If you’re looking for gift ideas for your travel buddies this holiday season, you’re in the right place! If there’s one thing we know, it’s travel. And as avid travelers ourselves, we can easily say that experiences mean far more to us than things. And they make the best gifts!
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For the uninitiated, we understand that it might be hard to imagine a Christmas morning without gift bags and wrapped boxes to tear into before the first mug of coffee is even finished. But does dad really need another tie? Mom another kitchen gadget? Your sibling another tech doo-dad? Do they even remember the one you got them 3 years ago? I know I don’t. And what about the kids? What is Christmas if they don’t have a toy to open?
I’ll tell you what: AMAZING! They’ll grow out of that toy in a matter of months. The tech gadgets are obsolete almost as soon as they start using them. You know what they’ll remember and value for so much longer? Experiences!
We believe the best travel experiences are shared with the people we love. That’s why we love to travel to see family and friends as much as possible. But any kind of travel can result in connections, new friendships, deep experiences and lasting memories.
So let’s get into it:
This Is What We’re Gifting This Year
TLDR: Experiences and memberships to make their travels extra special.
Let me start with a little story: When Stephen and I got married, we got some beautiful gifts from friends. Barware and other household items, mostly. If I’m being honest, I couldn’t remember exactly what items and from whom. But there is one gift we both remember with so much enthusiasm: we got married in Miami, and friends of my parents gifted us a day at the Versace mansion. It had been converted to a private club, and they gave us access. We had the main floor of the mansion to ourselves, complete with a “butler.” We ate lunch on the patio overlooking the pool. We peed in gold toilets when those were still a funny novelty and not a tacky symbol of U.S. politics. It was a fun experience in a week of fun experiences, and it was easily our favorite gift. No unwrapping needed.
This past year we went to the Baja peninsula in Mexico for six weeks. If you asked me what my favorite thing was during that trip, I couldn’t choose just one. But three experiences come to mind very quickly:
The whale watch we went on in Guerrero Negro.
The cooking class we took in Valle de Guadalupe.
The private art and gallery walking tour we booked in Todos Santos.
With each of these experiences we learned about local ecology, culture and history. Each was led by a local resident who we got to know a bit. And while enjoying the experiences, we saw a piece of Mexico through our hosts’ eyes and the experiences they shared with us. We did and saw so much in those six weeks, most of which we DIYed. And it was all fantastic. But the experiences that put us in direct contact with someone who really knew the area and topics… those left us with a deeper sense of the places we visited. Not to mention a desire to go back and learn even more!
If you know someone who’s planning a trip this coming year, booking them a unique experience through a site like GetYourGuide or Viator is an amazing gift they’ll remember for life.
HOT TIP: If you want to let them choose their own adventure, GetYourGuide offers gift cards!
For the Foodie
Who’s up for a midnight food tour by tuk tuk? We’ve always wanted to go to Bangkok!
For the Culture Vulture
We love a great walking tour of public art, like this one in London!
For the Adrenaline Junkie
Moab, Utah is an adventurer’s playground. Pair off-roading there with night sky viewing, and this is an experience they’ll be talking about for years!
For the Wildlife Lover
We’ve had several wildlife encounters (from a safe distance, thankfully!), and one of our faves was seeing the manatees in Florida.
How About some Apps?
For The Road Tripper
Our hands-down favorite app for routing our road trips is aptly titled: Road Trippers. It shows all kinds of points of interest along the way, including obscure spots like the Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk (and Trekkies out there?).
For the RVer or Van Lifer
The big question for most of us who travel in a camper van is: where will I sleep next? Our favorite way to solve that problem is with Harvest Hosts. A one-year membership provides thousands of options to park overnight at a small, locally-owned business. From breweries and wineries to alpaca farms and small museums, these are one of our favorite ways to discover what regions have to offer. We often get to talk to the owners and employees, getting local info and color, as well as regional recommendations!
One-Size-Fits-All
Not sure what kind of traveler your friend is? These gifts are ideal for just about everyone:
Audible Membership
Whether they like to read on a plane, the beach, or close to home on a staycation, an Audible gift lets them choose their own adventure. They can be given in increments of 1, 3, 6, or 12 months to suit your budget (or how much you like them 😉).
Surfshark
Help them keep their personal info protected with a VPN. Public wifi is one of the best things when traveling, but it also leaves data vulnerable. With a VPN, their personal info – think passwords, account numbers, things like that – is encrypted, so hackers and other snoopers get squat.
Airalo
For international travelers, the ability to connect the moment you touch down is clutch. With an eSim like Airalo set up and ready to go pre-flight (or pre-border crossing, in general), they’ll never miss a beat.
Now that you’ve taken care of everyone on your list, here’s something for YOU: a FREE copy of our Ultimate Road Trip Guide!
29 pages of info, tips, resources, and lists to help you plan your own ultimate road trip! Just sign up to our monthly newsletter and it’s yours – FREE! Click the image below!
