Holiday Gift Ideas for the World Traveler in Your Life

Everyone has that one friend or loved one. Their social media feed looks more like a travel magazine than a conventional profile – a continuous scroll of far-flung destinations and airport pics. They seem to always be on vacation. And when you’re lucky enough to catch them for a dinner or drink, they talk about the next place they plan to visit. 

How do you shop for a loved one like that? With the holidays right around the corner, this article explores a few compelling gift ideas for the globetrotter in your life. 

Merino Wool Clothing

Merino wool clothing is famous in the travel community, the gold standard for travel clothing. It’s insulating yet breathable, wrinkle-resistant and odor-resistant, fast-drying and sweat-wicking. In other words: Merino wool can handle anything you throw at it. 

Quality merino wool costs more than your average clothing because it’s all-natural and spun into superfine fibers. But luckily, you don’t need much to impress the traveler in your life. A simple yet sophisticated Merino tee or high-performance women’s travel pants will be enough to wow them. 

Noise-Canceling Headphones 

If you’ve ever been seated next to a crying baby on a transcontinental flight for 12 hours, you understand the luxury of silence. 

Sometimes, traveling can be a loud and grating experience, disrupting one’s ability to sleep, read or focus on work. In those times, a quality pair of noise-canceling headphones can be a gift from heaven. Good noise-canceling headphones run a wide price gamut from roughly $75 to $300. Choose whichever one fits your budget; the world traveler in your life will love them regardless. 

An Airport Lounge Pass

Don’t want to gift them something material? Would you prefer to give them an experience instead? It’s challenging to buy a globetrotter a specific experiential gift because you never really know where they’ll be next. But one place you can be sure they’re spending time in: the airport. 

Consider getting your friend or loved one an airport lounge pass. Some of the more prominent lounge passes give travelers access to thousands of lounges worldwide. Standard annual passes run around $100, but they pay for themselves pretty quickly. 

Stocking Stuffers: Packing Cubes, a Scratch-off Map and More

Any of the gifts above would make a winning holiday gift for the traveler in your life (if you’re really feeling generous, go for all three). However, if you’re looking for something smaller, consider stocking stuffer gifts like: 

  • Packing cubes: great for organizing luggage
  • A scratch-off map: a cute gift that lets them keep track of where they’ve been globally
  • Merino travel socks: all the benefits of Merino wool in a smaller package
  • And travel guides, like Lonely Planet, Rough Guides or Rick Steve’s. 

The traveler in your life wants what we all want – things that make their life more convenient and comfortable. That’s why items like Merino wool clothing, an airport lounge pass and noise-canceling headphones make such wonderful holiday gifts. This holiday season, give your friend or loved one the gift of comfort on the road.