It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Time to be grateful, visit with friends and family, wear egregious levels of sparkles and give generously to loved ones. It sounds so Hallmark-y when I put it that way, but I guess the holidays just put me in that kind of I-live-in-a-snowglobe-and-drink-hot-cocoa-with-marshmallows-in-a-small-town kind of mood.
And then reality hits the moment I step outside on Black Friday. Sigh. Folks get a little extra when bargains are involved and literally no one in my entire city knows how to park. You feel me?
That’s why I’m back with my 8th Annual Holiday Travel Gift Guide and Giveaway. It’s all online, so you don’t have to fight traffic or your neighbors over sweet deals for the travel lovers in your life. (Or your own self. I am not opposed to using Black Friday to fill your own coffers.)
Fire up some Mariah Carey and click around in the comfort of your post-Thanksgiving jammies. That’s exactly what I’m doing the moment I publish this post!
Past Travel Gift Guides for Even More Ideas
2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018
Welcome to our best travel gift guide ever!
This year we have a little bit of everything, including lots of travel gadgets, maps, experiences, trips and goodies to remind you of your favorite destinations even when you’re not on the go. We’re featuring several small businesses this year, too, so please click around and let them feel the love this holiday season.
And scroll all the way to the bottom to enter our annual gift guide giveaway. Any item on the list with an asterisk is included and available to win! In the words of Dwight Schrute, Fa la la la la, la la ka-ching.
Gift Ideas For The Travelers In Your Life
Unique Maps
GeoJango Maps*
The GeoJango map is one of my favorite goodies on the list this year! It’s a beautiful, high quality, customizable push-pin map of the world. I picked the Columbus map with gold frame, but there are several colors, styles and frames to choose from. Not only that, but you can customize the text (mine says ‘The World of Angie Away’ and then has all my pins from my journeys). I always wanted one of these for my office and it looks gorgeous!
And there’s nothing better than ordering something already framed (something the many unframed canvases and posters in my closet can attest to). Just unwrap under the tree and plonk on the wall with some gorilla hooks for instant, custom travel decor!
$150, GeoJango
Urban Map Cocktail Glasses*
These city-themed cocktail glasses are such a beautiful gift, especially for someone who has everything. If they had Jacksonville ones, I’d be the first to buy them for our Airbnb! Maybe next year. In the meantime, stocking up for friends in NYC, Atlanta and Chicago.
$16, Uncommon Goods
Jodi’s Food Maps
Since you can’t bring all of Italy’s pasta, Mexico’s mezcal or Japan’s sashimi home, you can remember a tasty journey with unique, hand-drawn maps from Jodi of Legal Nomads. A super thoughtful gift for the enthusiastic food + travel lover in your life.
$18, LegalNomads
Tech Goodies
Polaroid Lab
I almost never buy souvenirs from my trips. Instead, I’ll take a zillion photos that just live on my phone forever. The Polaroid Lab is the missing link for me as a traveler who has way too many photos to print them all. It’s not a printer or a scanner per se, instead it’s a way to take your modern, digital images and turn them into handheld mementos.
The Polaroid Lab takes the digital and makes it analog – a reversal I didn’t know I needed so much until now. But I’m here for it! Read our review here.
$130, Polaroid
And don’t forget the color film.
Canon IVY Cliq*
Like a Polaroid, the Canon IVY Cliq creates photos on the spot, but that’s not all. It also has space for a MicroSD card so you can save the images for printing or sharing later. The mini printed photos are just 2″ x 3″ and have a peel-and-stick back. The IVY CLIQ+ has an LED light so you can take great photos and selfies even in low light and allows you to connect to your phone via Bluetooth to print those photos as well. Check out our review here.
$79, Canon
G-RO Rolling Carry-On with USB Charger
This is an Angie Away Gift Guide favorite, and here’s why. The G-RO holds up! After years of airports, curbs and getting chucked around by baggage handlers, mine is still in great shape. I love the built in combination locks and have come to depend on the removable batteries. Who ever thought up USB power chargers IN a suitcase is a genius.
$445, G-RO.com
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones
The new Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are wireless and offer 20 hours of battery life, so they last me a very long travel day. You can connect the headphones to work with Alexa or Siri, so you can give commands, make calls or change the song, and you never have to mess with your phone. I’m digging the 11 levels of noise cancellation – sometimes you want to hear what’s going on around you (like during takeoff!) and sometimes you want to drown out the guy snoring next to you. Read our full review here.
$399, Bose Noise Cancelling 700
DJI Osmo
We’ve kept DJI in business this year once again. Rachel and I use the Osmo+ to shoot The Jet Sisters travel show and it’s the perfect camera for what we do. The Osmo is a gimbal 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 life form. 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
An Angie Away gift guide staple! My GoPro is the one piece of camera gear I bring with me no matter what. From mountain climbing in Montana to scuba diving in Bonaire, from first class flights to cruising the Caribbean, this little buddy is always in my bag. I just got the GoPro HERO8 and it’s so smooth, you don’t even need a gimbal. Game changer!
If you’re thinking of picking one up for a traveler in your life, check out my tips on scuba diving with a GoPro. And don’t forget a big memory card and extra batteries!
$449, GoPro Holiday Bundle
GoPro Dome
The great addition to my GoPro accessory arsenal is the GoPro dome, a unique lens with a handle that helps you take a photo both above and below the waterline at the same time. For any traveler who spends time in the water, this is a must.
$49, Dome for GoPro 8
Travel Clothes & Shoes
Comrad Compression Socks*
I started out just wearing Comrad compression socks on long flights, but now I even wear them at home. The health benefits are many, and you can’t be too careful with blood clots and whatnot when you’re flying a lot. They come in a zillion fun colors and styles, and make a great gift for the traveler who is too busy to think about taking care of themselves!
$29, Comrad
Boodywear
Another staple for travel days! Made of bamboo, Boody underwear, bras, leggings and tees are some of the softest basics you’ll ever wear. And they’re not just soft, they’re planet friendly! Use code GRAVY20 for 20% off today.
$27.95, Boody Leggings
Rockport Shoes
Rae and I have been working with Rockport on a few campaigns this year, so we’re quickly becoming experts in their comfy, cute shoes. Every pair we’ve tried has been stable, flexible and antimicrobial, and the golden Oaklee Boot with super cute ruffle detail? Good for travel, good for home – good for us! $129, Rockport Oaklee Boot
Travel, Experiences & Miscellaneous Fun
Whisked Away Surprise Travel
We just got back from our first Whisked Away Surprise Travel experience and I assure you, it won’t be the last! Whisked Away takes all the stress and energy of planning off your shoulders, leaving you with anticipation and excitement instead. It’s truly one of my best travel finds of 2019, and an experience I’d love to find under my tree.
Know someone who loves travel but doesn’t have a lot of time to plan? THIS is the best gift you can give! Click here to read our review.
**Whisked Away has generously offered $100 off to the first 10 readers who book a trip for 2020, now through Dec. 15. Use code ANGIEAWAY when booking. Not for use with payment plans.**
$1,500+, Whisked Away
Theme Park Annual Passes
Rae can be found at a theme park at least once a week, and you know why? Because she has annual passes to Disney and Universal, so why not? Theme parks are basically the backyard of Florida, so if there’s a Floridian (or frequent visitor) in your life who doesn’t have a pass yet, this is a gift that will knock their socks off. (Hint, hint. I would not turn down a Disney pass this year!)
And lest ye think I’m forgetting about the rest of the country’s theme parks, I am not! Busch Gardens, Sea World and just about all the rest have their own programs.
$100+, Various
ETScent Theme Park Candles*
Not everyone can make a trip to Orlando every year, but there’s nothing like a whiff of churros, canons and the high seas or even the musty scent of pine forest to take you right back to the happiest places on earth. The easiest (and let’s be honest, least expensive way to do it) is with theme park candles from ETScent. You can get your fix on everything from Pirates of the Caribbean to Dole Whip to Mickey Mouse ice cream, and if that isn’t the most wonderful way to tide yourself over until the next trip, I don’t know what is.
For 15% off your holiday order of ETScent candles, use code JETSISTERS.
$15.95, Etsy
National Park Annual Pass
Speaking of awesome places and unlimited visits, how about an annual pass to the U.S. National Parks? At only $80, it’s a steal, especially if the recipient will be visiting more than a few parks next year. The pass includes a driver and all passengers at more than 2,000 sites, and not only will the person receiving the gift be thrilled, so will America, bald eagles and the fruited plain.
$80, USNPS
Flytographer Gift Card
We loved our Flytographer experience in London! I can’t recommend the experience enough for capturing travel memories beyond the traditional selfie. Personally, I would be grateful for endless Flytographer gift certificates, because I want a photo shoot everywhere I go.
Buying for a traveler? There’s a solid chance Flytographer is already in their next destination. Sessions start at 30 minutes and one location for around $250. Click here to read our review or here to book a session for $25 off.
$250+, Flytographer.com
23andMe DNA Kit
I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100%… not from this planet. Just kidding. I haven’t taken mine yet – the kit I got for my birthday is just waiting for me to finally sit down and try it. But my dad did it earlier this year so I already know some of the story. If you know someone who hasn’t yet figured out where they come from, what a unique gift to give them! (Hopefully they haven’t committed any crimes though. Big yikes.)
$199, 23andMe (Currently 50% off on Amazon!)
iEQ9 Enneagram Assessment
If you’ve had a conversation with me in 2019, chances are I’ve brought up the Enneagram, an ancient personality typing system making one heckuva resurgence in pop culture. Learning more about myself and my relationships through the Enneagram lens has been a real game changer this year. I started with the free quizzes but never was fully sure of my results until I took the #iEQ9 test developed by Ian Morgan Cron. It’s not cheap, but if you have a friend who loves personality tests and growth and learning more about themselves, this is a super memorable prezzie.
$60, iEQ9
Scott’s Cheap Flights
Where would I be without Scott’s Cheap Flights? Probably at home a lot more! If you haven’t signed up for free daily/weekly airfare deals, it’s a must. To save even more (like an average of $550 per flight), you can get a premium membership and legit get 5 times as many deals on international and domestic travel. It’s an amazing gift for a traveler… but don’t forget to scoop one up for yourself. Through Dec. 2, they’re offering 20% off Premium memberships!
That’s it for 2019’s holiday traveler gift guide. But wait, there’s more! Want to win some of these goodies for yourself? Enter in the Rafflecopter widget below for the chance to win something for your stocking.
This is one of our most popular giveaways every year, so enter early, enter often and keep an eye out for our winner announcement in a couple of weeks!
