BEST GIFTS FOR SOMEONE GOING TRAVELING
After visiting dozens of all-inclusive resorts together over the past few years, we’ve learned which travel products are worth packing and which ones you should just leave at home. And there are important moments during vacation that you REALLY need to be treated but you likely didn’t anticipate. Which is why we’ve compiled out first ever guide to the best gifts for someone going traveling!
Ever since 2014 we’ve been making films and travelling together. This means we’re constantly testing out new travel products and gear. It’s about time we compiled everything we’ve learned into this short but comprehensive list of our fave travel gifts!
Watch us use these travel gifts in Costa Rica!
We’ve covered everything from the time you leave the airport to after the vacations over; from basic travel gear, to essentials for the budding travel photographer. And, most importantly, we’re only including products that we’ve actually used and enjoyed!
So get ready to impress because we’re sharing all the essential travel items plus some extras that the traveler in your life will thank you for!
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FUN TRAVEL GIFTS
3D Action Figure
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s your own 3D action figure! Whether you bring it with you on your travels or display it for all to see at home, you’ll get a kick out of how REAL these mini-me’s actually are. The attention to detail that Selftraits takes is phenomenal, and being in the studio to get your body digitally captured is a cool experience in itself.
This is the most unique gift on our travel list and we want you to have one too! CLICK HERE to get $20 off your first purchase at Selftraits OR to get 10% off your entire purchase, use our code VACATIONCOUPLE at check-out.
Cookbook
One of the best ways to learn about a destination is to enjoy a local meal. Since food is a huge passion for many travelers, a cookbook from their favorite destination is a great way for them to re-live and celebrate their travel experiences. Because Mexico is one of the most popular spots for all-inclusive travel, we suggest getting Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Arronte. It’s an all-in-one guide to Mexican cuisine that covers authentic recipes from each region of Mexico. YUM!
PRO TIP: Casually suggest they test out their cookbook with you, they get a gift and you get a tasty meal, it’s a win-win!
Carry-on Cocktail Kit
There’s nothing better than a good travel planner. And why not start living in luxury before you even touch down? Get the party started on the airplane with these Carry-On Cocktail Kits with tasty sets like the Bloody Mary, Moscow Mule, Hot Toddy, Old Fashioned, and the Champagne Cocktail. They’re the perfect addition to any carry-on!
Scratch Map
Traveling is exciting as it is, why not make it even better with a scratch map! Besides being a chic addition to any room, this scratch map allows you to brag to all your friends without saying a world. It’s also mildly addicting to scratch off each country, province, state, and island one by one!
Pool Float
This gift doesn’t need much explanation. Basically, pool floats make everything better. Drinks. Sunshine. Lazy Days. Also, bringing a float to the pool will also make you lots of new friends….. fast!
USEFUL TRAVEL GIFTS
Travel Wifi
Although we usually frequent all-inclusive resorts, we love a good cross-country roadtrip, boat ride, and mountain hike too! And a portable hotspot is the perfect way for someone going travelling to stay connected to the world. Whether you’re jumping off waterfalls in the Dominican Republic or visiting a remote island in The Bahamas, you’ll want to have a strong wifi connection so you can share all the excitement. The 4g Teppy Portable Wifi Hotspot allows you to stay connected with on-the-go with access to over 100 countries with unlimited internet! It’s also really nice that you don’t have to swap out your SIM cards. We used the ‘Explore’ plan while on a road trip across Ireland earlier this year and had 5GB of data to use per day (at 4G speeds) for only $12.95 per day!
Amazon Prime Subscription
Why do we love having Amazon Prime? Besides the fact that we’re spoiled with FREE 2-day shipping, very useful for last minute travel purchases, our Amazon Prime membership comes packed wth extras including:
- Instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows
- Secure, unlimited photo storage with anywhere access
- Unlimited, ad-free access to over a million songs and hundreds of playlists
- Borrowing books from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library
- Early access to select Lightning Deals on Amazon
But don’t take our word for it, try it yourself with your own a FREE 30-day Amazon Prime trial! There’s really no risk, just try it out (it’s the perfect time to test out fast shipping and lightening deals!) and if you don’t like it, cancel during the trial at no cost to you!
Insulated Tumbler
Keep your drink cool and your vibe even cooler with this insulated tumbler. It’s perfect for the all-inclusive vacation lover who appreciates a good drink on a hot day.
Foldable Water Bottle
These handy foldable water bottles are made of food grade silicone, they’re rollable, freezable, dishwasher safe, and a portion of all profits are donated to dolphin rescue and protection organizations. They’re also perfect for bringing on airplanes – just fold them up and save space in your bags once you’ve emptied them!
Portable Power Bank
Any good traveller knows that a portable power bank is an essential part of your travel toolkit. It’s the absolute worst when you see that low battery icon on your camera, phone, or headphones! This 26800 mAh power bank from RAVPower gives up to 6 full charges and can connect to 3 devices at the same time. It also comes with a carrying case and two USB chargers. We don’t leave home without it!
Power Strip with USBs
No matter how many outlets you have, a few more always seem to be needed. That’s why our circular power strip with USB connections always comes with us on our travels. It saves us from having to bring extra charging outlets and fits conveniently in our luggage. Enough said.
Universal Plug
It’s the WORST when you go to plug in your shaver or hair straightener and realize that you don’t have the right plug! That’s why we cover our bases and always pack our universal plug. Not only does it have extra USB charging outlets, it has EU, UK, and US attachments built-in so you don’t have to deal with carrying extra parts.
Packing Cubes
If you don’t have packing cubes, you NEED to try them! It’s taken our packing game to the next level and allows me to pack more floats because of all of thesaved luggage space. These are an integral part of packing a carry-on and come in a rainbow of colors to match your vacation style.
Hard Luggage
Ahhhh the eternal debate… should you use soft or hard luggage? We prefer using hard luggage because it protects fragile items better and it’s easy to wipe-off and clean. Our Heys Marble luggage is our go-to because it also comes with 360-degree rotating wheels (which makes travelling through the airport much easier) and it has a built in TSA-compliant combination lock to give you an extra layer of security and piece of mind.
Travel Backpack
All travel backpakcs are not made equal and that’s why our backpack from J World New York has been with us from the beginning. It has multiple pockets for all your essential travel items including a hidden pocket and key attachment. It has a narrow design which allows it to fit easily under airplane seats as well as in boat compartments and other small areas. On top of it all, it just looks good!
RFID Blocking Wallet
We both have RFID blocking wallets that we use both while we travel and in our every day lives. Shadi’s favorite accessory is his RFID blocking travel money belt as it’s concealed under his clothes which adds an extra layer of safety. These wallets are designed to help insulate you from a very particular brand of electronic pickpocketing, called RFID skimming.
Combination Lock
Whether you us it on the airplane or in your hotel room, having a few extra combination locks always come in handy. We most often use them when we’ve packed our safe full and need to secure extra belongings. And using the word combination locks (rather than number based) helps us remember our passwords MUCH better!
Want a REAL all-inclusive vacation? Read our Sandals South Coast Jamaica and Sandals Royal Barbados reviews.
Wet Wipes
I admit it, I’m that girl who gets on a flight and cleans off the tray table with an antibacterial wet wipe. Get lucky enough to sit beside me and I’ll happly clean yours too! All kidding aside, I don’t like travelling without my antibacerial wipes as it lessens the spread of germs which gives us better odds of avoiding colds during travel. And who wants to be sick during (or after) travel?
Silicone Travel Containers
If you’re like me and prefer to use your own shampoo, conditioner, and body wash while travelling, then these silicone bottles are for you! Sometimes you just can’t risk having products that don’t jive with your hair type. These bottles are also spill proof and the perfect size for your carry-on.
Toiletry Bag with Hanger
Finding the travel bag that works for you can be difficult, but after testing out several bags in different hotels and resorts, we’ve found what works best for us. Having a multi-pocket bag that has a hanger allows you to pack in all your essentials while saving space. All bathrooms aren’t created equally so having this bag helps when you have limited counter space.
GIFTS FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER & VIDEOGRAPHER
Mavic 2 Pro Drone
Look no furter than the Mavic 2 Pro if you want the best preforming drone at the best price. This baby handles the wind like a boss, has lots of modes to play around with, and gives the best quality image we’ve ever experienced. It’s also the easiet drone to travel with when you take into account it’s capabilities. Sure, the Spark or Mavic Mini are smaller, but they don’t preform and give high quality results like the Mavic 2 Pro does.
Sony A7S
Because video is our main focus, we love the Sony A7S for it’s superior video capabiilties. Although we have a few cameras, we tend to stick to the Sony family because of brand quality, performance, and price point.
GoPro 7
The capabilities of GoPros have progressed in leaps and bounds in recent years and the GoPro HERO7 Black has come out on top! Beside the fact that it has superior image quality and stabilization capabilities, it also makes for sweet wide-angle videos that you can share directly to your phone with the GoPro app.
Universal Mount
We’ve watched in horror as our cameras have fallen off our bicycles in New York, have flown off of their mounts onto concrete in Mexico, and off the side of a yacht in the British Virgin Islands. But now our mounting problems have been solved with the Tenikle universal mount!
It has the strongest suction cups known to man (or at least us!). It can bend in any way you need it to and it even has a threaded mount for our DSLR cameras. It’s like the third hand you never knew you needed! For being a loyal supporter of Vacation Couple, you can get $5 off your purchase here!
Which travel gift from our list do you like the best? Do you have any suggestions for a gift for someone going travelling? Leave them in the comments below and let’s hel each other treat the travelers in our lives!
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This is an awesome list!
This is a great list! Packing cubes have been my favorite item for years.