on the outside, that is – we love all those stamps!), and they all look the same. Let the frequent flyer in your life recognize theirs easily with a unique passport cover. Whether you go for a monogrammed design, a pattern, or just a nice case, it’ll make clearing customs that much more stylish.
Travel pillow – It is a truth universally acknowledged that getting a good night’s sleep in economy class is hard. What makes it easier is a great travel pillow, like this one from Brookstone, with memory foam that supports your neck while providing some comfort for your head – and some relief for tired eyes.
Photo courtesy Brookstone
E-reader – Travelers who don’t already have an e-reader don’t know what they’re missing – and they’ll love you for passing one along! Less expensive than full-fledged tablets, and with screens that work well even in bright sunlight, they’re the perfect poolside accessory, and with impressively long battery life are great for staying entertained on even the longest of flights.
Luggage – Even the pros tend not to realize they need a new suitcase until the trusty old one splits down the middle (not that that ever happened to us…in the middle of an airport). So make like George Clooney in Up in the Air and treat your friend to some new luggage – something that fits in the overhead compartment, or a bag that’s easy to recognize on the conveyer belt.
Language tools– Is your brother a business traveler who seems to be going to China every month? Maybe your niece is heading to study abroad in Italy and the only words she knows are ‘pizza’ and ‘cappuccino?’ Splurge on language software like Rosetta Stone or a six-month subscription to Babbel. They’ll thank you – and in another language!
Functional Fashion – We have entire closets devoted to travel clothes, but even occasional jet-setters can use some clothing that doubles as a carry-on, like this trench coat from SCOTTeVEST that features a whopping 18 hidden pockets, made to hold everything from an iPad to a water bottle. Plus it’s machine washable!
Photo courtesy SCOTTeVEST
Noise-cancelling headphones – We’ve been known to break these bad boys out on planes, trains,and automobiles. A good pair can rescue a journey faster than you can say “What crying baby in the row behind me?”
Luggage tags – For someone who loves their plain black checked luggage, you can do them no greater service than to get them some distinctive luggage tags and save them the effort of having to inspect every single suitcase that comes down the conveyor belt. Because really, everyone ties ribbon around the handle these days.
Portable chargers – What’s worse than a 13-hour flight? Your entertainment devices dying in the middle of a 13-hour flight and leaving you with nothing more exciting than the back of the seat in front of you to keep yourself amused for the width of the Atlantic Ocean. For those horrifying times, it’s always nice to have a portable charger on hand – the traveler in your life will love you forever after this saves them once.
What are your must-haves when you go on a trip? And just what are you getting your favorite travel lover this year? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook & Twitter pages!
[Psst, just a heads up – none of the companies mentioned in this post gave us money, free samples, or puppies to get us to write about their products. We just really dig ‘em.]
