The 30 Best Travel Gifts, No Matter Where You’re Going

“Every carry-on-only traveler needs a parcel,” says Apartment Therapy Shopping Writer Alexa Casanova. “It's what a toiletry bag should be: easy to clean, easy to sift through, and it stays shut in transit. You can even throw in a few of the brand's capsules for your giftee to decant their toiletries in.”

Alexa's all-time favorite personal item is the Calpak Travel Terra backpack. (She has hers in the adorable wasabi color.) “It's one of the few backpacks I’ve tried that's actually comfortable to wear when it's completely full,“ she says. “But I also don't even have to wear it, because it has a trolley sleeve and can sit on my luggage without falling over.” 

A good, relatively affordable pair of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones is hard to find, but this pair from Bose does it all. Plus, it comes with a cord so that you can seamlessly switch from a Bluetooth connection to a wired one. I use these all the time, but they’re great for long-haul travel days when you don’t want your ears to get sore from earbuds.

Not all packing cubes are created equal, and these recycled nylon compression packing cubes from Quince are the best of the best at a price point that just makes sense. They’ve also won our Organization Awards.

These Matador Flatpak toiletry bottles come in a three pack for $40 and are an Apartment Therapy Organization Awards winner. They are, as their name suggests, totally flat when empty, making them the perfect travel toiletry kit because they flatten with use, taking up almost no room in your bag.

I had resisted getting a Kindle Paperwhite for a long time, because I prefer reading physical books. But when you’re traveling light and plan on being on the go for a few weeks, there’s no more practical gift than an e-reader. I love my Kindle and it’s changed the game when it comes to reading on the go. While I’m at home, I still crack open bound paper books, but if I’m traveling, the Kindle is with me.

A good pair of walking shoes is a necessity for any vacation, and before my honeymoon, I splurged on a pair of Salomon XT-6’s. They were brand-new when I started wearing them for 16- to 20-mile walking days, and they broke in instantly — no pain at all. They’re great for moderate hikes, long city treks, museum days, and more. Plus, they’re cute as can be.

Apartment Therapy’s Senior Shopping Writer Megan Gray’s brother is in the military, so he’s always working on the go. “A few years ago, I got him the Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk, and he says it’s his favorite travel accessory. The set includes a wireless keyboard, touchpad, and a stylish case that looks like a book (it even transforms into a laptop stand). It can make any space a workplace."

Apartment Therapy’s Senior Lifestyle Editor Quinn Fish never travels without a mini sound machine; in particular, this $10 find from Amazon. It offers 15 non-looping sounds that range from a crackling campfire to ocean waves, and runs for 22 hours at maximum volume.

If you’re getting a travel gift for any young millennial or zoomer in your life, look no further than Baggu. Their bags have been a longtime AT favorite, but if you’re looking for a stocking stuffer then check out this dopp kit in a gorgeous gingham black and cream. It’ll get you major cool points.

For anyone in your life going on a long-haul flight, I cannot recommend the Pluto Pod Travel Pillow enough. I used it on long-haul flights from the East Coast of the United States to Thailand and Vietnam, and was able to get four straight hours of sleep in this pillow. It’s a splurge — $145 — but it’s worth its weight in gold.

Alexa “never ever travels without” her Twelve South wireless Bluetooth transmitter adapter for flights. “It plugs into the seat-back entertainment system on flights so I can connect my noise-cancelling headphones via Bluetooth and not have to use the dinky wired ones they hand out during the flight. Especially as a nervous flyer, being able to wear headphones that are truly noise-cancelling is paramount, and this gadget lets me do that!” 

Baggu is the it-girl bag brand of the moment, but just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s practical. Their medium-sized crescent bag is the perfect travel day bag — it packs totally flat when empty, is made of an ultra-durable nylon, and has an adjustable cross-body strap and two zippered pockets on the inside for your wallet, passport, keys, or headphones. It was the only purse I brought with me on my three-week honeymoon, and it did the job time and time again. Plus, it comes in really fun patterns and colors.

I go nowhere without my Baboon to the Moon duffle bags. I’ve had them for years in the mini and small sizes (they are my personal item and carry-on bag, respectively) in a bright, neon orange. They’re durable and waterproof, and I’ve been able to pack for weeks-long trips with just these two bags. 

For a truly beautiful all-inclusive travel toiletry kit, look no further than this set from PakAway that includes five pump bottles with labels for your most basic essentials: moisturizer, body wash, shampoo, face wash and conditioner. This set is perfect for weekend trips. I used it on my three-week trip to Vietnam and Thailand, and can attest that this set is truly leak-proof.

The cult-classic Owala free sip is a favorite for a reason. This 24-ounce water bottle is made of insulated stainless steel, has a leak-proof lid, has a 2-in-1 spout with a straw and mouth opening to help you either sip or swig, and is BPA-, lead-, and phthalate-free. Plus, it’s super-cute and has a loop so that you can hook the water bottle onto your travel bag. 

Do you want a hanging toiletry bag that’s still compact? Look no further than the Calpak Travel Terra Hanging Toiletry Bag, which is AT Style Editor Emma Dangel’s favorite toiletry bag. “It easily fits all of my makeup, skincare, haircare, and hygiene products; it's super-durable; and I love that I can hang or clip it onto anything in the hotel and keep everything easily accessible, but off the countertop.” Note: It’s best for weekend trips, as it can’t hold everything.

I love traveling with a disposable camera, but sometimes airport security workers don’t understand that the disposable film can’t go through the airport X-Ray machine or CT scanner. This digital camera from Camp Snap has all the vibes of a disposable camera with none of the stress of ruining your film. It’s retro-inspired and so cute. 

There’s nothing like a good travel backpack, and the Blast Travel Backpack from Bagsmart is, hands-down, one of the best. Multiple AT editors own it — it came with me on my three-week honeymoon — and Lifestyle Director Stephanie Nguyen says it “can fit an incredible amount of stuff without feeling bulky.” Indeed, there are so many pockets and compartments in this expandable backpack that you can almost forget where you’ve packed everything.

If you’re looking to give someone a serious luggage upgrade, look no further than Away’s newest Aluminum Edge Bigger Carry-On. “It has the best of both worlds,” says Stephanie. “It has a strong aluminum frame, along with aluminum corner protectors, and a lightweight polycarbonate shell. It's also zipper-free with TSA-approved locks and features the Away patented compression system.”

If your gift recipient travels for work a lot, this 14” attachable portable monitor might be exactly what they need. Charli spends a lot of time working in airport lobbies and in hotel rooms, and says “this portable monitor has been such a game changer. It's incredibly lightweight and compact, attaches to my MacBook in seconds, and instantly gives me the extra screen space I need to work more efficiently on the go. Plus, it folds flat, so it's easy to slip into my carry-on without taking up precious packing space."

This airplane foot hammock is the perfect find for your friend who takes long-haul flights, especially in economy. Plus, it’s less than $16.

Emma loves her L.L. Bean Boat and Tote, specifically the medium size zip-top tote with long handles. “It's the perfect size for my laptop, water bottle, toiletries, book, knitting, etc. and fits perfectly on top of my carry-on suitcase. The zip top keeps everything inside so I don't have to worry about dropping anything as I exit the plane, or anything falling out during takeoff or TSA screening. Plus, they're adorable! You can get any Boat and Tote embroidered to make it really feel custom.” 

For the friend who has everything, Emma also recommends the L.L. Bean micro boat and tote. It’s her “best travel hack. I clip one of these adorable micro-tote keychains onto the straps to keep my Airpods, ID, and lip balm easily accessible while everything else is zipped up!”

Emma had five destination weddings this fall, and this neck pillow delivered. “I love that it folds up into the little bag for easy storage, and the memory-foam construction made it a lot more sturdy and shockingly more comfortable than the traditional bean-bag-style neck pillow I had before.” It survived a 10.5-hour flight and a 2-hour bus ride through the hills of Tuscany, and Emma had zero neck pain. 

When you’re traveling light, it’s really important to make sure you have layers that don’t take up too much room in your suitcase. I got this packable mountain classic anorak from L.L. Bean for my husband one year for Christmas, and it has a permanent spot in his travel backpack — it’s wind- and water-resistant, machine-washable, and packs up into a little bag that takes up almost no suitcase room. Shop the men’s or the women’s version.

For the writer friend with wanderlust, this adorable mini-journal that comes with a charm to hook it onto any bag you might have is the perfect stocking stuffer. Perfect for the friend who sketches, takes obsessive notes, or, frankly, loves Peanuts.

Sometimes the best gifts are the ultra-practical ones that are annoying to buy for yourself, and this universal adapter is the perfect gift for anyone who has an international trip coming up. 

I’ve always wanted a portable charging dock for my phone, and this Anker one is the perfect find. It’s great for your friend who might be on the go for days at a time, unable to reliably access electricity. 

The Bagsmart Travel Jewelry Organizer is perfect for anyone who needs a separate, dedicated accessory organizer. It has a trifold design and folds totally flat, so it takes up almost no room in any suitcase; features zippered pockets, ring holders, and earring holders; and comes in four different colors.