Gift Ideas for World Travelers

It’s that time of year again, when we scramble to find the perfect gifts for those we love. As a worldschooling family, gifts will be heavy on experiences as they don’t take up any room in our suitcases while filling lots of space in our hearts. We might not be going big with gifts this season but I thought it would be fun to put together a list of some of our favorite travel items in case you or someone on your list loves to adventure or has a big trip coming up.

Travel Adapter – The Swiss Army Knife of electricity, each of us has one of these. It works with 3 different plug types and has space for USBs as well as USB-C.

Portable Charger – I have had this one for a couple years now and love the flexibility it offers with the multiple types of cords that are attached so I don’t have to think about multiple pieces to bring with me. There are other similar options that are smaller that I’m excited to try once I upgrade to a newer iPhone, but for now this is fast and versatile and it goes with me everywhere while traveling. Taking photos and using maps alone is enough to drain a phone’s battery in less than a day’s time and this guy handles multiple charges before needing to be plugged in. It is also great for charging other devices like kindles, earbuds, etc.

Portable CO Detector – Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors just aren’t a thing in the countries we’ve visited, so this portable CO detector has given us peace of mind. We had a scare at home last winter and were so grateful that our house’s detector woke us up. It charges easily with USB-C and lasts over a week without needing to be charged.

Travel clothesline – from Aruba to London to D.C. to Barcelona, this travel clothesline has come in so handy. It’s unbelievably tiny too and comes in it’s own pouch. Without having access to clothes dryers, the ability to hang clothes to dry anywhere has been great! The beads attached act as clothespins, but you can also hang clothes on or between the lines. I imagine this would be great for camping as well!

Fireproof Money Organizer – If you travel internationally a lot like we do, this is a great way to organize all the different currencies you want to have on hand! It cracks me up when Jay whips this out and it unfolds – it’s like the male version of Mary Poppin’s handbag! All the different colorful bills can get confusing when mixed together, so even if you keep it at home and use in between trips or for something other than currency that you want to keep organized and safe, this is very useful.

Wheel Covers – Cobblestone roads and uneven sidewalks are rough on suitcases, so we recently gave these a try and they work great on keeping the wheels intact. I can’t imagine the nightmare of a broken wheel while traveling and for under $10 it’s a no-brainer. Just make sure your luggage has the right kind of wheels to accommodate these! One more thing – using a complementary or contrasting color will make your suitcase more unique and stand out from all the other blue or black ones out there!

Bluetooth Transmitter – I got this for Jay and he said it’s been working great. This tiny gadget turns the aircraft’s headphone port into bluetooth so you can use your wireless earbuds or headphones. No more crappy sound using the freebie wired ones!! I’ve also heard it works great for group tours that require headphones.

Portland Gear Standard Cascade backpack – This is a recent purchase that I am loving! The North Face backpack I’ve used for the previous months of the trip was very aggravating…things would get stuck in the bigger section under the smaller upper sections, there were too many random pockets and it was super heavy. After much research and trying out my mother-in-law’s, I went with this replacement and it’s like night and day. While it’s not the lightest backpack on the market, it’s much lighter than the old one. It is waterproof and opens completely so I can easily see what’s inside. The pockets are thoughtfully placed and sized just right. To top it off, it comes in so many beautiful colors! The girls both want their own now so thinking this might be the perfect useful Christmas gift for our world travelers!! Also: I have their Cascade Kit which is the perfect size and very easy to access all the little things you carry along on a trip.

Bombas Everyday compression socks – Taking care of your feet is essential while traveling and wearing compression socks like these are great for long flights. They aren’t too tight, easy to put on, and come in cute colors.

Loopy Case – With pickpockets galore in Europe, many travel blogs recommend phone lanyards to prevent theft. While I think it’s a fabulous idea, I found using my Loopy case to be a suitable alternative. Unlike other cases, the loop allows you to hold your phone securely. It also is great for taking photos where you might fret about dropping it – like over the edge of a railing or out a car window…you know what I mean – sometimes we take risks with our devices to get the perfect shot and this helps prevent the drop!

Metamucil Packets – If you were born “in the 19s” as my kids say, then you know the importance of fiber, and how…irregular things can get when you travel. I’ve found a packet a day to be a good new habit of mine…

Kindle Paperwhite – As a family of readers, the Kindle has been a crucial part of our repertoire… We use Libby to borrow books from the library and also enjoy Kindle Unlimited and Amazon First Reads for access to thousands of books.

Scavenger Hunt Books –  I’ve linked the Lisbon version – we had a lot of fun with this last fall and wish we had ordered the Barcelona one in time to use for this last trip. If you are going to any of the available cities with kids, it’s sure to be a fun way to explore and get the littles excited.

Travel Cribbage Game – One thing I’ve planned to do during this trip is relearn cribbage and this has been an awesome way to play! With the dials we don’t need to worry about losing pegs on an airplane or in a couch and the pack of cards fits perfectly inside! If you have a cribbage player in your life – this is a fun and unique gift!

Wool – We were wool-curious while planning our trip after (re-)learning that it’s not only great for cool temperatures, but for warm as well. The versatility was intriguing – it dries quickly, is naturally wrinkle resistant, very breathable, and anti-odor. So we purchased a few pieces and put them to the test. First with our teen Edward – not only can he wear his Proof 72-hour wool polo multiple times before washing, but it doesn’t even smell! If you have a teen boy you know how impressive that is. I wore the few shirts I bought while going on long walks during the summer in Vermont and was impressed with the comfort in the warm temperatures. While I did of course still sweat in them, they dried very quickly and were still comfortable to wear. My favorites so far are by Unbound Merino and Wool&. Jay tried some polos as well and was impressed. Wool is an investment (though I do take advantage of sales), but is also a huge help for anyone trying to pack light like we do. And no, they are not itchy at all! My recommendation is to try one before investing in more.

So there you have it. I hope I made someone’s shopping a little easier this year. What did I miss? I’d love comments with your favorite travel gear!!

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