Holiday Gift Guide for the Adventurous Traveler

This is Wander Your Way’s very first holiday gift guide for the traveler in your life.

I almost created a list last year, but for some reason, I just didn’t feel quite right about it.

But this year is different as I have a good array of products that I have used on my travels and that I truly believe in.

So if you need a gift for that special someone who has wanderlust in their heart and who dreams of far off places, keep reading.

 

Holiday gift ideas for those who need a little help with organization

Eagle Creek Packing Cubes

I fu**ing love these packing cubes!

Seriously.

Packing cubes have changed the way I pack and travel.

And Eagle Creek are my favorite brand.

Yes, there are lots of other brands out there – some are less expensive and some might be a bit more.

But the classic Eagle Creek are the ones I bought back in 2005 …

And I still use them.

They’re still in superb condition.

I have overstuffed them, thrown them around, stepped on them — and they’re still in perfect condition.

 

The newer compression cubes are fab too.

These work well for packing sweaters or fleece.

You’ll find full size packing cubes, half, quarter and even these little ones that are padded and perfect for jewelry or medicines.

I think I read that one person used the tiny cube for her contacts.

If you have a traveler in your life that could use a little help staying organized, these are the perfect holiday gift!

 

BGTREND Cable Organizer Electronic Accessories Travel Bag Case 

So this lovely case has been upgraded since I bought mine earlier this year, but the upgrade looks fab!

This is the holiday gift for that traveler who takes all her electronics with her. (ummm…ME!)

For my travels earlier this year I put this case to the test — and I love it.

I kept my charger for my camera batteries in one spot, the cord for my iPhone in another, the cord to attach the camera to the laptop in another place…well, you get the idea.

All my cords and chargers were kept in the same spot in this case so I NEVER worried about forgetting one as I moved from one town to the next.

In today’s world where we are all traveling with at least 2 or 3 devices, this is a godsend!

 

Nalgene travel sized reusable bottles

I discovered these little treasures before my first international trip in 2005.

And I use them on every trip I take.

They are completely reusable so you don’t have to waste the money on travel sized toiletries.

This not only saves money but, more importantly, reduces your use of plastic.

Simply fill these little guys up with your favorite toiletry items from home and you are set.

These make a great holiday gift for someone that you don’t want to spend a lot on, but you want to get a little something for.

 

 

Holiday gift ideas for the outdoor adventurer

Swiss Army Knife

I don’t go anywhere without this!

Now you can’t take this on the plane if you are a carry-on traveler.

So this won’t work for you or your traveler friend if this is your style of travel.

But I always check a bag so I tuck this into a pocket in my big bag and have it as I travel.

While I think a Swiss Army knife is a wonderful holiday gift for the outdoor person in your life, I’ve probably used it more in every day situations — cutting a thread on a piece of clothing with the scissors, tightening a screw with the screw driver, cutting a piece of fruit with the knife and opening a bottle of wine with the corkscrew.

Depending on the model you buy you can have all kinds of fun gadgets in one place.

Yup, gotta have the corkscrew!

This really is an excellent holiday gift for anyone, but it’s definitely a must for the outdoor person in your life.

I currently have the Explorer model since I forgot to take the Huntsman model out of my purse when I flew home from Dublin earlier this year.

Oops!

Epic fail there.

So I’m eager to test out the new, upgraded model on my 2019 travels.

 

Nalgene Water Bottle

There are so many water bottles out there now, but I’m a purist.

I started with Nalgene and have gone back to them.

I tried a couple of others, but I love this water bottle.

First of all, taking a water bottle on your travels helps you save money.

Secondly, and most importantly in my book, it keeps you from buying all those plastic bottles that are NOT all going to be recycled.

Seriously folks, let’s try to reduce our use of plastic.

There are other types of water bottles out there that filter your water that are probably great if you are traveling in developing parts of the world or are camping.

And there are collapsable water bottles that take up less space.

But Nalgene is still around.

And, call me old school, they’re still the best.

I’ve dropped them and thrown them around and — aside from a few scrapes — they’re still in good shape.

You can get them in wide mouth or narrow mouth.

 

Osprey Hydration Pack

I’m a huge fan of Osprey backpacks.

I have 3.

For the traveler who loves to hike, this is an awesome holiday gift.

I have the Skimmer 22 which is a women’s specific pack.

This is what I love about Osprey is that they have women specific packs to fit shorter torsos and wider hips.

You can buy this one at Amazon.

I have this exact one in this lovely green color.

This is the pack I used as I walked the West Highland Way in Scotland in 2017.

It’s awesome!

Osprey has recently updated their packs so now the Skimmer comes in 20 and 28 sizes.

And the men’s equivalent, the Skarab, comes in 22 and 30 sizes and gets great reviews.

Seriously, you can’t go wrong with Osprey packs!!

 

 

 

Gift ideas for those who need to stay warm and dry — and keep their feet happy

Patagonia Capilene

If you’re going to head to colder climates for your trip, then I highly recommend getting some long underwear/base layer.

And I think Patagonia Capilene is the best.

First of all Patagonia products are some of the best made out there so you’ll have these pieces of clothing forever.

Secondly, the Capilene technology does a fabulous job of keeping you warm and wicking the moisture away from your skin for those cold weather high energy activities such as running, cross country skiing and winter hiking.

I bought my first Capilene back in the mid-90’s and had those baselayer bottoms and top for 15 years before they wore out — and I wore them a lot!

Now I have a zip neck top that I love for cold weather running and hikes.

I really believe in the Patagonia brand and mission.

Buy at Patagonia directly here:

Or at REI

 

The North Face 1/4 Zip Glacier Fleece

I just bought my fourth one of these.

Yup.

It’s an addiction.

My original one is still in use but is my “wear around the house” fleece as it’s got a couple of stains on it.

TMI? Sorry!

But it still keeps me warm.

I really love this particular women’s fleece for a few reasons.

Number one is that it really does keep you warm.

Secondly, I think if you get the right color for you, it can easily replace a sweater when you’re heading out for a casual dinner or drinks or to a movie.

Lastly, it comes at a great price and there are loads of colors to choose from.

Oh, and a bonus tip: Buy true to size if you want it to be form fitting.

Size up if you want to have it fit a bit looser.

 

The North Face Venture Rain Jacket

One of the new items in my travel bag is the Venture Rain Jacket from The North Face.

I had an older rain jacket from this reliable company that I just felt was too bulky for travel.

So early this year I bought the Venture Rain Jacket.

And it was perfect for travel in Ireland and Wales — where you are guaranteed to see some rain.

The North Face has done a wee upgrade to the Venture 2 since I purchased my jacket, but the upgrades are minor and often it’s about the array of colors they offer.

This comes in both men’s and women’s and again, there are great color choices.

It’s a brilliant holiday gift for any traveler.

But at Amazon or REI.

 

 

Oofos

Otherwise known as the flip flop that changed my life, these flip flops, sandals, shoes and boots are a must for any active person.

I put these flip flops on after a run, long walk or hike.

They were on my feet every day I finished a section of the West Highland Way in Scotland last year.

They are pillows for my feet.

I love these.

And I’m eager to buy the cute shoes for my next trip.

Hmmm…maybe Santa will bring them to me.

I have been a good girl (mostly) this year.

Seriously, for that active person in your life who needs to take care of his feet, these will be his favorite gift!

 

Holiday Gifts for photographers

Fluid + Form video camera

Want a GoPro action video camera but don’t want to pay that much?

Then this is the action video camera for you or for that photographer in your life.

I stumbled across this last year around the holidays.

So I used Christmas money to buy this little camera after reading a couple of fabulous reviews.

I love it.

It’s small, comes with loads of brackets and attachment gizmos, a waterproof case and 2 batteries.

You do have to buy the memory card separately which is not that big of a deal as you can get the proper card size for your needs.

I know I haven’t posted any videos here yet that I’ve taken with it, but stay tuned as I’m in the process of learning some editing software.

So just trust me when I say that this is the perfect action video camera for that special someone on your list.

 

B+W Circular Polarizer

For the travel photographer in your life who owns a DSLR, a circular polarizer is a must.

I use my polarizer on those blue sky, white fluffy cloud days.

It deepens the blue of the sky and makes the clouds pop out a bit more.

B+W is the brand I’ve been using for the past few years and I have been very happy with it.

This makes an excellent holiday gift for any photo enthusiast.

 

 

Holiday Gifts for those who want to speak another language

Fluenz

This is THE BEST language program out there.

Sonia Gil and her team have created this awesome language program that really works.

I have both the Italian and French programs.

While I’ve not gotten into the French program yet, the Italian program is amazing.

I used this in early 2012 as I prepared for a third trip to Italy.

And I was amazed that I could understand bits and pieces of what the Italians were saying to me and I could answer back to a certain degree.

If you stick with it, and practice on a regular basis as is recommended, you’ll be able to have some conversations in another language as you travel.

 

Lonely Planet Language Guides

These guides are perfect for that person who wants to have a language guide with her as she travels.

Lonely Planet has been creating these guides for years and they really are filled with the most useful words and phrases you need as a traveler.

I personally love the pocket sized guides as I’m still a fan of having a real paper book.

 

Books for the traveler in your life

Geography of Bliss

This is one of my favorite books from Eric Weiner.

He travels the world looking for the world’s happiest place.

Does this place even exist?

Does where we live determine how happy we are?

It’s a great read for those who have a bit of wanderlust in their heart.

PS I’d also recommend Eric’s other book called Man Seeks God for those who want something philosophical on religion.

 

The Alchemist

Paolo Coelho’s masterpiece is another wonderful read for those who have a bit of wanderlust.

This tale of Santiago, a shepherd boy from the Andalucía region of Spain, intertwines magic, mysticism, and finding one’s path in life.

It follows Santiago across far off lands as he follows his dreams.

This has always been one of my favorite books and is one I like to re-read from time to time.

 

A Year in Provence

The late Peter Mayle’s classic recounting of living out the dream of buying a farmhouse in Provence is one of my favorites.

He learns to deal with the changing seasons, the crazy locals and to love the food and the pace of life.

It’s a witty, humorous and heart-felt read that is an excellent gift for anyone who loves France or dreams of rural life in any European country.

 

Under the Tuscan Sun

This is another fun book about buying a house in another country and learning to adapt to a new culture.

Frances Mayes buys and renovates a house in Tuscany, Italy.

And, since this is Italy, there are the typical trials of getting the work done in a timely manner.

It’s funny and filled with the love of a place that I can totally relate to.

This part of Italy really captures your heart and soul.

Yes, there is the movie with Diane Lane.

But the book is very different and, to me, so much better.

 

Lonely Planet Guidebooks

These are my go to guidebooks when I’m planning a trip.

They give you an overall sense of destinations to travel to, sites to see, places to stay and how to get there.

These guides make an amazing holiday gift for that special someone who is planning a trip for 2019 or even dreaming of a future trip.

 

Location Inspiration Guide: A Journey Through Italy

If you’ve got someone on your list who is dreaming of going to Italy, then why not give them this ebook written by yours truly?

This guide is packed with destinations to inspire you to travel to Italy — places that are more off the tourist trail.

It covers all 20 regions and offers up 4-7 spots in each region that you may have never heard of, but are destinations that are worthy of spending some time in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planning Your Trip To Europe: The Best Tips, Tricks and How-To’s

I am so pleased to add this to the list!

This e-guide was just released and it’s a must for the special someone who is planning a trip to Europe.

Planning Your Trip To Europe is jam-packed with all kinds of tips to help you plan and manage your trip.

You’ll learn how to plan out your itinerary, manage money and credit cards, navigate the trains and buses and find the best ways to visit the sites.

And all for just $7.99!

It’s a bargain!

 

So there you have it, some great holiday gift ideas for the adventurous traveler in your life.

Or maybe a little gift for yourself 😉

But the best gift of all?

The Gift of Travel.

Happy Holidays!!

 

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