Holiday Gift Guide: The 23 Best Gifts for Travelers

We would always bring along the traditional travel toiletry bottles, and they would either spill, were impossible to tell apart, or were tough to clean. That was the case until we discovered the magical Cadence Travel Capsules.

They are customizable, so you can label them in any way you want, they are magnetic, so they stick together and are easier to transport, and they are leakproof. Plus, because they are little capsules, they are so much easier to fill and clean that the traditional bottles.

And this is exactly why they are the best gift for travelers, and make for perfect stocking stuffers. 

Airalo is an international phone plan that works in over 190 countries. All you have to do is download the app, select your country and package, and install and activate the eSIM. It’s super easy to use and prices are incredibly affordable.

They offer packages for 7 or 30 days, with different levels of data available. Prices range anywhere from $5 – $30. It’s an eSIM, so you don’t need a physical SIM card.

They don’t yet offer gift cards, but they can still make for great holiday gifts. This holiday, you can use the code XMAS20 for a 20% discount for all new users or XMAS10 for a 10% discount for existing users.

These are two things that are always in our carry-ons when we travel. First is the Colgate Travel Toothbrush. As much as we love our electrical one, these little ones are great for trips. They are tiny and don’t require any water, but leave you feeling fresh and clean.

And the other is Tide to Go pens. These are so small and thin, but they work magic anytime there’s a spill or a stain. Just make sure to use it as soon as it happens, as it tends to work best this way.

The B. Immune Throat Spray is a powerful, natural immune support, helping combat sore throats and other ailments.

It’s made with high-grade bee propolis extract, from remote apiaries in the mountainous regions of Canada, and contains no artificial preservatives.

We carry a bottle with us at all times and has been a lifesaver whenever we’re feeling a bit off or whenever it seems like we might be catching a cold. All you have to do is spray four times inside your mouth and let it work its magic, making it one of the best gifts for travelers.

The LifeStraw Personal Water Filter is something we often recommend to those looking for adventure. The long-lasting microfilter will last up to 1,000 gallons, which translates into enough water for an individual to drink for over 5 years. The straw is super light and has been tested all over the world and found to remove 99.99% of bacteria and parasites known to cause diseases.

This makes it incredibly helpful to have when you’re out hiking or simply in the city and unsure of the quality of the water.

Plus, the company has promised that for every product purchased, they’ll help a child in need receive clean water for a year.

Long flights or car rides are bearable thanks to a few items that make us feel clean and refreshed.

The Pixi Glow Mist is incredible and gives you that bit of extra glow. Cristina likes to spray it on as a final touch after applying her makeup or anytime she needs a little refresher. And while perfumes are very personal, the Givenchy Travel Perfume is light, perfect to keep in your travel pouch, and easy to use anytime.

Get Your Guide is an online travel agency that helps users find authentic experiences around the world. From food tours and wine tastings to surfing lessons and kayak tours – there is something for everyone.

Gift cards are one of the best gifts for travelers since they help plan and inspire the next adventure.

The card is available immediately after purchase and can be gifted via email or in person. Plus, there aren’t any restrictions on where people can use their gift cards. In fact, they can choose from over 60,000 tours, activities, and attractions in over 3,600 global destinations, making it a great and safe gift for anyone on your list.

We both love physical books but quickly realized that they are either too heavy or tough to find in certain countries. That’s when the Kindle Paperwhite became our new best friend – and the best gift for travelers. It’s light, reliable, and can pack a library of books and magazines.

Books on a Kindle are also generally cheaper and it’s great because you can adjust the size and font on the page and even keep track of your reading speed. Just make sure to download the books you’ll want in advance of the trip since it requires Wi-Fi. Plus, if you have a library card in the United States, you can link them to your Kindle and rent out books for free – just as you would with physical books.

We love the Jabra Elite Earbuds, which are comfortable, light, durable, and pretty affordable when it comes to earbuds. They fit really well and unlike other earbuds, rarely fall out. Jabra says these have a smaller design than the older version, providing an ideal fit for every ear shape. 

They have a wireless connection, so no need to deal with cables, and even have a noise-canceling feature, so you can filter out the world. The earbuds have up to 24 hours of battery time with a pocket-friendly charging case, and work really well for listening to music and taking calls.

The Anker Portable Charger is incredibly important, particularly during long flights, when we’re not certain whether the seat will have any charging devices.

The device is really light and charges most phones over 6 times and tablets at least 2 times. Plus, Anker has an excellent support staff always willing to answer questions or assist with concerns.

Its technology also offers recharge speeds up to twice as fast as standard portable chargers. A full recharge takes just over 6 hours. 

The Bestek Power Adapter is always in our carry-on bag because it acts as a power converter, has multiple charging sockets, and comes with different plug adapters. So, essentially, it has all in one.

It is a bit bigger than other adapters, but you can choose what sockets to bring with you, depending on the destination, and you don’t need to worry about any converter issues.

Plus, we love the fact that it allows us to charge all of our electronics in one place, without having to have plugs and cables in multiple locations.

The AirFly Pro is a great little device to have if you travel on planes often and are tired of the cheap headphones they generally hand out. It allows you to connect your AirPods or earbuds to in-flight entertainment, gym equipment, or TVs without sacrificing quality or comfort.

The AirFly Pro has a battery life of 16+ hours, which means it covers even the longest flight. And, if you forget to charge before take off, it can be used while charging with the cable that’s included.

This is one of those devices that people might not traditionally splurge on, making it one of the best gifts for travelers.

We absolutely love our Nexstand Laptop Stand. We used to have heavier ones, but these are by far the best for travelers. They are super lightweight and fold easily into a compact carrying sleeve.

When we got them, we thought they might be too brittle and unstable, but they are actually quite sturdy and reliable. They fit almost any laptop, including our Mac and Lenovo, and can hold up to 20 pounds, or 2-6 times the weight of a laptop.

We were a bit skeptical at first since they are made of plastic, but we have taken these in our backpacks across Europe, the US, and Canada and have had no issues.

The Hydro Flask Water Bottle comes with us everywhere. It has a unique double-wall vacuum insulation that protects cold and hot temperatures for hours. It’s made with stainless steel, which ensures durability and makes sure no flavors transfer. And it’s dishwasher safe.

We personally like the wide mouth bottle, which you simply twist to drink or lock, and yet it’s completely leakproof. Plus, we love the philanthropic work Hydro Flask is doing by donating parts of their funds to non-profit organizations that focus on maintaining and restoring parks.

The BLUblox Sleep Mask is a bit more pricey than other sleep masks, but oh so worth it! The material is incredibly soft, with no sharp edges, and comes with an adjustable strap that will fit all shape sizes.

Its contoured sides also make it possible for any type of sleeper to use, including side and belly sleepers.

It doesn’t apply any pressure to the eyes and the cups around the eye are velcro so you can adjust them. You might need to do this a couple of times to get it just right, but once you do, it blocks all light very effectively.

Cristina had read all the hype about silk pillowcases, but it wasn’t until she started breaking out a bit that she decided it was time to switch. Since then, she does not go anywhere without her Brooklinen Pillowcase. It feels so luxurious and soft, and naturally cool to the touch.

The pillowcase is 100% Mulberry Silk, and the smooth finish doesn’t have any friction, so it won’t leave lines or cause damage to the skin and hair that traditional pillowcases usually leave. Plus, you can wash it at home, without having to rely on a dry cleaner.

Compression socks are particularly key during long flights since they can help the blood flow from your feet to your heart. They can also keep your legs from feeling achy and can even reduce odor and sweat.

The Swiftwick Compression Socks are our go-to. They are machine washable and use a very lightweight fiber, keeping your feet dry. The mesh used in the bottom of the foot is also thinly knitted, helping them cool. And yet, the socks provide firm support to help reduce overall fatigue.

The Monos Travel Sling is the perfect purse or fanny pack for traveling. It has a simple, minimalist design that looks great and is functional, helping keep you organized. And because of its single-strap design, you can wear it crossbody in the front to keep things safe or shift it to the back to keep it out of the way.

The sling has a hidden, full-length back pocket, perfect for keeping your wallet, phone, or passport secure yet accessible. It’s made to withstand wear and tear and it’s completely sustainable, made only with vegan materials, including the interior fabric, which is made from recycled plastic bottles.

The Nomatic Collapsible Backpack was actually a gift and quickly became a favorite travel accessory. It’s incredibly lightweight and collapses into a small pouch that you can fit anywhere. Though it sounds fairly small, it’s actually quite spacious and great for packing for the weekend or a long hike. 

To make it even more comfortable, it has breathable shoulder straps and a sternum strap to make sure you’re comfortable all day long. And importantly, it has awesome customer service. The backpack is durable and water resistant, but if something goes wrong, they are eager to help and even send over a new backpack, if needed.

Since starting to travel full-time, we completely ditched our beach towels and replaced them instead with these Microfiber Towels. They dry 70% faster than traditional cotton towels, making them perfect for the beach or for travel. They are also super absorbent and able to soak up four times their weight in water, but they also wring out quite easily.

They are lightweight and easy to pack inside their own travel pouch. They also come in different sizes, from a small face towel to a large one for the beach. And they use polygiene technology, which helps control odor and keep the towels fresh.

Even though our lives are completely organized online through calendars and tools like Asana and Toggl, we still rely on and love to have a daily planner. We particularly like the Moleskine Daily Planner. The design is clean and simple and every day gets its own page, making it perfect for travel planning and goal-setting. 

It also comes with calendar grids, pages for to-do lists, bullet journaling, and other project-tracking tools. You can choose between hard or soft cover planners, but all pages are thick and perfectly textured for any kind of pen. However, the planner is still quite light and easy to travel with.