The Ultimate 2018 Gift Guide For Travel Lovers

It’s that time of the year again! With so many unique people we care about, it can be hard to find thoughtful gifts that match their personalities. Thankfully, this is a challenge I love. I have done a lot of research to compile the best gifts you can give the Travel Lover in your life. Maybe it’s a cute decorative wanderlust-esque decorative piece. Perhaps it’s a practical tool they will be absolutely thankful for when they travel. And maybe you just want to treat yourself (because you deserve it, of course!)

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Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel

 

There is an art to traveling and sometimes it’s best to consult the experts for a little guidance. This book teaches the reader the skills needed to achieve their dreams of long term travel. It’s not just about having the money or enough time off of work (although, that’s also necessary.) We must nurture our adventurous spirit, prepare for the curve balls that hit anyone traveling outside their home country, and much, much more. Veteran traveler Rolf Potts created this best selling guide for the Travel Lover in us all.

 

 

Natural Soy Wax with Floral Essential Oil Travel Tin Candles

Anyone who knows me can attest that I always travel with candles. It’s a must! More times than not, your accommodations will smell less than lovely. A good smelling candle with essential oils to soothe you after a long day of traveling while covering up the questionable odor left by the previous occupant is a winning combination. As a bonus, these candles look like you could find them in a charming international market.

 

 

The Crumpled City Map

What’s one of the biggest issues when traveling? Getting lost! What’s another big one? Running out of cell phone data! You can help to prevent this with one trusty map. This map is easy to read, and will not tear no matter how you crumple it up during your trip. Another bonus? You won’t have to gobble up huge amounts of data using apps like Waze or Apple Maps while in that particular city. I like to think that you get to know a city just a little more when you use a real map, instead of relying on digital turn-by-turn directions.

 

 

Imax Antique Wooden Globes (Set Of 3)

These rustic old-world globes are a beautiful gift for your special Travel Lover. The antique wooden globes can be used as decorative accents on an office desk, impressive book ends, and what ever else you can imagine. These hand-finished globes will serve as beautiful reminder to get out there and explore the world once more!

 

 

GoPro HERO7

If you are serious about making videos while traveling, this camera is an absolute necessity. I previously owned the GoPro4, which was great. But this latest version has exceeded my expectations. One important aspect is the automatic stabilization whether you’re walking, running, jumping, or doing flips! The GoPro Hero7 is very rugged, waterproof, and even has live streaming capabilities. I love using it, and I know you’ll love it too.

 

 

Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) Wireless Headphones

Having previously worked in the wireless industry, I have personally owned and tested out dozens of headphones. These are the best you are going to find, anywhere. As the name suggests, these headphones will block out sound whether you are trying to sleep or drown out a noisy plane engine. I love how comfortable these are and my ears never get sore after having them on for hours, unlike many other headphones I have tried. And the sound quality? Superb!

 

 

Zeagoo Women’s Lightweight Waterproof Raincoat

Stylish. Waterproof. Windproof. I just love this jacket. It does not feel heavy and can easily be compressed in your luggage or weekend bag. There are several colors to choose from as well. If your Travel Lover is picky, just buy it in black!

 

 

The North Face Men’s Arrowood Tri Climate Jacket

 

 

Is your Travel Lover an avid photographer? They will especially appreciate this nifty (yet inexpensive) gift. When traveling, it’s very easy for our camera lenses to become smudged with fingerprints, dust, and various debris. It’s a pain in the butt when that happens in the middle of the perfect photo moment. This retractable pen brush will definitely come in handy!

 

 

It can be difficult to figure out the perfect “airport outfit.” We want to be comfortable, and stylish. This can be a challenge. SPANX is a world renowned brand, and they really got it right with these faux leather leggings. These SPANX flatten your tummy, lift your rear, eliminates camel toe, hides any muffin top, and are comfortable to wear all day and night!

 

 

Mountain Hardwear AP Pant

The AP Pant is the versatile travel pant you’ve been searching for. With 14 colors to choose from, the Travel Lover in your life is sure to love it. I like that these pants are breathable and made with function in mind. You can cuff them, roll them up with its snap closures, or wear them straight. They are stretchy enough to ride a bike and go on a hike, and there are reflective elements which is great if you are out and about at night.

 

 

Travelpro Luggage Crew Carry-on Expandable Spinner 

If you have ever been on an airport, I guarantee you have seen your flight attendants and pilot with luggage that looks just like this. In fact, I’m betting that it was this exact brand. Travelpro was founded by a Northwest Airlines pilot who sought to create luggage that was functional, durable, and stylish. For decades, Travelpro has set the industry standard for luggage and is preferred by dozens of airlines worldwide. This luggage can easily move 360 degrees and features a handy USB charging port!

 

 

Urbo 3-in-1 Luggage Scale

It seems that as the years go on, airlines are getting more and more strict. I remember travelling home from Southeast Asia, and the airline wanted to charge me $75 for 1 overweight bag! That is insane. We spent the next 30 minutes rearranging items among our bags, layering on clothes, and even throwing things away just to avoid paying the hefty fee. Because of all that, we were almost late boarding our international flight! This was a low point of my trip by far, and this all could have been avoided if we had pre-weighed our things in the hotel room before arriving at the airport. The Urbo luggage scale is lightweight, durable, affordable, and comes with two bonuses. It can charge your device and even functions as a flashlight! For your Travel Lover, this one is a no-brainer.

 

 

Shacke Pak – 4 Set Packing Cubes – Travel Organizers with Laundry Bag

Packing cubes just might change your life. The thing I hate abut traveling is carrying around a bag that looks like a tornado swept through it. I try my best to keep things organized, but particularly for long term or multi-city travel, this can be nearly impossible. When packing cubes came into my life, I never looked back. What I love about the Shacke Pak is how durable these cubes are. The double stitching ensures that the cubes won’t rip or lose shape, and it’s unique design helps you save serious space in your luggage.

 

 

Fintie RFID Blocking Passport Holder Travel Wallet

How beautiful is this passport holder! A standard wallet is not going to fit your passport, your IDs, your money, and your plane/train ticket. But this Fintie Passport Holder sure will. There are 26 varieties to choose from (again, when in doubt, choose black) as well as RFID Blocking capabilities. This means that your personal account information tied to any of your cards will not be compromised.

 

 

Lonely Planet: “The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country In The World

Every Travel Lover needs a good coffee table book to show off to their guests. Lonely Planet outdid themselves with this one. As travelers, it can be hard to choose where to go next. There are just endless options out there. This book serves as a great snapshot of every single country on Earth, with helpful tips about culture, the best times to visit, and a whole lot more. The photography is truly stunning, which makes it a great gift for anyone on your list.

 

 

Anker PowerCore 26800 Portable Charger

I swear by this charger!! I have had it for 2 years with zero issues, at all. The Anker PowerCore has a gigantic battery that (almost) never seems to die. When I travel, I typically bring 2 phones, 1 tablet, a GoPro, and 1 pair of headphones. Walking around all day without taking a break in the hotel or being on an international flight, batteries can easily die by midday if you aren’t careful. Just get one of these and you’ll have nothing to worry about.

 

 

Case Elegance Vegan Leather Travel Jewelry Case

One thing I hate about packing is figuring out what to do with my jewelry. It always seemed to get lost or damaged, before I discovered this handy travel jewelry case. Specifically, the issue of tangled necklaces used to frustrate me to no end. The Case Elegance jewelry case is perfect for your Travel lover because they may not think to add it to their wish list, but they will definitely use this on every single trip! When folded, it looks like a beautiful, elegant clutch.

 

 

Maps International Scratch the World Travel Map

Now, this is a fun one. I love my scratch map because it serves as a daily reminder of where I’ve been, and how many more places I have left to explore. It’s beautiful enough to hang up, just like any other piece of art you would have in your home. This world map, on high quality silk art paper with a gloss coating, is a conversation starter. Your guests will be amazed by how many places you’ve been!

 

 

Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker

What’s one thing we never really think to bring on a trip? A speaker! I love to listen to music everyday, especially when I’m getting ready in the morning to take on the day. This does not change when I travel. Ultimate Ears, or UE, is a great brand and I’ve owned several of their speakers. What I love about the WONDERBOOM is how many qualities it possesses. Awesome sound, compact design, waterproof, dust proof, long battery life, etc. There are several colors to choose from, and as a bonus, you can even pair this speaker to another one to double the sound!

 

 

I Was Here: A Travel Journal for the Curious Minded

 

This is a thoughtful gift for you and your Travel Lover alike. A travel journal, particularly one as creative as this one, serves as a fun brain storming session and a way to express ourselves in one handy journal. What I love about this journal is that it helps give purpose to our traveling. Sometimes we go places (because everyone says that it’s the hot new hip place) and upon arrival we think, “what now?” I have been on trips jam packed with full itineraries without leaving any breathing room for unplanned observation and interaction with the locals. The I Was Here Journal serves as a fun reminder of why we should all travel in the first place.

 

 

HoodiePillow Inflatable Travel Hoodie

Okay, this is probably the coolest looking travel pillow I’ve ever seen. One thing I don’t like about travel pillows is that they can be bulky and a bit of an eye sore. Grey happens to be my favorite color to wear, so this fits right in my wardrobe. There are several colors to choose from, and the pillow inflates rather quickly, or can be stored flat during periods of non usage. The hoodie itself encourages sleep if you let it cover your eyes (and deters your plane seat mate from bothering you on long flights.)

 

 

JOBY GorillaPod 5K/11lb Stand

Is your Travel Lover also a photographer or videographer? Chances are, they have a stand or desperately need one. This JOBY GorillaPod is perfect for traveling because it can easily fold into a very compact shape. It can bend and rotate 360° for ultimate stability and features about two dozen leg joints, all with rubberized ring and foot grips. It is heavy duty, but weighs less than 1 pound!

 

 

Herschel Supply Co. Duffel Bag

I just love this bag. It can be hard to find a brand that values both design and function, equally. This Herschel Supply Co. Duffel Bag comes in many color and fabric types, and is perfect as a Carry-On or a nice Weekend bag. It features a handy shoe compartment, waterproof zipper, and can pack more than meets the eye.

 

 

LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottle

Could this be the ultimate water bottle? In the Western World, we often take for granted how accessible clean drinking water is. If you, or your Travel Lover, travel outside your home country you may run into warnings saying that the drinking water is not safe to drink. This can become a dangerous situation if we are not properly prepared. This is where the LifeStraw comes in handy. This special bottle promises to remove 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria, and 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites without chemicals, iodine or batteries. Whether you are home, on a camping trip, in an emergency situation, or traveling abroad, I know that everyone on your list could use this lifesaving water bottle!

 

I really enjoyed making this list for you all! I am often asked which items I use or recommend when I travel, and I thought it was only right to let you in on my own insider knowledge.

 

 

Do you plan on buying any of these items for you or a loved one? Which ones stood out as your favorites? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! I would love if you would share this list with someone who you think could use it!

 

*****PIN FOR LATER!*****

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