Wondering what travel gifts to get the travel enthusiast on your list this year? Travel has been difficult lately but we are all looking forward to the time we can finally book a flight. We can also satisfy the craving by doing more local travel in our own backyards.
With the holidays approaching, we want to share some of our favourite travel gifts that we recommend. Everything on this list is something we own and use for trips or for day-to-day.
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For Packing
Packing Cubes
These are essential for anyone packing for anything! We both use these packing cubes on every trip because they help keep our suitcases organized. Each pack comes with multiple cubes for everything from cables to shoes.
We recommend getting a set with at least 8 pieces so you are prepared to pack for any trip. Anyone travelling near or far will be thrilled to add these to their bag
Samsonite UnderSeater Bag
A traveller is only as good as their bag! It can be tempting to buy the biggest bag to know everything will fit. However, with the costs some airlines charge for checked bags it makes a lot more sense to pack as much carry-on as possible. We have also noticed that overhead luggage space fills up incredibly quick which could mean your bag is packed away far from your seat.
Kailey uses the Samsonite 16″ Underseater because it holds a surprising amount of things in a small package. This suitcase is durable but small enough to slide right under the seat for storage. We can’t recommend this carry-on bag enough – Kailey even recommends it as a foot rest!
Toiletries/Cosmetics Bag
This may not be the fanciest looking cosmetic bag but when it comes to travel, packing as much as you can as compactly as possible matters. Kailey still can’t believe just how much she can take in this cosmetic bag.
Plus, it is so well organized with spots for makeup brushes and even a plastic section for any items that might risk leaking. There is also a hanger for you to hang up and easily access your toiletries once you arrive at your destination.
Drawstring Bag
This drawstring cosmetic bag is Kailey’s go to for those awkwardly shaped or excess items you just have to take with you. Or, if you need to travel light on the toiletries, this bag is small but will fit what you need.
It has elastic bands on the inside to help hold everything in place and organized. Once you arrive at your destination you can roll down the edges and have everything you need at your finger tips.
Vegan "Leather" Backpack
We love the Fawn Design backpack for travel. It has a stylish look and it is made of vegan leather so you can wipe it clean if it gets dirty. The bag is designed with parents in mind which means there are lots of pockets to keep things organized.
One thing that really matters when travelling is easy to access pockets in the front and somewhere to hide your valuables close to your body. This bag has both! Finally, the main compartment has so many pockets we never worry about everything being just where we need it.
Electronics Organizer
There is a lot of helpful travel tech on the market today. The main downside is keeping it all organized while you travel to make sure it is ready to use. We travel with the BagSmart Electronic Organizer that keeps all of our smaller gadgets safe together.
It is also great for storing the endless amount of charging cables that come with the territory! Keep all of your gear organized and safe with this miracle bag.
Travel Tech Gifts
Nintendo Switch
Remember watching whatever movie was playing on the overhead screens of the airplane? Luckily, we now have a huge list of on-demand entertainment on seatbacks but that still only goes so far. Mark loves the Nintendo Switch as a permanent part of his carry-on bag.
The size makes it travel so well and there are hundreds of amazing games to help the hours melt away. If your traveller already has one, look at different accessories like travel cases, screen protectors, or battery packs to help make their trip easy.
Buy the Nintendo Switch Here
Bose Quiet Comfort Headphones
Did you know the average sound level inside an airplane is 85dB?? Even if you’re wearing regular headphones this noise creeps in and makes it hard to concentrate – let alone sleep! We both have a pair of Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones and they save our ears.
They block out almost all of the ambient cabin noise to let you watch a movie in peace or catch some Zs. These headphones are pricey but have easily paid for themselves many times over with all the trips they have been on.
GoPro hero 9
Travelling is all about creating memories. Help your favourite traveller relive those memories over and over with the most versatile and compact video camera available today! These on-the-go cameras are small enough to fit in your pocket until you need to take it out to film in stunning 4K at a moment’s notice.
The new GoPro Hero9 also has a front-facing screen to help with selfie videos. Even though we have fantastic DSLR cameras, the GoPro always seems to reliably capture the best footage. We love our GoPro so much we even featured it in our Best Photography Gifts post!
Universal Travel Adapter
Be ready to plug in anywhere with the right travel adapter. It is possible to buy individual adapters for different countries but we recommend getting an all-in-one unit. These come ready to plug in to any type of socket so you’ll never have to worry. We even keep one with us everyday during a trip in case we need to plug in on the fly.
We charge our electronics with them and Kailey uses one for her hair appliances. These ones are great because they also have 3 USB and 1 USB-C ports so you can charge 4 things at once! They make great travel gifts or stocking stuffers.
Aukey Portable Power Bank
The one downside to all of the amazing technology we have is that they all use a lot of battery power. There is nothing worse than being out for a day of adventure and having your phone or WiFi hotspot run out of juice. We have never had this problem since picking up these portable power banks.
Aukey Portable Power Banks are slim so they can fit easily into any bag. They provide hours of extra battery that keep you out exploring and not rushing back to your hotel because you’re on 5%.
For the Plane
Infinity Neck Pillow
It doesn’t matter if you’re travelling by plane, car, or boat – any trip is immediately made more comfortable by a good neck pillow. We were using the traditional U-shaped pillows but they just aren’t comfortable enough.
Enter the Infinity Pillow! This unique design makes it possible to wrap the pillow in whatever way is most comfortable for you. The fabric is also so soft that you’ll be asleep in no time.
S'Well Water Bottle
You can never be too hydrated. It’s expensive and wasteful to be buying individual, plastic bottles of water so we avoid it as much as possible. To help with this, we each have a S’Well bottle that we keep filled and in our bags. The best part about these bottles is that it will keep your water ice cold all day.
We’ve put cold water in them at 7a.m. and found it still cold when we got back to the hotel at night. We also haven’t noticed the bottle adding a flavour to water as a lot of other metal bottles will. The hardest part is deciding what amazing design to buy!
Compression Socks
They may not be the most glamorous travel gifts but have you ever stood up after a long trip and realized your feet are sore or swollen? Spending a long time sitting can actually be pretty bad for the circulation in your feet. The best option is to make frequent stops to get up and move around but that’s not always an option.
Plus, if you’re flying the change in pressure can also wreak havoc on your feet. We wear these compression socks to avoid this and survive long flights. We didn’t think they were necessary until the first time we tried them out. The difference at the end of the journey was incredible!
Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket
The hardest layer to pack is your coat. Unless you’re heading to the beach, you will probably need some sort of outer layer to keep you warm and dry. There have been so many times that we’ve realized we didn’t dress warm enough or have been caught in the rain. We would wear our bulky jackets on the plane to keep them out of our bags but this can be awkward.
We came across these Ultra Light Down jackets from Uniqlo that are perfect for travelling almost anywhere (available for both Men and Women). They are extremely lightweight but they will still keep you warm in cold weather. They compact down into a small bag that can fit into any carry-on. We have been able to save so much suitcase space with these without having to sacrifice warmth!
Adidas UltraBoost
Shoes are just as important on the plane as they are off the plane. You want something comfortable that’s easy to slip on and off but still offers good support and coverage. We always travel with our Adidas UltraBoost on our feet because they are all that and more!
They honestly feel like nothing on your feet and they’re designed to keep you moving all day with no pain. They are also made of lightweight knit material which helps adjust to the size of your foot and give some breathing room if they swell a bit on the flight. The UltraBoost line comes in so many different colours you will have a tough time picking just one!
What else would you recommend for the traveller in your life? Let us know in the comments below! We will keep updating this list with the best travel gear from around the world.
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Shannon Donnelly
Great list! I’ll be sure to show Hayden LOL
Peter Wellman
Great items , very informative, useful products.
Thank you. 👍
Joseph Wellman
Thank you – very handy information