Do you have a traveller on your list? We’ve got you covered! Here are our top 11 best travel gifts for 2021.
*PLEASE NOTE – We are not affiliated with these companies in any way and are not receiving compensation of any kind. These are just our favourite travel inspired gift ideas with examples.
1. A trip booked with BST Vacations OR a BST Vacations Gift Certificate – Okay, okay…..that was a shameless plug, BUT giving the gift of travel really is the best gift you can give someone. Our travel experts can help you plan an adventure, or let them decide and give a BST Vacations Gift Certificate. Gift Certificates are available in any amount and can be used toward any travel with us. Contact your travel advisor for details, or reach out by email to info@bstvacations.ca
2. Brightly Coloured or Patterned Suitcase – Anyone who has ever owned a brightly coloured or patterned suitcase knows the joy of being able to spot your luggage quickly when it is coming down the conveyer. After a long flight this small win can make all the difference. There are plenty of options out there, but Heys is a great brand and their luggage is sturdy and stands the test of time. Love this green one that is currently on sale on the HBC website!
3. Packing Cubes – Having separate compartments for clothes, laundry, underthings, toiletries, shoes, and anything else you can think of, is a travel game changer. They keep your luggage organized and prevent things from shifting. It also makes unpacking a breeze, and having a place to put your laundry during your holiday is a definite plus! You can find packing cubes plenty of places, but I have ones similar to these available online at Best Buy Canada.
4. Turkish Towels – These are AMAZING! Not only do Turkish Towels make great travel towels as they are light and fast drying, they also double as throws, scarves, & wraps. You can order them from lots of places but we like Teema.co as many of their products are crafted by a network of artisanal weavers located in a small mountain town in Southwestern Turkey.
5. Insulated Tumbler or Beverage Cup – All-inclusives tend to serve drinks in very small plastic cups, where they get too warm quickly. Pour yours into an insulated tumbler to keep it cool—this will also help you locate your drink on a tabletop full of white cups. You can find them anywhere – but my personal favourite is the Bubba Keg with easy grip handle and lid so no creepy crawlies can climb in. You can get them at Canadian Tire in various colours, and they are a great price point!
6. Lighted Travel Mirror – Bad lighting in your hotel bathroom? Problem solved! A lighted travel mirror to the rescue! There are plenty of travel mirrors out there but I like this one from LimeLife. This travel sized, ultra lightweight mirror features optimum lighting with three stage dimming, a rechargeable battery, a shatterproof mirror, and has a built in retractable finger ring and leg stand.
7. Portable Power Bank to charge your cell phone – Imagine you are on the adventure of a lifetime and relying on your cell phone to capture what you are seeing/experiencing, and your phone dies. It happens….trust me. This is a great gift for any traveller on your list. They can be found at any store that sells electronics, but here is a link to a fairly generic one on the Best Buy Canada website.
8. Universal Travel Adaptor – There is nothing worse than arriving in another country and realizing that your hair dryer and cell phone charger will not work with the plugs in the room. An essential item for every traveller is a Universal Travel Adaptor. This one at Canadian Tire would do the job.
https://bit.ly/3Wh8QKI
9. Travel Pillow – A travel pillow is essential for long journeys, but they can be bulky and awkward. Move over travel pillows of yesteryear – time for a travel pillow upgrade! Introducing the Trtl Travel Pillow – its hidden internal support keeps your head upright while sleeping, is machine washable with supersoft, hypoallergenic fleece, and has a compact and lightweight design. This is definitely not your Grandma’s Travel Pillow.
10. RFID Travel Document Holder – When it’s time to travel, you want to have a good document holder so that you have everything stored in one place. I like this one from the Bentley Canada website, equipped with card slots for your ID, & passport. It has RFID protection which prevents unauthorized reads of personal information stored on cards.
11. BONUS GIFT IDEA Scratch Map – I stumbled across this last minute and included it because I thought it was brilliant! This replaces the push pin system entirely! Just scratch off the places you have travelled and create your very own personalized world map. The map is printed in gold and black, but when you scratch off places you’ve visited (using an eraser), vivid bursts of colour are revealed. Look along the bottom of the piece and you’ll discover illustrations with interesting tidbits about world geography. Printed on sturdy cardstock.
