Stuff I use, love, and recommend for the travelers on your shopping list
From waterproof sneakers to portable chargers to seat cushions, these are the travel essentials I take with me on every trip. They all make great gifts.
I’ve burned through a lot of travel gear over the years—bags that look good online but don’t hold my things, organizers that are more effort than they’re worth, and bulky stuff that’s not worth the space it takes up.
These are travel items that I use myself and would buy again. If you have any travelers on your holiday shopping list, they might love them too.
👟Waterproof sneakers you can wear in any weather
I bought version 5 of On’s Cloud 6 Waterproof sneakers and I love them. (Men’s version.) They’re solid and sturdy enough that they were my-go to sneaker when I was rehabbing a broken bone in my foot.
They’re great for all-day walking on cobblestone streets and uneven sidewalks, and they passed the step-in-a-puddle test in Mexico City’s rainy season.
💺A squishy seat cushion to make your flight a little more comfy
I got this idea from a physical therapist I interviewed, who says she always flies with an inflatable seat cushion.
I love it for long flights and car rides. It’s easy to inflate, and I like to shift it around. Sometimes I just sit on it, sometimes I push it forward under my knees, and sometimes I shift it to one side or the other to adjust my position.
At the end of the flight or drive, it deflates easily and folds up to fit back into its little 4.3x3.1-inch bag.
🧥A down jacket that folds right into its own pocket
This jacket is nice and warm, and when you’re not wearing it you can easily tuck it in a tote bag—it’s so light, you’ll barely know it’s there. I love that the bag is built right into the jacket so there’s no chance I’ll lose it.
💼A personal item bag I can use as a tote on my trip
This bag has been on quite a few trips with me, and it still looks brand new. I love it because it has plenty of room and still fits under the seat in front of me.
I keep the stuff I want with me on a flight, like my laptop, Kindle, chargers, sweater, pen, snacks, etc., in this bag so I have everything I need.
When I’m on a trip, I’ll use it as a day bag for a sweater, hat, or any small things I want to keep with me. It comes with a longer, cross-body strap so it’s safer to carry in cities.
🛍️A reusable shopping bag I can keep with me all the time
The shopping bag I use was a giveaway at an event eight years ago. Now I’m in the habit of keeping it with me all the time.
It’s extra important to have a bag in Mexico City, where stores don’t routinely give out paper or plastic bags.
You can’t buy the exact version I have, but you can get this one instead, and it comes in a lot of fun designs.
📿A smart way to keep necklaces from getting tangled
I finally found a necklace travel system that works for me. I’ve tried everything from threading chains through drinking straws (works but too much effort) to fancy organizers (take up too much room and have spaces I don’t need).
Threading my necklaces around these little holders works perfectly. (Mine are slightly different from the ones in the link.)
🫙Low-budget containers for makeup and lotions
I see Cadence containers featured in a lot of travel shopping guides, but they’re so expensive!
I use these little containers instead for night cream, hair gel, and other things where I don’t want to bring a full-size container, and I have more than $100 left over to spend on other travel gear.
📚Enough books for a lifetime of trips
I was an early convert to the Kindle, and I love having a lightweight collection of books with me all the time, on a device that holds a charge for weeks.
Even most hardcore paper book fans appreciate an e-reader for travel.
Bonus tip: A lot of US libraries belong to Libby, so if you have a library card from one of them, you can borrow e-books for free. I load my Kindle up with library books before every trip.
👝A bag for my cables and chargers
I wish we were in the wireless-only world, but I still need my laptop charger, phone charger, Fitbit charger, and a couple of pairs of headphones. My Ziploc bags got everything tangled. This bag holds everything neatly.
🗨️A language-learning app
I have mixed feelings about Duolingo, but I think it’s great for a vocab and grammar introduction in the weeks or months before a trip.
You can give someone Super Duolingo for a year, and they can learn as much as they like. You have to work a little to see the price. It was $80 USD when I checked.
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