Gifts For the Travelers in Your Life – 2016 Edition

Another year flew right by and the holidays are upon us. That also means it’s time to get that holiday shopping out of the way! Give the travelers in your life a gift they will love this year, or treat yourself. Whether you are the traveler and need to give your family a nudge in the right direction, or if you are looking for the perfect gift for the traveler in your life, this list has you covered!

Airportag Throw Pillows

Throw pillows start at $24.90, pricing for other products and custom options vary. 

My latest obsession is all the sweet Airportag products. The throw pillows are my favorite, but they also have tote bags, blankets, t-shirts, shower curtains, and more. They even have custom options if you want a more personal touch. As a new company, snagging one of these cool items will sure stand out among the other gifts this year!

BONUS: Use the code LITTLE-THINGS at checkout to receive 10% off your order! 

GoPro

$319 for GoPro HERO4, price varies for bundle packages. 

A snazzy new GoPro camera is the perfect gift for the adventurous traveler in your life. When I am stand up paddleboarding, swimming in caves, or skiing, my GoPro always comes in handy so I don’t have to worry about damaging my phone or camera in water, snow, or rough weather conditions. Amazon also has some great bundle deals to score additional accessories for your new camera.

Travel Canvas Prints

Prices starting at $24.99

When you’re not traveling, having some travel inspiration hanging on the walls is a great way to stay motivated. Take your pick from a beautiful photo, a motivational quote, or a custom design of your choosing!

Lokai Bracelet

$18

More than just a piece of jewelry, Lokai bracelets support a good cause and are a constant reminder to stay grounded. Each bracelet has a white bead that contains water from Mount Everest to remind you to stay humble when you feel on top of the world, and a black bead with mud from the Dead Sea to remind you to stay hopeful when you’ve hit a low.

The Five Minute Journal

$22.95

Start and end your day on a positive note with The Five Minute Journal, a great gift for anyone. At the beginning of the day, write down your daily affirmations, what you are grateful for, and what would make today great. Then at the end of the day, write down three amazing things that happened that day and what you could have done to make that day better. This simple practice that only takes five minutes a day will not only make you more positive, but happier as well!

Compression Sack

Prices starting at $25.89

Especially for backpackers, compression sacks are a must. I can no longer travel anywhere without one! They free up so much space in your bag without your clothes being all over the place. I love having a variety of sizes too, so that I can use a smaller or larger one depending on the trip, or use a mix if I want to keep some clothes separate from others. You can also buy a compression dry sack that will keep out water for the more adventurous travelers.

Phone Charging Case

$23.99

My phone can never seem to hold a charge for an entire day. Especially if you are using it often when traveling like for a translator app or as a map to find your way around, having a phone case that doubles as a charger is a huge life saver! This case from Amazon is the case I have for my iPhone 5s, but make sure you know what kind of phone they have so you can find a case that fits.

Etched Globe Whiskey Glasses

$11.24 for a set of two

For the whisky drinking travelers, these glasses are the perfect gift. The world map etched into the glasses are a nice touch instead of drinking out of plain glasses!

Intriguing Travel Reads

$8 – 15

Because who doesn’t love books?! Travelers have a lot of down time like during flights or train rides, making it the perfect opportunity to dive into a captivating read. Also for those wanderlusters who don’t get to travel as often as they like, a good book is a great way to escape every day life and find a little adventure from your own living room. A few of my favorites this year are I Am Malala, The Kindness Diaries (check out my review here), Humans of New York: Stories, and The Promise of a Pencil.

An Experience

Prices vary

For travelers in particular, experiences always win out over material gifts. Send them on a journey or snag a travel voucher for one of the incredible trips through G Adventures or Intrepid Travel. These experiences don’t have to be on the other side of the world – buy a tour from Context Travel and get to know your own home city even better! They offer small group tours (maximum of six people) led by Ph.D. and MA-level scholar guides for an interestingly unique tour geared toward the intellectually curious traveler.

Make a Donation Through World Vision

Donations start at $15

Give the gift that gives back and make a donation in the name of the person you are gifting. Take your pick from the many different categories offered by World Vision for a memorable gift this year!

Maps Not Apps Travel Journal

$14.95

Photo by Valerie and Valise

Whether or not you blog, I’m a strong believer that anyone who travels should keep a journal. There are so many stories and experiences I wrote about that I would have forgotten had I not written them down. Going back to read them is the best way to journey down memory lane and take you right back to that place like you were there yesterday. Valerie and Valise took your standard travel journal up a level and included space not just for writing, but also for photos, ticket stubs, drawings, and more.

Wanderful Membership

$7 per month, or $69 per year

This one is for the female travelers! Hook them up with a Wanderful Pro Membership to be a part of a supportive community of women who travel and receive some awesome perks, like access to Wanderful webinars, discounts on Wanderful trips and #BlogSchool, special admission to members only events, $20 off your ticket to the Women in Travel Summit, and tons of locals discounts and specials.

Foldable Backpack

$13.99

As long as you’re not going to be lugging anything heavy around, this bag is a great day pack that you can easily fold up into a little ball when you aren’t using it. This especially comes in handy when trying to pack light!

Luggage lock

$10.24

To prevent theft while traveling, luggage locks are a worthwhile investment. Make sure you get a TSA approved lock so they don’t have to break the lock if inspecting your bag. I like the lock with the flexible cable so you can adjust it as needed.

Turkish Towel

$18.99

A must for any traveler, this towel can be used straight out of the shower or it also makes for the perfect beach towel. I don’t travel anywhere without my Turkish towel anymore! It’s lightweight to carry, soft on your skin, and it dries quickly.

Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission that will help support this site if you make a purchase. All opinions are my own. If you have any questions about the companies or products mentioned on this page, please reach out to me and I will happily answer them.