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67 Most Useful Travel Accessories: Must-Have Travel Items 2024

By: Author Milijana

Posted on Published: October 11, 2023  - Last updated: April 25, 2024

Categories TRAVEL TIPS

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Wondering what to carry while traveling? Here are the most useful travel accessories and top travel items you need to have on your packing list to travel smart. Here are the things that make travel easier beyond traveling essentials!

AWESOME TRAVELER ACCESSORIES – Travel Must-Haves

If you are into a digital nomad lifestyle or simply into travel long-term, here’s a list of must-have digital nomad gear, travel supplies, and travel equipment. But if you are a seasonal traveler, the next travel accessories will make your travels easier and more comfortable.

It doesn’t matter if you work remotely and long-term travel is your lifestyle, or you take short business trips and prefer short weekend gateways to recharge your batteries in your leisure time but opt for distant exotic destinations only for your vacation.

What matters here is traveling . Even more, comfortable and enjoyable travel .

Therefore I am listing here the must-have traveling accessories and the best accessories for travel .

Here you will find must-have travel items and best travel items, top traveler accessories ( must-have travel accessories and best travel accessories, but also cool travel accessories and unique travel accessories ), and travel gadgets (must-have travel gadgets and best travel gadgets) every smart traveler has. In short, the things you need to take traveling.

Take a look at my list of the best things for travel, vacation must-haves, favorite digital nomad gear, and the best travel gear every traveler should have … to pack like a professional traveler.

Here’s my travel accessories list with the best items for travelers :

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLAIMER FOR MORE INFO. 

67 INCREDIBLY USEFUL TRAVEL ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR ULTIMATE TRAVEL PACKING LIST  (2024)

BEST THINGS FOR TRAVELING: SMART TRAVEL ESSENTIALS AND SMART TRAVEL ACCESSORIES

Travel must-haves

Let’s start with travel essentials and must-have traveling accessories.

1. HAND SANITIZER WIPES

One of the cheap and useful travel items that can make a big difference to your health while traveling. Hand sanitizer wipes are one of those essential travel items and small travel things that make a big difference. Seemingly banal but one of the best items for travel health-related. They are the most needed travel accessories these days. Take care of your health, always!

2. FOLDING TRAVEL TOOTHBRUSH

A  small on-the-go travel toothbrush is an essential travel thing. The folding feature puts travel toothbrushes on the list of the best things for travel. Again, a foldable travel toothbrush is one of those must-have small and useful travel things.

3. TRAVEL TOWEL

A quick-drying and a space-saving towel is a travel must-have . Don’t bother with big fluffy towels when traveling. Instead, opt for a towel to go, a small absorbent towel, and a quick-dry travel towel. A microfiber towel is among my top 10 travel essentials! It served me well, especially on my long-distance hiking trips, such as the one-month-long Camino del Norte in Spain , when I carried all my stuff in my hiking backpack for one month. A lightweight and space-saving microfiber is one of the best travel items, I highly recommend! Rainleaf Microfiber Towel is a lightweight microfiber travel towel you need to have. It is a great microfiber beach towel, an excellent microfiber gym towel, an amazing microfiber camping towel, and a great microfiber backpacking towel. Pack your small and fast-drying travel towel with you!

4. TRAVEL PILLOW

A good travel pillow is a must-have for travelers.  Scarf-looking and super light Trtl Travel Pillow is one of the essential travel items on long flights. This essential travel pillow is a one-sided neck brace, adjustable to your neck and head for maximal comfort. And what’s important, it’s an ultralight travel pillow. If you are looking for a tiny travel pillow and the best travel neck pillow for long flights, the Trtl neck support travel pillow is your best bet! Forget blowing inflatable travel pillows and check out Trtl Travel Pillow .

5. TRAVEL WALLET

Another super useful travel item is a multipurpose RFID-blocking travel wallet. This tri-folded RFID-blocking travel wallet keeps safe and well-organized your international travel essentials and valuables: your passport and ID card, and your credit and debit cards. Keep your valuable documents and cards safe, and get your RFID blocking travel wallet .

6.  TRAVEL SPACE BAGS

Travel space bags are some of the best travel products. Roll-up compression bags save space in your suitcase or backpack. Even more, good travel space bags protect and organize your clothing. I can’t image traveling anymore without using traveling space bags. Sometimes I use only small zipper bags to separate my tiny carry-on travel items. I can find my tiny travel products in a minute! Zipper bags are super practical packing travel tools! Make your packing easier and go for travel space saver bags. Trust me, space-saving travel bags are some of the best backpack travel accessories and suitcase travel accessories.

7. TRAVEL PACKING CUBES

You don’t like the sound of roll-up compression bags, but still want to keep your clothing protected and organized? In that case, these awesome travel packing cubes are for you. Travel packing cubes are some of the top must-have travel accessories! Travel packing cubes, with space-saving travel bags, are the perfect packing tools for travel!

8. TRAVEL SHOE BAG

The waterproof and transparent shoe bags for travel separate your dirty shoes from clean clothing. A travel shoe bag is especially useful after hiking trips when you need to separate your dirty hiking boots from the rest of your clothing. Travel shoe bags are must-have traveling items! They are simple packing tools for travel, cheap travel accessories, and highly useful travel accessories!

RELATED READ: 15 Amazing Women’s Hiking Boots Top 18 Women’s Comfortable Sandals For Walking Best Gifts For Hikers Check out my Amazon Influencer Store for some great travel accessories ideas!

9. TRAVEL LAUNDRY BAG

Interested in some more top travel products? I would argue, that travel laundry bags are essential for travel! A machine-washable laundry bag that keeps the dirt and smell of your laundry away from your clean clothing is essential. Unnecessary to say, that this travel laundry bag is a highly useful travel accessory and one of the best backpack accessories and suitcase accessories you need to take on your travels with you.

10. TRAVEL SHEETS LAUNDRY DETERGENT

These eco-friendly sheets are must-have travel items if you are planning a longer trip. These detergent sheets are travel-friendly. They are not messy, unlike liquid and powder detergents. You can’t spill them. Just toss them in with your laundry and that’s it. Cut a sheet in half and use one half for smaller loads. And, use one sheet for larger loads.   Laundry Club Sheets dissolve completely and clean the clothes.  Laundry sheets belong to the most useful travel items! One package comes with 50 sheets. If you are making a shorter trip, you can pack just a few sheets in a Ziploc bag.

11. SHOE CLEANING TRAVEL KIT

If you prefer a tidy look and would love to keep your shoes clean when traveling, consider getting the Crep Protect Cure Shoe Cleaning Travel Kit . This mini on-the-go kit includes a brush, a microfiber cloth, and a Cure cleaning solution. It does an amazing job with suede, leather, canvas, and nubuck. I especially recommend the kit for cleaning white sneakers!

12. DOWNY WRINKLE RELEASE

Dislike wrinkled clothes when traveling?! Me too! But, I found a great solution for wrinkled clothes! Downy Wrinkle Release Spray  is a game-changer and my new favorite travel item. It fixes wrinkled clothing without ironing. Just hang your clothing, spray it, leave it for a few moments… and ta-da! Trust me, it is one of the most useful travel products ever! After trying it, you will probably want to get it for home use. Check out this bundle !

13. MINI TRAVEL UMBRELLA

This super small umbrella doesn’t take up much space in your travel bag but keeps you well protected from the sun and rain. One of the travel necessities and one of the extremely useful mini travel accessories when needed, agree?!

14. RAIN PONCHO

A raincoat is a small, cheap, and useful travel accessory that you can always carry with you to cover yourself in case of unexpected showers. This travel rain poncho is a cool travel item and an exceptionally useful travel item!

 15. WATERPROOF RAIN JACKET

Sometimes while traveling rainy days can’t be avoided by any means. Especially, if you have fixed dates for your vacation. If you don’t like umbrellas or don’t feel comfortable with a rain poncho, then consider getting this top-rated super lightweight Columbia’s women’s waterproof jacket or this Columbia men’s rain jacket These rain jackets are worshiped among travelers! After all, Columbia is celebrated as one of the very best travel accessories brands when talking about travel clothing and sportswear.

16. SLEEP SACK LINER FOR TRAVEL

Looking for more useful travel accessories and small travel items?! This fist-size and lightweight Vumos sleeping bag liner is voted as a piece of the best travel gear. It is especially beloved by outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy camping.

17. POCKET BLANKET

A pocket-size travel blanket goes on the list of great outdoor gear you must have. You never know when you might need an extra blanket. And this extra small blanket is one of those ‘good-to-have’ helpful travel items!

18. PASHMINA SHAWL AND WRAP

Pashmina is one of the favorite traveling items and one of the best travel accessories for women ever . I wear it as a shawl and a scarf.  It covers my arms when visiting sacred places and when a respectful dress code is needed. But I use it as a practical travel blanket too. My pashmina is my travel essential! My pashmina shawl wrap protected me many times from the coldness caused by the extreme use of air conditioning at many international airports, on buses, trains, etc. It is one of my favorite travel items ever! Women’s pashmina is at the top of my list of must-haves for traveling!! Please, add pashmina to your list of must-have traveling accessories for women. Trust me, you will thank me! 🙂

19. COMPRESSION SOCKS

Travel compression socks go on the list of the most useful travel accessories. They are the travelers’ must-haves for long flights to prevent swollen feet on long-haul flights. Travel compression socks are some of the best travel accessories for long flights! They are some of the most popular travel accessories for a good reason! Travel compression socks are the top travel essential items for anyone with blood circulation and swollen legs issues. Have you tried them?

20. COMFORTABLE AND LIGHTWEIGHT TRAVEL PANTS

Light, quick-drying, and waist-adjustable travel pants are travel must-haves for comfortable travels. Columbia Women’s Saturday Trail Pants provide maximum comfort to ladies, while Columbia Men’s Pants provide freedom and easiness of moving to men while traveling.

21. TSA CABIN-APPROVED COSMETIC LIQUID CONTAINERS WITH ZIPPER BAG

These travel liquids containers and zipper bags are allowed as airplane accessories. For instance, if you need liquid containers for your contact lenses liquid on your flight, these TSA cabin-approved liquid containers need to be on your travel essentials list. I keep my spare contact lenses and the liquid containers always with me! They are my essential carry-on travel accessories! Travel liquid containers with zipper bags are the small travel accessories you need to have!

22. PILL ORGANIZER

Care for your health shouldn’t stop when traveling. On the contrary, a new environment seeks adjustment for your body. Don’t forget to take your vitamins and minerals with you. When you are young, you might not need them so much. But sadly, as you age, they are a must-take. This tiny folding pill organizer for travel keeps your vitamins and medicine well organized. A pill organizer is a basic travel item, but one of those traveling accessories that can make your life much easier while on the road.

23. TRAVEL TOILETRY BAG 

How many times you have found that your toiletries have leaked out onto your travel clothes in your luggage? Well, this waterproof cosmetic organizer is another item on the list of useful travel accessories that make a big difference. Having a good travel toiletries bag not only helps you easily organize your toiletries but also protects your toiletries from leaking out onto your travel clothes. Dear ladies and gentlemen, this waterproof cosmetic organizer belongs to the best travel gear for women and men. Consider getting it!

24. SOLID SHAMPOO BAR FOR TRAVELS

Solid toiletries are among the best products for travel. If you travel long-term, one of the best travel items to always have with you is a solid shampoo bar. Ethique eco-friendly solid shampoo bar nourishes you and the environment.

25. SOLID CONDITIONER FOR TRAVELS

If your hair needs a great conditioner, especially in tropical climates, Ethique eco-friendly solid conditioner will do the work.

2 6. MENSTRUAL CUP

Talking about hygiene travel products and travel accessories for ladies, Lena reusable period cup is one of the top-rated women’s travel items. Ladies know how essential a good menstrual cup on travels can be! A menstrual cup is an essential travel item for women!

27. TRAVEL MONEY BELT

A travel money belt is among the most popular travel accessories. This comfortable and adjusting travel money belt with RFID block (an antitheft protection) keeps your valuables safe every moment. A practical and extremely useful travel item, enough said.

28. TRAVEL SCARF WITH SECRET HIDDEN POCKETS

Talking about women’s travel accessories and useful travel accessories, this travel scarf with secret hidden pockets happens to be one of the best travel items. Decorative and useful. Ladies simply love it.

29. TRAVEL BOOTS WITH SECRET POCKETS  

Another stylish and highly useful travel item is ankle travel boots with secret pockets . These boots are for hard-core travelers who enjoy adventures and want to keep their personal valuables safe. These boots are available in different colors, to match everyone’s taste. But, what’s more important, they keep safe everyone’s travel valuables.

30. SUNSCREEN SPF 50

Good sunscreen is a must-have travel item. This sunscreen is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation and National Eczema Association. Please do yourself a favor and wear sunscreen.

31. COLLAPSIBLE WATER FILTERED BOTTLE  

This roll-up portable travel water bottle keeps you hydrated on your travels and takes minimal space in your travel bag. Quite a handy travel item, right?!

3 2. PORTABLE CHARGER

Talking about things you need when traveling, a mini power bank ‘on-the-go’ is one of the modern essential travel gadgets.  This Anker portable battery with an ultra-high capacity of 20100mAh is one of the top travel accessories and must-have accessories for travel. 

33. UNIVERSAL WORLDWIDE TRAVEL ADAPTER  FOR 150+ COUNTRIES 

Talking about must-have electronics, a good travel adapter is one of those international travel must-haves. Admittedly these days our phones connect us with our families, friends, and business more than ever. And to be connected to our families and business when traveling matters a lot. In that sense, one of the worst things that happen on our travels is not being able to charge the phones. And here is where this universal travel adapter for 150+ countries comes in.

34. GLOBAL DATA SIM

If you don’t have a super affordable global data plan and you don’t like the idea of depending solely on wifi when traveling, you need to know that this Keepgo Global Lifetime SIM card works in 64 countries in Europe, Asia, North, and South America. Hello, globetrotters, this global data sim card could easily become your new favorite travel item.

35. WIRELESS TRAVEL ROUTER TO MAKE YOUR PRIVATE SECURE WIFI NETWORK 

But if you prefer to use a wired network on your travels, you certainly want to have a secure one. This HooToo Wireless Travel Router is a light, small, and powerful travel thing. It changes wired networks into a private secure wireless network and enables you to safely back up your travel photos and enjoy media streaming. Looking for a  travel router Best Buy? Check out TP-Link N300 Wireless Travel Router .

36. PORTABLE USB SOLAR CHARGER

What about travel accessories for cars? This portable USB solar charger can sit on the dash in your car and recharge your phone and tablet when driving. One of the greatest car travel accessories ever.  But if you are into hiking, you can simply put your Anker USB Solar Charger onto your bag and keep charging it on the go.

37. TSA APPROVED SCAN-SMART ANTITHEFT AND WATERPROOF BACKPACK

If you want to avoid unnecessary hassle with airport security and also to avoid becoming a victim of theft on your travels,  you should consider buying a smart travel bag.   This SwissGear Smart DayPack is a  very trendy travel backpack and one of the most popular travel-safe bags ever. It is a top antitheft travel safe backpack and one of the best laptop backpacks ever. Certainly, one of the best traveling bags you can find on the market. Read more about SwissGear Smart DayPack here.  

38. UNIVERSAL TRAVEL CABLE AND ELECTRONICS ORGANIZER

Talking about practical travel accessories and things that make travel easier, consider getting electronics organizer travel accessories. This BagSmart Electronic Organizer is a travel charger organizer and electronics travel bag that  keeps your electronics and cables on your travels well organized. If you are searching for the best travel cable organizer, you consider getting BagSmart Electronic Organizer .

39. DIGITAL LUGGAGE SCALE

This small and super light luggage scale protects you from overpacking and paying extra for overweight luggage fees. A must-have travel item and a useful travel item.  If you don’t want to give extra money for overweight luggage, don’t think twice and just put FREETOO digital luggage scale onto your international travel list. A digital luggage scale is among the all-time best travel buys! Remember, small travel things can make a big difference.

40. ROLLING DUFFEL BAG 

Searching for the best luggage for frequent travelers? The best best gear for travel? It is hard to say what’s the best travel bag. But many travelers swear that rolling duffel bags are the best luggage for frequent travelers as they are light, flexible, and roomy and you can put more things in them than into hard suitcases. But on the other hand, duffel bags might be more vulnerable to theft than suitcases. In any case, this Samsonite Wheeled Duffel is a light travel bag and  waterproof travel bag you should take into account.

41.  TRAVEL SUITCASE WITH SPINNER WHEELS

A wheeled suitcase is arguably the best option for refined travelers and business travelers. A wheeled suitcase is the best gear for travelers who like to travel. in style. If you are looking for the best suitcase for business travel or the best suitcase for European travel, this Samsonite Winfield awesome suitcase is on the list of the best suitcases for business travel and the best suitcases for traveling to Europe. It could become with ease your best travel suitcase and your best business travel luggage ever.

42. CARRY-ON WHEELED BACKPACK WITH A DETACHABLE DAY BAG

Are you a light traveler who is looking for the best luggage to travel internationally with a mini travel backpack? Looking for one of those multipurpose travel bags you can easily carry around? This 3 IN 1 Bag goes as a wheeled bag, a backpack, and a day bag. A perfect travel bag, right? Perfect equipment for travelling, indeed! High Sierra AT3 carry-on can be rated as the ultimate travel bag, unique carry-on luggage, and coolest carry-on luggage. But in any case, it is the best-buy backpack. 3 in 1, remember?!

43. ULTRALIGHT BACKPACK

If you ask backpackers what’s the most useful travel item. They will say, a light backpack of course! It is one of the essential travel items after all. This TETON Sports backpack is one of the best lightweight travel backpacks and top-rated travel backpacks. 

44. LUGGAGE STRAPS

Darller Luggage Straps  belong to the travelers’ must-haves. The straps keep your suitcase tightly closed. You can also tie two suitcases together with them and keep your luggage together. Darller Luggage Straps come in vibrant colors, not only in black. The bright colors help you spot your luggage quickly at airports. There’s no doubt, that the luggage straps are among the best luggage accessories.

45. TSA APPROVED TRAVEL LUGGAGE LOCK

Some extra security gives peace to the mind. So consider adding this travel luggage lock to your luggage accessories . This small safety accessory can make a big difference on your trip.

46. PERSONALIZED LUGGAGE TAGS

47. MINI PERSONAL TRAVEL FAN

Gaiatop Mini Portable Fan is one of the best travel accessories you could wish for when in heat. It is a lifesaver in heat! It is a small and lightweight but mighty device. You can put it in your purse and use it on the go. It is one of the top must-have travel items in the summertime!

48. LIGHT LAPTOP FOR TRAVELLING 

For digital nomads and people who work remotely a light laptop is one of the business travel essentials. Light 13-inch MacBook Air is my working tool. The small and light 13-inch MacBook Air  fits perfectly into my women’s laptop backpack.

My iPhone XS Max goes in the package with my MacBook Air. My Macbook Air and my MacBook Air are my essential business tools. To sum up, my iPhone XS Max is one of my top travel must-haves.

50. UNIVERSAL WATERPROOF PHONE CASE

One of the must-have accessories for iPhone or whatever phone you have is this JOTO universal waterproof phone dry bag . You want to protect your favorite must-have travel gadget, right?!

51. LAPTOP STAND

If you work long hours in front of your laptop screen, this super lightweight, portable, and foldable support laptop stand protects you from neck pain and keeps your health. Amazing travel gadget for people who work remotely! And one of the top digital nomad accessories!

52. BLUETOOTH KEYBOARD 

Trifold pocket-sized iClever Bluetooth keyboard is another great travel gadget you can hardly resist, especially if you are a digital nomad. This is a great travel gift too. Hmm, Christmas is coming soon.

53. NOISE-CANCELING HEADPHONES

Noise-canceling Bluetooth Sony WF-SP900 headphones keep you away from sound distractions. A useful travel gadget. You can’t deny it, huh?!

54. EARPLUGS

 If good sleep on your travels matters to you, and I believe it matters a lot, then these earplugs for sleeping are a must-have accessory. Earplugs for sleeping, earplugs for swimming, earplugs for snoring … you name it. Yes, you need them. They are the absolute must-have items for traveling!

55. HEADLAMP

One of the cool items to buy for travel and useful traveling gear is a headlamp. Whether you like reading in your hostel bunk bed at night or as outdoor gear for camping and hiking, the DanForce Headlamp is a cool travel item and a great travel gadget to have.

56. MINI TRAVEL FLASHLIGHT

This super small flashlight is one of the most useful travel accessories you simply must have.

57. TRIPOD WITH WIRELESS REMOTE FOR TAKING PICTURES AND VIDEOS

A tripod with a wireless remote is one of the top gadgets for travel! Why? If you travel solo or want to have travel photos with your all family members in the photos, this Ubeesize tripod will do the work for you. A hint? It comes with a lifetime warranty.

58. CANON G7X VLOG CAMERA

If you are interested in high-quality travel videos, Canon G7x is on the way to becoming one of your favorite travel gadgets. Highly useful and essential for vloggers. And, it is another great gift for travelers.

59. GO-PRO HERO 7

Talking about gadgets for travelers, and when it comes to GoPro, a special introduction is unnecessary. The world has gone crazy for GoPro Hero 7 ! One of the best travel gadgets for adventure travelers and beyond.

60. TRAVEL FIRST AID KIT

This portable and lightweight first aid kit is one of the best travel kits. It has bandages, alcohol wipes , ibuprofen, aspirin tablets, antiseptic cotton, sterile pads, first-aid tape, scissors … Hikers, campers, …outdoor enthusiasts, and long-term travelers … simply adore it. You might too! 

61. TRAVEL DOOR ALARM

A small travel door alarm is one of those useful travel accessories that can make a big difference if you happen to need to sleep in a dodgy hotel.

62. SAFETY WHISTLE

A safety whistle is one of the cool cheap things to buy on Amazon , but it can be life-saving in case of an emergency! Your life is worth much more than the few bucks you are going to spend on buying a safety whistle , agree?! Buy it and take it with you. And let’s hope you will never need to use it.

63. PHONE SANITIZER WITH FAST WIRELESS CHARGER

Recent global events taught us that cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing are more important than ever before. This eco-friendly sanitizer cleans easily and safely a huge range of products: from phones, earphones, computer mice, and watches to USB sticks, car keys, makeup tools, jewelry, and more. It’s disinfecting everything. It is usable at home, office, and on travel. This easy-to-use sanitizer is undeniably one of the most useful travel items at the moment.

64. MEMORY FOAM SEAT CUSHION

If you are a digital nomad who works remotely, then you appreciate a comfortable office chair. This ergonomically designed gel memory foam seat cushion will make your back pain back gone or minimalized. It is great for traveling, office, home, driving (car seat), and even wheelchair use.

65. PORTABLE TRAVEL CLOTHESLINE

If you enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, boat riding, or traveling slowly, you would appreciate this elastic stainless travel clothesline with clips . Put the clothesline between trees, on the balcony, in an RV, or bathroom, and make your drying space anywhere. People who hiked Camino de Santiago , like me, know how useful this small travel item can be on multi-day treks. (Check out my Camino de Santiago packing list !) Hang your towels, socks, etc on the clothesline and get your clothes dry naturally! This clothesline is lightweight, easy to pack, and one of the most useful travel accessories for multi-day trips.

66. PORTABLE BIDET

This Portable Bidet with Travel Bag is one of the most popular travel items. Keeping good personal hygiene is important at home and on travels. The HappyPo Travel Bidet is easy to use. It doesn’t need batteries or a connection. You just need to fill it with water, squeeze the bottle, and voilà – a nice wide spray comes! It is small, handy, and easy to carry on. A portable bidet is a must-have travel item for people who like to feel cleaner on their travels.

67. PORTABLE ESPRESSO MACHINE

If you follow my blog, you know how much I appreciate good coffee. On my coffee travels around the world , I sipped fabulous Vietnamese coffee in Vietnam , enjoyed siphoned coffee in Laos, had authentic luwak coffee in Bali , cruised famous coffee houses in Vienna , indulged in Italian espresso in Italy, etc. If you are anything like me, you need a cup of coffee to start your day with. This mini portable espresso machine is a top travel item a coffee lover could ask for! It is lightweight, portable, and easy to use. This handy travel-sized espresso machine is one of the best travel items for coffee-loving travelers!

Hope you find useful my list of the best travelling equipment. You can use it as a travel checklist for packing your essential travel items and favorite travel accessories.

I did my best to cover travel gadgets and accessories, outdoor gear, travel aids accessories, smart travel items, best luggage for travel … domestic and international travel accessories. If you would like to add something to my list of useful travel accessories and help fellow travelers, please leave a comment or send me a message.

Happy and safe travels, always!

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Saturday 9th of July 2022

I was looking for ideas for gift basket for a coworker who is traveling across the country, and really loved your suggestions. It was the small ordinary things we usually overlook! Thank you

Graeme Stewart

Saturday 10th of April 2021

That's a lot of stuff to carry. I would reduce the bags to just one and save a lot of space and airline fees :)

You know that your phone has a flashlight right? That can replace the mini-light.

Otherwise, very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Stewart,

thanks for sharing your thoughts. I gave some options here, of course. Anyway, I still believe that a mini flashlight is one of the really useful travel accessories. It takes almost nothing of space and it can be helpful. It's mini. After all, we don't need to have our phones with us all the time. :-)

Thanks for reading and taking your time to comment! I appreciate it. Milijana

Tuesday 29th of September 2020

The portable solar USB charger is definitely on top of my list! As a travel enthusiast myself that is often found hiking or trekking, I can definitely soak all that natural energy and convert it into power for my electronics.

Great article!

Kim Goodwin

Thursday 5th of December 2019

Hey Milijana, You have given the quality information for the travel. It was helpful to choose the necessary gadgets for my trip. What I personally like in your blog is you've provided many safety gadgets. Keep on like these posts. I am waiting for more information post from you.

I am glad to read this. Thank you for your feedback, Kim!

Wednesday 4th of December 2019

Thanks Milijana for this quality post. Thumbs up!!

Thank you for reading and commenting.

I hope some of the travel accessories I've listed will make your next trip more comfortable, more safe, easier and more enjoyable overall.

Happy and safe travels, Milijana

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The best travel accessories to pack on every trip

By Madison Flager

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Packing lists will vary based on where you're going and how long you're travelling for, but the best travel accessories can improve every trip. From tech gadgets to keep your electronics powered up and luggage accessories that ensure you're not hit with an overweight baggage charge, having the right gear means a smoother journey, every time. Below, we've rounded up 27 essential items to pack inside your carry-on bag , weekender , or checked luggage . Consider these the travel gear staples to bring on your next trip – and all your future holidays after that.

• A trusted tote
• A travel wash bag
• Packing cubes
• Jewellery case
• Reusable travel bottles
• Hydrating skincare products
• A portable charger
• A power adapter
• A luggage scale
• A way to find your luggage
• An e-reader
• A portable fan
• A portable steamer
• An eye mask
• A neck pillow
• A shawl or blanket
• Hand sanitiser and wipes
• A reusable water bottle
• Snack containers
• A passport holder
• A back-up travel bag
• An umbrella

1. A trusted tote

A tote bag is the ideal personal item. It's roomy enough to store all your odds and ends, and everything you'd want with you during a flight, and is usually pretty pliable, meaning you can squeeze it under the seat without taking up all of your foot room. Look for one with comfortable shoulder straps, should you overload it with snacks. A trolley sleeve is a nice feature, too, so you can slide it over your suitcase while cruising through the airport.

2. A travel wash bag

A travel wash bag is key to staying organised — and avoiding spills in your luggage. We like these options from Away and Bagsmart for their water-resistant materials and ample space for your toothbrush and toothpaste, razor, soaps, and more. A hanging bag, like those below, also allows you to keep items tidy and off the bathroom counter.

3. Packing cubes

Don't underestimate the power of a good packing cube . Articles director Lale Arikoglu has waxed poetic about her love of Paravel's packing cubes (other editors are fans of Away's set ), which come in a range of sizes to store everything from bathing suits and socks to T-shirts.

4. Jewellery case

A rule to live by: never check your valuables, especially jewellery. Keep necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings safe and neatly organised inside a jewellery case. We like Monica Vinader's for smaller accessories; if you're packing sunglasses and watches, you'll want something slightly bigger, like this Smythson option.

5. Reusable travel bottles

Rather than buy plastic travel-sized toiletries , get yourself a set of leakproof travel bottles that allow you to bring your at-home favourites on the go. They're great for storing toiletries and beauty products, and tubs can also be used to keep small items like jewellery or vitamins.

6. Hydrating skincare products

Even if you're not the type of person with a multi-step in-flight skincare routine , a few basics can go a long way in keeping your skin happy and healthy after a long day of travel. Since hand sanitiser remains a travel essential, a hand balm to apply once or twice a day is equally important to keep them moisturised. Aesop's smells incredible, and will last for several trips to come — a little bit of the thick, creamy balm goes a long way. Don't forget a hydrating lip balm, either.

7. A portable charger

There's nothing like a dead battery to slow down a trip. Keep all your accessories charged up with a power bank — Anker is our favourite, but iWalk's mini charger is a great option if you're short on space.

8. A power adapter

For international travel, a power adapter is a must to make sure you can get devices charged up in the airport and your hotel room. Apple's World Travel Adapter Kit comes with seven AC plugs with prongs that fit into different electrical outlets around the world, and each one is labelled with the regions they are compatible with. (As for compatibility, it works with Apple USB-C power adapters; MagSafe and MagSafe 2 power adapters; 10W, 12W, 30 and 35W USB ports; and portable power adapters.) We also recommend this Bluetooth converter , which lets you use your regular cordless earbuds to watch a movie in flight.

9. Headphones

Whether the plan is to listen to music, watch a movie, or just drown out noisy neighbours, most of us won't board a plane without headphones. Make sure you have your go-to on hand, plus a pair of corded earbuds (if you don't have one of these Bluetooth adapters ).

10. A luggage scale

Give yourself some added peace of mind with a digital luggage scale; it’ll let you know how much damage your souvenirs did before arriving at the check-in counter on the way home.

11. A way to find your luggage

Speaking of luggage, the Tile Pro and Apple AirTags can help locate lost bags (or wallets, or keys, depending on what you attach it to). In fact, a luggage tracker is one of the items contributor Harrison Pierce wishes he had when he began travelling full-time .

12. An e-reader

Even travellers with a library full of books at home have to admit it: E-readers are an essential travel accessory for bookworms . They are so much lighter than even one paperback book, and let you bring as many options as you want along for the ride.

13. A portable fan

If you're headed somewhere warm, or just tend to run hot, do yourself a favour and pack a portable fan. Whether you choose a handheld option or one you can wrap around your neck, it'll give you the breeze you need whether you're in the back of a crowded bus or van, standing in line at Disneyland, or kicking back in a beach chair .

14. A portable steamer

If you're travelling to a wedding or heading out on a business trip, you may want to bring a portable steamer along to make sure your formalwear looks its best after you take it out of your suitcase. Traveller contributor Erinne Magee put nine travel steamers to the test to find out which ones are the best options for travellers — below are two of her favourites.

15. A tech kit

All of those tech items mean you're going to have plenty of charging cubes and cables to keep track of. Save space in your backpack — and save yourself the headache of digging through your bag — by keeping everything wrapped up in a tech kit like the ones below.

16. An eye mask

For a comfortable journey at 30,000 feet — especially one where you hope to get some shut-eye —an eye mask is crucial. For more help sleeping, try the Bluetooth sleep headband recommended by US contributor Iona Brannon, which lets you listen to music or white noise without anything in or around your ears; in a pinch it can even double as an eye mask, she says.

17. A neck pillow

Another comfort essential: a travel pillow . It can take some time to find the style you like best, and your pick might vary depending on whether you're in-flight or in a car. Two we like: The classic memory foam wraparound neck pillow, which can be tightened or loosened per your preference, and the innovative fleecy neck wrap recommended by commerce writer Charley Ward .

18. Cosy socks

We love a good pair of compression socks to fight that pins-and-needles feeling that comes from sitting still for too long, be it on a long-haul flight  or a road trip . For those who prefer a cosier option, we recommend socks from Barefoot Dreams .

19. Earplugs

When you need some peace and quiet, swap your noise-cancelling headphones in for earplugs. This set comes with multiple sizes, so you can find the right fit, and share with any family members you're travelling with.

20. A shawl or blanket

For those who run cold, an oversized scarf will get plenty of use in transit, and can even double as a blanket. Opt for a quality material you can pack for years to come, like cashmere.

21. Hand sanitiser and wipes

As for general wellness, hand sanitiser is a must — buy a set and drop one in all your most-used totes and sling bags so you're never without. Some biodegradable wipes are nice to have on hand too, especially if you're travelling with little ones .

22. A reusable water bottle

Rounding out our collection of the best travel accessories are some odds and ends, like a good reusable water bottle, so you can stop buying overpriced bottles at the airport (and be kinder to the environment).

23. Snack containers

If overpriced airport snacks aren't your jam, come prepared by filling reusable Stasher bags with popcorn, crackers, fruit, or whatever else you'd like in-flight before you leave your house. A reusable utensil set is another nice-to-have travel accessory that'll allow you to turn down the plastic cutlery you might be handed in the airport or elsewhere on the road. The spoon and chopsticks are particularly TSA-friendly (while utensils are technically allowed through security , it's at the discretion of the agent if they'll let plastic knives or forks).

24. A passport holder

Also handy: a high-quality passport holder (bonus points if it has space to hold your credit cards) to keep your most important document protected. Aspinal's can be personalised with your initials for an added £20.

25. A back-up travel bag

For trips where you plan to shop, something lightweight, like Paravel's Fold-Up Bag or Baggu's Cloud Bag , is a smart addition to your packing list. Stuff it with souvenirs on your way home, or use it for overnight or weekend trips within a longer holiday.

26. A travel umbrella

Depending on your destination, a travel-size umbrella might be worth the space in your luggage. And if you're driving, tossing one in the backseat is a no-brainer. Contributor Claire Volkman tested out around a dozen options on our US sister site to determine which are the sturdiest and most compact. Shop two of her favourites, both available in the UK, below.

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All of Our Best Packing Lists in One Place

By CNT Editors

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Here at Traveler , we’re always thinking about packing lists. And while there are some items we find, fall in love with, and want to bring on every trip , no matter the vacation destination, certain trips call for very specific outfits, luggage , and travel accessories. With that in mind, we’ve created a bevy of guides for nearly every unique experience you might find yourself on: a camping trip, cruise ship, European city vacation, theme park visit, and more. Scroll through for shopping inspiration and links to our best packing lists for every type of trip—we hope they’ll help you prepare for your next vacation, be it a foodie-focused city trip or a family vacation to Disney.

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Work Trip | Digital Nomad | Honeymoon | Cruise | Road Trip | Europe | Beach | Safari | Ski Trip | Disney World | Camping Trip | Antarctica

Essentials for every trip 

Packing for a trip can be strenuous. Between prepping for the inevitable and the unknown, you can find yourself weighed down with a mountain of things that don't actually cover either. Having a set list of essentials to bring on every trip is an easy way to reduce packing stress. Check out the essentials that we never leave the house without—and you shouldn't either—below.

Documents and currency

• Water bottle and filter
• Hand sanitizer
• Ear plugs  
• Portable phone charger
• Bluetooth transmitter

Travel accessories

• Packing cubes
• Jewelry case
• Travel Pillow
• Toiletries bottles
• Moisturizer
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Acne spot treatment

What to pack for a work trip

We asked well-traveled professionals for their tried-and-true packing lists to find out the products that help work trips feel a little easier, and compiled their picks of travel bags , in-flight snacks, skincare favorites, tech essentials, and more that make busy travel days a whole lot smoother. From handheld steamers to nostalgic yummy treats, here's a list of favorites you'll never want to travel without again. 

What to pack as a digital nomad

Our travels have taught us how to pack for both summer and winter in one suitcase, which was a lesson learned the hard way. When traveling for months on end, many things you wouldn’t necessarily consider bringing when going somewhere for a week became essential. Today, packing is a very streamlined process for me. Through a series of trial-and-error, here are some must-have items for any trip.

What to pack for your honeymoon

Whether you’re jetting off “grand exit”-style immediately after the nuptials or planning a getaway for a later date, preparing for your honeymoon includes packing the right items for the destination, activities, and climate. We've rounded up some honeymoon packing list essentials to bring along no matter where you're headed, followed by outfit ideas, comfortable walking shoes, and luggage tailored to your locale of choice.

What to pack for a cruise

Unless you're on an expedition trip to, say, Antarctica , packing for a cruise vacation is a fairly straightforward endeavor: Bathing suits, sandals, a Kindle full of books to read by the pool, and you're basically good to go. But there are a few trip essentials that shouldn't be left off your cruise packing list—we’ve broken it down by items to unwind in your stateroom, picks for sightseeing and shore excursions, gear to wear by the pool, and outfit ideas for formal night.

What to pack for a road trip  

There is certainly something to be said about the magic of the open road, whether you’re headed out on a last-minute weekend jaunt or a weeks-long trek across North America . While technically you just need keys, a driver's license, and a set of wheels, add these essentials to your road trip packing list to make your journey that much more enjoyable.

What to pack for a trip to Europe

When deciding what to pack for Europe , there are a few things to keep in mind: You want to make sure your travel essentials are versatile, comfortable, and destination appropriate, keeping in mind the cityscape and climate you're headed to. Bonus points if you can make your stylish gear sustainable by wearing clothing and accessories made using recycled or even remnant fabrics. With those goals in mind, we’ve put together some wardrobe essentials and outfit inspiration for a few of our favorite European holiday destinations, from Paris to Lisbon to Copenhagen .

What to pack for a beach vacation

Headed to a white sand beach? Finalizing a beach vacation packing list requires a slightly different strategy, one that can be heavy on the travel accessories: For one, preventative measures like face and body sunscreen , sunglasses, and hats are non-negotiable. Plus, there's the basics, like beach bags and swimwear . For a refresher on items you won't want to forget, consult our ultimate beach vacation packing list before your next seaside trip.

What outfits to pack for a safari

Packing for a safari is a science: You need to be prepared for changing temperatures, high sun, and plenty of dust, as well as cocktail hour and a dip in the pool—and all of your safari outfits, plus toiletries and gear, have to fit in a soft-sided duffel with a strict weight limit. We polled our resident experts and trusted specialists for help narrowing down the best safari outfit ideas.

What to pack for a ski trip

When it comes to ski trip packing lists, we’re big fans of lightening your luggage load. That might mean packing everything into an extra-large carry-on, or  renting heavy gear . That said, from the slopes to  après-ski fun , there are a few essential pieces of clothing and gear items that are best not rented. And when you know the trusted cold weather brands to invest in, you can count on that wool sweater, those Gore-Tex lined boots, leather mitts, and down jacket to last for many, many years to come.

What to pack for Disney World

Preparing for a trip to Walt Disney World can be daunting—there are often months of anticipation filled with choosing a hotel , booking meal reservations, and planning your park hopping itinerary leading up to the occasion. But packing doesn’t have to be complicated or involve multiple checked bags.

What to pack for a camping trip

Deciding to plan a camping trip and knowing where to start—and, specifically, what supplies to bring—are two different things. Understanding which tent you need and what cookware essentials to bring to the campgrounds often requires far too many hours spent researching online. Here's the good news: We did the research for you. Click below for a full run-down of the best camping gear must-haves. (Going on your first backpacking trip ? We've got that covered, too.)

What to pack for a trip to Antarctica

Packing was a daunting process. After doing research, asking a few friends who had made similar journeys for advice, and ordering as many items as I could to make the 18-day trip as smooth as possible, I was ready to set sail. If you’ve ever had even an inkling to see Antarctica, I highly suggest making plans to visit once in your lifetime. And when you do begin to prepare, here are tips and recommendations on what to pack, based on what proved to be useful. 

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35 Travel Essentials for Any Length of Trip

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There’s something about traveling that is equal parts excitement and stress, especially when it comes time for you to bust out your suitcase and prepare to pack. What comes along with you can vary tremendously depending on the length of your trip and the occasion. Thankfully, the Cut Shop team has traveled far and wide, and has picked up a few tips, tricks, and essentials for packing well. Regardless of whether it’s a quick weekend escapade or a whole month abroad, here are the 39 best travel essentials worth taking along, listed according to the length of time spent away from home.

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➼ For Overnight Trips ➼ Weekend Trips and Excursions ➼ Anywhere From Five Days to a Week and a Half ➼ Two Weeks or Longer ➼ A Month or More

. For Overnight Trips

Whether you’re only traveling ten minutes away for a staycation or venturing to a nearby city for a day, overnight trips can be just as challenging to pack for as longer ones. Our best tip is try to be strategic about stowing all the necessities in a larger tote ba g.

Keep all your chargers and cords organized and untangled in one place. This little case makes sure you can actually find what you are looking for, especially in the depths of a big bucket-shaped bag.

The Nap Dress is comfortable enough for any road trip or train ride or even to sleep in. You really can’t go wrong — it’s like wearing your pajamas but still looking totally presentable. We particularly like the wrinkle-resistant navy dress for easy wear on the road.

This three-pack of pouches might be one of The Cut Shop ream’s favorite purchases. Perfect for everyday use, the pouches are great for housing everything from makeup to dirty clothes to receipts. We always have one in our bags, no matter if we’re leaving the house for a night, an hour, or a whole week.

Perfect for event-specific travel, this tote doubles as a garment bag, protecting those special-occasion outfits. It has just enough space to also pack a pair of shoes you do not want to commute in.

One of the best tinted moisturizers out there, this option from Saie offers hydration and some SPF and will give you light coverage with a dewy glow. When you can’t bring your entire medicine cabinet, this is a great option that combines a bunch of products in a multistep routine.

Because hydration is always important, especially when you’re traveling.

Just because you’re not doing your skin-care routine in your bathroom at home doesn’t mean your skin should suffer. This ice rollers will fit perfectly in your toiletry bag and come in handy first thing in the morning.

Sometimes on those quick trips, we push washing our hair an extra day (or three) so we can leave all our heat tools at home. With some dry shampoo and a cute hair claw , no one has to know.

. Weekend Trips and Excursions

Whether you are heading out of town for a wedding, trying to get away for a little R&R, or traveling for work, when it comes to packing a weekender or a smaller suitcase, organization is key.

There are so many options out there for weekender bags, but this water-repellent tote from Béis ticks all our boxes including the trolley pass-through pocket to attach to your suitcase and save your shoulders. This one is just over $100.

Most of the time, travel is associated with flying, but whether by choice or not, sometimes the trip involves hours of car time. A phone mount changes the game on a long road trip and is definitely safer.

For those longer flights where you are in a confined space and not moving around as much (looking at you, window-seat fliers), compression socks can help reduce swelling and discomfort in the legs and feet.

Weekend trips can sometimes mean a jam-packed itinerary, so when you want to sleep, you want to snooze uninterrupted. Enter Loop, a reusable silicone earplug that allows you to get the ultimate fit (it comes in four sizes) so you can get in that power nap.

Forgetting your sunglasses on vacation, especially when headed somewhere sunny, is a rookie mistake, which is why this pair from Le Specs is perfect to just keep in your weekend bag so you are never without.. They’re stylish, sturdy, and under $70 , in case you end up losing or breaking them.

Normally, travel containers are not the most stylish or multifunctional. But these Cadence capsules are both of those things. Unlike traditional travel containers, these can be used for anything from storing pills and skincare products to necklaces and hand cream. Plus, you can design your own set to include different labels and colors

You can never go wrong with a classic button-up . It’s a must-have for any trip, especially a weekend one when space is limited. Wear it on its own, with a dress or pants, or as a bathing suit cover-up.

The Tower28 spray is our skin-care savior , and if you’re looking to pack minimally for weekend trips, this needs to be in the toiletry bag. Perfect for sensitive skin, it’s multifunctional, and a spritz delivers a refreshing dose of hydration and soothes stressed-out skin.

Not only do books take up valuable real estate in a carry-on, they add a bit of weight too. A Kindle is so low profile and light that we do not even think twice about tossing it in our bag. It also saves us time doing the math on how many books we should be bringing on a trip because our next read is just a Wi-Fi connection away.

If you’re skipping the carry-on, this is an easy way to organize your beauty routine now that you’ve condensed it into teeny bottles and containers. The recycled faux -leather bag zips closed and features enough compartments to keep everything neat and organized.

. Anywhere From Five Days to a Week and a Half

A full-fledged trip that still limits you to a carry-on may be the most difficult to pack for. Europe,Cabo, our parents’ house, it’s all about making the most of the room you have, even if you can’t help but pack all your sunglasses , expensive skin care, and cute outfits.

This cashmere cardigan is amazing on its own or as a layering piece in case you get chilly en route or in your hotel room. When you’re packing a carry-on, the more pieces you have that you can wear multiple different ways, the better.

Sometimes you just can’t decide which sunglasses to bring, especially if you are going somewhere extra-sunny. This protective case from Dagne Dover allows you to bring three pairs in a very compact and convenient case that is easy to hang up when you get to your final destination.

There is a reason you can’t travel without seeing one of these suitcases. It fits in the overhead bin of most major U.S. airlines and allows travelers enough room to store all their belongings while remaining light, sturdy, and sleek. Plus, it comes in seven attractive colors and has a USB external battery for those extra-long travel days. It is an essential for the majority of trips you will probably take.

We love using packing cubes when we need to keep a duffel bag from becoming total chaos or for just staying organized when we’re traveling somewhere where we will be doing a wide range of activities that require very different wardrobe options. These packing cubes from Calpak are cute and will help bring some order to a carry-on.

Whether you are in the window seat and do not want to disturb your neighbors to wash your hands or need to do a quick clean after pumping gas on a road trip, having some sort of hand sanitizer while traveling is a good idea. This one from Aesop obviously smells amazing.

. Two Weeks or Longer

It’s time to check your bags. Fill your carry-on with the essentials and save the rest for your suitcase. Opt for two-in-one products, space-saving containers, and clothes you can dress up or down. Pro tip: Don’t forget to invest in a luggage tracker to make sure your suitcase arrives when you do.

Wearing trousers on a plane not only saves room in your suitcase but also makes you feel more put-together on the go. These comfy but tailored pants from Uniqlo can be worn casually or dressed up, making them the perfect pair to travel in for long periods.

A two-in-one product that is perfect for face and lips is a godsend on the road, and this Merit lightly tinted balm is highly rated. It is the perfect product to throw in your bag for when you want to do a real quick touch-up, no matter where you are. Not to mention it’s one of our senior shopping editor’s favorite cream blushes .

The pinnacle of traveling well comes down to one word: Rimowa. The cases are classic, luxurious, and durable, though definitely a splurge. If you’re traveling for long stretches of time, and often, they can be worth the price point.

Pets under 20 pounds are allowed to fly in a carrier under the seat in front of you, and this stylish option from Wild One opens into a bed so your pet can relax at the gate before you both board.

Most fragrances do not come in a three-ounce bottle, and it can be quite a risk to send a glass bottle in your checked bag, so it might be safer to opt for something like this. Even when you are not traveling, these little cases are convenient to throw in a bag so that you always can carry around your favorite scent.

. A Month or More

We’re way past suggesting hand cream and new luggage because, at this point, you’re practically moving to your destination. These are the things that upgrade you from a casual traveler to a pro and will make your longer flights and longer stays more comfortable

Carrying an extra six pounds might seem a bit excessive, but if you’re on a long flight and you’re staying over a month in your new destination, you might as well be as cozy and comfortable as possible. This travel0size weighted blanket from Bearaby comes in its own duffel bag, so it can easily be your personal item or be checked in with no problem.

Want to be able to still do full glam while you’re away? This rechargeable and slim travel vanity mirror will help your makeup look flawless no matter your lighting situation.

You may have seen this on your TikTok FYP. It allows you to connect your Bluetooth headphones (hello, AirPod Maxes ) to airplane screens, so you can watch your favorite comfort movie or episode of Sex and the City without worrying about bringing a corded pair or needing to purchase those cheap plane headphones in the air.

Like a weighted blanket for your eyes, this eye mask is sleep enhancing (perfect for long flights and jumping through timezones) and made from super soft silk.

Chances you’ll come back from vacation with more clothes than you went there with are high, so consider packing this foldable nylon tote to hold all your overstock.

Travel with ease knowing that your necklaces won’t get tangled and all your earrings are safe and sound in one place.

This pill case also came from our TikTok FYP and is small enough to fit in any purse, but has enough storage to hold all your medicine, vitamins, and supplements.

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31+ Cool Travel Souvenir Collection Ideas

Brainstorming souvenir collection ideas for your next trip and looking for unique things to collect while traveling?

I have lots of ideas to share!

After visiting 50+ countries and traveling full-time for years, I am an unapologetic lover of travel souvenirs, from the free (pretty ticket stubs to various attractions, Broadway programs) to the inexpensive (vintage maps) to the traditional (the number of ceramics I have bought around the world is mildly ridiculous).

And really, I didn’t always think this way: during the first year my husband Jeremy and I backpacked the world , I bought very few souvenirs.

Other than photos and a few items like ticket stubs, a carved elephant from Thailand and a vase from Nicaragua are the only physical reminders I still have of that incredible time.

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And, while I cherish them both, I regret not carving out a bit of room in our budget and backpacks for a bit more.

No, you don’t need to buy souvenirs while you travel, but mine bring me immeasurable joy that continue to pay happiness dividends over time.

Sometime around the point where I carried that Nicaraguan vase (it’s not a particularly small vase either) in my backpack through 4 countries, I realized that shopping for unique items from around the world is clearly worth it to me.

If you feel the same and are looking for a fun theme for your travel souvenirs, here are some of the best things to collect while traveling!

Table of Contents

The Ideal Features Of Something to Collect on the Road

Display-worthy things to collect while traveling, (sort of) useful sounveir collection ideas, tips for building the perfect souvenir collection for you.

When deciding what to collect while traveling, I’d recommend landing on something that is either worth displaying as a group, or something that you can actually use many of.

To me, the ultimate purpose of a souvenir collection is to add joy to your life by sparking travel memories throughout your day-to-day existence, and either a beautiful display or a collection of something you reach for frequently in daily use can accomplish that goal.

(Or both, of course—there’s no rule that you can only have one kind of travel souvenir collection!).

And why a collection instead of just randomly purchasing souvenirs as you go?

In my experience, a souvenir collection pays dividends that are greater than the sum of its parts, by wrapping up disjointed travel memories into one physical representation of your adventures as a whole.

Don’t get me wrong: I still purchase all different kinds of souvenirs, but collections are worth the effort.

By creating a cohesive collection, you can also add a method to the madness of souvenir shopping, make it easier to narrow in on what you actually want (and/or will use), and you’ll also find it can make it easier to say no to things that would end up as regrettable impulse purchases.

And, of course, it’s also easiest if most of the items you’d like to add to your collection are (reasonably) small.

You can certainly ship your new treasures home from many places around the world, but it definitely adds both costs and logistical headaches to your quest for the perfect collection of travel souvenirs.

If you’re looking for travel souvenirs to display at home, these ideas have you covered!

Local Figurines or Dolls

Local figurines or dolls, either of animals, people, or both, are one of the most interesting things to collect from around the world.

Virtually every culture has some sort of handicraft that represents either local animals or people, and both options are a wonderful way to create a unique travel souvenir collection that shows the heart of the cultures you have visited.

This can be as contemporary as collecting modern maps of the towns you visit and using them to create a collage or other artwork at home.

… or it can be as vintage as browsing antique markets for out-of-date maps from decades or centuries past!

These are often very affordable (they’re frequently ripped out of old books of maps and sold page-by-page, and can look wonderful when framed), and also fascinating.

My 19th-century Italy map with the pre-WWI boundaries is one of my favorite souvenirs from Italy , and I only spent 4 Euro on it.

Vintage Papers

In a similar vein to local maps, you can often find fascinating vintage papers at markets around the world, ranging from postcards filled out 80 years ago to photographs of strangers to advertisements and pamphlets printed decades ago.

This is very much in the vein of “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, but if you collect items in a similar vein from around the world, the resulting collection can be incredibly cool!

Original Art

I’m still kicking myself for not springing for an oil painting I fell in love with in Montmartre almost a decade ago!

Buying original art when traveling can be one of the most unique souvenirs you can find, and due to its nature, it’s absolutely something you should jump on when you find something you love… because you may not be able to find it again soon.

While collecting original art can certainly be an expensive idea for a travel souvenir collection, it doesn’t have to be: you can find both vintage and contemporary art at all price points when traveling.

Books (New or Used)

As a self-professed bibliophile, I will always advocate for books as travel souvenirs.

What kind of books, exactly?

Well, that’s up to you!

Options include beautiful copies of books purchased at famous bookstores, books focused on the local culture (history, art, cooking, guidebooks, you name it), or vintage books that strike your fancy.

One of my favorite books that I’ve bought while traveling is a 1995 copy of Lonely Planet Slovenia , which was the very first Lonely Planet Slovenia guidebook published after Slovenia became an independent country.

If you’re into local history, art, and culture, don’t shy away from poking around the book sections in gift shops of churches and museums, either.

Some are pretty bare, yes, but you’ll sometimes find them stocked with books about the local area that were done in a limited printing (so you may not be able to find them on Amazon, for example).

Vintage Tchotchkes

Souvenir markets around the world are overflowing with often beautiful and interesting vintage items, from mirrors to figurines to old electronics to decor pieces to flowers, and so much more.

These items, picked up at markets, antique shops, or anywhere else you may stumble upon, can be some of the most unique travel souvenirs of all!

Some are expensive and (rarely) valuable, most are just an opportunity for a clever decorator to give new life to a discarded item (and many finds are very affordable).

In many ways, the more random or unexpected the item, the more memorable of a souvenir it is.

Going on a wine-centered trip?

Consider keeping the corks of the bottles you drink along the way, and then displaying them in a glass vase or jar when you get home!

Whether you prefer coins, paper money, or both, holding back a bit of currency from the place you were visiting makes for a fun travel souvenir!

Leaving this one under “display” instead of “sort of useful”, because no one actually uses the pretty tea towels they buy abroad, right?

In our house, at least, those are purely for display.

Pressed Pennies

I’ll admit, I haven’t pressed a penny in about 20 years–but if you’re looking for an inexpensive, very portable, and fun souvenir, a bowl of pressed pennies kept on a coffee table or shelf will certainly do the job!

Masks, like dolls and figurines, are one of those items that exists in a wide variety of cultures, but is interpreted very differently depending on where you are.

This can make for a dynamic souvenir collection (and masks look so striking hanging on a wall).

Yes, of course, all photos you take on a trip (and who doesn’t take hundreds these days?) are a souvenir of sorts!

However, to create a cohesive collection, consider picking a theme or two of photos that you will always shoot so that over time, you have examples of something specific from many locations.

This doesn’t need to be a scenery shot–in fact, as someone who has taken literally hundreds of thousands of photos while traveling, I’ll be the first to say that the candids are often the most sentimental.

Consider taking a photo of your first breakfast at each destination, or one of each method of transportation you use (boats, taxis, tuk tuks, planes, trains–it all counts).

Other options include animals you meet along the way, the less-photographed back of popular monuments, or a close-up of an architectural detail that catches your eye at each “iconic” spot.

Take all the other typical photos too, of course–but creating a themed collection of shots can make for a memorable travel souvenir.

Souvenir spoons may just be the most classic souvenir to collect when traveling.

If they don’t appeal to you though, there’s always the option of collecting spoon rests!

Spoon rests are both eye-catching and easy to source: you’ll find them at virtually any souvenir shop around the world.

Kitschy Icon Statues

A figurine of the Eiffel Tower or Colosseum displayed in your office?

Maybe a little kitschy, but fun.

A full collection of kitsch featuring several landmarks from around the world like Big Ben, Chichen Itza, Petra, and Angkor Wat, all grouped together as one souvenir collection?

Absolutely delightful, over-the-top kitsch.

If your idea of what to collect when traveling leans more toward function than decor, then these souvenir options are for you!

Water Glasses

Mugs may be a more traditional collection option, but an eclectic collection of water glasses sourced from all over the world is a fun way to mix up your kitchen!

Similar to water glasses, an eclectic mix of dishes can be a wonderful way to remember your trip!

I already mentioned my ceramic habit above–and it has led to many colorful new additions to our kitchenware!

Consider options like serving dishes, teapots, or teacups and saucers (one of my friends has been collecting these for years).

Alternatively, consider buying one of the same kind of item–one salad plate, one soup bowl, etc, in each location.

Easy to buy, easy to pack, and popular as souvenirs all over the world: placemats make wonderful travel souvenirs!

Notebooks/Journals

This only counts as “useful” if you actually write in them, of course, rather than put them on a shelf and stare at them (not that I have any experience with that…).

But, if you use notebooks in your daily life, picking up new ones as you travel can be a fantastic way to incorporate your travel memories into your daily life!

I keep a daily to-do list, and the notebook I keep them in right now came from Libreria Acqua Alta in Venice –and it makes me smile every morning when I pick it up.

Whether your interests run toward fine jewelry, local handicrafts, or some combination of the 2, jewelry makes for a fantastic travel souvenir collection.

It’s something small, extremely unique to your style, and fun to pick out!

Reusable Bags

Reusable canvas bags are a popular souvenir that you’ll see in all the usual souvenir shops these days!

Buy several in a few different locations around the world, and you’ll have a full collection of grocery bags to shop with at home.

Do you like to wear aprons when you cook?

If so, a collection of aprons from around the world can help bring your travels home with you!

Available around the world and at a variety of price points, aprons are easy and fun to shop for when traveling.

Prepare a hot drink and fondly remember a fun travel destination: what could be a better combination than that?

I hesitate to include clothing here because while it’s an excellent souvenir idea, it’s harder to make a “collection” of.

If you have a passion for clothing, though, it can be done!

For example, you can collect the same category of item from each place (say, a new scarf in every city), or you can instead choose to purchase something iconic from each destination (say, a wool sweater in Ireland).

I never once considered collecting coasters until I randomly stumbled upon one I liked in Porto, Portugal , and started keeping it on my desk.

I quickly realized I smiled and thought of Porto every time I sat down with my coffee in the morning–and if that isn’t the mark of a successful souvenir, I don’t know what is.

I now plan to collect more coasters at my favorite destinations while traveling and keep them scattered around the house!

Christmas Ornaments

Christmas ornaments are one of the most classic souvenir collection ideas for good reason!

The combination of their small size, varied price points, and the fact that you only get them out once a year (and get to relive your travel memories in the process) makes Christmas ornaments one of the ideal things to collect while traveling.

If you’re the type that likes to keep a mug of pens somewhere in the house, what better to fill it with than a different pen from every destination you visit?

A bit more unique than a postcard, yet still inexpensive to buy and very easy to carry home, bookmarks are a fun option for souvenirs to collect on the road!

This goes quadruple for bibliophiles, of course.

Beach Towels

This really only qualifies as useful if you swim regularly at home and/or like to visit lots of tropical locations.

That being said, if you have a pool or beach that you use regularly at home, a different beach towel from each place you visit can add a dash of whimsy to your towel cabinet!

An oldie but goodie: there are several reasons magnets are one of the most popular souvenir collection options out there!

Relatively cheap, easy to transport, and available everywhere, a magnet collection for your fridge will always be a fun way to display your travel memories.

Attraction Tickets

For a souvenir collection that doesn’t cost a penny more than your travels do, save all the attraction tickets you collect along the way!

Creative display options can include a shadow box, using them as bookmarks, and letting them pile up in the backs of drawers so when you eventually clean them out, you’ll smile to see them again.

(We may have used that last one a time or two–I think our Angkor Wat tickets, which I kept in part because they printed our photos onto them, are still somewhere mixed in with our general paperwork from that year).

If you love to burn candles at home, where better to shop for new scents than as you travel?

Foodie Souvenirs

I’m not going to cover all the many delicious possibilities for food and drink that can act as a souvenir in this guide, mostly because (with the possible exceptions of wine and spices), you can’t really “collect” something that won’t last more than a few weeks after your return.

That being said, we love shopping for local food around the world and recommend you do the same!

It doesn’t literally have to be the same item.

Collections have exactly as much or as little meaning as we give them–so that means you’re the only one who has to recognize the theme between your items of choice!

A group of animal-themed souvenirs, for example, that is collected in a mix of mediums and styles, may not be immediately apparent as a collection to others (especially if it’s not displayed in one place).

To you, though, the theme can add depth to your shopping while traveling.

You can create a capsule collection of souvenirs in a single trip.

While it can be fun to create long-term travel souvenir collections over a period of years, it can also be very rewarding to create a capsule collection in a single trip!

If you’re planning a trip to Europe with stops in Paris , Venice , and Amsterdam , for example, choosing a theme and picking up similar souvenirs in each place can be a wonderful way to remember your trip as a whole.

Things you collect while traveling gain meaning with time.

There isn’t a single souvenir that I own that means less to me now than it did the day I picked it out.

In fact, it’s usually the opposite–and by quite a wide margin, too!

This is partially due to the fact that I haven’t kept less-meaningful purchases, of course, or let them go when they were no longer useful (RIP, adorable elephant romper that shrunk in the wash).

Still, if you know you’re the kind of person who enjoys sentimental items, don’t hesitate to buy some souvenirs while traveling: in 10 years, you’ll be glad you did.

Make a souvenir shopping list.

Generally, I find that I’m most successful with collecting souvenirs from travel when I go in with a plan.

This doesn’t need to be extremely detailed, but doing a bit of cursory research on what products and handicrafts a destination is known for and what prices you can expect to pay can go a long way in helping make sure you curate the perfect souvenir collection for you!

I find knowing a bit about what to expect and what I plan to buy makes it easier to make purchase decisions when in, say, a bustling market stall next to a person who wants to haggle over the price of an object.

That being said, I’ve definitely been very satisfied with spontaneous travel souvenirs, too!

If you’re shopping for gifts while traveling, a theme can help here, too.

Whether it’s a magnet for each of your coworkers or a mug for each of your best friends, picking a theme when shopping for groups can definitely make it easier to pick out souvenirs for others.

When you find something you love, pounce.

When shopping for souvenirs, it can be hard to strike a balance between not over-buying early in the trip as opposed to not buying something you’ll wish you had snapped up.

I tend toward the second issue–I hem and haw over purchases at the best of times–but there are several souvenirs I wish I had grabbed while I had the chance over the years!

Learn from my mistakes: if you’re looking over something that will be hard to replicate elsewhere, like work by a particular artist, and you still want it within a couple of hours… get it while you can.

My personal collections of travel souvenirs are definitely missing a few pieces that I wish I would have sprung for!

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

5 thoughts on “31+ Cool Travel Souvenir Collection Ideas”

Hello Kate and Jeremy, I Love your travel site. I have been reading all of your tips for traveling to Italy. Thank you, it has been very helpful as I finalize our itinerary. My Husband and I have a trip planned for September 2023 (our first time to Italy). We fly into and out of Rome and are planning our land itinerary prior to boarding our cruise out of Venice returning to Rome. I may have planned an overachiever trip. I would love your input if you have time. We’ve decided to rent a car in Rome. We love red wine and want to spend time in Tuscany in the villages and towns. We have always wanted to see Cingue Terre and hoped to fit a night or two there before heading to Florence for a couple days then onto Venice by train. We have approximately 11 days on land. My plan as of now is as follows; Rome to Orvieto, day stop then on to Montepulciano 2 nights? (recommendation) (because the cruise returns to Rome, we may do Rome touring at the end of our cruise?) Montepulciano to Val d’orcia (day stop?) or Montalcino (day stop?)or both and stay a night? (recommendation) Siena for 2 nights San Gimignano, Volterra and Livorno are on our list but not sure if day trips or stay? (recommendation) Cinque Terra for two nights? Cinque Terra to Florence and return the car. Florence for 2-3 nights Florence to Venice by Train (we will have a night and full day in Venice before we set sail. Your hotel, restaurant, car rental, and site ticket purchase recommendations have been so helpful, I have started a travel to Italy folder with all your suggestions. Thank You so very much. We have a Golden Retriever, Brady, however he will not be traveling with us this trip lol I would greatly appreciate any tips you have re: our Itinerary. We are so excited for our trip to Italy.

Sincerely, Lenora and Neil

Thank you so much, I’m glad we’ve been helpful in planning your trip!

Your plan looks pretty solid, though you’ll want to trim a day trip or two for time and ease.

In Montepulciano: the town itself isn’t in the Val d’Orcia but it’s very close, so it makes a great base. Montalcino is in the Val d’Orcia and makes a great stop there, along with Pienza. I’d pick one base in this area and then day trip to the others.

San Gimignano and Volterra are both doable as day trips from Siena, I’d choose one of those to visit. I’d skip Livorno this time, as there’s so much else to see and you’ll already be visiting the coast in Cinque Terre!

Between San Gimignano and Volterra, both are lovely but San Gimignano will almost certainly be more crowded. It will be easiest to drive to either place, whichever you choose. You could also stop for a few hours in either village on the day you drive from Siena to Cinque Terre rather than doubling back.

For Cinque Terre, you won’t drive into the villages, but you can leave your car for a couple of days in either La Spezia or Levanto and take the train into the villages. I’d check the prices on returning the car entirely at this point and then taking the train to Florence, too.

Hope that helps and that you guys have a fantastic time!

Your awesome and we so appreciate your input. You’ve been so very helpful as we plan our dream trip to Italy. I’m sure it won’t be our last trip but we have realized there is so much to see and it’s not going to happen in one trip. Again, thank you so much for your recommendations. We appreciate you! Wishing you many more amazing travels! Lenora and Neil

You are so welcome! Thrilled that we can help. 🙂

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From swimwear to walking shoes, we’ve got you covered.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks

Our Testing Process

• Tips for Buying

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Jackie Cucco

A travel wardrobe is different from a regular wardrobe. How so? It should include comfy, breathable pieces made of stretchy, flexible fabrics while also being versatile, layerable, and suitable for different activities, climates, and occasions.

Finding items that check all the boxes can be challenging. To make it easy, we’ve rounded up the best travel clothing brands that carry casual, professional, weather-friendly, and active pieces alike.

The Travel + Leisure team not only trusts these featured brands but has also personally tried many of their best-selling, highly rated clothes, outerwear, and shoes firsthand. We used our extensive apparel and footwear testing process to come up with the best places to shop online for all types of travelers.

Best Overall

Unbound Merino

Unbound Merino's clothes are woven from ultra-soft, stretchy, non-wrinkling wool that wicks away sweat and promises to keep odors at bay.

The selection is somewhat limited, but it's great for basics.

When it comes to travel apparel, Unbound Merino is tough to beat. Crafted from premium merino wool boasting super-fine, silky fibers, the fabrics are not only not itchy but are also softer, stretchier, and more wrinkle-resistant than many cotton weaves. Wool is naturally antimicrobial and sweat-wicking, too, meaning it won't harbor odor-causing bacteria. So you can wear the garments multiple times on a trip without needing to wash them — the brand says you can wear its clothes for weeks without laundering them.

Unbound Merino carries lots of comfy basics that are excellent for travel, like plain tees, long-sleeves, and pants that feel like sweats but look like professional trousers. We're particularly fond of the Women's Merino Wool Travel Dress . This versatile frock can be dressed up or down, worn as-is or under a light jacket, and styled with sandals, heels, flats, or sneakers. We also like the Men's Merino Crew Neck T-Shirt , a perfect short-sleeve tee or undershirt for guys.

The Details: 90-day return policy

Best for Everyday

The brand's active-meets-casual pieces are just the thing for travel days, athleisure outfits, and sporty weekend looks.

You'll mostly find athleisure and loungewear clothing, but there are some good trousers and knitwear items, too.

Alo is technically a yoga apparel brand, but it makes some excellent athleisure and loungewear pieces for comfy everyday ensembles. The brand has also expanded its offerings to include things like work-ready trousers, knit sweaters, bodysuits, and sporty dresses.

We love Alo's 7/8 High-waist Airlift Legging on account of its extra-wide waistband and soft fabric that lifts and sculpts your curves. When going for a more laid-back look, we'd rock the slouchy Alcolade Sweatpant with a pair of sneakers.

The Details: 30-day return policy

Best for Business Travel

Madewell carries lots of professional-looking pieces, like blouses, bodysuits, button-ups, trousers, and midi dresses.

The men's collection isn't as extensive as the women's.

Madewell is known for its denim, and while we certainly love the jeans, it's also a great place to shop for a work trip. From sophisticated dresses and tailored pants to chic blouses, button-ups, and bodysuits, you'll find a range of high-quality, professional-looking pieces.

The Harlow Pant is one of our favorites for business-casual and business-professional outfits. This best-seller features a high-rise, wide-leg cut and a drapey, breathable blend of cotton and Tencel. (It's also available in a curvy fit , with a contoured waistband and extra room through the hips and thighs.)

Best Sustainable

Besides its impressive collection of classy, travel-ready clothes, we appreciate Everlane's commitment to reducing waste and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

The brand leans seasonless but has some cold- and warm-weather pieces available.

Everlane carries a mostly seasonless collection of travel-ready apparel, including jogger-trouser hybrid pants, jeans in on-trend yet versatile cuts, elegant sweaters, classy Oxford shirts, everyday crewnecks, cotton dresses, and jumpsuits. The brand is also dedicated to sustainability, with a waste-minimizing supply chain and a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by over 50 percent by 2030.

The Dream Pant is one of our go-tos for travel days. These pants look like tailored trousers but feel like stretchy joggers, plus the fabric is wrinkle-resistant and (according to Everlane) "comfortable enough to nap in."

Best Athleisure

Lululemon carries not only top-notch athleisure wear, but also pieces you can wear to work that feel like lounge clothes.

Though the sizes can run a little small, the Align collection stretches to fit even if you fluctuate sizes.

We pretty much always pack at least one Lululemon item when traveling. Originally a yoga apparel brand, it now offers an impressive range of loungewear and athleisure pieces, including leggings in virtually every cut, style, and color. You'll even find work-appropriate garments, like trousers, poplin shirts, and blazers that feel like athleisure wear. The prices can be steep, but you can often strike gold in the discounted " We Made Too Much " section.

Lululemon launched its uber-popular, borderline-famous Align Pant in 2015. While we certainly like the original, the pocketed version is ideal for travel — and it's made with the same buttery-soft fabric and super-wide, high-rise waistband. We also like the slightly looser-fitting Align High-rise Jogger , which has pockets big enough to hold a smartphone .

Travel + Leisure / Alexander Huang

Best for Capsule Wardrobes

This affordable luxury brand has pieces you can dress up or down and wear in multiple seasons.

While many cashmere and silk items are machine washable, the brand still recommends hand washing.

Quince is a relatively new clothing brand but has gained a loyal following since its 2020 launch. When you browse the site, you'll find affordable pieces made from premium materials, like cashmere, natural silk, and linen. There's even a chart on each product page that breaks down exactly how it gets the prices so low. Just the thing for building a capsule wardrobe, the high-quality, multi-season garments can be mixed and matched to create endless outfits. Quince also has an almost unheard-of 365-day return window.

We like the Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater, which comes in women's and men's sizes. We're also big fans of the Washable Stretch Silk Blouse because it's not only machine washable, but it’s also versatile enough to wear with a skirt, jeans, shorts, or pants.

The Details: 365-day return policy

Best Budget

Amazon essentials.

Amazon's own clothing brand has accessibly priced travel basics, loungewear, professional attire, and swimsuits for men, women, and kids.

The "try before you buy" option is only available for Prime members.

If you're on a budget, look no further than Amazon. The mega-retailer has many private label brands, including a very accessibly priced clothing line, Amazon Essentials. There's tons of great stuff for men, women, and kids, including wardrobe basics, loungewear, dresses, sweaters, underwear, swimsuits, and even workwear. Prime members can get their items within a couple of days (sometimes even with same-day delivery) and take advantage of the "try before you buy" perk. This allows you to order items to try on and ship them back without being charged for anything if you decide you don't want them.

The Women's Short-sleeve Maxi is breathable, stretchy, lightweight, and versatile — everything you want in a travel dress. Amazon Essentials also has many affordable short-sleeve men's shirts, including henleys, V-necks, and crewnecks, like this two-pack of Regular-fit Short-sleeve Pocket T-shirts .

Best Size-inclusive

Girlfriend Collective

Many styles run from XXS to 6XL, plus they're made of stretchy, flexible fabrics that won't wrinkle in your suitcase.

The brand suggests using a wash bag or microfiber filter when washing and hanging items to dry.

Girlfriend Collective has one of the most inclusive size ranges out there — many of its styles come in 11 sizes, running from XXS to 6XL. The brand carries fitness apparel, athleisure, loungewear, bodysuits, dresses, and outerwear – all stretchy, breathable, wrinkle-resistant, and packable. Most items are made of fabrics sourced from recycled plastic bottles, and you can even recycle the pieces you're done wearing through the ReGirlfriend program.

The brand's Compressive Pocket Legging is a stellar choice for travel. We like how the soft yet sturdy fabric holds you in without restricting movement, and the deep side pockets are big enough for a phone or passport.

Best for Shapewear

Spanx has shapewear for every outfit, along with thoughtfully designed clothing items you can wear while traveling, to work, and on weekends.

Many items come in limited colors, but the selection is getting broader.

Spanx is almost synonymous with shapewear. The brand carries a comprehensive selection of undergarments that hold you in, smooth certain areas, and enhance your curves — think bodysuits, high-rise underwear, compressive shorts, tanks, and camis. Besides that, you can now get chic, comfy apparel, including travel clothes, workwear, swimsuits, and even jeans with hidden shapewear features.

Made specifically for travel, the AirEssentials Collection has cozy yet classy jumpsuits, dresses, and wear-anywhere pants. We like the Suit Yourself Boat Neck Ribbed Bodysuit because it combines core-smoothing shapewear with a sleek long-sleeve shirt you can style many ways.

The Details: 60-day return policy

Best for Hiking

This outdoor apparel brand has all types of hiking clothes, from pocketed pants and shorts to layering pieces and weather-ready, stuffable outerwear.

Patagonia doesn't make hiking shoes or boots.

If you're planning a hiking trip, Patagonia likely has almost everything you need. We're talking layering pieces, pocketed trail pants and shorts, windbreakers, rain jackets, packable puffer coats, and thick, sweat-wicking socks. It doesn't carry hiking boots or shoes, but we can tell you which ones to buy from other retailers.

We tested the Women's Chambeau Rock Pants and loved the elastic waistband, adjustable cuffs, ample pockets, silky-soft fabric, and true-to-size fit. The material is also breathable and stretchy, preventing you from overheating while offering a full range of movement on the trail. These pants did a great job repelling water, too, so you can definitely wear them on a drizzly day.

The Details: Unlimited return policy

Travel + Leisure / Lisa Pezzuto

Best Outerwear

Columbia makes a myriad of weather-ready pieces, like vests, pullovers, stuffable puffers, rain jackets, and windbreakers.

The outerwear options are more for outdoor activities than professional or formal occasions.

Columbia has been making outdoor apparel for nearly a century. When you shop the collections, you'll find practical base layers, hiking clothes, snow gear, and lifestyle pieces you can wear for travel and other casual occasions. The brand really stands out for its outerwear offerings, which include fleece pullovers, insulated vests, down jackets, raincoats, and windbreakers. Some options feature Omni-Heat technology, a foil-like lining that essentially reflects your body heat back onto itself to keep you toasty-warm when the temperatures drop.

We tried the Women's Carson Pass Interchange Jacket firsthand and were thoroughly impressed. We found it very warm and liked how easy it was to layer over various shirts and even sweatshirts. What's more, this coat has fleece-lined pockets, sleeves with thumbholes, and a hood that actually stays in place when you put it on.

Travel + Leisure / Maria Rowella

Best Swimwear

Andie Swim 

This swimwear brand has well-made one-pieces and bikinis in multiple coverage options, cuts for long torsos, and an inclusive range of sizes.

Some styles may not be supportive enough for large chests, and the return window is pretty short.

Andie is a prime place to shop for swimsuits. The brand is known for its well-made one-pieces with flattering cuts and comfortable designs that don't require constant adjusting — including options for long torsos and plus-size bodies. You'll also find bikinis, cover-ups, and various other travel accessories for women , like hats, sunglasses, and beach bags.

We tested The Amalfi One Piece and fell in love with the thick, durable ribbed fabric. It's exceptionally comfy, even when soaking-wet, and dries quickly, so you're never soaking-wet for long. Though the thin straps may not be supportive enough for those with large chests, we appreciate that you can choose from three coverage options on the bottom: medium, cheeky, or full.

The Details: 14-day return policy

Travel + Leisure / Frances Crouter

Best for Shoes

Nike's footwear selection goes far beyond trainers, with streetwear styles and walking shoes that'll keep your feet happy for hours.

The rocking outsoles might take some getting used to.

Nike has dominated the sportswear market for multiple decades. Over the years, its offerings have expanded to include athleisure clothes, streetwear, and travel-friendly lifestyle pieces. Beyond clothes, the brand has some of the best shoes not just for working out and playing sports but also for hanging out and taking a leisurely stroll.

We tried Nike's Motiva Walking Shoes , which have unique rocker-style bottoms. The shape of the outsoles took some getting used to, but it really seemed to optimize our stride in terms of stability, shock absorption, arch support, and overall comfort. We also adore the sporty-chic look.

Travel + Leisure / Kimberly Souza

Travel + Leisure / Donna Freydkin

Our in-depth testing process for clothing involves carefully inspecting the garments, assessing the materials, trying them on to evaluate the fit, and wearing them for various activities for multiple hours at a time. We rate apparel based on factors such as fit, comfort, breathability, moisture resistance, stretch, durability, care requirements, and overall value. The results for this article were compiled from multiple testers who used the products in real-life settings, often for ongoing, months-long periods.

Tips for Buying Travel Clothing

Choose versatile items.

When buying travel clothes, look for versatile pieces you can dress up or down, mix and match with different outfits, and wear on numerous occasions. Like a capsule wardrobe , this will allow you to pack fewer items and re-wear certain garments. The best apparel for travel is also suitable for multiple seasons, meaning you can layer pieces under or over it for cooler or warmer weather.

Look for travel-friendly features

We recommend prioritizing odor-resistant, breathable, and wrinkle-resistant materials, such as wool, cashmere, lyocell, performance fabrics, and cotton blends containing a stretchy fiber, like spandex or elastane. Some fabrics have built-in sun protection listed as UPF (ultraviolet protection factor).

You'll also be glad to have clothing with pockets. These will come in handy on travel days when you need to quickly stash your phone, boarding pass, ID, or cards. Strategically placed pockets can also allow you to forgo a purse or backpack (or at least bring a smaller one) on some outings.

On travel days (whether you're catching a flight, taking the train, or road-tripping), you want to avoid things that make it hard to sit comfortably for hours or quickly go to the bathroom. For some people, this includes bodysuits, jumpsuits, rompers, dresses, and overalls.

Lace-up shoes can also slow you down when going through airport security. Though some advise against wearing sandals (especially without socks), slip-on footwear such as slides or sneakers can be a good choice. Other things that can hold you back include belts, jewelry, hats, and other accessories.

The best material for travel clothing is stretchy, breathable, and moisture-wicking, meaning it'll draw sweat away from your body to prevent you from overheating. It should also be wrinkle-resistant, so you can pack it in your suitcase without worrying about creases. Fabrics that check all the boxes include wool, cashmere, lyocell, some cotton blends, and performance fabrics.

While you have lots of options for what to wear on a plane , it’s most important to be comfortable and able to move freely, with layers you can take off or throw on if you get hot or cold. You can't go wrong with stretchy jeans or trousers with a simple tee or long-sleeve and a crewneck sweater, half-zip sweatshirt, or button-down flannel. Men's joggers are also a great choice. While you shouldn't wear pajamas, some people rock head-to-toe athleisure or loungewear sets, which we can totally get behind.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Theresa Holland is a freelance commerce writer, editor, and product reviewer specializing in travel, apparel, accessories, footwear, and consumer goods. She has worn multiple pieces from every brand on this list and is personally familiar with the fabrics, quality, comfort features, and wearability.

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25 Travel souvenir collection ideas

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

It’s great to collect souvenirs from your travels. Most of us have photographs and video clips on our phones, but there is something really special about having your own unique items that you have collected on your travels! In fact, it wasn’t until I started writing this post, that I realised just how many travel souvenirs I have scattered around my house!

From watching my toddler play with the singing bowl that my husband picked up several years ago in Nepal, to the comments I receive from other parents when she is wearing her Table Mountain T-shirt whilst playing on the swings, these little reminders of our travels always make me smile 🙂

So I thought it would be interesting to see what other avid world travellers collect on their adventures too! In this post I bring to you 25 travel souvenirs collection ideas from different travel bloggers and influencers .

Travel souvenir collection ideas

#1 starbucks mugs.

I will start the list of travel souvenir collection ideas with my Starbucks mug collection.

I started collecting these mugs during my Cabin Crew career and have continued to do so ever since. You can only buy them in country, which is why they are so special.

On some occasions I have gone out searching for a Starbucks mug, making it my mission to add one more addition to my price ious collection which holds pride of place on these shelves on my kitchen wall. Not everywhere has one though (I have learnt that Italy does not allow any Starbucks to open in fear of the mega chain superseding many of the country’s independents).

If the mugs were sold out on your travels you can sometimes buy them on Amazon or on Ebay, although if they are difficult to find they can be quite expensive!

You can collect country names or cities. I have made myself a rule not to have multiple cities in one country (USA is an exception) and to only get a mug when I have travelled to a place myself. Sometimes friends and family have offered to get a mug for me on their travels, but unless I have personally been to the place that they are visiting, I always say no.

Sadly, my collection hasn’t grown much in recent years. This is because, in many destinations, the Starbucks mugs on sale are a completely different design! Perhaps I should give in and just start buying the new design, but I fear it just wouldn’t go with the rest of my collection!

I love my mugs. Nobody is allowed to actually drink from them, oh no- they are display only! My husband thinks I am crazy. My friends think they are cool. Ironically, I don’t even drink coffee…

To learn more about the tourism industry and the impacts of large international businesses, such as Starbucks, subscribe to my mailing list .

As I became an adult and started to take many more trips, I started to feel little need for bulky souvenirs that would only take up room in my suitcase and in my home. Still, the thought of having a little something to remind me of my travels was very much an interest of mine. 

As a child, my father had a cup on his desk that was filled with flat pennies from different places he had been to before he became a family man. I always looked at these pennies in wonder, since, to my father, they were more beloved items than tacky objects. When I met my husband and we started traveling together, I decided to continue the family tradition of collecting flat pennies and they became my beloved travel souvenir collection.

In case you are wondering, a flat penny is a penny that you put into a machine and turn a crank to print an image onto it. This image is normally a symbol of some sort that represents the place you are at that moment.

My first penny was from a weekend trip that my husband and I took to Chicago , and since then, I have gotten flat pennies on all the trips where we have found machines. We have found pennies all over the US, Canada, Germany, France , Denmark and Hungary. I am now a mother, and I am happy to say that collecting flat pennies on our trips is something we do as a family.

Read more from Kelly here .

Since I was a kid we’ve always collected dolls/figurines that are in the traditional dress of the country/area that we had visited.The idea of having a representation of where we’ve gone is what we love. Not the current ‘look’ or feel of the place but the roots, background and soul of a country. 

We have been blessed to have traveled a lot since I was a kid and my parents have traveled even more. 

So we love to display ours in a few curios. I counted them and there are around 40 dolls/figurines in them. And this does not include at least another 10-20, if not more, that are actually packed away for safe keeping.

Where to find them: sometimes they can be found in cultural/traditional mall stores that can be found in some counties. Mostly though, your best bet, will be to find a local market or side-street market.Not only will you probably be able to bargain but you will find more handmade items available than in the malls.

Typically they aren’t overly expensive, say $10-15. But there will, more than likely, be more expensive options, possibly made of stone, wood or metal.

They are the perfect collectible. Not only are they cute but they don’t take up much luggage space. Plus, what better way to remember your tip than with an item that can be displayed? For that matter, they make for great conversation makers too! 🙂

Read more from Cassie here .

Read also- Travel-themed gift ideas: For kids

#4 jewellery.

While travelling, I collect jewellery and the area’s specialty item(s).

It all started when I was in Switzerland when I was 11. My mum bought me a Swatch watch. It was an item made in Switzerland and it was something I could use long after the trip was over. I couldn’t tell you where I’ve purchased any of my other watches over the years, but I remember that one (and it’s been nearly 30 years!)

It was an accident that I continued collecting jewellery from places I’ve travelled. It’s also not something I actively seek out. However, I usually end up in a shop with some gorgeous necklaces or earrings. It has become a cool way to remember the place I was visiting when I purchased the item. I tend to remember the purchase more if I bought it while travelling.

One of my favorite purchases was a necklace I bought in Jamaica, on my honeymoon. It isn’t an expensive piece, just a nice trinket that I thought was beautiful. It has been almost a decade and I still love this piece. I look at it and I’m taken right back to the store and the surrounding sights and sounds.

I really like to have jewellery to remind me of my travels.

Read more from Natalie here .

#5 T-shirts

Another one of my travel souvenir collection ideas was T-shirts.

As soon as baby Isla was out of baby grows and into proper clothes, I started collecting T-shirts for her from our travels.

My intention is that once she out outgrown them I will turn them into a blanket! I think this will make a really cool souvenir that she will gets lots of use out of and can keep forever.

I will be doing the same with baby Saya too 🙂

For more on our family travel adventures take a look at some of these posts .

#6 Shot glasses

As a kid, I would always get a postcard whenever we went somewhere new, however as an adult, almost by accident I began collecting shot glasses. It may have been something to do with my first international holiday being to Poland , where vodka shots are certainly a popular occurrence! 

My collection has been growing for around 10 years now and I always make sure to get a shot glass whenever we visit a new big city or country. We don’t use the ones we bring home. They have a home inside our two glass cabinets where they are on display.

Almost every individual city will have their own collection of destination themed shot glasses available. They are easy to pack and take up very little room in your luggage too. Most souvenir shops will stock them and usually for a fairly reasonable price of around $3-6US each. 

While many are fairly basic clear glass with a printed image showing where they are from, I try to find unique options as well. A favourite would have to be my engraved crystal ones from different Polish cities or any with coloured glass, rather than the usual clear style. 

When bringing them home, roll your shot glasses in your clothing. Ideally inside packing cubes if you use them, and take care when unpacking so you don’t end up shaking them out and breaking one. 

Read more from Holly here .

#7 Postcards

We collect postcards. We’ve been collecting them since our eldest child’s first holiday and now have almost a hundred of them. Both our son and daughter have a special ‘postcard’ box where we store all the postcards that we’ve collected from around the world. The postcards are a great (and very cheap) way for us to keep our family travel memories alive. Postcards are getting a little trickier to find nowadays as fewer people send them. However, we normally manage to pick them up for less than US$1 in souvenir shops.

To make the collection even more personal and unique. We write a message to the children on each postcard. A brief description of that holiday destination and especially anything funny that they did during that trip. The postcards include all kinds of anecdotes such as when our son was two and totalled a hire car in Denmark ! Or the fun things to do in KL with kids that we discovered when we moved to Malaysia.

For us, the postcards boxes are like memory boxes . A chance to record and remember the children’s big milestones as well as great times together as a family. We hope to continue this tradition for years to come and to give the children their boxes when they turn 21.

Read more from Kirsty here .

#8 Tea towels

When I travelled to Pisa a few years ago I saw some souvenir tea towels that I thought looked cool. What a great travel souvenir collection idea! I thought.

Unfortunately, it seems that tea towels are not as common on your travels as you might think, so the collection never really took off for me and I still have just the one tea towel from Pisa.

Nevertheless, it does invoke happy memories when I am drying the dishes!

I started collecting art on my trip to India I took in 2017. At Fort Madhogarh near Jaipur, India, there was an artist with a small shop. I purchased my first piece of art, a small hand-made picture of animals found in India, there. Price: Around $15 US dollars.

I purchased a second piece of art in Udaipur, India that features two of the major sites of Udaipur, the City Palace and the Lake Palace. Price: Around $20 US dollars.

My trip through Thailand , Cambodia, and Vietnam yielded three more pieces of art. The reproduction Communist poster was purchased in Ho Chi Minh City at a store called Saigon Kitsch. Price: Around $15 US dollars.

The piece of art I got from Cambodia was found completely by accident. I was in their version of a dollar store and I came across a sticker that had the symbol for ‘no smoking’ and something to the effect of ‘no smoking’ written in Khmer on it. Price: $1 – $2 US dollars.

I was doing research online for things to do in Bangkok and I came across a store called Classic Movie Poster. It is a small shop near the Asoke SkyTrain station that sells movie posters, both English and Thai versions. Some are reproductions, while a lot are originals. 

I wanted something unique to remember my trip by, so I put my love of movies and travel together and purchased an original Thai movie poster for the 1981 Harrison Ford movie Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was able to barter with the owner a bit. I also purchased an original Thai poster for the Star Wars movie The Force Awakens as a gift for a friend.        

The piece of art from my latest trip was purchased in Luxor, Egypt , at a papyrus shop. We were taken there by our tour guide from Intrepid Travel, so this shop is definitely the real deal. Price: Around $25 US dollars. 

Read more from Ryan here .

Read also- Types of tourism: A Glossary

#10 soft toys.

The next one my list of travel souvenir collection ideas is soft toys.

On baby Isla’s first big travel adventure to Costa Rica we came across this really cool soft sloth toy. You don’t see many sloth teddies around and we had been on the lookout for sloths all trip, so we decided to buy one for her.

…and so the collection begun!

It has now become a traditional to buy Isla a new soft toy from every destination that we travel to. Preferably it is an animal that we have seen whilst travelling and it will have some kind of badge or something to mark the country. Slothy is her favourite toy, but this is closely followed by a cheetah from South Africa and Canada bear!

For more cute pictures of the kids on their travels, follow along on Instagram !

#11 Magnets

We started buying magnets a few years ago, but it’s really since having children that our collection has taken off. We chose magnets because we wanted a souvenir we could collect that would usually be available and inexpensive. We collect them whenever we visit a new town or city and at tourist attractions. At last count we have nearly 70 (not including those that the children have “borrowed” from the fridge to keep with their toys). They usually cost £2-£3 but we have paid up to £4.50 at a major attraction.

We are always disappointed if an attraction doesn’t have a magnet with their name on. I also have a strong preference for a magnet that represents our visit. For example, my magnet from Brownsea Island has a red squirrel on it because we were lucky enough to see one there. If we hadn’t spotted the squirrel I would have chosen a different one, perhaps one with a peacock on it. 

My son (age 4) and I often disagree about which magnet we should take home. He will often want one that doesn’t fit my criteria which is how we ended up with an owl from I don’t know where. Our tastes also differ wildly. I prefer attractive pictures, he prefers colourful and garish. My choice for our holiday to Barcelona was an understated black and white picture of the Sagrada Familia, one of my favourite buildings in the world. My son’s choice was a brightly coloured and one of the ugliest things I have ever seen. Both live on our fridge.

My favourite thing about collecting magnets is that each one tells a story.

Read more from Liona here .

#12 Thimballs

Wherever I travel I like to bring back a gift for my family. However, travelling for months at a time it’s not possible to bring something from every place I visit. That’s why I buy thimbles from around the world. I’ve been collecting them since my first trip over eight years ago and we now have more than 100 different thimbles from 6 continents. Some from the same city but each with their own unique design.

Sometimes they’re harder to find and can be rare in parts of the world. On my recent trip to southern Africa I didn’t find any until my last day, whereas almost every town in Europe has them. The majority are made of white ceramic with a little piece of artwork on the front. However, some are a little different, such as the one I found in Easter Island which looks like a miniature Moai.

The good thing about collecting thimbles is there are generally a few choices for each place. They’re usually found in souvenir shops or marketplaces for around £2-3 and best of all they add little to no weight to my bag.

The only problem comes when asking how much they are. I was in Spain looking for something suitable and found a shop with three or four thimbles displayed in the window. But when I asked the price I forgot the Spanish word for thimble (“dedal”) and accidentally used the word for finger (“dedo”). I’ve never forgotten the correct word since.

#13 Loyalty cards

My wife and I travel full time. We have been traveling for the last 2.5 years. After covering most of Asia, we are currently in Mexico City. The first thing we do when we land in a new place is to find a Starbucks (if Starbucks has a presence in the country).

We do this because Starbucks Wifi is usually reliable and this ends up being our workplace until we can find a better one!

So we end up buying the Starbucks loyalty card which is different for different countries. Usually, these cards have imagery from the country, like national monuments, parks or famous personalities from the country. This makes the loyal card unique to the country and a nice collectible which we can carry around as we move from one country to another.

The collection used to be a lot bigger but our wallet was stolen in Malaysia and we are rebuilding the collection ever since. 

Read more from Avinasha and his wife here .

#14 African beadwork

I’ve had the great good fortune to visit Southern Africa more than 20 times in the past 14 years. From my very first visit, I got hooked on collecting beadwork. Though I admire all the gorgeous jewellery (who wouldn’t?), it’s the figures that captivate me. 

Beadwork has had a long, important history across the African continent . For thousands of years, it’s been an integral part of currency, status and ritual. Vivid color, a mix of materials and ingenious craftsmanship are the links that connect ancient bead artifacts with the fabulous pieces being created today. 

I’ve centered my collection on beaded dolls, animals and birds created by Zulu and Ndebele people in South Africa . These figures hold pride of place in my home. When friends visit, they love to hear about the pieces I’ve brought back. Where did I get it? Where was the artisan from? What was their story? 

Being a dedicated shopper, I definitely have places I know will get great selection, good quality and affordable prices. As you might imagine, price fluctuations can be staggering. For example, an 8” beaded doll in a safari lodge gift shop could retail for $80. At one of my favorite spots, I’ve paid $20 for something similar. The items pictured range from $6 (for a small bird) up to $30 (for the fish eagle). 

Read more from Elaine here .

#15 Lonely Planet guides

When I was travelling Australia back in 2012 I checked in at a hostel that had an amazing Lonely Planet collection behind the front desk. I already had several books from my travels and from that day forward Lonely Planet guides became my travel souvenir collection.

My Lonely Planet guides take pride of place on the shelves in my office. Prior to leaving for each trip I either buy one second hand from Amazon or, if there are no good deals on Amazon or they are all too outdated, I order a new Lonely Planet from the publishers . I then annotate our route and highlight any attractions that we plan on visiting. This acts as a nice little record of our travels.

Whilst Lonely Planet used to be the ‘travel bible’, like most tourists nowadays, we also tend to rely on Trip Advisor and other, similar online forums/sites. Unlike published books, online information is much more up to date and reliable. HOWEVER, you can’t put your collection of Trip Advisor reviews and Internet research on a shelf!

So whilst my Lonely Planet guides are not as useful as they once were, I still purchase one before every trip to add to my collection.

#16 Christmas ornaments

Christmas ornaments are our family favorite travel souvenir collection! Why? They are always easy to find in shops year-round and are usually under twenty dollars. Ornaments are also easy to pack in your suitcase or in a carry-on bag. You can even pick one up at the airport! We also love that ornaments are one item for our entire family instead of each individual family member buying something.

From Paris to Aruba to California , we’ve collected ornaments from all over the world. My personal favorite is the ornament we bought during our visit to Ruby Falls and Rock City in Chattanooga, Tennessee! The best part of collecting ornaments is, each year when we decorate for Christmas, we’re able to reminisce as a family about our favorite trip memories. Hearing my children say “Oh, I remember when…” is absolutely priceless and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

We’re big advocates for choosing experiences over things and often give travel as a present in our family. We have never been big on buying souvenirs during our travels, but Christmas ornaments have become our go-to travel collectable! They are something we look forward to purchasing and they always provide meaningful and lasting memories.

Read more from Julie here .

Our family travels on a budget, but like everyone else, we love having meaningful travel souvenirs from the places we visit.  A few years ago, we travelled to a remote location in Oregon famous for sunstones. There’s a free collection area, and we took a day to visit.  We collected a whole bag of shiny yellow sunstones.  And to this day, every time we tell anyone about that trip, we show them the sunstones.  It was the perfect (free!) souvenir!   That experience led us to other similar trips where we’d collect a local rock, mineral, or fossil.  Always legally, we never take anything unless specifially allowed. But since then, we’ve collected obsidian, ancient fossils, thundereggs, petrified wood and more.  They aren’t always free, sometimes we do pay to dig, but the fees are low and the experience is priceless.  

Alongside our children, we’ve learned about geology, rock formation, and rockhounding.  And we’ve collected some of the most unique travel souvenirs!  We dream of someday setting up a display in our home to showcase our growing collection.  

We travel almost exclusively in Oregon state, and rocks are collectable from nearly every part of the state.  Near the Pacific Ocean , look for natural agates in the sand.  In the creeks and rivers, petrified wood and red jasper are abundant.  Eastern Oregon has hot spots of obisidian, opals, sunstones, and thundereggs.  Oh, and those sunstones?  We later took some to a jeweller and had the best ones cut into faceted stones.  

Read more from Heather here .

#18 Children’s books

We started collecting children’s books as a travel souvenir on one of our first trips with our baby. Our son was 2 months old then. He is now five years old and has books from so many different places in America.

He has a New York City book, a Boston book, a Florida book, a Grand Canyon book, an Austin, TX book, a Maine book, a California book and even a camping book to commemorate our first camping experience in the Appalachian mountains.

We collect books because we love to read and reminisce. Cuddling and reading before bed is one of our most intimate times as a family and reading children’s books tied to a special memory allows us to relive that memory again and again. It’s that mushy gushy mom and kiddo bonding dreams are made of!      

Prices for souvenir children’s books usually cost us $10-$30, which considering how often we use them, that’s pretty good bang for the buck. My favorite souvenir book to read is  My Taxi Ride  by husband and wife duo Paul DuBois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender. We bought this in New York. My son’s favourite is  How I Became A Pirate   by Melinda Long  which we got in a souvenir shop at one of the great mansions in Newport, Rhode Island.

#19 Scratches (on a scratch map)

I keep hearing or reading from avid travellers: “We don’t collect things, we collect memories”. This is an amazing wish, I totally agree. But let’s face it: we do want to take a tiny part of where we have been as it stirs all those feelings we had gone through when we visited that place. 

We came up with an amazing idea of collecting the places we have been and, most importantly, motivating ourselves to travel more – scratches on a scratch map! 

I got this fabulous map as a gift from my family for Christmas. It was our baby’s first holiday, he was only two months old, and it seemed like a perfect start to scratch off our journey as a family. It is also a perfect gift for your family friends. It is light, it has a hard box, and looks amazing on our wall. 

Until now, wherever we have travelled, first thing we are so excited to do when reaching home being super-exhausted is getting down to the floor and scratching off destinations we have just visited. We also sometimes put some exciting notes near the location with a magic marker that comes in a package.

Read more from Ana here .

#20 Trench art

Buying souvenirs is something we love to do to remind us of where we’ve been. We especially love to find unique items that have some kind of history attached to it, which is why we love visiting antique markets on our travels. 

My hubby is a history buff, and especially loves World War history, so we’re always on the lookout for some collectibles, especially Trench art. Trench art is a term used to describe objects made from the debris and by-products of modern warfare, usually bullet casings. During our time in Europe, we visited quite a few antique stores and markets in search of them. 

We hit the jackpot at an antique market in Waterloo Belgium, and found so many World War collectibles with prices ranging from about €10 up! Some of the trench art we’ve found are just absolutely amazing with all the details and intricate designs. 

They’re not as easy to find as most souvenirs, but you can usually find them at antique markets. Europe is usually the best place to find trench art, but you can also find them in the US as well. We recently visited Gettysburg and found a few at an antique market there.

We’ve been collecting trench art for a few years now and our collection has grown to about eighteen pieces. Souvenirs are such a great way to remember all the places you’ve been, but also tells a story of that specific place and time.

Read more from Skylar here .

Read also- What is ‘begpacking’ and why is it so bad?

#21 european figurines.

We love to travel and it seems that we always end up back in Europe! Europe is where we love to travel as it is so rich in history, architecture, food and much more! On our first trip to Europe we first started collecting figurines for each country we have visited which now proudly sit on our bookshelf in our guest bedroom and remind us of our travels every time we go in the room.

The best part is that each figurine is unique to the country it was collected from for example we got a tea light candle holder with wine grapes inside to remind us of St.Goar, Germany where we did wine tasting in a wine cellar. We have a light up wine glass to remind us of our champagne drink on the Eiffel Tour in Paris, France. Amsterdam was remembered with a small little ditch girl figurine wearing the traditional clogs and holding a tulip. We started our collection with 8 items as we travelled through 8 countries in 10 days.

As we continue our travels through Europe we make sure to bring something home to add to our collection such as a small Kate Kearney’s cottage from Ireland on our last visit. Our collection is currently about 12, and we already looking at plans for Europe next summer.

Read more from Kate here .

#22 Christmas Decorations

When we travel, we always enjoy bringing home a piece of the destination we visit.  However, sometimes it’s hard to find a place to display items, especially if you have a smaller home like we do.  We knew if we wanted to bring something home with us from every place we visit, it would have to be something small.  

After some thought, we decided we would collect Christmas ornaments.  Christmas is our favourite holiday, we go full on Griswold style in our neighborhood.  We are even applying to be on the Tacky Light Tour this coming year!  So, it seemed fitting to collect Christmas ornaments.  They are small, don’t take up a lot of room, and have a natural display area – the Christmas tree!

We have been collecting Christmas ornaments for about 10 years and they have completely taken over our Christmas tree.  We have hardly any room for generic ornaments anymore!  We buy an ornament everywhere we go be it a new country, state, resort and sometimes even restaurants!  

We haven’t been anywhere so far that didn’t have Christmas ornaments available for purchase and you can spend as little as $5 or as much as $20 depending on the ornament (or even more if you want to go super fancy!) It’s always fun to decorate the tree every year and place the ornaments on the tree and reminisce about our past travels!

#23 Rubik’s cubes

I wouldn’t call myself a collector, but Rubik’s cubes are the exception. The fascination started when I was a child, and my father brought one home. One side came quite quickly and then two, but try as I might, I didn’t get futher than that.

Fast forward nearly thirty years to when we started travelling.  I would see them in all the gift shops. They didn’t seem so mysterious now; surely, they must be easier?  On Youtube, it seems anyone can do it, even while juggling blindfolded. As if solving the puzzle would depend on the cube, not through my effort!  I bought one, but it seemed I still had the difficult type.

Next trip I picked up another,  but strangely it was no easier. When we got home to Oman with kids, and I had more time, I decided to take the challenge seriously.  For the fresh start, I bought a new cube, and so now I was becoming a collector, I had to justify my investment.  At last, with time and patience, I mastered the puzzle. Now, whenever I have a birthday or celebration, my family give me different models from the growing selection available.  Some are simple variants on the original and use the same technique exactly. Others have similar mechanisms, but the puzzle is not equivalent.

This thing has crept up on me.  By way of justification, I can only say that the amount of brainwork necessary works very well for me.  I like the smooth feeling of rotating the cube too. Now I always pack one to travel. This saves me from the temptation to buy new ones, while I take my therapeutic fix in long airport layovers.

Read more from Ania here .

#24 Currency

One of our favorite things to collect from our travels is currency. It’s a great way to represent all the different cultures we have visited without the added bulk of actual stuff. 

My daughter, now 7, has always been fascinated by the different currencies all over the world so we decided to always keep some for her to have to look back on.  She’s been to 20 countries so far, so we have quite the collection from all over the world!  Collecting currency is a great way to learn about geography and economics of that country and it takes up very little space in your luggage.

The notes vary so much from country to country, it’s great to see the different colors and coin sizes from all over the world.  We always have some money left over at the end of the trip and with exchange rates being not so great, especially for small amounts, it makes sense to just save it.  Once home, currency is easy to store and takes up very little space. We keep ours in a tiny suitcase. 

Read more from Maggie here .

#25 Memories

My last travel souvenir collection idea is to collect memories!

Yes, I know, it might sound cheesy, but memories are the most precious thing that we collect on our travels!

I know that the kids won’t remember the travel adventures that take place early in their lives, so I love to document our travels through this blog, by making travel videos on our Go Pro and by taking lots of photos on our camera or, if I don’t have the camera to hand, on my iPhone . You can see some of our videos on my YouTube channel.

Travel is the perfect opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime. Embrace it and enjoy it!

To follow our travels you can connect with us on Facebook !

Travel souvenir collection ideas- A few more to consider

In this post I have brought to you 25 travel souvenir collection ideas from a range of travel bloggers and influencers. Whilst these are all amazing ideas, there are also lots of other things that you can consider collecting.

Here is a list of some more travel souvenir collection ideas.

• Diary notes
• Drink coasters
• Drink umbrellas
• Drink labels (wine, beer etc)
• Snow globes
• Beach towels
• Wall hangings
• Kitchen utensils
• Candle sticks
• Tickets/receipts
• Hotel ‘do not disturb’ signs
• Football shirts
• Bracelet charms

Do you have any other travel souvenir collection ideas? I would LOVE to hear them!

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Pack Like a Pro: 45 Travel Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed

Whether you are traveling across the world or around the block, it’s essential to be ready for any adventure that awaits. Nothing spoils the fun faster than a dead phone battery, a broken suitcase wheel, or an exploded bottle of sunscreen. Fortunately, with the right tools on hand, you can make every excursion worry-free. Whether you’re looking for a gift for a travel lover in your life or are stocking up on your own travel essentials, we’ve got you covered.

From clever gadgets to stylish accessories, this hand-picked collection of travel must-haves will upgrade your adventures and make travel effortless.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Please read our full  disclosure policy   for more information.

Useful Travel Gifts: Essential Electronics

When it comes to practical travel gifts, smart gadgets are foolproof. Beyond being smart travel gift ideas, they are great for everyday life. Even during those humdrum periods when you rarely do more than commute to the office, many of these everyday essentials will come in handy.

1. The One Thing Every Person Needs: A Tiny Pocket-Sized Power Bank

A 10000mAh charger will power your phone, earbuds, or tablet in a flash. We especially love this model because you can throw it in your pocket and it has magnetic charging.

Buy your extra small power bank here .

2. Luxury Travel Gift Ideas: Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones

When it comes to electronics for travel lovers, nothing beats noise-canceling headphones. While most of us have some kind of headphones, they probably aren’t delivering concert hall-quality sound while completely silencing the crying baby sitting in front of you on the plane.

For an ultra-chic style and premium sound, it’s all about the Sony WH-1000XM5. Treat yourself or that someone special today .

4. Gifts for the Outdoor Adventure Travelers: Waterproof Phone Case

From the beach to the boat to the pool, a waterproof phone case that can float is a true must-have item. To protect your phone, go for the best of the best with a floating fully waterproof phone case that works for most phones and has a handy lanyard.

We love this Pelican hi-vis yellow two-pack that will keep your phone safe anywhere and everywhere.

3. Must-Have Travel Gadget: Ultra-Compact Size Portable Speaker

Maybe you’re listening to a podcast while you get ready in the hotel bathroom. Perhaps you’ve found yourself having an impromptu party on the beach. Maybe you’re just cleaning the house. Whatever the case might be, you deserve more than the tinny sounds of your phone.

Waterproof and small enough to fit in your pocket, we love the JBL Go 3. The sound quality is top notch and it comes in a range of fun colors. Grab yours here .

5. Travel Gadgets Worth the Investment: Wireless Hotspot

One of the most important things to do before traveling abroad is to make sure that you can use a SIM card abroad. Using a mobile hotspot router means that you can get affordable and reliable internet access anywhere in the world. Even if your phone is locked to a network (which many are!), you can still get online.

Buying a local SIM card with data can be as cheap as $10/month so it’s well worth investing in a hotspot that allows you to get online without losing access to your phone number or having to carry a second phone.

We love the RoamWiFi for its long battery life and reliability .

6. International Travel Essential: Universal Power Adapter

Rather than getting an adapter just for the next country that you are going to, upgrade to a universal adapter. It’ll save you time and money in the long run, especially if you opt for a model with USB and USB C ports.

For the ultimate travel must-have, go for the TESSAN International Plug Adaptor .

Gifts for Digital Nomads

For the digital nomad in your life, whose office is anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection, finding the perfect gift is all about bringing together practicality and tech-savvy ingenuity. Here are a few gifts for remote workers that tick all the boxes.

7. Tech Lover Travel Essentials: Cable Organizer

Even the most minimalistic, lightest packer among us probably has a messy pile of cables and chargers. For digital nomads who need to recreate a workstation on a regular basis, this can be extra annoying. Fortunately, a cable organizer can save the day. 

A perfect gift for anyone who has more than a single item to charge (which is pretty much everyone these days!), buy the perfect fit-it-all electronics travel cable organizer here .

8. One Thing Everyone Needs: A Laptop Sleeve with a Laptop Stand

While most travelers have a decent laptop sleeve, far too many people are living without a laptop stand. Though laptop stands are often forgotten, they are actually a key investment in good remote work ergonomics and preventing neck pain. 

A smart laptop sleeve like the HYZUO Laptop Sleeve Case with Stand makes working anywhere easy and comfortable.

Travel Gift Under $25

As easy as it is to break the bank, some of the best gifts for travelers on every budget are more affordable than you might think. Here are a few low-cost gifts for travel lovers that are sure to be a hit.

9. Help Prevent Accidents with Water Shoes

Anytime you are at the beach or in the water, it is a good idea to have water shoes. From keeping your feet protected on rocky beaches to protecting yourself from dangerous falls. Every adventure our traveler needs good quality water shoes that fit well. We love these comfortable and practical water shoes .

10. Stay Organized While Traveling: Packing Cubes

You can eliminate the stress from traveling by staying organized. Learning how to use packing cubes will help you take stock before you go (and prevent you from forgetting anything). Upgrading your vacuum bags/ packing cubes to compression packing cubes will not only keep your bags organized, but it’ll allow you to fit more inside of your suitcases.  

To nab the best of the best, go for the Gonex Extensible Storage Mesh Bags Organizers .

11. Best Travel Gifts for Anyone: Upgraded Travel Pillow

Forget neck pillows! If you are looking to get good quality sleep on the go, upgrade to the best travel pillow. We are talking about those inflatable airplane pillows that offer real support. The Kimiandy Inflatable Travel Pillow will completely elevate your airplane travel experience.

12. How to Sleep During a Long Flight: The Ultimate Travel Blanket and Pillow Combo

To get comfortable on a long flight, bring the ultimate carry-all Urnex Tour Travel Pillow and Blanket Set Neck Pillows for Airplane Sleeping . This cozy memory foam travel pillow and ultra-warm blanket is the perfect upgraded gift for the travel lover in your life.

13. Unique Gift for Travel Lovers: Personalized Luggage Tag

A nice personalized luggage tag provides peace of mind and can also be a stylish way to spot luggage. Our fellow aviation nerds will love a custom take on the classic “Remove Before Flight” tags. The Men Personalized embroidered luggage tag is a cute gift for globetrotters of all ages.

14. Stay Organized While Traveling: Smart Luggage Add-On

If you’re anything like us, you probably feel like a total mess at some point during every trip. You knocked the lid off your coffee and it’s leaked all over your hand. You are reaching into your bag for the tenth time, convinced you’ve lost your phone. Save the travel lovers in your life from this stress! 

We are obsessed with the Remot Luggage Travel Cup Holder . This hands-free drink carrier fits two cups or anything else that you want to have handy on the go.

15. Deliver a Good Quality Travel Water Bottle

As much as we love the everyday metal refillable bottles and cups, a collapsible water bottle is far more travel-friendly. You can toss it in your bag to refill everywhere from the water station at the airport to Roman fountains. Buy the collapsible filter water bottle in every color and size for the on-the-go people in your life.

16. Give Them a Gift to Take High-Quality Travel Pics

Ditch the selfie stick and learn how to take better selfies. For upgraded travel photos, reach for a good quality portable tripod. The ultra-practical KINGJUE Tripod Stand works with your phone, DSLR camera, or tablet.

Travel Gift Under $100

Whether you’re shopping for the seasoned adventurer or the aspiring globe-trotter, you can give them a gift they’ll cherish for less than $100. Here are a few of our top travel gifts for friends and family.

17. Ultra Useful Travel Gifts: High-Quality Ear Plugs

Whether you’re dancing at a concert, trying to relax on a plane, or working in a cafe, earplugs are far more useful than you might realize.

Loop earplugs have completely changed the game with a range of earplugs for every situation from calming your anxiety to getting a good night’s sleep when your hotel room is located above a noisy street. Here are the three options (and, yes, getting all three is actually really useful and not over the top at all).

• Quiet : Great for getting a good night’s sleep on plane
• Experience : Protect ears at concerts
• Engage : Stay relaxed while traveling

18. Affordable Luxury Travel Essential: Travel Sheets  

There is something about sleeping in a bed that has been shared by hundreds… or thousands…  of people before you that is not so comforting. If you have a travel-loving friend who is a bit of a germaphobe or maybe likes a certain thread count, treat them to the Cozy Silk Sleeping Bed Liner . Whether you put them out in a hostel, a campground, or a five-star hotel, they’ll instantly make any homesick traveler feel right at home.

Essentials for Active Travelers and Adventurers

Choosing the perfect gift for active travelers and adventurers is all about reliability. Think durable travel gear, compact gadgets, and innovative outdoor accessories. Here are a few of our favorites to get you inspired.

19. Easy Travel Gift for Men, Women, and Kids: The Ultimate Windproof Umbrella

Not everything has to be an unforgettable gift! Sometimes people need practical presents that they can cherish and use all of the time for years. A repel windproof umbrella will keep you dry, warm, and cozy in Thai monsoons and soggy trips across the parking lot.

20. Affordable Gift Everyone Needs: The Quick-Dry Travel Towel

From gym rats to beach lovers, anyone and everyone could use a quick dry travel towel. While it can be a bit of a bland gift, the premium quality and trendy look of the Sun Cube microfiber towel make it a fun foolproof gift.

21. Game-Changing Gift: Travel Day Back

Maybe we are partial to anything pocket-sized, but there is nothing like an ultra-small bag that folds out into a daypack. The Gonex Ultra Lightweight Packable Backpack is the perfect gift for anyone who is looking for a quick and easy grab-and-go bag. 

Gifts to Stay Healthy While Traveling

Keep them safe with these ingenious gifts that add a safe net underneath even the highest flying adventures.

22. Practical Gift: Travel First Aid Kit

Whether you are looking for gifts for family travel or just want to stay responsible on your own expeditions, a travel-sized first aid kit is a must. Toss it in your bag and keep another one in your car.

Grab a super practical and smart travel-sized first aid kit for a gift that will regularly save the day.

23. Stay Comfortable on Long Flights: Trendy and Comfortable Compression Socks

Probably the most overlooked aspect of flying internationally is the wearing of compression socks.

A good pair of compression socks can prevent painful swelling during long travel days and can also help prevent long-term problems caused by frequent travel. These fun yet functional compression socks are a must on long-haul flights.

24. Sleep Well While Traveling: Sleep Masks

Forgot the old-fashioned scratchy cotton sleep mask that never fit well. Upgrade to a silk face mask that blocks light and has an anti-aging perk. The Fleur & Yang Silk Sleep Mask for men and women will help you get to sleep anytime, anywhere.

25. Stay Hydrated While Traveling: Self-Cleaning and Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

While it would be amazing to carry a refillable water bottle everywhere and just fill it up anytime, that’s not always realistic. In many places, the only choice is questionable water from the tap or an endless stream of plastic water bottles. Enter the LARQ Bottle to rescue ! This is the perfect gift for absolutely anybody.

Gifts to Stay Organized When Traveling

When you’re struck with wanderlust, it is all about finding a way to organize the chaos so you can stay sane even during the most nail-biting adventures. Here are a few gifts that’ll make that easier.

26. Avoid Overpacking with Luggage Scales

Be strategic while weighing your bags before you get to the airport. It’ll help you avoid surprise fees and give you the chance to spread out the weight among different bags (without all the stress of doing it on the airport floor!). 

Opt for the reliable, high-quality Etekcity Luggage Scale for trustworthy measurements. 

27. Prevent Overpacking with a Clothesline

One of the most overlooked packing secrets is so simple: re-wear your looks! Rather than packing a different outfit for every day, plan to wash things on the go. Whether you are on a long trip or camping, washing your clothes will make life much easier.

Bring a travel clothesline so you can quickly clean your clothes and have them ready to go again in no time.

Travel Gift Ideas for Women

For the adventurous and free-spirited woman in your life, look to practical and stylish fixes that will make her excursions effortless.

28. Upgrade Your Travel Wardrobe with a Travel Jewelry Organizer

The best way to upgrade your travel outfits is with great accessories. Having a good travel jewelry organizer means that you can look chic every day while living out of a suitcase.

29. Practical Women’s Travel Gift: Security Scarf 

The Zero Grid Infinity Scarf with Hidden Pockets is a travel gift idea for the fashion lover in your life. It’s a stylish decoy and is a bit more sophisticated than a simple travel belt. Most importantly, it is a place you can tuck away your valuables and have them completely out of sight.

30. Give the Perfect Carry-On Backpack 

Knowing how to pack efficiently is the key to stress-free travel. Packs like the Sinaliy large travel backpack for women make that easy. With a dedicated pouches, you can fit everything you need in a carry-on bag to save time and cash.

Travel Gift Ideas for Men

For the modern explorer and adventure enthusiast in your life, go for guys’ travel gifts that will make it easy for him to be ready for the next adventure anytime anywhere.

31. Pack Quickly and Efficiently with a Smart Toiletries Bag

Guys, put down the plastic bag! Upgrade your travel gear with the Elviros toiletry bag . This will keep you organized while preventing spills and messing in your suitcases.

32. The Perfect Carry-On Bag for Guys 

Got a guy in your life who is still using your tattered high school backpack for travel? Upgrade him to the MATEIN carry on backpack .

Cool Travel Gadgets

Elevate the travel experience for your globe-trotting friends and family by exploring a range of cutting-edge and ingenious devices designed to make their journeys smoother, smarter, and more enjoyable.

33. Travel Charger: 3-in-1 Wireless Charger

The UCOMX Nano 3-in-1 wireless charger makes it easy to charge your iPhone, AirPods, and iWatch all in one easy piece. This cool gadget packs flat and is perfect for use on the go.

34. Smart Eco-Friendly Travel Gadget: Solar Charger

Whether you are hiking, camping, or just looking for an eco-friendly travel charger, this solar charger 38800mAh Solar PowerBank is an essential travel accessory.

35. Save Money on Luggage with a Pillow Bag

As airlines make checking-in a luggage increasingly more expensive, using your neck pillow for extra storage has become a popular social media travel hack. Why carry around a bunch of stuffing when you could fill your pillow with clothes and other things that you’ll actually use on your trip? Check out the brilliant ​​ TUBE Pillow for a game-changing travel solution.

Travel pro tip : If you’re more interested in adding extra luggage space than having an extra pillow, fill up your neck pillow with cozy socks, a warm scarf, and all of the other essentials that you will use on the flight so they are ready to go when you need them.

Travel Safety Essentials

Safety is paramount, and these thoughtfully curated items are designed to empower and protect your loved ones as they explore the world.

36. Avoid Credit Card Theft by Traveling with a Smart Wallet

With the increase in contactless technology, so too comes the increase in data scams. Help protect your traveler from digital pickpocketing with this genuine leather RFID wallet that blocks thieves from scanning credit cards when on the go.

37. Stay Safe at Hotels with a Personal Security Door Stop Alarm

A door-stop security alarm is a perfect travel gift for women or solo travelers. This door security device is similar to a door stopper, but the alarm will sound when pressure is applied to it by an opening door. The door stop also prevents the door from being forced open. Great as a backup plan to help the traveler in your life rest easy.

Unique Gift Ideas for Travelers

Look beyond the basics for an unforgettable gift that they will cherish for years to come.

38. The Ultimate Travel Souvenir: A Travel Map

Help the traveler in your life commemorate their adventures with a scratch-off travel map. This beautiful golden map will remind them where they’ve been and might even give them ideas for where to head next!

39. Creating Memories: Travel Journaling

When you want to create lasting memories, look beyond the endless photo albums. A travel journal is a great way to immortalize every adventure and is truly a gift that can be cherished for a lifetime.

40. Chic Coffee Table Book Gift for Travel Lovers

The Assouline coffee table books have become a social media darling and it’s easy to see why. With beautiful illustrations of locations all over the world, you can build a gorgeous collection or nab that one special book of a dream destination.

41. Travel Essentials: The Perfect Luggage Set

There are many luggage set options out there, but very few of them are as practical and durable as the BagSmart Luggage set . We adore their three-piece set that is perfectly sized for each piece to fit inside of the other.

Travel Books & Guides to Help Inspire Their Next Trip

For the avid wanderer and armchair traveler alike, these pages hold the power to transport their mind and spark their imagination.

42. Travel Guide Gifts 

If you are worried about what items your friend or family member may already have, then a travel guide is always a safe travel gift idea.

Travel guides are excellent as they can inspire countless adventures and give useful advice on their next bucket list destination .

Classic travel brands like Lonely Planet , Fodors , Moon , and Rick Steves’ guidebooks are always a great gift for the travelers in your life. Find more travel guides here!

43. Gifts Books to Inspire Travel

For the person who is always dreaming of their next trip, give them a classic travel book to inspire them. Here are some popular favorites:

• 50 States 5000 Ideas
• National Geographic Journeys of a Lifetime
• 1,000 Places to See Before You Die
• The Bucket List: 1000 Adventures Big & Small
• Ultimate Journeys for Two: Extraordinary Destinations on Every Continent

44. The Good Old Guaranteed-to-a-Hit Standby: Gift Cards

One thing that is always well appreciated by travel lovers is gift cards or vouchers. Gift vouchers allow the receiver to use the card’s value to purchase experiences, accommodation, or services. Don’t know what to give your well-seasoned traveler? Check out these gift cards and vouchers below.

• Hotels.com Gift Card
• Southwest Airlines Gift Card
• Starbucks Gift Card
• Amazon Gift Card
• Audible membership – gift unlimited reading and audiobook listening on any device
• Or try Amazon Prime 30-day free trial for yourself!

45. Best Gift of All for Travelers – The Gift of More Adventures!

Give the gift of experience! Create lasting memories that the special people in your life will never forget by planning a Miami trip that will knock their flip-flops off! Here are a few essential Miami experiences that are sure to dazzle.  

• Little Havana Walking Tour with a Local : Easily one of the best neighborhoods in Miami, you can experience the best of Little Havana with a local at your side to give you an insider’s perspective on what makes this place so special. 
• Full 24-hour Slingshot Rental : For a true Miami bucket list experience, look no further!
• Electric Bike Tour in South Beach : To see all the best South Beach has to offer , hop on a bike and ride down the endless beaches of this beautiful city.

Final Thoughts

From innovative gadgets to safety essentials, there is something out there for everyone and every adventure that they might take. Whether you are shopping for a digital nomad, an outdoor enthusiast, or a globetrotting girl boss, finding the perfect travel essentials is all about being creative and thinking outside the big box retailer. 

Looking to make the most of your Miami travel experience? Follow us on Instagram for tips on the hottest spots and coolest hideaways.

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• Gifts for grown-ups

The 36 Best Gifts for Frequent Travelers

By Samantha Schoech

Samantha Schoech is a writer focusing on gifts. She spends her time finding things that combine quality, beauty, usefulness, and delight.

Give the globe-trotter in your life a gift that will appeal to their sense of worldly wonder. These items will make flights, long lines at customs, and hotel stays feel less arduous and more comfortable. You could also give your favorite traveler special mementos and experiences to celebrate past trips and anticipate future expeditions. Whatever type of traveler you’re shopping for, we have something here to suit their wanderlust.

Bluetooth connection

This small, portable transmitter sounds as good as more expensive options, and it actually works as advertised, which isn’t a given in this category.

Buying Options

Watching an in-flight movie with freebie airline earbuds is an exercise in missed dialogue and muffled music. The 1Mii ML300 allows travelers to connect their own Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to the plane’s audio system with a standard jack. This little gadget has a solid, 10-hour battery life, support for the aptX Low Latency Bluetooth codec (to improve the sync between audio and video), and the ability to pair to two sets of headphones at once. Like all the Bluetooth transmitters our audio team tested, it can produce some audio lag. Although it isn’t a flashy gift, it can make your giftee’s travel more pleasant.

Anywhere outlet

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

With four plugs that will work in 150 countries, plus four USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and an AC socket, this adapter is the best all-around choice for anyone traveling out of the country.

If your sojourning friend is about to travel internationally, they’ll need a reliable plug adapter. The Epicka Universal Travel Adapter contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which together cover the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter our travel team tested, and it charges more devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take care of any shockingly bad connections. Still, it doesn't cover every possible plug around the globe. For someone who is truly bopping from country to country, a multi-plug set like the Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set contains five different plugs, and it offers sold-separately add-ons for countries such as Brazil , India , Israel , and South Africa , which aren’t covered by “universal” adapters.

Personal-item perfection

Away The Everywhere Bag

This bag slides over the handles of your carry-on for easy transport. It’s made of durable nylon and has plenty of space for in-flight essentials.

Ah, the ideal “personal item”—the bag that’s small enough to stow under the seat in front but large enough to hold headphones, hydration, extra layers, reading material, a laptop, lunch, and whatever other items one might deem essential. It seems nearly impossible, but it can be done. Away’s The Everywhere Bag , made of water- and abrasion-resistant nylon, is our personal-item pick . It has a removable shoulder strap and a sleeve for slipping over the handles of a carry-on suitcase . Inside, your gift recipient will find a roomy interior pocket for clothes and toiletries, plus six smaller pockets and a 15-inch laptop sleeve. Outside is a single slim pocket for tickets and travel documents, and at the bag’s base is a waterproof umbrella pocket. Truly savvy packers could easily get a weekend’s worth of stuff in this bag.

Artful journaling

Hand Book Paper Co. Travelogue Watercolor Journal

This 5.25-by-8.25-inch landscape-oriented journal has 30 sheets of 90-pound watercolor paper.

Caran d'Ache Gouache Studio Set

With 14 shades and a tube of white in a reusable metal case, this gouache paint set allows for intuitive blending and layering, ideal for inspired amateur artists.

Kuretake Gansai Portable Watercolor Set

The travel version of our favorite watercolor paint set also comes with a self-cleaning water brush and a fine-tip black pen for outlines and definition.

One needn’t be a painter to enjoy the craft while traveling. Set a burgeoning artist up right with a few excellent tools of the trade. The compact Hand Book Paper Co. Travelogue Watercolor Journal is designed to absorb watercolors but lends itself just as well to pencil, ink, or gouache. Covered in natural linen, it has pouch-ready rounded corners and an elastic strap to keep it closed. Pair it with a set of gouache paints such as those in the Caran D’Ache Gouache Studio Set , which have a satisfying opacity and don’t require the patience, foresight, or skill of watercolors. Of course, some people prefer the abstract flow of watercolors, in which case the Kuretake Gansai Portable Watercolor Set is a better bet. Both palettes come with serviceable brushes; a more experienced painter might add a few extras as their skills progress.

Dry hair anywhere

PackTowl Personal

Whether used for camping, hiking, traveling, or general outdoor adventuring, this towel is durable enough to handle extended abuse while remaining soft and comfortable.

For adventurers who camp, stay in hostels, or otherwise travel rough, a personal towel is essential. Our pick is the PackTowl Personal , primarily for its odor-preventing antibacterial treatment, ideal for when laundry opportunities are few and far between. At 25 by 54 inches, it’s large enough to wrap around most folks, and it feels soft and substantial against the skin. It dries quickly, shakes free of sand readily, and weighs only 6.4 ounces—a primary concern for anyone carrying it in a backpack.

Noteworthy guidebooks

Herb Lester Guides

These magnificently designed fold-out maps provide unique and whimsical ways to explore dozens of locations around the world.

Gone are the days of carrying around dog-eared guidebooks to find hotels and museum hours. But there are still some things you can’t find online. The beautifully designed and lovingly written Herb Lester Guides provide travelers and armchair travelers alike with utterly unique ways to explore a new place. Serge Gainsbourg’s Paris doesn’t provide the entrance fee to the Louvre, but the gorgeous, 16-by-27-inch fold-out map, packaged in a printed cardstock case with a Gainsbourg cocktail napkin, does lead you to Studio Ferber, where the multitalented musician, actor, and director recorded the soundtrack to the hit movie Tenue de Soirée in 1986, or to L’Hôtel Meurice, where Gainsbourg often visited Salvador Dali. The series also includes John le Carre’s London ; The World of Patricia Highsmith , which touches on locations in the US, Mexico, and Europe; Andy Warhol’s New York , and dozens more.

Luggage helper

Cincha Travel Belt

This wide nylon strap has a sturdy buckle to keep your shoulder bag, backpack, or carry-on firmly attached to your roller bag, for smoother trips through the airport.

Anyone who travels has surely precariously perched their carry-on atop their rolling suitcase, only to have it topple, swivel, or lurch. Solve that annoyance with the Cincha Travel Belt , a useful offering that comes in some snazzy colors and patterns. The concept is simple: This adjustable nylon strap cinches a smaller bag to the telescopic handles of a suitcase, thereby freeing up a hand, shoulder, or back. Yes, your traveling friend could use a bungee or even a rope for that purpose, but this item has a few touches that make it worth the upgrade: The sturdy metal buckle releases like butter, and a hidden elastic loop keeps the belt attached to the suitcase, even when it’s unclasped. Yes, this is a practical gift, but for the right traveler, it will be a real gem.

Penkou Portable Neck Fan

This fan’s battery lasts all day, and several accidental drops haven’t killed it. Also, it fits comfortably around the neck without being heavy, loud, or excessively gusty.

This past summer, heat records broke across the globe, and many travelers reported that they found it difficult to stay cool and comfortable on the go. New York City’s heat wave prompted staff writer Thom Dunn to explore the world of wearable neck fans , including the Penkou Portable Neck Fan . And the Penkou model, with a ring of 72 air slots that softly blow air up toward the head (but not directly into the face), was his pick. It weighs only about half a pound, and because of its smooth plastic design, it’s barely noticeable against the neck and shoulders. One large button on the front right makes it easy to cycle through the fan speeds. The rechargeable battery lasts up to 16 hours, and the fan is compact enough to slip into a carry-on.

Handy sanitizer

Noshinku Hand Sanitizer

This flat, pocket-friendly hand sanitizer comes in sophisticated scents like vetiver, eucalyptus, and bergamot. And it’s refillable.

Traveling requires a lot of surface touching: airplanes, subways, taxis. If the pandemic taught us anything, it was that we should clean our hands as often as possible. The lovely-smelling Noshinku Hand Sanitizer is an FDA-compliant germ-killer that also contains stuff like jojoba, rosehip, argan oil, and aloe, to keep skin from drying out. Each canister is about the size of a credit card, though not quite as slim. So it can be slipped into a back pocket or a purse pocket. The best part is the canister is refillable , so your recipient can continue to use it for a long time.

Reading light

Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light

This chic, compact device offers five light settings, and the power indicator makes it easy to tell when to charge it.

Whether your favorite traveler is reading on a plane, train, or bed, or they’re just rifling through their suitcase, they will surely appreciate some extra light. The tiny Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light is our pick because it’s so lightweight and easy to carry. It twists and adjusts, so the light covers a full page, and it has simple buttons, for changing the brightness and temperature of the lighting. This lamp is so small it can clip to a paperback without weighing it down, and it fits in a pocket.

Trip planner

Lonely Planet’s Where to Go When

This visual travel guide suggests events and destinations for every month of the year. It’s as much an inspiration as it is a planner.

Graphically exuberant and endlessly inspiring, Lonely Planet’s Where to Go When is arranged by month, so travelers can figure out where to head on any given day. Miami’s Art Deco Weekend is in January. Consider Botswana’s Okavango floods (the best time for dugout canoe safaris) in June. This book further categorizes potential trips by budget, family-friendliness, and “expensive but worth it” (a July road trip along the Westfjords of Iceland, for example). Even if the recipient is more of an armchair traveler than a frequent globe-trotter, this book is sure to kick their wanderlust into full gear.

Luggage tracker

Apple AirTag

AirTags leverage Apple’s huge network of devices to track down a lost suitcase, and they’re impressively accurate at pinpointing an item’s precise location.

With delayed shipping

You save $20 (20%)

Whether it was misrouted by the airline or left behind in a station waiting room, a lost suitcase can really dampen a trip. The Apple AirTag —our favorite Bluetooth tracker —does not work with non-Apple products. But if your beloved traveler owns an iPhone, AirTags are better than their competitors in just about every way—from ease of setup to location accuracy. They track belongings almost in real time. And if an airline does lose your favorite traveler’s suitcase, they will have an accurate map to point to when trying to locate it. Wirecutter staffers have also had success with slipping AirTags into the pockets of their restless kids.

Arrive refreshed

Peace Out Puffy Eyes

Each box contains six pairs of under-eye patches, which are infused with caffeine and hyaluronic acid to depuff tired, travel-weary eyes.

Nobody looks—or feels—as fresh as a daisy after a flight. But the Peace Out Puffy Eyes cooling under-eye patches—a longtime favorite of supervising editor Hannah Morrill—can help with both. Each box contains six pairs of crescent-shaped patches, made of a gelatinous (but not icky) biocellulose gel. The cooling effect is certainly pleasant enough. But the ingredients (caffeine, for a temporary tightening effect, and hydrators glycerin, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid) are what really do the trick for travel-worn eyes.

Safe drinking water

LifeStraw Go Series

This water bottle’s microfilter straw protects against all sorts of contaminants—from microplastics to E. coli. And it makes everyday tap water taste better.

To turn non-potable water into fresh, clean drinking water, staff writer Samantha Schoech swears by the LifeStraw Go Series water bottle (she recently sent her son off to Central America with one). Its replaceable filter removes 99.9% of contaminants and protects against common waterborne pathogens. This bottle is a little pricey, but it eliminates the need for single-use plastic bottles. And each filter cleans 1,000 gallons, which translates to roughly five years of daily use. LifeStraw also makes a 1-liter collapsible bottle for when space is tight. (To learn a little more, see our article on the LifeStraw Max Water Filter .)

Plane entertainment

Nanoblock Birds Rosella Collection Series Building Kit

Flat bags packed with tiny building blocks keep bored hands and minds occupied on long treks. The resulting builds are about the size of a fist.

A person can only watch so many in-flight movies. On long hauls, we find these Nanoblock mini building sets to be just the ticket for restless hands and minds. They’re engaging but not mentally taxing, and the sets (ranging from about 100 to 200 pieces) are small enough to lay out on a tray table and later carry home in luggage. Finished pieces—from musical instruments to cats to pizzas—are only about 3 inches tall.

Power on the go

TravelCard Plus

This power bank is one of the smallest and lightest we’ve tested. It has a powerful USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C and Lightning cables, and a rated capacity of 3,000 mAh. But it recharges slower than our other picks.

At some point, your constantly on-the-go pal will require some extra juice, and a portable charger will ensure they have it when they need it most. We like the slim and petite TravelCard Plus , which also happens to be the smallest, lightest USB portable charger we tested. But there’s more to love than just its pocketable size. The TravelCard Plus’s USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C cable, and built-in Lightning cable can fast-charge most smartphones or other handheld devices (though it recharges more slowly than our other picks ).

An unmissable luggage tag

Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag

This brightly colored silicone tag displays the owner’s name but keeps other personal information out of sight.

There are a few features that make the Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag superior to pricier models in our testing . For starters, due to its sturdy, silicone-and-metal cable construction, it can withstand crowded overhead bins and rough tarmac treatment. Then there’s the issue of privacy: Although the owner’s name is always fully visible, address details are revealed only after you unscrew and remove the metal cable. Also an upside: This tag comes in a range of eye-catching colors. So it can help someone spot an otherwise-nondescript suitcase on a fast-moving carousel.

Premier toiletry transport

State Bags Bensen Toiletry Kit

This bag includes a detachable pouch and other organizational options, so packing is easier for both long and short trips.

For all manner of travelers, the State Bags Bensen Toiletry Kit is the most versatile one we tested . If your traveling pal takes longer trips and often checks their luggage, this bag folds up to stash larger items, like full shampoo bottles or contact solution; the hook hangs smoothly from a towel bar, for easy access. Our favorite feature for light packers: a removable translucent plastic pouch that holds up to four 2.7-ounce travel bottles (ideal for carry-on security checks). Available in a dozen prints and patterns, the bag also looks great and feels like a fancy, will-last-a-lifetime gift at a relatively modest price.

Small servings

Cadence Capsules

These leakproof plastic travel containers hold half an ounce of solids, liquids, or creams; magnetized sides keep them compact and easy to locate.

If your favorite excursionist wouldn’t dream of using hotel shampoo or missing a day of their skin-care regimen, a set of Cadence Capsules will serve as an anxiety-abating treat. (Less-particular travelers will appreciate our favorite simple toiletry bottles .) All six hexagonal cases are leakproof and magnetic on every side, and they can be filled with about a half-ounce of whatever the traveler’s heart desires—from serum and dry shampoo to omega-3 capsules and CBD gummies. The well inside each capsule has rounded corners, so the recipient can scrape out every last daub of their precious potions. Each vessel can be customized with a “tile” or label. But unless you know your recipient very well, we suggest giving a gift card , which will allow them to choose their own colors and tiles.

Organized packing

Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set

Simple and solidly constructed, these packing cubes maximize luggage space and keep everything organized.

Even for the most enthusiastic traveler, packing remains an uphill battle. The Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set (one of our favorites ) can make the task infinitely less arduous, and some of our testers found that this set made packing borderline pleasant. The three cubes are made of sturdy polyester, so they stay upright when empty, and the mesh windows let travelers easily scope the contents. With a clamshell design, these cubes fully open on three sides, so deeply stashed items are easily accessible. Another welcome note in the age of lost luggage: Pouches can help your favorite traveler compress stuff into a single carry-on.

Safety socks

SockWell Men’s Lifestyle Firm Compression Socks

These compression socks offer the perfect combination of function and price. They are made of a merino wool blend, which is typical of more-expensive options.

SockWell Women’s Lifestyle Firm Compression Socks

For a true frequent flier, wearing a great pair of compression socks is both a safety and a comfort measure. Long flights can cause deep vein thrombosis and gravitational oedema (the technical term for swelling caused by sitting around too long); compression socks facilitate circulation and reduce the instances of both. SockWell Lifestyle Firm Compression Socks (available in both men’s and women’s sizes) are comfortably snug, and they’re made of a luxe, merino wool blend that hugs without constricting. The socks are cozy on a nippy flight, and they come in a handful of prints and colors that aren’t as institutional-looking as those of other compression socks we tried.

A hands-free journey

Dagne Dover Ace Fanny Pack

This neoprene pack blends style and function, fitting everything from a large wallet to a makeup kit—with room to spare.

For those who like to explore new places but don’t want to carry a purse, a modern, cool fanny pack is just the right accessory. Of the 22 we tested, the Dagne Dover Ace Fanny Pack offers the best marriage of handsome looks (eight suave colors!) and plenty of storage space—it can readily hold a smartphone, a passport, a wallet, and hand sanitizer, and there are extra pockets for a transit card and some change. Wide straps make this bag comfortable to carry, and the neoprene material (think wetsuit) will keep gear dry if the weather shifts unexpectedly.

A cozy cardigan

White+Warren Essential Cashmere Trapeze Cardigan

This simple, luxurious, and flattering open-front cardigan will add a layer of warmth and elegance to a trip abroad.

There is nothing worse than boarding a flight and realizing you miscalculated just how chilly airplane AC can be. One of our favorite cashmere sweaters , the White+Warren Essential Cashmere Trapeze Cardigan is a simple and luxurious piece that will keep a traveler cozy both in transit and once they’ve reached their destination. This sweater is lightweight and soft enough to nap in (it can double as a blanket, thanks to its drapey shape), and it looks polished when layered over a tee or under a jacket. Available in six muted tones, the cardigan has an airy construction, so it can fold down smaller than expected for easy packing.

Colorful little notebooks

Pantone 10 Notebooks

Each brightly colored, pocket-size notebook has 48 grid-dot pages.

Not all travel journals need to be works of art, layered with watercolor and ink. The Pantone 10 Notebooks set includes 10 brightly colored, 4-by-5.5-inch softcover notebooks that are perfect for jotting down ideas, an itinerary, or travel memories. Each notebook slips nicely into a tote or a pocket and has 48 grid-dot pages of decent-quality paper. Send your traveler out into the world with a couple of these and a good pen , and see what they return with.

Armchair travel to Japan

Set in Edo-era Japan, this game revels in the simple pleasures of traveling—in this case, from the city of Kyoto to Edo (what is now Tokyo).

Players journey along the Tokaido road with other travelers, stopping at hot springs, stores, temples, and inns (and collecting souvenirs and eating delicious meals as they go). The ultimate goal is to be the “best traveler,” or to have the richest experience by seeing, eating, or doing the most during your trip. The game itself is beautifully designed and simple to play; it’s not deeply competitive, though there is some strategy involved in attempting to win. The pleasure of playing Tokaido comes from relaxing and accepting the pace of the board, and letting the game reveal surprising discoveries—much like travel itself.

A window out into the world

With each click in this free app, a view opens from a real window somewhere in the world, complete with sounds of birds, traffic, or blessed silence.

Sometimes the best gift is to remind someone that the world is both larger and more accessible than they realize. The strangely addictive WindowSwap allows viewers to take a break to stare out a window in cities such as Copenhagen, Manila, and Prague. Some of the window scenes are tranquil, others are not, but all suggest that there’s an infinite number of new things to see, wherever you are. The app is free, but for $5 a month, your armchair traveler will be able to look out all the windows ever uploaded, create unlimited bookmarks and playlists, and even access a back button so they can spend a little more time gazing out a favorite window.

An eye mask and a travel pillow for catching z’s

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

This lightweight, contoured mask comfortably fits a wide variety of face shapes and blocks light well. It’s best when you’re sitting upright or sleeping on your back.

Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

This compressible pillow has tall, memory-foam walls, and it offers more support than any other pillow we tested.

It’s perhaps an indictment of air travel in general that many travel items are designed to mitigate the environment, whether it’s the noise, the light, or the cramped seats of an airplane. The Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask , a Wirecutter favorite , features contoured eyecups that rest around the eye sockets, instead of directly on the eyelids. By combining this mask with noise-cancelling headphones and a pillow, a traveler will be about as close to a sense of privacy as one can find on an airliner. For a headrest, we like the Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow . It’s simple to wear, doesn’t interfere too much with headphones, and provides support even when the wearer is sitting upright.

Tiny white noise machine

Yogasleep Travel Mini Sound Machine

This sound machine is about as small as the palm of a hand and weighs less than 5 ounces. And it features a USB-rechargeable battery.

There’s no guarantee that your beloved traveler’s hotel or Airbnb will be as quiet as it promises to be. A small, portable sound machine may create enough white noise to drown out sleep-disturbing intrusions. The Yogasleep Travel Mini Sound Machine is from the same company that makes the classic Yogasleep Dohm Nova , which we recommend . The Travel Mini has six sound options, including white noise, brown noise, and three nature-inspired sounds. It also acts as a gentle night-light, with three dimmable options. What’s better than the gift of a good night’s sleep?

A game about the birth (and death) of words

Those who enjoy language immersion (and disorientation) will appreciate this card game, which has players generate a unique dialect.

Part of the experience of traveling to another country is feeling lost in its language, and Dialect can help fill the gap. This game involves the birth (and eventual death) of a language and the culture that created it. At its heart, Dialect—which requires almost no setup but plenty of imagination—is as much a discussion of what language is and why it exists as it is a game. It’s also good for last-minute shoppers: Order the standard physical edition, and you’ll get a digital copy, too (online access is emailed immediately, so your loved one can start figuring out how the game is played).

Travel posters with classic appeal

Anderson Design Group World Travel Posters

These archive-quality, vintage-inspired prints depict destinations worldwide, and they come in a variety of sizes.

Years ago, senior staff writer Kit Dillon’s father went to Cuba and saw a clay statuette of Fidel Castro for sale. Kit said that when the vendor told his father the price, he said, “Castro no vale tanto” (translation: Castro isn’t worth that much). That may seem risky for an American to say while traveling alone in Cuba, but the statuette is here now looking at Kit, so somebody appreciated the joke. Ever since, Kit said when he finds a small token of Cuba—like this art print —he sends it to his father to remind him to take the trip again one day, only this time with Kit. For its World Travel Poster series , the Anderson Design Group created nostalgic images that harken back to another era of travel—and they make an excellent promissory note for a trip to come. The collection currently encompasses every country in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Central, South, and North America, and it will eventually include every country in the world. The prints come in six sizes, and the images are available on canvas or metal.

Cutlery to go

Hydro Flask Flatware Set

This three-piece stainless flatware set helps climate-conscious travelers avoid single-use plastics, and it comes with a Velcro carrying case.

Airport food has come a long way. What hasn’t progressed: the flimsy and environmentally deplorable single-use plastic utensils you have to eat it with. Portable cutlery will give your recipient a dignified way to dine on the go. Wirecutter editor Ria Misra recommends the sturdy stainless Hydro Flask Flatware Set , which comes with a full-size fork, a knife that’s strong enough to butter a muffin (but that won’t alarm the TSA), and a spoon that’s perfect for slurping soup. This set also comes with its own carrying case, so it won’t get lost (or separated) in the dark recesses of your carry-on.

A pretty passport cover

Tusk Siam Passport Cover

This elegant goatskin passport cover comes in 11 zippy color combos, and it won’t fade or scuff, even after years of traveling.

A bright passport cover will make it easy for your traveling pal to quickly locate their passport in a bag at the airport (or at home, when it’s shoved in the back of a drawer). Supervising editor Hannah Morrill loves the Tusk Siam Passport Cover , which is made from supple goatskin leather and comes in nine cheery color combinations. (Some other versions we’ve tried have a translucent pouch; in theory, this sounds ideal for flashing the relevant page at customs, but in practice, the cover ends up smudgy and embedded with crumbs.) Hannah reports that even after years of use, the slim folio looks clean and crisp. Plus, there are two inner card slots, which are excellent for stashing any stray forms you’re asked to hang onto at the airport or on the plane.

We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend .

Dorie Chevlen contributed reporting. This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.

Meet your guide

Samantha Schoech

Except for the time she gave a boyfriend her mother’s old toaster for Christmas, staff writer Samantha Schoech has a reputation as an excellent gift giver. She lives in San Francisco with two teens, two cats, a geriatric betta fish, and a bookseller husband. Her first book of short stories, My Mother’s Boyfriends, is coming out in 2024.

Mentioned above

• Looking for a way to connect your wireless headphones to a source that lacks Bluetooth? Use a Bluetooth transmitter like 1Mii’s ML300 or B03. The Best Bluetooth Transmitters for Home and Portable Use  
• We tested over a dozen travel plug adapters to find the best to bring on a trip overseas. Nothing can cover you everywhere, but check out these four good options. The Best Travel Plug Adapter  
• There’s more to a great in-flight personal item than being small enough to stuff under a plane seat. Here’s how to choose the right one for your travel needs. The Best Underseat Luggage and Personal-Item Bags  
• After 10 years of airport dashes and overhead-compartment stashes, the Travelpro Platinum Elite is still the suitcase we want to carry. The Best Carry-On Luggage  
• We spent 60 hours testing travel packable towels and we are convinced these are the best options for drying off. The Best Packable Travel Towels  
• These reading lights are bright and adjustable, so you can keep reading even if you share a bed with a light sleeper. The Best Reading Light  

Further reading

How to Sleep Well (or at Least Better) While Traveling

by Christine Ryan

Our sleep and travel editors recommend gear for coping with travel-induced insomnia, vetted through hours of testing and years of personal experience.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Haley Perry

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

The Best Gear for Travel

by Wirecutter Staff

We put in another year and tens of thousands more miles of travel to test the best travel gear—and we stand by last year’s choices alongside a few new picks.

The Best Underwear for Travel

by Liz Thomas

We tested 37 pairs of travel underwear and found that ExOfficio’s Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief and Patagonia Women’s Active Hipster panties are the best around.

Howlanders Blog

The best adventures in the wilderness lived and told by other travelers

Ideas for a travel collection

This post is also available in: Español

• 1.2 Indigenous or traditional clothing
• 1.3 Cups/cups
• 1.4 Magnets
• 1.5 Coins / Banknotes
• 1.6 Photographs
• 1.7 Figures
• 1.8 Passport stamps
• 1.9 Tickets
• 1.10 Kitchen aprons
• 1.11 Postcards and stamps
• 1.12 Baggage check-in barcode
• 2.1 Related posts:

When we go on a trip we experience unique moments and discover things we never thought possible or had never seen before. In this way, everything that shocks us we want to keep in our minds forever. But we want to keep it in a very personal way. And for that, we have the travel collections .

There are thousands of things to collect . If you are looking for some original ideas to collect from your travels, here we tell you ideas and examples about what to collect from travels around the world.

The best ideas to collect from travels

There are few people you’ll meet who don’t love beer . There are wheat beers, there are non-alcoholic beers, and there is even spicy beer in Mexico . If you delight in trying every different beer this should be your collection . It reflects all the possibilities the world has to enjoy a good beer.

Indigenous or traditional clothing

Are you traveling with just enough? Do you want to identify yourself and live 100% an experience with the local people ? Buy local clothing in the markets and enjoy the trip as one of the locals.

Markets like Chinchero, on the tour to Maras and Moray , is one of the best known in the whole country. The Chinchero market is known for its stalls with traditional clothes and fabrics , and for still maintaining the character of local market , away from tourist trends.

Are you a fan of tea or a good Colombian coffee ?. This is the perfect collection for you. Collect a thousand types of cups with different messages, drawings, or even shapes .

Can you imagine drinking a Colombian coffee in the Lost City of Santa Marta , one of the most important coffee designations of origin in the world, with your own cup?

Don’t have a lot of space, well it’s easy! Collect the fun and magical magnets .

Most cities in the world have a magnet that identifies them and in any minimal tourist destination, you are going to be able to buy them. Feel as if you were traveling every time you want to open the fridge .

Coins / Banknotes

A souvenir with a lot of sentimental as well as economic value. Each country has its own legal tender currencies , so first you must be clear about the best formula to exchange currencies to the country you are traveling to.

As a suggestion, if when you finish your trip you still have too much money left over, you can leave it to the lounges workers or guides who have accompanied you . Often, what is little money to tourists means a lot more to them.

Photographs

But is this a collection? Many will ask. Well yes, choose the most representative photo of each of the most photographed places in Latin America and save it in your photo collection.

Here it’s not the quantity that counts, but the quality and importance . Do not include 100 photos of the same place, only the most important of each destination.

Do you already have your Machu Picchu trip ? This should be one of your must-have photographs in your collection .

Do you like characters and figurines on your furniture and shelves ? Well, include travel figurines in your collections. You can make it of animals, cultural or historical characters, legends, etc. For example, the famous Ekeko known in Latin America.

Passport stamps

Your travels don’t understand borders? One place to store your travels in a very compressed form is your passport . Each stamp on each page marks an imprint of your experience in the destination visited .

When you travel, the activities you do are the ones that mark you and the tickets of each one of them can remind you of every moment lived during the trip. Collect the tickets and remember each of the adventures and experiences you choose to do.

Kitchen aprons

The perfect collection for cooks . If you love gastronomy and learning about it, keep an apron of all your destinations . You will cook thinking about each country you visited.

For example, you can cook a typical dish of gastronomy of Ecuador , such as an encebollado, with an apron as a souvenir of your trip to Chimborazo .

Postcards and stamps

Even if you don’t write many handwritten letters anymore, this is a perfect collection to remember every destination you visit . From each of the places you travel to, you can choose a postcard and a stamp and send them to your own home . This way you’ll collect both at the same time , and once you’re home, you can reminisce about your experiences.

Baggage check-in barcode

A sticker with codes and numbers? It’s not just that. That sticker informs you of your destination and date of each trip . So you can have in the memory of each of the flights taken to go to each destination . Even if you are interested, you will be able to know the airline you chose for each flight.

Although nowadays almost everyone moves through virtual maps, for the most romantic ones, collecting maps of cities or countries is a great souvenir of the places you visit. But not only that, but they are also very useful. Well, in each of the maps, you can notch every place you visited and be able to remember in the future if you come back or to recommend to friends, the best bar in town, the most special corner for you, etc.

Do you have a favorite book ? Get the version of the book specific to each country and language of the world . A great and precious souvenir of one of your favorite things.

What NOT to collect

When you travel you should be very conscious and respectful of each destination you visit and its ecosystem. Therefore, any collectible object that may damage the biodiversity of the country we recommend responsibility and do not damage their environment, that is, always follow the rules of sustainable tourism.

Here are some examples of objects that you should NOT collect from your trips : shells, corals, seeds (that can cause pests in your place of origin), animals (although we understand that an animal is not something collectible in any sense, not only in the world of travel), stones, minerals…

Do you also collect anything from your travels? Tell us about your collections and about what you think of these ideas to collect from travels that we tell you about.

Related posts:

Lily is happy with a backpack on her back. Every year she travels through one country in Latin America and has repeated several times, especially Peru where she says she feels at home (although she says the same about Argentina, Chile and Bolivia).

She loves ceviche, hiking and Sunday picnics with her friends, although whenever you ask her, she's always planning her next destination.

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10 Fun Travel Souvenir Collections to Start on Your Next Trip

Celebrate your travel adventures with these decor-worthy souvenirs.

Related To:

What's the best way to remember all of the adventures you and your family have? We think it's starting a collection that you can add to with each new spot you visit. But sometimes it's difficult to figure out exactly what you should be collecting on your trips and not only what you should collect but also how you can display your collection once you get home. So we've rounded up 10 ideas for fun collections to start for travel addicts, along with great display hacks you can steal.

Create a gallery wall with pretty maps from each spot you visit. You can even choose vintage maps to display, as they tend to be more stylish. Use the same black frame for each map to help bring your collection together.

2: Postcards

Postcards are another easy collection to start, and there are a variety of ways to display them. Clip your postcards to strings or frame and hang them on the wall. Look for cards with images that best represent your trips, and don't be afraid to get more than one for each location.

Pick up a stylish hat in each locale you visit, and choose one that best represents each city or country. As your collection grows, display your hats in a variety of ways. Try hanging them on the wall in your bedroom like artwork, or group them together on a shelf.

Track down patches of the national parks, monuments and various cities and countries you've visited. You can also find patches for sports teams and other local organizations. Take a walk down memory lane and add your patches to a vintage jean jacket, or display them on a felt board.

Back in the day, most restaurants, bars and hotels gave out matches to patrons. While the tradition is not quite as common today, it's still fun to collect matches from locations you visit that happen to have them. Display your matches in a vintage bowl on your coffee table or in a dish in your guest bathroom.

6: Shot Glasses

We're not going to lie -- shot glass collections can potentially end up looking a bit cheesy; however, we think this fresh idea stops the cheese right in its tracks: put a plant in them. You can use air plants, fresh herbs or simple succulents to fill up your shot glasses. You can even add some pebbles to add some different layers.

Pick up a piece of art from each new city you visit, and create your own evolving art collection. Mix it up and choose different pieces, mediums and styles from the locations you travel to or try to keep things more similar and choose the same types of art (i.e. all black-and-white photography or all line drawings). Display your art on a beautiful gallery wall in your home to help remember all of the amazing trips you've taken through the years.

Pins are easy to find in most spots you visit, and they often have a retro vibe. We love this display idea, which uses an embroidery hoop to showcase the collection in full. You can hang the hoop on your wall and add to it after each trip.

If your vacations usually include the beach, seashells are the perfect piece to collect. Try to bring at least five shells home from each trip, and find a fun way to display them. This beautiful shell arrangement almost looks like a piece of art and would look stunning on a coffee table.

10: Perfume

For any travel addicts who also like to mix up their daily scents, perfumes are a fun item to collect from each country you visit. Choose scents that remind you of your trip or scents from perfumeries that are specific to the area. Display them on a pretty vanity tray and every time you use one, you'll be reminded of your special trip.

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RB ITALIA Blog

Don't Forget To Pack These 15 Items When Traveling With Family

Posted: June 19, 2024 | Last updated: June 19, 2024

Traveling with your family can be a great adventure, but packing can be a bit of a challenge. When you travel with your partner and children, it’s easy to overpack. To ensure you have everything you need and avoid unnecessary stress, it’s important to pack smart and keep a list. Here are 15 essential items you should pack to ensure a fun and stress-free family trip.

Foldable Stroller

A stroller can make all the difference when traveling with infants and young children. Not only can you get early flight boarding specifically for families, but you can also conveniently store it in an overhead bin. With foldability, you can easily store it in your hotel room and bring it whenever you head out.

First-Aid Kit

Anyone could benefit from a travel safety kit, but it is necessary when traveling with kids. Younger children tend to be clumsy and prone to accidents, so it is best to take it everywhere. If they get a scrape, you’ll have antibacterial gel and bandaids.

Reusable Water Bottle

You carry a water bottle home, so why not bring it traveling with you? You can purchase one for every family member, so they can have easy access to water while not having to spend on plastic bottles. For extra security, you can buy water bottles with built-in filters to trust any water you drink. Looking to save space? Consider collapsible options.

Kid-Safe Travel Headphones

Most airlines, if any, offer kid-friendly headphones while in flight. The headphones for adults can be very uncomfortable and too big to fight into a child’s ear. Working with the entertainment systems you are given, I recommend finding children’s alternatives with a cord so it easily plugs into the headphone jack.

Bringing toys to keep them entertained is always a good idea when going on vacation with your children. Bring a mix of virtual and physical games to promote fun and inclusion. Pack a tablet, UNO, and classic playing cards to keep your children occupied during travel days.

Disinfecting Wipes

Wipes are a staple you should keep on hand when traveling with your kids in case of a mess. Whether food, drink, or dirt, disinfecting wipes like Lysol eliminates germs and keeps surfaces and hands clean. Luckily, they make travel-sized wipes for easy packing.

Folder For Documents

Organizing travel documents in a folder is essential for a hassle-free trip. This ensures that all necessary documents, like passports and flight information, are easily accessible in one place. This further reduces the chances of losing them or rummaging through everybody’s bags and pockets.

No matter where you go, you should always bring various snacks for your family. It can keep your kids satiated on the plane or serve as fuel for long hikes, boat rides, and full days spent on the beach. You will also save money by bringing your favorite bites instead of purchasing some.

Packing Cubes

For more prominent families, packing cubes is the key to suitcase organization. Teaching your children to be tidy and pack efficiently will serve them well when they go on future adventures. If you want to minimize luggage and share a suitcase, use packing cubes to separate your items to eliminate confusion.

Creative Activities & Books

Besides games, creative activities are an excellent outlet for children to pass the time. Children can bring along novels and even coloring or activity books. You can bring along crayons, colored pencils, and markers to let your child’s imagination run free. Do not be surprised if they spend hours reading or coloring.

Packing the proper medications can be handy at different points of your trip. Essentials should include children’s aspirin, a motion sickness aid, and a thermometer if you suspect someone is coming down with something. It is better to be safe than sorry.

If you take the family to a destination known for its intense sun, always stock up. The sun’s UV rays can affect us in all degrees of weather, from icy cold to blistering hot. Sunscreen should be applied daily to protect children with susceptible skin.

Weather-Appropriate Clothing

Make sure to check the weather forecast for where you’re headed and pack the right clothes. Layering is important since it helps you adjust to different temperatures easily. Don't forget to throw in a rain jacket or umbrella just in case. It’s always better to be prepared for any weather surprises.

Comfort Items

Pack some comfort items like blankets, pillows, or your kids’ favorite stuffed animals. These little things can make a big difference, especially on long trips. Having something familiar can help everyone relax and feel at home. Plus, it makes sleeping on the go a lot easier.

Travel-Sized Detergent

Detergents are important to carry for long trips with kids. They’re handy for spills and stains that need to be dealt with immediately. Having your own detergent also saves you hotel laundry costs and keeps your clothes fresh on the go. It’s small and portable, which can easily fit into your bag.

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The post Don’t Forget To Pack These 15 Items When Traveling With Family appeared first on RB Italia Blog .

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Protect Your Trip »

What to bring to a water park: 18 items you can't forget.

These items are essential for the water park and the pool.

What to Bring to a Water Park

Getty Images

My family and I recently visited our first indoor water park resort : Kalahari Resort in the Poconos (highly recommend, by the way). While I packed many of the essentials, there were a few times I found myself saying, "Wow, I wish we had brought that." Based on my experience, I put together a comprehensive list of things to bring to a water park – from sunscreen to water shoes to the right type of bag for a locker.

Foldable bag

Courtesy of Shylero

Water park lockers are often small, which makes it important to pack light and use a bag that is pliable and easy to stuff into a tiny space. The ALOHA Tote and SHYLERO Beach Bag – two of our best beach bag picks for 2024 – work well since they can also be emptied and folded down if necessary. Something like the Bogg Bag , on the other hand, is not ideal for a water park locker.

This one goes without saying, but we're including it because if you're not planning to wear your swimsuit to the water park, you might just forget to throw it in your bag. It can happen to the best of us.

A swim cover-up is nice to have if you decide to grab lunch at one of the water park restaurants.

Water shoes

Courtesy of Crocs

To protect your feet both in and out of the water, choose a closed-toe shoe like Crocs or quick-drying water socks that aren't likely to fall off.

If you're heading to an outdoor water park, don't forget to pack the sunscreen (which will be a lot more expensive to purchase at the water park, if it's available at all). Sunscreen lip balm is also a good idea.

Consider bringing a cheaper pair of sunglasses, assuming they might fall off and get scratched at some point during the day.

Swim diapers

Courtesy of Green Sprouts

Swim diapers are required for non-toilet-trained children. There are plenty of disposable options, but for a reusable diaper that is absorbent and washes well, check out the swim diapers by green sprouts . They're available in a variety of patterns and sizes up to 4T.

Reusable water bottle

Don't forget to bring your reusable water bottles from home. You can use them at water refill stations in the park.

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Pack a reusable wet bag to put your swimsuits, soiled swim diapers and other wet gear in at the end of the day. The ALVABABY wet bags are some of the top rated and come in a two-pack of varying colors and patterns.

First-aid kit

You don't have to bring the whole medicine cabinet, but it can't hurt to bring a few Band-Aids and some Neosporin. Also pack some ibuprofen or aspirin.

Courtesy of Frogglez

Don't forget to pack the goggles. If you're looking for a new pair, the Victoper goggles are well rated and easy to remove thanks to a snap in the back (no painful hair pulling here); they come in a two-pack. Frogglez are also popular for the soft, full-head strap and the lens coating that helps prevent fogging.

Life jacket

Many water parks require that young children wear life jackets in the water and thus provide a variety of life vest sizes for guests. However, depending when you arrive, availability may be limited. To ensure your child has the best fit, bring a Coast Guard-approved life jacket like this option by Oceans 7 , available in multiple sizes.

Some water parks provide towels, while others do not. Research this ahead of time to determine whether or not you need to bring your own.

Change of clothing

If you plan to wear your swimsuit to the water park, remember to pack a full change of clothing, including underwear.

You'll inevitably find yourself at the water park snack bar, but you might be able to save some coin by packing a few of your own snacks, too. Just double-check water park policies on bringing outside food before you visit.

Waterproof phone case

If you want to take selfies on the lazy river or capture your kid coming down the world's longest waterslide, get yourself a waterproof phone pouch. This Hiearcool pouch comes in a two-pack with adjustable lanyards. The pouch is securely locked so your phone is fully protected from the water.

Waterproof camera

If you don't want to risk using your smartphone near the water and/or you want to capture some underwater photos, invest in a waterproof camera. Many buyers like the pocket-sized Olympus Tough TG-6 , noting that it takes great photos both in and out of the water.

If you and/or your littles have long hair, you'll want to pack a hairbrush to comb through the inevitable knots that accumulate in chlorinated water. Wet Brush makes travel-sized brushes that are convenient in this scenario.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Amanda Norcross used her recent experience as well as advice from other parents to curate this list of water park essentials.

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KFOR.com Oklahoma City

Travel agents give tips to avoid being arrested abroad for items in your luggage

by: Spencer Humphrey/KFOR

Posted: Jun 18, 2024 / 06:15 AM CDT

Updated: Jun 17, 2024 / 10:26 PM CDT

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Travel agents say situations like that of an Oklahoma man arrested in Turks and Caicos for carrying ammunition in his luggage are more common than people may realize—and people should also pay attention to the medicine and clothes they pack while traveling abroad.  

Ryan Watson, an Edmond resident, is expected to enter a guilty plea in Turks and Caicos on Wednesday, after police there arrested him in April.  

It is illegal to possess ammunition in Turks and Caicos, and punishable by up to 12 years in prison.

Security officers at the airport in Turks and Caicos found ammunition in Watson’s luggage when he arrived for his return flight home in April.

Watson said he’d recently used the bag for hunting and didn’t realize the ammunition was inside.

“I feel so bad for that guy,” said Lia Vincent, owner of Oklahoma City-based travel agency Vincent Vacations. “It’s really unfortunate. It seems like such an extreme punishment.”

But Vincent says, ultimately, Watson’s situation was not very surprising to her.

“I can totally see how this could happen,” Vincent said.

She says that confidently, because she’s already seen it happen once.  

“We had a client with an issue before that traveled with ammunition to Mexico,” she said. “And Turks and Caicos does have a more strict policy on it than Mexico, but the people that went to Mexico still had to go to jail.”

Now, she gives all her clients the same warning:

“Always travel with travel luggage,” Vincent said. “And if you use something with like for hunting, just keep that in like a completely different closet. Have that not be intermixed with your travel stuff.”

And it’s more than just ammunition you should keep in mind when packing for an international trip.

She says, beyond ammunition and weapons, certain medications tend to catch the attention of authorities in foreign countries. Even foreign countries that may seem to have similar laws to the U.S.

Specifically, she says many people don’t realize most stimulants prescribed in the U.S. to treat ADHD are illegal to posses in many European countries.

“Even things like controlled substances like Adderall, for example,” she said. “There are a lot of countries where Adderall is illegal.”

She says even the clothes you wear could land you in handcuffs—if you don’t do your research beforehand.

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“There’s certain countries you’re not supposed to wear camouflage and you can get in trouble for in camouflage in their country,” she said.

In fact, you don’t even have to travel internationally, to get in trouble for carrying something that is perfectly legal in the place you’re leaving.

“Medical marijuana is legal in Oklahoma,” she said. “But it’s [illegal] in the federal law. So you can’t travel even on a domestic flight with marijuana.”

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The Texas delegation renewed its push this week to force Mexico to honor a water treaty from the 1940s.

Abortion pill fight not over after SCOTUS ruling

Idaho, Missouri and Kansas Republican Attorneys General are pledging to revive a lawsuit to ban abortion pill, mifepristone, nationwide.

Juneteenth honor flight recognizes Black veterans

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — More than two dozen Black veterans whose military service spans World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War traveled to Washington, D.C., Wednesday on the first-ever honor flight to commemorate Juneteenth at war memorials and monuments.  The group of black veterans are making history once again.  “They played a role […]

Senate may vote to codify Roe in July

Monday marks the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down the federal right to an abortion.

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• 1 Understand
• 2.1 By plane
• 2.2 By train
• 3.1 By public transportation
• 4.1 Museums
• 4.2 Monuments
• 4.3 Religious Buildings
• 5.2 Theatres
• 5.4 Entertainment complexes
• 5.5 Water amusement parks
• 5.6 Aquarium
• 6.1 Bazaars
• 6.2 Shopping malls
• 7.1.1 Fast Food
• 7.2 Mid-range
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• 10.1 Consulates

Krasnodar is the capital of Krasnodar Krai in southern Russia, with a popolulation in 2018 of just under 900,000. Its main industries are based on agriculture and food.

In the 18th century Russia expanded south under Catherine the Great, driving out Ottoman Turkey from control of the areas north of the Black Sea. The city that grew up here was called Yekaterinodar , Catherine's Gift, and became a diverse, entrepreneurial, attractive settlement. It was fought over in the Russian civil war, and since the Bolsheviks won, they got to rename it "Krasnodar", gift of the Reds. In 1942 / 43 it was occupied by the Nazis, with much destruction and death. However many of the old town buildings have been restored, though no-one could mistake the city's landmark hyperboloid tower for tsarist architecture.

From the airport, trolleybus 7 (1 hour) and minibuses 53 and 15 (40 minutes) operate service to main train station. Buses 1 and 1A operate service to the city centre. A taxi from the airport to the city centre should cost RUB500.

Several trains per day operate between Krasnodar and the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk (RUB650, 3 hours), Rostov-on-Don (RUB600, 3-4 hours), and Volgograd (RUB900, 14-16 hours).

Buses operate approximately every 3 hours between Krasnodar and the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk (RUB350, 3.5 hours). Buses operate hourly to the Russian resort town of Anapa (RUB350, 3.5 hours). There are 6 buses per day to/from Rostov-on-Don (RUB400, 4-6 hours). There is also a daily bus to Sochi (6 hours).

By public transportation

Krasnodar has a dense network of trams, trolleybuses, city buses, taxis, the boat across the Kuban river and marshrutkas. Public transport fees are generally approximately RUB30.

Krasnaya (Red) Street is the main street of the city. Part of the street is closed to vehicles during evenings, when it becomes the center of nightlife.

Theater Square has largest splash fountain in Europe .

• 45.01759 38.9678 1 The Krasnodar Regional Art Museum Of Kovalenko , 13 Krasnaya St , ☏ +7 861 262-95-04 .  
• 45.01759 38.9678 2 Krasnodar Regional Showroom of Fine Arts . Includes many famous works of Kuban and Russian and European artists from as early as 16th century.  
• 45.019464 39.002994 3 Museum of Military Technologies Oruzhie Pobedy , v . Popular with kids that like to climb on the tanks.  
• Monument to Catherine the Great
• Sculpture of Walking Dogs - Mira 35 - Built in 2007, it was inspired by a famous Russian poet that commented on the number of dogs in Krasnodar.
• Monument to Shurik and Lida
• Monument of Cossacks writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan
• Monument to Kuban Cossacks
• Monument Avrora
• Monument A.S. Pushkin
• Obelisk In Honor Of The 200th Anniversary Of The Kuban Cossack Army
• I.E. Repin Monument
• Monument A.V. Suvorov

Religious Buildings

• St. Catherine's Cathedral
• Alexander Nevskiy Cathedral
• St. George's Church
• St. Elijah Church
• Holy Trinity Cathedral
• Chapel of Alexander Nevskiy
• Church of St. Nicholas
• Church of the Holy Libor
• St. Kazan Church
• Climb the steel lattice hyperboloid tower built by Vladimir Grigorievich Shukhov in 1928. The tower likely wouldn't pass a safety inspection in most first world countries, but it is the best place to get a view of the city. The tower is near the circus.
• Watch football at Krasnodar Stadium. The home team is FC Krasnodar who play in the Russian Premier League, the top tier of Russian football. It was opened in 2016 with a capacity of 34,000. It's on the northeast edge of the city, 4 km from Krasnodar-1 main railway station (further out than the old "Kuban" Stadium). Take a bus to Vostochno-Kruglikovshaya Street.
• Rozhdestvenskiy Park of Culture and Leisure
• The Solnechny Ostrov (Sunny Island) Park
• Safari Park - Includes a zoo, but the animals are treated poorly
• Chistyakovskiy Grove Park
• Botanical Garden of Professor I. S. Kosenko
• City Botanical Garden
• Park of the 30th anniversary of the Victory
• City Park of Culture and Leisure
• Marshal Zhukov's Park
• Training Botanical Garden
• Park Druzhby

Most are on Krasnaya Street

• Drama Theatre - Gorky , Ploshchad' Oktjabr'skoj Revoljucii, 2 .  
• Children’s Puppet Theatre
• Philharmonic Hall
• Operetta Theatre
• Avrora Kino , Krasnaya St 169 . Built in 1967. Two movie screens, including one with a capacity of 1,200. Also includes a cafe and pizzeria.  

Entertainment complexes

Around 20 entertainment complexes are open 24 hours/day. These complexes usually include bowling alleys, shopping centers, video arcades, casinos, and restaurants.

Water amusement parks

• Ocean Park Aquarium , 161 Stasova St, inside Galaktika Mall . A 3,000 square meter aquarium. There are several tanks of fish to look at, including a tunnel-tank that patrons can walk under, allowing tiny sharks to swim over your head. It is best to visit during feeding time when the carnivorous fish make a gruesomely interesting scene. Be sire to feed the turtles in the koi pond -Use the RUB10 vending machine to purchase fish food. RUB400 .  
• Vostochniy Rinok , 161 Stasova St . This outdoor assortment of booths offers the best in fresh produce and other domestic products. Be prepared to haggle/bargain, especially over non-produce items.  

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Librarian of DC's Peabody collection in Georgetown retiring after 24 years and devastating fire

As jerry mccoy retires, he spoke with news4 about the fire that almost destroyed the collection and showed some of its most important artifacts, by mark segraves, news4 reporter • published june 18, 2024 • updated on june 18, 2024 at 7:14 pm.

For more than two decades, librarian Jerry McCoy has collected and cared for some of D.C.’s most treasured items in the Peabody Room of the Georgetown Library.

As McCoy retires, he spoke with News4 about the fire that almost destroyed the collection and showed some of its most important artifacts.

Watch News4 now: Stream NBC4 newscasts for free right here, right now.

McCoy helped revive it after the fire so that visitors could get a glimpse into Georgetown’s rich history.

For 24 years, McCoy has guided curious visitors through Georgetown’s history, working with everyone from grade-school kids to doctoral candidates. He said it’s hard to leave his job with the DC Public Library.

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“Every day that I would come here I was like a kid in a candy shop,” he said.

A fire in 2007 could have destroyed the whole collection.

"The fire of Monday, April 30, 2007 was the most difficult day of my life. I literally felt like a family member had died as I stood out across our street and watched the smoke coming out of the building," McCoy said.

He went to grief counseling and suffered panic attacks for weeks.

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He said it was a miracle that everything in the collection survived.

One of the most valued artifacts are bound editions of the Maryland Gazette newspaper from 1776, which include the text of the Declaration of Independence.

“It gives me chills every time I share this with somebody, and they’re just really amazed that this was published as a news story,” McCoy said.

While the Declaration of Independence is one of the oldest items in the collection, McCoy’s favorite is an 1822 portrait of Yarrow Mamut. It’s one of only a handful of paintings depicting an identified, formerly enslaved Muslim.

Upon his retirement, McCoy will turn his attention to organizing his personal collection, which has piled up at home.

“Many times I’ve thought about, before I fall asleep, what history is being thrown away in a dumpster tonight,” McCoy said. “It’s really important to hold on and reserve what we have today.”

This article tagged under:

Subway unveils new Footlong Dippers: Here's what they are

Subway has added a new item to its menu, and yes, it is about a foot long.

The company announced Tuesday the debut of Footlong Dippers , which the company describes as "cheesy and craveable footlong snacks" that will join the restaurant's Sidekicks menu and be available for $3.

The Dippers, available now at Subway restaurants nationwide, feature swirling melted cheese, meat, and are rolled in Subway's flatbread. The new item is available in three varieties and are served with one of Subway's 11 signature sauces, the company said in a news release.

Subway Footlong Dippers varieties

The three varieties of Dippers include:

• Pepperoni & Cheese
• Chicken & Cheese
• Double Cheese

Footlong items fill Subway's Sidekicks menu

The Dippers join the Footlong Cookie, Auntie Anne's Footlong Pretzel and Cinnabon Footlong Churro on Subway's Sidekicks menu, which debuted in January.

"Our guests devoured nearly 30 million Sidekicks since their debut in January and they will find all 33 flavor combinations of Dippers for $3 to be equally irresistible," Doug Fry, President of Subway North America, in the news release.

The Dippers are available in-store or online at Subway.com or on the Subway App for pickup and delivery, the company said.

Footlong cookie returns: Subway's footlong cookie is returning to menus after demand from customers: What to know

Subway's Footlong Cookie makes a comeback

Subway's footlong cookie  is back on the Subway's Sidekick menu after months of demand from customers. According to Subway, over 5 million cookies were sold nationwide after the item debuted in January.

Last month, the company  announced the cookie's comeback and stated that it was a "much-needed morale booster." And, according to a nationwide survey, 70% of its respondents said eating a footlong cookie would "brighten their day."

The cookie, Subway said, is served warm with "gooey chocolate chips," and is priced at $5, but the price may vary by location.

Contributing: Julia Gomez, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X  @GabeHauari  or email him at [email protected].

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San antonio flying j travel center destroyed by fire rises from the ashes, fire started inside denny’s near i-10 and foster road before it spread to store.

Katrina Webber , Crime Fighters Reporter

Azian Bermea , Photojournalist

SAN ANTONIO – A popular travel center and truck stop on the far East side of San Antonio is back in business after a devastating and destructive fire.

Flying J, located near Interstate 10 and Foster Road, quietly reopened approximately six months ago.

The business had burned to the ground in December 2022 due to a fire that started in the Denny’s restaurant attached to it.

The fire sent up huge flames that caught the attention of people near and far from the site.

“Thankfully, we had no major injuries throughout that entire ordeal,” said Kam Watkins, regional manager for Pilot Flying J, thinking back on that day.

Watkins, who was not present when the fire started, remembers arriving later to what was left — a smoldering pile of rubble.

Meanwhile, Kristina Balderas, who, at the time, managed a small deli inside the convenience store, had arrived at the scene while the fire was active.

“I was driving to work, and I got a call that the store had a possible fire,” Balderas said. “I was really sad. I didn’t know what to really think at the time.”

While it was clear the building where she worked was gone, there were a few minutes in which Balderas was concerned about her own future.

However, Watkins said the company, which owns more than a half dozen stores in San Antonio, quickly stepped in and ensured employees that they would be taken care of in the wake of the fire.

Balderas said some of the workers were offered opportunities at other Flying J or Pilot locations.

With the reopening of the store, some members of the previous staff has returned.

“About 35 percent are still at this store,” Watkins said.

The store, itself, though, looks quite different.

Watkins enthusiastically pointed out the new changes during a tour she gave KSAT on Thursday. She called it a complete rebuild.

“We scrapped everything, tore everything apart and rebuilt the entire building all the way back up,” she said.

Big rig drivers can still stop in for a shower or a meal, although there is now a full-service deli instead of a Denny’s.

The store also offers several new self-checkout registers.

“Our professional drivers don’t have time to wait,” Watkins said.

Even with all the new offerings, some of the workers said something missing — some of the older customers.

“Several guests don’t know that we’re opened back up,” Balderas said. “There’s a few that we really miss, that we haven’t seen.”

Having them return would be the ultimate comeback for Balderas, a heartwarming end to a fiery ordeal.

More related coverage on KSAT:

• Truck driver surprised to wake up to huge fire at East Side truck stop

Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

About the Authors

Katrina webber.

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

Azian Bermea

Azian Bermea is a photojournalist at KSAT.

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