Samantha Brown’s Travel Gift Guide

Trying to buy the travel lover in your life something? After over two decades of travel and having my own line with HSN, I like to think I know a thing or two about travel gift-giving. Check below for my ultimate list. Need even more fun gift ideas? Check out my Places to Love Gift Guide, featuring locally-owned businesses wherever we go!

Some of the products listed below are affiliate links. I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

The Coolest Travel Book…

If you’re looking for the ultimate wanderlust-inspiring book, check out National Geographic’s brand new 100 Hotels of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Retreats written by my great friend (and luxury travel expert) Annie Fitzsimmons. I may be biased, I did write the foreword, but I thought Annie really picked some of the most stunning hotels in beautiful destinations all over the world. After all, I’ve got some experience staying in really great hotels 😉

Easy Stocking Stuffers for the Traveler

Toothbrush Covers 

Toothbrush covers are items you always forget you need until you’re packing your toiletry bag and realize your toothbrush has to float around unprotected. Plus – you never know how a bathroom will be set-up and who’s going to forget to flush with the lid down!

Reusable Face Sponges

These are great for skincare and make-up removing. Instead of going through make-up remover wipes or tons of cotton pads, your traveler will love these reusable face sponges. They’re super compact so won’t take up any space and then all you need to do is let them air dry to use again. They’re good to reuse for at least a few washes, and they’re biodegradable!

Ponchos

Ugly, sure, but you’ll be glad you have these in your bag, especially if you’re going somewhere tropical.  Our crew went through a few boxes of this model during our Costa Rica shoot earlier this year!

A Tray Table Organizer

When I tell you tray table organizers are absolute game changers on an airplane… You can put everything in one place and it won’t take up too much space. Never leave your passport or headphones behind again! This inventive model also protects your tray so its great for kiddos too!

Cord Ties

If tangled cords are also your pet peeve, these cord ties will keep everything nice and organized. Plus you can also use them to tie back curtains, help with hangers, and even tie up a plastic bag!

Bluetooth Headphone Holders

If your traveler prefers tiny headphones like airpods, look into getting them a case that stands out. This suitcase-inspired case is super adorable, and I also love how bright this yellow case is. Trust me, they’ll thank you when they’re not shuffling through their backpack or tote bag for ages trying to find their earbuds!

Travel-Sized Toilet Spray

No one wants to be the person that makes a bathroom smell terrible – especially when you’re somewhere where it’s obvious who the culprit is (ahem airplane bathrooms). Get them this little poo-pourri spray to prevent embarrassment!

GoToob TSA Bottles

As a generally cheerful person, you would be amazed how many travel pet peeves I have accrued. Take for instance the rigid plastic bottles for TSA approved liquids that most drug stores sell. Let’s be honest – you can really only ever fill them once because it’s nearly impossible to clean them out. Cue – GoToob. They make it super easy to do all that with their soft silicone squeezable bottles with extra wide openings. They also have handy suction cups that stick to the hotel shower, so you’ll be free from my other travel pet peeve, toiletry bowling. AKA the act of knocking down all those tiny shampoo, conditioner and bath gel bottles that the hotel fits on the small soap holder.

Organizers Galore

Truly, I can never have too many organizers when it comes to packing. Get them for cosmetics, toiletries, cords and plugs, garments, intimates… Heck, if you have a lot of glasses or sunglasses to switch between, I love having an organizer to keep them all together as well. The key is to make sure internally, they have a lot of pockets, zippers, and pouches to keep everything secure. I personally made sure my organizers also had bands sewn in to hold things in place. If you’re not sure what specific organizers your traveler might want, I’d go with a more general one that has a lot of options like my 5-piece organizer.

Travel Electronic Gear

Portable Charger

Every traveler needs a portable charger. There is no stress like the stress you feel when traveling around somewhere brand new and seeing your phone batter slip below 20%! What makes this Anker one special is the charger IS a battery pack and the battery pack IS a charger! Now your battery will always be full when you unplug your charger from the wall, genius!

A Travel Adaptor

Travelers going abroad will likely need some sort of travel adaptor. This one’s my favorite for Europe and Asia plugs as well as BOTH kinds of USB ports so you don’t need an additional charger too. (they also have UK ones on the site)

A Power Strip

With all of us so dependent on our devices, nothing comes more in handy than some sort of compact power strip or powercube. I always travel with one because they increase your charging options from two outlets to multiple ones, and you never know how conveniently placed outlets will be. Also, if I get to an airport and all the outlets are taken, I can ask to plug this in so more people can share. ‘Tis the season for giving!

For the Kids

The Ultimate Travel Journal for Kids

The Ultimate Travel Journal for Kids was created by my good friend Rob Taylor of 2 Travel Dads (you may remember him from our St. Augustine episode!). He has traveled all over the world with his husband and sons and knows when and what kids want to spend time on when they are away.  It’s such a great way for kids to actually record their trip memories! 

The Mindful and Intentional Traveler

My friend and photography tour leader Ralph Velasco has created a few books about mindful and intentional traveling. It’s great for anyone looking to deepen their travel experience and approach the world with more intention.

The Logic Puzzle Book for Teens and Young Adults

If you’re like me, getting kids away from screens is a never ending battle. This book is a fun way to help with that.

For the Car Traveler

Backseat Organizers

Just like the tray table organizers I mentioned earlier will help with airplane travel, these backseat organizers will do wonders for car travel especially if you’re road tripping with kids.

Trunk Organizer

(Are you sensing a theme here?) This is for any road tripper who has a bad habit of just tossing things in their trunk only to find it a mess weeks later when they have to find a specific item. These trunk organizers will go a long way in preventing that from happening.

Car Ipad Holder

Remember back in the day when you’d travel with a small TV that had to be strapped into place between seats with a series of bungee cords and a prayer? This ipad holder is the modern, much more reliable version of that.

A Pet Carseat

For those traveling with pets, this is a great option for them! Most people I know with bigger dogs love this option specifically. 

Solid Travel-Inspired Gifts

A Traveling Tea Kettle

This has become my new favorite travel essential! A small collapsible tea kettle. Hotels in the United States rarely have electric kettles so this makes a great item for anyone who travels and needs a super-hot cup of tea before she even thinks about being productive (that would be me). Coffee machines never put out water that’s hot enough to brew tea, but this little number is a gem!

A Great Travel Wallet

A really good travel wallet is likely going to be different from the wallet you use every day. I personally like having something a bit bigger that I can also easily store my passport, tickets, and any other bits of paper I want to have on hand. And, if you’re already not conscious of this with your regular wallet, you definitely want an RFID wallet that keeps your information extra safe.  For those who are a little more casual, I like recommending my quilted wallet or croco wallet. If you know you’re going to have some fancier nights out, I love my envelope-style croco organizer.It also doubles for organization if you’re on a plane or train and want to make the most of that backseat pocket.

Compression Socks

Long flight? On your feet all day? Sitting at a computer from 9-5? Compression socks are where it’s at. Compression socks are a proactive way to maintain healthy circulation, reduce discomfort and help prevent vein disease. They reduce swelling in your legs, improve circulation and lower your risk of getting blood clots. The best part? You no longer have to feel embarrassed wearing them because the designs these days are so much fun! The socks from Vim & Vigr are legitimately cute. 

Eagles Nest Hammock

If you love someone who loves the outdoors, then get them one of these cute, comfortable, ultra-portable hammocks. Both functional and stylish, the Eagles Nest hammock conveniently shrinks down to a size that will comfortably fit inside any backpack or tote. (And they’re from a “Places to Love” destination, Asheville!) You simply string it up between two sturdy anchors and it provides instant relaxation almost anywhere you can imagine.

Coffee Table Books

Nat Geo makes some of the coolest coffee table books, beyond the one I recommended above. Their 50 States, 5,000 Ideas is amazing for domestic inspiration, and their Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places is a true wanderluster’s dream. Even I keep adding to my bucket list from this book!

A Suitcase Ornament

This suitcase ornament is a very cute gift for any traveler building their Christmas tree ornament collection.

Do you have a favorite travel gift? Let’s hear it below!

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