Did the gifting season sneak up on you again? Us too. Don’t worry—we’ve gathered ideas for the travelers on your list, young and old. From stocking stuffers to spendy items, useful gadgets to travel experiences, we’ve got you covered.
Light-Up Compass
They will always know where they are and where they’re going with this sturdy Coleman compass. The rotating bezel lets you mark the compass two degrees at a time, and am LED backlight makes it easy to use in dim conditions. $13, coleman.com
Kids Luggage Tags
These customized bag tags make kids feel all grownup, and make travel easier, too. Choose from 11 different animals that can be personalized with their name. These high-gloss MDF tags come with a leather strap for hooking onto suitcases, backpacks and more. $15, etsy.com
Collapsible Water Bottle
We all want to travel more sustainably, and that includes avoiding single-use plastic water bottles. One challenge: Reusables can be heavy or bulky. But Stojo’s clever design, made from BPA-free silicone, measures about 3 by 4 inches when collapsed. Expanded to full size, it can hold 20 ounces of water. It also comes in several cute colors. $20, stojo.co
Travel Planner
It’s so much more fun than a spreadsheet. The 1dea Travel Map book includes maps, checklists and stickers, so you can plan out your future journeys or journal the ones you’ve already taken. One map is even a mini scratch-off version that you (or the kids) can use to track where you’ve been. $30, 1dea.me
Portable Art Kit
Encourage kids’ (or adults’) creativity and keep them off screens with Faber-Castell travel art easel. It can fit in a backpack and is stocked with high-quality art supplies including jumbo beeswax crayons, mini colored pencils, markers, chalk, a dry erase marker, sketch pad and more. $35, amazon.com
Paravel Fold-Up Backpack
An ultra-lightweight backpack is always useful–whether your favorite traveler uses it as a carry-on, or totes it along for a pop-up day pack. Paravel’s version is good-looking and sturdy, and weighs less than a pound. It folds up into a small packet, but when opened can hold all water bottles, snacks, jackets, sunscreen, baby wipes, and other necessities. $52, tourparavel.com
Travel Tech Pouch
Put an end to untangling cords—or hunting them down—with this practically magical pouch. Made from water-resistant recycled nylon, it has origami-stye pockets that can fit cords, dongles and earbuds for everyone in the family. $54, peakdesign.com
Culinary Backstreets Kit
Culinary Backstreets runs super-local culinary walks and cooking classes around the world. If you want your loved ones to reminisce about a favorite destination, get inspired for a future trip, or just try out a new cuisine, give a box of goodies from Tokyo, Mexico City, Queens, and beyond. Each box also comes with a virtual tour of the destination. $80, culinarybackstreets.com
National Parks Pass
Give nature lovers the gift of access. The America the Beautiful Pass provides free entry at 2,000 federally-managed sites across the U.S., including national parks, national forests and BLM land. If you purchase it from REI, 10% of the proceeds go to foundations that help care for those lands, $80, rei.com
Lounge Membership
Make all their air travel more enjoyable for the next year. Priority Pass gives members access to thousands of private airport lounges around the world, free or at a discounted price depending on the membership level. Lounges vary from airport to airport, but many provide complimentary snacks, uncrowded bathrooms, good Wi-Fi, and a little quiet. From $99, prioritypass.co
World Map Quilt
Encourage them to dream of global travels with this handmade cotton quilt. It’s decorated with animals and landscapes across the seven continents. And it’s made from fabric certified by Better Cotton Initiative, so it’s been sustainably grown. $200, potterybarnkids.com
