Looking for holiday gift ideas for travelers? Look no further. Below you’ll find items that Wendy and her staff actually use themselves and love. Try one for the travel-lover in your life—or for yourself, because you deserve great presents too! If you have more gift ideas to add to the mix, tell us about them in the comments below. And when it comes time to pack up those presents for a flight, check Wendy’s tricks for flying home with souvenirs or holiday gifts and her essential packing list.
Wallaroo sun hat
Wendy never travels without a Wallaroo sun hat—and it proved invaluable in French Polynesia. Photo: Timothy Baker
I have seven of these hats, in different styles and colors, and I can’t remember the last time I took a trip without one. They’re lightweight and malleable—you can crush them, yet they don’t crease or rumple—so they’re easy to throw in any bag. And, with their UPF 50+ fabric and wide brims, they offer serious sun protection ($40-$70). —Wendy
Apple AirTags
When you’ve packed an AirTag, you can help the airline find your lost luggage. Photo: Timothy Baker
I try never to check bags. But when I can’t carry on everything I need for a trip, I rely on my AirTags—not the airlines—to reunite me with my luggage at my final destination. Apple has now added a new feature, “Share Item Location,” that allows iPhone users to show certain airlines (currently a list of 15, including Delta and United) exactly where their bags are. This could be crucial when weather or equipment malfunctions overwhelm the airlines’ own luggage tracking systems ($29 for one, $99 for a four-pack). —Brook
T Spheres
Getting rid of knots while traveling can be easier than you might think. Photo: T Spheres
Throw one or two of these small rubber balls (about 1/3 the size of a tennis ball) in your carry-on, and you’ve got an instant massage in any hotel room or even in an airplane seat. Roll it on stiff muscles and feel the tension melt. My favorite way to use them after a long flight is to lie on my back on the floor, with a T Sphere placed between the floor and my shoulders or upper back, then slowly roll until the knots disappear ($30–$38). I carry a tennis ball too, which I find works better on hips, legs, and feet. Add a couple of resistance bands and a stretch-out strap, and you can turn any hotel room into a gym. —Wendy
A gadget that lets you use Bluetooth headphones in flight
This Bluetooth transmitter/receiver pairs your wireless headphones with an airplane’s seatback entertainment system. Photo: 1Mii
These days, the best noise-cancelling headphones bring sound to your ears via Bluetooth technology rather than cords. The problem? Most airline entertainment systems are years behind the curve and still require that you receive audio via a headphone jack. The solution is a little Bluetooth-enabled dongle (like this one, for $30) that transmits the plane entertainment system’s audio to your wireless headset. An added benefit? No cords to negotiate every time you or your seatmates go to the bathroom. —Brook
Traveler’s modem
TP-Link Wireless travel router. Photo: TP-Link
Even while traveling, I need to stay connected. On cruises to far-flung destinations like Iceland and French Polynesia, I know better than to rely on the ship’s Wi-Fi (both countries have the kind of craggy mountain ranges that block signals). I felt pretty clever when I discovered that you could rent portable modems from local airports. Costing $7–$10 per day, the devices were a lifesaver, totally worth the nearly $200 investment. I felt a little bit less like the cat-that-ate-the-canary when I realized you could actually buy a good portable modem for about $40. No more rental fees, though you do have to pay for your provider! I chose the TP-Link Nano. For $34, it works in hotel rooms, on cruise ships (in sight of land), and in your car, and it’s travel-sized, so is not bulky. —Carolyn
A travel-emergency-assistance membership
A membership that gives travelers peace of mind. Photo: Shutterstock
This is a way to give your loved ones (and yourself) peace of mind when you travel. Medjet is an emergency assistance program that gets you from any hospital where you don’t want to be back home to the doctor and hospital you trust, saving you many tens of thousands of dollars. Medjet offers an optional, add-on layer of crisis protection too: If during your trip you feel that your safety may be threatened—because of terrorism, a political incident, a natural disaster, or other crisis—they will come to the rescue. Transparency disclosure: Medjet is a sponsor of WendyPerrin.com. But that’s because I use their services myself and have for years: A Condé Nast Traveler colleague gave me the gift of a Medjet membership shortly after my kids were born. She said that, now that I was a parent, I couldn’t risk something happening to me overseas and not being able to get home to the kids. Today I’ve got a family membership, so my kids are protected too, even when they’re traveling on their own. (Short-term memberships start at $99; annual memberships are $315.) —Wendy
Donatella rain coats
Donatella’s functional and fashionable rain coat is a great gift for travelers. Photo: Donatella
Over the past 20 years, I have acquired at least four rain coats by Donatella because they are fashionable, reversible, and scrunch up in the corner of my suitcase without wrinkling. Shake it out, put it on, go. They’re great for everything from unexpected squalls to unplanned dressy dress codes. There’s a hood that’s micro-pleated and also can serve as a scarf. I love the swinging A shape, and yes, they keep you perfectly dry. And there’s this, too: You can express yourself, via vibrant colors, leopard motifs, and more (which explains why I own so many). They start at about $300. (Full disclosure: I once scored a gorgeous Donatella in lavender at a thrift shop for about $20!) —Carolyn
142-country memoir Escape Clauses—Getting Away With a Travel Writing Life
Travel writer Bob Payne’s memoir may make you green with envy. Photo: Timothy Baker
There are travelers. And there are travelers. And then there’s Bob Payne, the guy who took an around-the-world trip over a long weekend just so he could hear the stories of fellow travelers. When asked, at check-in at JFK, what was his final destination, he was able to answer in all honesty: JFK. Bob tells this story and many more in his humorous and entertaining 142-country memoir ($15 from Amazon). You can travel vicariously through it or let it inspire you to take your own adventures. Read more about Bob in If You Think YOU’ve Traveled, Wait Till You Read This.—Tim
A way to celebrate your favorite destinations before the holidays
Count down to Christmas with a Venchi chocolate each day. Photo: Food52
Travel-related advent calendars for all ages are a fun way to celebrate the season and make wonderful pre-holiday gifts. My favorite calendars are themed around destinations, such as the Venchi Prestige Italian Chocolate Advent Calendar ($99)—whose drawers are filled with the Piedmont-based company’s confections—and the Bokksu Japan Wonderland Advent Calendar ($199), filled with handmade snacks and miniature gifts. —Carolyn
Celebrate heritage with a gift of the auld sod
Irish peat—as well as Irish Breakfasts by the basket—deliver a bit of Erin go bragh. Photo: FoodIreland
My in-laws have extended family in Ireland, and when my husband was a teen, he spent a summer visiting Uncle Tom in the ancestral village. It was the stuff movies are made of. Not the dreamy kind, with a montage of the teen strolling cliffs with rediscovered kin. The kind where the teen thinks he’s going to stroll the cliffs, and gets put to work cutting peat from the bog. No matter; my relatives love anything Irish, and when I discovered FoodIreland.com, it was like I found them a pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow. The site sells peat logs from the auld sod ($38-$99), which was great fun to have delivered, but I think they found the Irish breakfasts I sent in subsequent years a little more appetizing. —Nichole
Water filtration kit
A water purifier helps eliminate waste from plastic water bottles. Photo: SteriPen
I hate the plastic waste that comes from drinking bottled water. So when I’m traveling to a place where the tap water is unclean, I bring along a filtration kit. The brand I’ve used for years is SteriPen ($125); make sure to choose a device that filters out viruses (which can be present in tap water), not just bacteria and protozoa. My SteriPen is lightweight and uses ultraviolet light to purify water: Activate the lamp, swirl the stick in your water bottle for about a minute, and you’re good to go. —Brook
Rat-a-Tat Cat
Rat-A-Tat-Cat can be a great way to pass the time while traveling. Photo: Gamewright
We’re a big board- and card-game family both at home and on the road. The older my son gets, the more complex his favorite games are—and the harder to pack—but Rat-a-Tat Cat remains a perennial favorite. It’s a card game that’s simple enough for a six-year-old, but compelling enough to keep parents happy through round after round. Having a few small games like this on hand helps pass the time (and avoid giving in to electronic devices) in airports and on planes. ($13) —Brook
Deep Sleep Pillow Spray
Deep Sleep Pillow spray can help you fall asleep more easily when traveling. Photo: thisworks
I first discovered Deep Sleep Pillow Spray while browsing, drowsily, in London’s Fortnum & Mason the day I arrived on a sleepless, red-eye flight. The spray is comprised of natural oils of lavender, vetiver, and wild chamomile and is meant to be spritzed onto your pillow. That night, with the help of the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, I slept, easily and deeply. Two discoveries I later made: First, I thought this was a British product, so would stretch my supply for months until I returned to London to buy another, but it’s actually super easy to find in the U.S. Second, it works beyond the pillow: On long-haul flights, I’ll often spray a bit into my scarf, and it definitely calms the nerves ($33 for the 2.5-ounce carry-on size). —Carolyn
Portable power banks and back-up chargers
A portable charger is one of the best ways to ensure your phone doesn’t run out of battery on a day out. Photo: PowerAdd
A portable charger is indispensable. I’d hate to be halfway through a day of, say, Mongolia’s Golden Eagle Festival and have my phone die. Especially since it’s my only camera. That’s why I always pop a lightweight backup battery in my bag. And I don’t mean one of those tiny lipstick-size bars—those won’t charge your phone even halfway. A portable battery has to have at least 10,000 mAh to be worth its weight—that will charge even the big phones two to three times. And, of course, it has to be light. I use a tiny 10,000 mAh by PowerAdd ($20); it’s one of the lightest on the market at that power level. If you want a little more juice in order to accommodate multiple charges of a tablet and a phone, Anker’s PowerCore 20,1000 mAh ($50) gets good reviews. Neither of these will work for a laptop, however; those require a different kind of charger and a lot more juice. In that case, the OmniCharge ($99-$399) is a cool and useful toy. It’s a smart power bank that can tell what you’re charging as soon as you plug it in, and handle it all: phone, tablet, laptop, camera, etc. Omnicharge comes in a range of power capacities and weights, and they all have travelers in mind. —Billie
Inexpensive but invaluable stocking stuffers
There are a few small items I never travel without and can never have too many of. They are inexpensive but invaluable and therefore make great stocking stuffers for travelers. A bandana is an endlessly useful tool: it can serve as a hair tie, a dust mask, a baggage identifier, an extra handle, a pillow cover, a camera lens cleaner, a bandage, a tourniquet, a washcloth. I’ve even hung one over a car window to block the afternoon sun. Carabiner clips are similarly helpful, especially for securing your phone or camera to your bag. Finally, I always carry a foldable nylon shopping bag in my day bag, because you never know when you’re going to need to carry more stuff—supplies from a grocery-store run, a hefty souvenir purchase, or just some items you want to take out of your carry-on and keep under your seat on the plane. I’m partial to Ikea Knalla bags because they are sturdy, have big shoulder handles, and are super cheap ($3). —Billie
A summer vacation
Popular summer destinations for families sell out months ahead. Take the Galapagos (that’s Brook with her family there): To get the cabins you want on the right ship for your clan, book before the holidays.
It’s no surprise that we think travel is the best gift you can give to those you love. Wendy has taken her boys to Romania, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Belize, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Zambia and Zimbabwe; Brook has introduced her son to Norway, Egypt, Southeast Asia, Namibia, the Galapagos, and a few U.S. national parks; and Billie took her mom on a culinary-themed trip through Italy. But on top of all the memories and rewarding experiences that you give someone when you give them a trip, you can also remove something: stress. Many popular summer vacations—say, renting a villa in Tuscany, hiking the Inca trail, exploring the Galapagos Islands, going on safari in Africa—are selling out many months ahead. The more they appeal to families, the earlier they sell out. By booking your summer vacation now as a holiday gift, you’ll ensure that you get the experiences and accommodations you want and that you avoid the time-consuming struggle a few months from now to pull together a meaningful, affordable, logistically sensible trip.
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