The Perfect Holiday Gifts for Travelers

Are you struggling trying to find the perfect holiday gifts for travelers in your life? Travelers are up their for most difficult people to buy gifts for during the holiday season. You know they do not want more random stuff to carry around the world with them and how can you mail a gift to someone with no address? 

Have no fear, I am here to help you find the perfect gift for the globe trotter in your life. Each and every gift on this page I own and find very useful as I travel around the world. I have gifts that range from zero dollars to hundreds of dollars so there is absolutely something on this list for everyone. There are gifts that you can send virtually or you could mail to the person depending on their travel situation. The list of 24 items goes from cheapest to most expensive and I hope it helps you find the ideal gift for your traveler!

1. Your love

There is absolutely nothing better than receiving love from the people in your life while you are traveling during the holiday season. A lot of travelers struggle during this time of year as they watch everyone back home with their loved ones. Receiving a letter in the mail or a heartfelt message can mean more than the world to someone alone on the road.

2. Bamboo Utensils

Bamboo utensils are one of the most useful little gifts you could get for someone on the road! The utensil set takes up barely any room and will most likely be used daily. This purchase will also help the environment so why not grab some!! For more sustainable gift ideas, check out my blog on 5 Eco-Friendly Travel Essentials.

3. World Adapter

Every traveler will need an adapter while they are traveling out of the country. There are so many different adapters that are on the market but this one is universal, has usb ports, and has worked perfectly for me.

4. Microfiber Towel

A microfiber towel is the perfect towel to purchase because of how lightweight they are and how fast they dry. Almost every traveler will purchase a towel while they are on the go so why not beat them to it and get them one that is extra easy to travel with!

5. Portable Luggage Scale

If you know a traveler who always seems to over pack, a portable luggage scale is the perfect simple gift for them! They will always know how heavy their luggage is before flights so they will not be charged for overweight luggage.

6. Mini First Aid Kit

A mini first aid kit is an easy and crucial gift if your traveler is about to take off to travel around the world. My cousin who is a nurse got me this before I left and it has been used quite a few times while on the road.

7. Disposable Camera

My absolute favorite thing to have while I am on the road is a disposable camera. Not only do I love having tangible pictures, but I also love that it is not the end of the world if I lose or break this camera. A perfect excuse for your traveler to capture all the moments while they are exploring.

8. Journal

You can never go wrong when gifting a journal to someone who is traveling or planning to travel in the future. There is so much spare time while on the road and a journal is the perfect place for an individual to capture and reflect during these times. You could even start off the first page of the journal with a little note!

9. Ear Plugs and Eye Mask 

Ear plugs and an eye mask are a simple yet extremely useful gift for travelers. Whether they are on a flight with screaming children or attempting to sleep in a hostel, you really can not go wrong with this purchase.

10. Water Bottle

A water bottle is not only environmentally friendly but it will also save your traveler money in the long run. I personally have a hydro flask water bottle and love how cold it keeps my water. Filtered water bottles are also a super good choice for any traveler. So that when they are traveling to foreign countries, they can filter their own water to stay healthy.

11. Passport Holder

A passport holder is the perfect gift for someone who tends to misplace items or someone who likes to add a little fashion to their life. There are so many different holders that range in prices but a cheap one does the trick! I bought mine from a store for $20 so can not include the link but I have included a Herschel Company passport holder because their products are always great quality. I recommend purchasing one with pockets so the traveler can also have a safe place to store plane tickets, SIM cards, credit cards, etc.

12. Tapestry

A tapestry is a two in one kind of gift! The traveler can use it to lounge on while reading a good book or at the park with friends. In addition, it is the perfect decoration to fill up a room since they will be traveling lightly with few decorations. My absolute favorite tapestries are from Society6. I have linked the one I have, but be sure to check out all of the other cool ones they have available.

13. Jewelry Case

A jewelry case was the absolute best gift idea I received from my aunt before I hit the road. It is so easy to lose track of jewelry while traveling but this little case keeps all of it in one place while also protecting it.

14. Portable Charger

Almost all travelers today are traveling with at least one if not multiple electronics. An ideal gift for someone on the road would be a portable charger so they can ensure all their devices have battery at all times.

15. Speaker

Every single person traveling will be borrowing a friends speaker if they do not purchase their own before hitting the road. A speaker is much needed for when they want to listen to music in the shower, chilling with friends, at the beach, or during late nights partying. You will never go wrong with gifting a speaker.

16. Treats from home

There is nothing better than opening a package while you are across the world to some treats from home! Think about your travelers favorite snacks, candy, and beauty products. You can keep this little box as cheap or expensive as you wish and I promise it will tug on some heart strings.

17. Underwater Phone Case

No matter where your little wanderer is going, they absolutely should own a LifeProof phone case. No one wants to be far from home with a broken phone that they just dropped in the toilet or broke walking through a rainstorm. The LifeProof case will ensure that the phone will be kept safe no matter what situation may occur. In addition, LifeProof will almost always replace the case if something is wrong with it. Just make sure you purchase the correct style case depending on the phone that they have!

18. Portable Hammock

A portable hammock is the perfect gift if your traveler loves the outdoors! I have had my hammock for the past few years and have been able to use it wherever I go. This handy purchase can be used to fall asleep under the stars in the woods, days by the beach, or even strung up on a front porch area. Be sure to not only buy the hammock but also buy the hammock straps so they can hang the hammock wherever they go.

19. Osprey Bag

It can definitely be tricky trying to purchase another persons travel luggage but I thought I would share what I love to use. Osprey is an amazing brand and they have a range of all different bags for travelers. Depending on the type of travel involved, there are a lot of options here. Consider a gift card or asking your nomad before you purchase one!

20. Subscription to something or a giftcard

There are a range of subscriptions you can virtually buy and gift to someone who is on the road. If they are a photographer you could purchase a subscription to Adobe Lightroom. Or if they enjoy reading, you could gift them a subscription to a specific magazine they enjoy. You also can never go wrong with a giftcard which you can almost always virtually send to their email. If you do not know specific stores they like, you can never go wrong with an airline or Air B and B giftcard.

21. Apple AirPods

Headphones are always a necessity when traveling so I guarantee your wanderer already has a set. Although Apple’s AirPods are a perfect idea if you know they do not own wireless headphones yet. The headphones are so handy when exercising, talking on the phone, or listening to music so I guarantee anyone would love them.

22. Money

Other than the love you should shower your traveler with, an easy gift would simply be giving them money. I asked several other travelers what they would want and money was the top answer. Being far away from home, travelers continuously want to explore new places and try new things hence their savings diminish very quickly.

23. Plane Ticket

I mean let’s be honest, a plane ticket is an absolutely unreal gift for anyone let alone the traveler in your life. I would either purchase a gift card towards the airline they use or even ask them when they are free for a trip and buy the flight before they do.

24. Camera

I absolutely love capturing every moment when I travel so for me having a camera is essential. I believe that most people are the same way so you can not really go wrong with gifting a camera. Although it is definitely one of the more pricier options in this list. I own the Sony RX100 V and am absolutely obsessed with it. It is a lightweight, easy to use camera and takes incredible pictures and videos.

I hope there is something within this list that will suit the traveler in your life. No matter what you get for them whether it be big or small, it will mean so much to them. A simple text, phone call, letter, or gift will mean the world to them being far from home during the holiday season.

If you have any other ideas for holiday gifts for a traveler please drop them in the comments below!

Disclosure: Please know that if you make a purchase through some of the affiliate links above I will earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!