GIFTS FOR TRAVELERS: It’s that time of year again… the holidays! As much as I love so many holiday traditions – pretty decorations, binge eating, holiday parties, to name a few – shopping for gifts is my least favorite thing to do. Finding the perfect gift for a variety of people – some of whom you barely know but need to impress – can be incredibly stressful. For example, office holiday gift exchanges: why do these exist?!
I also dislike gift shopping because I’m not a big collector of things myself – I’d much rather spend that money on doing something fun with the recipient, or coordinating a visit, since I live so far away from most of the people on my list. But anyway, holiday tradition demands physical gifts. And if you’re shopping for a Weekend Jetsetter, here are some gifts for travelers that they’ll love – even if they don’t like things!
Gifts for Travelers + Weekend Jetsetters
I’ve killed every plant I’ve ever owned by accidentally forgetting to arrange for its watering while I’m traveling. This genius solution will water your plant a little bit every day for up to four days, meaning you can take a long weekend without worrying about wilting! [Water from a Stone – $14]
This genius backpack folds up to fit compactly inside your suitcase so you can have it on hand for day trips without toting around an extra piece of luggage. [Flight 001 Expandable Backpack – $36]
Unless you’re a serious photographer, there’s really no need to lug around a fancy camera to take your travel photos. The Olloclip comes with 4 different lens options: fisheye, wide-angle, 10x macro, and 15x macro so you can capture everything from beautiful panoramas to the hotel breakfast like a pro, from your iPhone. The compact lenses take up barely any space but add a serious wow factor to your iPhone pics. It’s seriously one of my go-to gifts for travelers and Instagram addicts. [Olloclip 4-in-1 Lens – $80]
So the thing about travel… it leaves you with a lot of time for sitting around. Sitting on planes, trains, in airports, on buses. So a good book – or a coloring book! – is the perfect gift for someone who needs entertainment in these situations. Plus adult coloring books are a thing right now, and they’ll give you something to focus on when a flight gets turbulent. [Splendid Cities Coloring Book – $16]
I actually bought this shawl when I was in Amsterdam in October because it was chilly, and it ended up being a lifesaver. The scarf/shawl doubles as a travel blanket and instantly makes my boring travel uniform (jeans + t-shirt + leather jacket) look like I tried. I find that scarves always make great gifts for travelers because they’re so easy to pack! [Shawl/Scarf – $20]
With a full time job, I don’t have the luxury of traveling as frequently as I’d like. But fortunately, some good food from a different destination can hold me over until the next adventure. One of my favorite foodie destinations from the past couple years was the Yucatan in Mexico. I could literally eat cochinita pibil (a slow roasted pork dish) for three meals a day and be happy! A cookbook from their favorite destination makes a great gift for travelers who also like to cook. [Yucatan Cookbook – $60]
For those of us who occasionally stay in hostels or Airbnbs, a nice travel towel is a must. This bamboo and Turkish cotton one is ultra lightweight and silky soft, so it will fit in your suitcase and add a touch of hotel luxury to budget travel. [Travel Towel – $52]
Legally required note: links above contain affiliate codes, meaning I earn a small amount from clicks and/or purchases at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions expressed on The Weekend Jetsetter are my own.