Oh, I feel you! Every time you try to find that perfect gift for that woman in your life who is constantly traveling is painful.
You need to find something that she doesn’t have and she can bring on her journeys around the globe and actually be light, helpful and make her days better when she is on the road.
If you find that perfect gift for her she will remember you every time she is in her favorite destination.
Travelers are usually used to carry the fewer things possible, so it’s hard to find what can you gift them that they already don’t use and it will be light, practical and a great addition to the travel gear.
From cameras and headphones to genius clothing, here you will find my favorite selection on items plus the recommendations of frequent travelers who shared their favorite travel gifts to make the flights and travels of your favorite woman better and memorable.
Travel Experiences
How nice is to receive something different as a gift, and even more if it’s a surprise!
When we think about gifts the first thing coming to our minds is buying…a thing, but have you ever thought how much better it could be giving your traveler woman an experience as a gift?
For those who already have it all, the new GoPro or Kindle might be not the best gift, but Instead of buying something she already have you can give her two nights in that beautiful hotel with an Eiffel tour view, or one right near the Machu Picchu ruins in Peru, or tickets for the perfect Flamenco Show in Madrid including wine, cheese and ham.
You can find here the best hotels and resorts at Booking.com
Or checking for renting a whole flat for few days at Airbnb. If you are still new to it you can open your account at this link and we both get free credit (34€) after the first stay.
Travel insurance
One of the most important items to have before embarking on any trip is Travel Insurance. It can be very expensive if something happens to you and you need to visit a hospital overseas. You can buy this insurance and claim online, even after you’ve left home.
Travel insurance from WorldNomads.com is available to people from 140 countries. It’s designed for adventurous travelers with cover for overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities.
Travel Accessories
Cabin Backpack
When you are traveling, perhaps the most important item is going to be your backpack, suitcase or traveling purse.
Depending on what kind of trip I’m doing I can use any of them. For a short trip what I usually have is a cabin backpack where I can fit and organize everything.
Check the full review of my favorite this year, the new Arcido Faroe backpack.
The Arcido backpacks are created by travelers, so they have all that we need. The Arcido is having a simple and beautiful design, water-resistant material and it can fit everything inside, having lots of pockets and divisions, even a secret pocket that is so secret that I almost thought I lost my passport after putting it there.
Is way bigger than you expect it to be, but it’s still comfortable to carry on your back. Plus, its size is accepted as a carry-on in all airlines. And something really cool is they have a 5 years warranty on all of their bags.
Another option is the Osprey Talon 22, with a great design, simple and very light, it’s also great for a day backpack to use during the trip or for little hikes.
Check here for shopping at the Arcido backpack website or to find the best backpack for you.
Travel Pillow
When you travel overnight or on any long flight, train or bus ride this item will definitely help you to have a better experience. Having support for your neck and head while taking that nap while sited will make the journey more comfortable and you will suffer less also after it.
I tend to have neck pain when keeping bad positions, and also as a physical therapist, I know how important is to have a proper position when sleeping and especially when keeping one position for some time. Of course, sleeping while sitting is not the best but it will happen and then is smart to have the proper tool to have some comfort.
The Sea to Summit Pillow is inflatable pillow is always on my cabin backpack or purse. It’s lightweight, foldable to a small piece and the valve is great and easy to use!
A Beautiful Travel Journal
Traveling is having experiences that cause different sensations, feelings, and most probably different thoughts. Since I started to travel I have always had a travel journal with me to capture the moments, take notes of the daily experiences, itineraries, prices, and restaurants visited.
According to Matilda, one of her favorite travel products that she has is a travel journal. A travel journal is a gift that every woman who travels would love. She can use her journal to take notes or write down her impressions and thoughts while traveling. A journal is more affordable, lighter and easier to pack than a laptop plus she doesn’t have to worry about running out of battery. She has and recommends this beautiful journal which has a vintage design. You can keep it as a reminder of her travels and the travel quotations printed on the pages will inspire her to plan her next trip.
Eye cover
Once the food is served, a movie was watched and I don’t need to stand again for the next hour my routine is always the same. I put my headphones, earplugs and an eye cover…and goodnight! I choose always the window seat so I can sleep without being disturbed and with all this equipment I can get a decent sleep, or at least relax my eyes for a while.
I was usually only using the ones I got in the travel amenity kit but now I prefer a more fancy as they tend to be softer and prettier.
Travel organizer wallet or a Passport Holder
There are so many things to have handy during your trip, through the airport especially, you need your passport, your boarding pass (if you don’t have it already in your phone), some money, credit cards, etc. Having a travel wallet will allow you to have everything together and no stress during your way to and from the airport!
Water Bottle with a filter
Traveling gals know that it’s important to stay hydrated but buying bottled water is both expensive and terrible for the planet, tells Thea from Zen Travellers. Unfortunately, in some places the tap water can’t be trusted and drinking from a water source in the wilderness could make you sick.
That is why I love my Khatadyn BeFree water bottle with a built-in filter. I’ve used it while traveling in the Galapagos Islands where there is a single-use plastics ban, hiking in the Andes, volunteering in the rainforest, and in cities where the tap water quality is questionable. Not only does it reduce the amount of plastic waste I’m throwing away, but it also saves me a lot of money so I can travel even more. What traveler wouldn’t want that?
Thea
Reusable Stainless Steel Straws
One thing I still don’t have but I would love to add to my travel gear is a set of reusable Stainless Steel Straws. It’s crazy how much damage the plastic ones are doing when they go to the ocean and after I’ve watched a video showing how can they go anywhere in the turtles or other animals bodies I stopped to use them.
I think is all the little things we can do to start creating conscience about taking more care about our planet that would eventually create a bigger change and plastic is something urgent!
I found this set of great Stainless Steel Straws that come with a brush and have straight and bent to use with every different cup or drink. They come with a storing bag so they are ready to travel with you. Have you already tried them?
Electronics and Photography
Noise-canceling Headphones
How many times have you been trying to watch that movie but the engine noises are louder than the voices in the movie? With these headphones, you can hear properly without having to destroy your ears having to put the volume level to the maximum.
I can’t imagine now traveling without them and I can’t recommend you enough having noise canceling headphones. They help a lot on having a more pleasant trip, and especially on flights and train rides they are the best!
The ones I’m using now are the Sony MDR-ZX110 with a mic included, they are affordable, they bend so they can fit in your purse!
Adventure camera GoPro
If you love adventure and want to record those memories underwater or when your normal camera would suffer, a GoPro is definitely the must. The new ones, like the GoPro HERO7, are having an amazing image quality, recording 4K, streaming stabilization and different shooting modes including a wide angle perfect for small and narrow interiors or selfies.
Mirrorless Camera, the Sony A6000
When I wanted to switch from a non-professional camera to a better one I only had in mind a DSLR, but I was very worried about carrying ton more weight with me while traveling.
After researching a lot I decided to go for a mirrorless and I’m super happy with this decision.
The Sony mirrorless series are just amazing for travelers as they are light, cheaper than a DSLR on the same range and their quality is very impressive.
I’m using the Sony A6000 for more than three years and I really love it. The quality of the images is great and I can have it in my purse plus one or two extra lenses and it’s still ok to walk with it the whole day without hurting my shoulders and neck.
EBook reader
My eBook reader is seriously the best gift my boyfriend ever gave me, tells Lisa from Flipflop Globetrotters. I love to read and I always used to have at least two books in my backpack while we were traveling, taking up both space and weight. I’m a fast reader, so I had to swap them every few days. What a pain.
Although I have to say I used to love browsing the second-hand books shops… But now that I have my eBook reader it’s all so much easier! An eReader hardly takes up any space and weight, I can get books whenever I want (as long as there’s wifi) and ebooks are much cheaper. Now that’s what I call a great travel gift!
Adaptor / Converter with USB charging ports
I can’t even remember how many times I’ve arrived at a destination and having the great surprise I can’t plug my computer or charging my phone because the outlets are different.
One of my favorite gifts for women who travel is a converter with USB charging ports, tells Lindsay from My Trampoline Kids. Most small devices come with USB charging ports and you can often charge multiple devices at once on the converter, without blocking the actual “plug.”
There are plenty of types on the market, many of which are quite inexpensive. It is a useful gift, especially if you get the universe style ones that can be used anywhere in the world!
Selfie Stick and Stabilizer
Whether you are a traveler or a travel YouTuber, having a solid selfie stick and a stabilizer is so important.
Evelyne shares with us she was looking for such an item that would work with a DSLR camera so it had to be solid. She finally got the Arespark monopod and she just loves it. At its shortest, the 16-inch monopod is easy to pack and travel with.” If I want more stability I can extend to 50 inches and stabilize the camera even more by resting the monopod on the ground while I take my shot”.
The head swivels 180° and locks solidly. Best of all it comes with an action camera mount as well as a cellphone clamp so I can use it with any camera I’ve got. Instead of a button in the handle, the monopod comes also with a Bluetooth remote control to take your pics. It’s really a must item for me every time I travel to exotic places and want to be sure to capture the best images.
Clothing and Accessories
Poncho
What’s more versatile than a poncho, and I don’t mean a waterproof one you wear begrudgingly at festivals?! Gemma from Two Scots Abroad shares, about her favorite travel accessory.
Meet your new cover for long bus journeys, pillow/tent for airports, picnic blanket for trips to the beach, and cardigan for colder evenings. If you pick the right pattern, it looks mighty impressive in an Instagram picture too!
Channeling your inner Outlander Claire Fraser does not have to be expensive either, ponchos start at $23 and up. The only downside of traveling with a poncho is the weight if you choose a woolen tartan/plaid poncho as I do!
The poncho is the type of travel gear that you can pick up while on the road, making it a touching souvenir to remind you of a destination.
Running Belt Waist Pack
Whitney of GoFam Travel thinks that the best gift for the traveling woman in your life is a Running Belt Waist Pack. You don’t have to be a runner to love this incredible phone (and money), holder. It is important to carry a secure purse when traveling. A secure purse means it’s difficult to get in and out of quickly, hence missed photo opportunities! A phone carried around in a pocket makes one very susceptible to theft.
Get the running belt waist pack for a comfortable and convenient place to keep one’s phone with quick and easy access to take photos. These packs are adjustable, are worn on the front, and fit inside or on the outside of clothing. Many are water resistant. This is the best way to keep a phone and convenient to use!
Convertible Travel Dress
For Inma, one of her favorite pieces of clothing ever is my Kameleon Rose convertible travel dress, which easily turns to 20 outfits. A great strapless dress, it can be flipped around and transformed into an outfit for every occasion.
I have it in black and blue, but there are many colors to choose from. It is made from non-creasing, quick-drying material and has a secret pocket – perfect for a small wallet! This travel dress can become a strapless dress, skirt, pants, top, mini dress and poncho in seconds; making it a unique find for minimalism obsessed travelers such as myself.
Microfiber Travel Towel
For Stephanie from History Fangirl, the perfect gadget is a Microfiber Towel.
When people go on the road long term, one of the most common complaints I hear is how the traveler hates having to use a microfiber travel towel. I’ve never had that problem once. I love my travel towel so much that I actually will often use it even at home. My towel is made by Dock & Bay, and it’s a gorgeous red-and-white stripped one that’s perfect for the beach.
I went with the XL size, so while it folds up really small in my backpack, it unrolls to be a full-size beach towel. If I’m staying in a hostel dorm, it’s perfect for keeping me covered after the shower. While it still is a travel towel, it feels nicer on my skin than most microfiber towels, and the white has stayed white even as I’ve beaten it up in over fifty countries.
A run-of-the-mill travel towel might not be an exciting gift, but this towel is so comfortable and stylish that any traveler would be happy to have one in their pack. It has an elastic loop to make it easy to hang, and it comes with its own pouch to make storage easier.
A Cross-Body Travel Bag
When I’m hiking I like my day pack as much as anyone, but give me a road trip or a city trip and I much prefer a cross body bag. It’s so much more convenient to reach into on a regular basis and to be honest, I feel safer with all my valuables right there next to me. Add to that the security features of a stylish cross body bag like the Pacsafe and my peace of mind is complete.
It’s big enough to get my laptop in, but not enormous, and with the wire going through the shoulder strap I’m not worried about anyone cutting the strap to steal my purse! According to Sarah from A Social Nomad, this is a perfect gift for the holidays!
Swiss Army Knife
I always bring my trusty Swiss Army knife with me whenever I travel, whether getting in a car, bus, boat or plane. This is my go-to favorite item to travel with because it has proven its usefulness, again and again, says Cerise from Enchanted Vagabond.
When I was a university student studying abroad in France, I used my Swiss Army knife to open cans of tuna and slice pieces of baguette on the steps of famous Parisian buildings.
While dating my husband, I used my Swiss Army knife to open the cork on a bottle of wine while we picnicked along the river in Bangkok. When I travel with my kids now, I rely on it to cut the tags off of new shoes or to remove a splinter from their little fingers using the hidden tweezers as we did on a recent trip to Hawaii. It’s such a part of me, that one time I forgot to remove it from my bag going through security at the airport — lesson learned!
Beauty and Skin Care
Vitamin E Oil
One of the best products I’ve added to my beauty set is Vitamin E Oil thank’s to my mom recommendation.
Have you felt your skin super dry after a long flight? That’s why the air in the plane cabin is dryer than the usual, and after drinking lots of water, adding extra moisturizer to the skin is the best idea to avoid it cracking after your trip.
I now always put some drops or I open a full capsule before flying and my skin feels soft and hydrated after a long flight!
Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap
For Ingrid from Second-Half Travels the Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap is the perfect travel toiletry. It’s a gentle cleaning agent with a multitude of uses, from hand-washing laundry to body wash, shampoo, or even toothpaste.
I use it when traveling to hand-wash my underwear and socks daily to extend the time between laundry days. Note that if you use it as shampoo, it’s a good idea to use an acidic conditioner like Dr. Bronner’s Organic Hair Rinse afterward to smooth out your hair, since Dr. Bronner’s doesn’t contain silicones and waxes like commercial shampoo. And if you’re going to brush your teeth with it, I recommend the peppermint scent!
Dr. Bronner’s soap is organic, vegan, fair-trade, and biodegradable, and the scents are incredible — my personal favorite is almond, which smells like marzipan or amaretto. Since it’s concentrated, a little goes a long way, and one bottle lasts me several trips.
For coffee and tea lovers
Portable Travel Aeropress
If you’re looking for a unique gift to give your travel-loving friend who also loves coffee, get an Aeropress! For Allison, this handy, extremely portable travel coffee maker is a godsend when you’re traveling in places where quality coffee is hard to find or expensive, or if you just like being in control of your own coffee-making.
All you need is an Aeropress, ground coffee, and access to boiling water. Simply fill it with coffee grounds, add water, stir, seal, let sit from one minute and then press it to extract a perfect cup of espresso, crema and all! It is amazing the quality of espresso you can make with just a simple press mechanism like this one.
For even better travel-readiness, I recommend buying the reusable mesh filter instead of the circular paper filters it comes with, as it also improves the taste of the coffee by allowing more of the oils to pass through into the coffee.
Collapsible Travel Mug
I drink a lot of coffee, especially when I’m on one of my many road trips, shares Kristal from Adventure Dawgs. I used to bring an insulated travel mug but I found that I kept forgetting it in the car and would just my coffee to go in a standard disposable cup. Then while at my local coffee shop, I discovered these cups and fell in love with them.
The mug collapses small enough to fit into a pocket meaning that whenever I get out of the car, I don’t have to worry about remembering to grab a big steel mug. They also don’t absorb coffee flavor or odor so with a quick rinse it can be used for any other drink. While it doesn’t keep coffee hot as long as an insulated mug, I think that not leaving a trail of disposable cups behind me more than makes up for it.
For the digital nomad or blogger in your life
Do you have to make a gift to a woman who is working online or is thinking about starting her own online business or her own blog to share her adventures around the world?
Here you can find some of the things she could need or love!
New Hosting Plan
The Hosting I’m using since I started NomadicChica is Hostgator. They have plans for all the needs, and they are very helpful. I trust them and recommend as until now I’ve never had any major issues and my site is always running fast and good. You can check here their current offers.
Tailwind
If she is already managing a website she might know about PINTEREST, and one of the best tools to share content is Tailwind. I use the Upgraded version and absolutely recommend it!
Here you can start a free trial account!
Booking a Hotel for her!
As I shared at the beginning of this article, my thought is most of the times you wouldn’t know what to give her, but a stay in a very nice hotel where you know she will go soon might get her really good memories!
Check here the best rates and offers
I just now came across your article. I like all these ideas what you shared with us. It would be very helpful to me. Thanks for sharing this with us. Keep sharing like this. I’m waiting to see your next article.