In a world where people agree on very little, we can all agree on this: Travel is great. The sensory overload, the never ending newness, the kindness of a stranger — it’s just all so awesome.
Which goes a long way toward explaining why travel gifts are the best gifts. Fun, inventive gizmos can make the road (something we already love!) even more fun. Enter our great list of travel stocking stuffers, sure to put a smile on the face of any friend just stopping through town during the holidays.
Travel Cocktail Kit, $24
For the friend who’s always complaining that airline cocktails aren’t like they used to be. This kit contains the necessary ingredients to kick it up a notch on the airplane liquor scale. (This one is specifically for making an Old Fashioned; you can also find one for a gin and tonic, too.)
Leather Passport Wallet, from $68
Don’t let your friend be that guy they refuse to let go on his own honeymoon because his passport is too beat-up. This protects what is perhaps most important part of traveling in a gorgeous package — feels very Indiana Jones.
Mobile Foodie Survival Kit, $26
Sometimes airplane food can be…questionable. But a pinch of this and a little of that from the Mobile Foodie Survival Kit, and your loved one will be moving on to her dessert fruit cup in no time.
Comes stocked with everything from cinnamon to rosemary (you don’t bring them all, bring a few favorites). BONUS: The containers make a great way to get new spices back home, too.
Because we all know how hard it can be to tell which pairs of underwear are clean and which aren’t after a week or two on the road. These bags will put an end to the sniff test.
Scratch Travel Journal, $28.95
How cool is this thing? It will help your wanderlusting friend on his journeys abroad, from start to finish. He can plan his trip out, record his experiences on the road, and scratch off where he’s been using the handy included continent maps.
Travel Wrist Wallet, $42
For your slightly hardcore friend who doesn’t need much more than an ID and a little bit of cash. It’s not the most fashionable thing ever — you’ll look a little like a Game of Thrones character — but it’s better than a fanny pack!
Anywhere Travel Guide, $12.95
Sometimes the pattern of rushing from museum to cultural site to top-rated restaurant can get tedious. Or, sometimes it’s just not the right time to take a trip. Enliven your stuck-in-a-rut friend’s day with these Anywhere Travel Guide cards, filled with instructions that will breathe new life into everyday surroundings—such as, “Choose the longest way today, the most inconvenient, difficult, and unnecessary. Notice the route and the obstacles.” Fun, see?
If your friend knows how to play cribbage, then by all means, get this for her. It will make a 12-hour flight just…fly by. Ha.
But seriously, cribbage is an awesome game and games in general make a great way to connect with strangers while traveling.
Smartphone cameras have gotten amazingly good. Is there even a point to lugging around a giant camera anymore? (Yes, if you want huge prints and lighting control — but other times, maybe not.)
For the photo-obsessed friend who doesn’t want the bulk of a camera, buy these three smartphone travel lenses (fisheye, wide angle, macro). The awesome thing is, the clip that the lenses are mounted on is pretty much universal and will fit your friend’s phone no matter if he’s an Android guy or belongs to the Cult of Mac.
Soap to Go, $6.62
Now your friend can get rid of that bulky bar of soap that only ends up wet and slimy in his suitcase and pack along a handful of these single-use sliver-thin bad boys.
Custom-Engraved Wood Luggage Tags, $25
Elevate your oft-traveling friend’s luggage with these custom (!) engraved (!) wood (!) luggage tags! (Sorry, they’re just so gorgeous.)
Travel-Themed Coloring Book, $10.55
Pique the imagination of your BFF (while also helping her achieve mindfulness!) with these country-themed coloring pages. Or give them to your particularly art-inclined niece, to start her off early.
