Angie Away’s 2017 Holiday Travel Gift Guide

Ho, ho, hold up. What do you mean this is my 6th Annual Holiday Travel Gift Guide and Giveaway?!

I don’t know about you, but sharing this guide and giving away heaps of shoes, electronics, vacations and gear every year puts me in a jolly mood. No wonder Santa is so fat and happy! (It’s probably a combo of gift giving and cookie-eating, if I’m honest.)

Who’s ready for some holiday cheer?

Click around, explore the travel gift guide and let me know what makes your little reindeer nose light up. Then enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. Bonus! Everyone who signs up for the Angie Away newsletter will get an extra 10 entries for the travel gift guide giveaway – deck the halls with Angie’s favorite goodies, fa la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la.

Ok, that’s enough cheer. Time to shop!

TRAVEL GEAR

G-RO Smart Luggage*

I may be in the minority of pro travelers, but I always check my bags. With my janky back, I just can’t be carting heavy, cumbersome luggage all over creation and trying to lift it into an overhead bin. (#ShortGirlProblems) This year, I tried out the compact G-RO rolling bag and loved it – I even carried on for once!

Even though it looks like a pretty small bag (and certainly is within the carry-on range), it’s super roomy with lots of zippered pockets and a built-in combination lock. It has big wheels that are distinctive and sturdy, so you can hop over curbs easily. And since the wheels are on the outside of the bag, there’s more room for souvenirs.

And that’s not even the best part! There’s a portable power bank two built-in USB ports so you can plug in phones on the go. Super important when you get to an airport that doesn’t have enough plugs.

$399, G-RO 

GOGroove Camera Backpack*

With all the gear I’m carrying around these days, I have to have a comfortable, spacious bag to tote it all around. Cue the GOGroove Camera Backpack – the latest addition to my luggage army. I have the smallest version and it holds a ton! My laptop, GoPro, tripods, chargers, digital camera and miscellaneous bits and pieces with room to spare

$69.99, GOGroove.com

ELECTRONICS

Spivo 360*

If you’ve ever tried to shoot an active video with your GoPro, but missed the shot because you didn’t have time to flip the camera around – the Spivo 360 is going to change your photography game. It’s a selfie stick with a twist… literally, with the click of a button on the handle, you can swivel your GoPro to either face you or face away from you.

I just started using this handy little tool a few weeks ago and have already demoted my one-way selfie stick to the closet. The Spivo 360 is 20” long so it’s easy to attach to a carry-on backpack. I use mine with a GoPro, but there’s also a smartphone adapter so you can use that, too.

$59.99, Spivo

DJI Mavic Pro

The newest addition to our camera arsenal. Yes, folks, we are the proud parents of a bouncing baby drone! Now that Rick is on Team Angie Away, he is the resident pilot extraordinaire. Did you see his first video from St. Lucia? A-mAH-zing. Easy enough to use – though I confess, I haven’t touched it. That’s all Rick.

Want something a little less complicated for your first drone? Check out the DJI Spark.

$905, DJI Mavic Pro 

DJI Osmo

We are keeping DJI in business this year! Rachel and I just shot our first video using her new Osmo and yowza, does it ever look good! The Osmo is a gimbel setup that you can literally run and jump with and still have awesome steady footage. The only issue we have with it is all the stares people give us. It’s a camera, y’all, not an alien. Be sure to get extra batteries for this one – you’ll want to use it ALL the time once you get the hang of it.

$499, DJI Osmo

GoPro Hero 5 Black

At this point, you can’t really call yourself a traveler without a GoPro in your bag. It’s so light, takes amazing pictures, is waterproof and can be attached and adapted for just about every situation. (Except maybe low light.) My favorite camera to throw in my bag and take everywhere. Buy in a bundle with accessories so your gift recipient can hit the ground running!

$399, GoPro

Memory Card Case*

With multiple GoPros, a Mavic, an Osmo and a couple of random digital cameras on hand, I was starting to lose track of my memory cards. Then I got this. Holds 22 Micro SD cards. Bingo.

$6, Amazon.com

CLOTHES, SHOES & ACCESSORIES

The Walking Company*

All I Want for Christmas is…. shoooooooooes! I’ve been a flats girl the past few years, but my dogs start barking about 20 minutes into a wander these days. A couple months ago I discovered The Walking Company and instantly became the brand’s biggest fan. I now own SIX pairs of shoes, almost all from the store’s ABEO line. If you do a lot of walking, you’ve got to try these.

$100+, TheWalkingCompany.com

World Market Llama Scarf

Know what I love most about World Market? I can buy souvenirs from all over the world and pass them off like I bought them on the road – without taking up space in my suitcase and paying for extra checked bag fees. So sneaky, but so genius, bwahahaha.

$24.99, WorldMarket.com

MISCELLANEOUS FUN STUFF

Globe Bar

Mini-bottles of local booze are one of the easiest souvenirs to transport home. I find people are much more excited about my travel tales when I ply them with beverages. And where do I store them? In my fancy globe bar, of course.

$100, Amazon.com

Ancestry DNA: Genetic Testing

Rick and I are really getting into our ancestry, especially having just explored his Irish homeland last month. On both our wishlists this year: the Ancestry DNA kit. It’s a great way to pick your next travel destination, too!

$79, AncestryDNA

Travel Ornament

We have a long-standing Orth family tradition of buying a Christmas ornament anytime we go on a trip. The day after Thanksgiving when we’re decorating the tree, it’s fun to take each ornament and say, “Oh! Do you remember that time we went to _______?” It makes decorating even more fun. Rick and I are doing that now with our own tree, and we added Ireland and St. Lucia this year. Of course it’s best to pick these up while traveling, but I always forget!

$Varies, Amazon.com

Luminoodle*

The Luminoodle may look like just a string of lights, but it’s been such a handy thing to have around! It’s super light, producing up to 10 feet of brightness. This year we took it camping at Ginnie Springs, used it to light product photo shoots and hung it up on our deck during a party. You can plug it in or use batteries, so it’s great to take on road trips or anywhere.

$29.95, Luminoodle 

iPhone Fan

Surprisingly powerful and a lifesaver on a sticky Florida day. I keep this little gadget in my camera bag so I always have it handy during hot outdoor media events or even in the studio when the lights get hot. It’s quiet and itty bitty, but really packs a nice punch.

 $8, Amazon.com

Neither snow nor sleet nor White Walkers will stop me from delivering goodies from this holiday travel gift guide to a few lucky travelers. It’s super easy to enter to win selected items (those with a *) via the Rafflecopter widget below. You can enter often!

And don’t forget that everyone who signs up for the Angie Away newsletter between now and when the contest ends gets an additional 10 entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What’s on your wishlist this year? Tell me in the comments! 

Occasionally brands will get in touch with me to do reviews of their products. Some of the ones I liked most from 2017 appear here in the travel gift guide with my honest opinion; others get returned to sender if they’re not up to snuff. And other items, like the GoPro, are personal favorites I can’t live without. Rest assured, I only include goodies I personally approve of, use and/or want! Some of the links may be affiliate links, which means that I receive a small fee for the referral if you make a purchase. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but it does help me to keep Angie Away free as a resource for travelers like you. Thank you for your support!