Gifts for her - the travel girl
Birthday coming up? A celebration or anniversary? Is she going away for some time and you just wanna gift her something? Are you out of ideas? The authentic traveller woman will LOVE practical stuff, related to travel and adventure, discovery, exploration and auto-dependence. Whatever you choose, apply that practicality and versatility rule – and you’ll be alright with these gifts for her! 😉
Here I present you with some examples for inspiration – enjoy!
The MAP theme
If she loves traveling, she will LOVE a good map. Possibly (probably!), she already has some sort of map hanging somewhere around the house. If she doesn’t, she needs one!
As a child, one of my favourite books in the house was a World Atlas my parents had. I would sit on the floor in the hallway right in front of the bookshelf and open it, daydreaming, imagining the world and the pronunciation of those odd words I sometimes found, learning about geography and topography and where things were as I navigated through those pages full of dreams.
I can almost affirm that I can promise you she will spend hours of her life staring at maps, daydreaming about discovering new places, playing over some travel memories, wishing for new adventures. Looking at a map is like traveling with the soul. So she does need to have at least one physical one (no, it’s not the same as a digital one). Maybe something with a map within – some postcard (hand-written! How romantic!), a cover (for her phone, camera, laptop, backpack), a map for her wall, a table cloth, a microfiber towel, some jewelry… anything around the topic.
PRO TIP! : If existent, be mindful with trendy sentences within the design! She may not like trendy trends!
ALL-in-ONE tool
Especially if she is a bit of a MacGyver, she’ll enjoy one of those multi-tools to fix any or everything. These tools usually have a knife, a screwdriver, a can-opener, tiny scissors… a decent variety of mini-tools altogether. Practical and easy to find. What else could she ask for?
I still have an all-in-one tool my parents gifted me close to twenty years ago when I first moved away to the other side of the pond. I absolutely loved -and love!- the gift. Super practical, great to carry, and man, have I given it its use!! Disclaimer: It’s still in great condition!
*A lot of people go for the typical Swiss knife – I haven’t personally had one but I am sure they are good too. I am very happy with my non-Swiss one (at least not that brand! No idea where mine is from!).
Adaptors
A true traveller will always carry with her (when traveling, of course), her adaptors. If she does not have them, then she needs them! Nowadays you can find all-in-one ones, which is pretty neat, as they take much less space in the luggage! Practical and necessary to charge all electronics when travelling internationally!
Portable battery charger
How nice is it to be able to charge your cell while on the go, or having the possibility of doing so when there are no plugs around? A super recommendation here are the solar battery chargers! Rechargeable by usb and just by solar power! Practical AND ecological!
PRO TIP! : Be mindful that the amperes in the portable battery are enough for the electronics she might use with it!
The mini-
I think one of the kings or queens of the traveler’s gifts are the mini gifts, such as personal hygiene items. Gels, shampoos, perfumes, mini-brushes, hair products, face soaps and masks… The adventuress who loves to take care of (and even spoil) herself will always, and I reiterate – always – take advantage of these… if not for this trip, for the upcoming one!
Recommendation! : Good smells and quality (always quality over quantity!)
Activities
The authentic traveller will LOVE adventures. So even when she is not traveling, she will be searching for fun activities to do wherever she lives – this keeps her spirit active, and her zest for living and experiencing alive. There are so many websites (depending on where you/she live/s [ask me in the comments below! I’ll give you some links!]) where you could find packs or activities on offer. If she enjoys chilling, spa day is a go-gett(h)er; if she enjoys staying active, maybe some kayaking excursion, abseiling or a new guided dive. If you can afford it, get her a getaway! Don’t worry about all-inclusive or luxury, camping or simple accommodation combined with a nice hike will be luxurious enough! 😉
PRO TIP! : The better you know her, the more on spot you’ll be with the surprise!!
Certain clothing apparel
Here, it depends a bit on whether she loves filling her closet or tries to stay minimalistic. Translated: more of anything versus only specific items. My thoughts are: underwear, socks, and multi-function pieces will always make her smile!
*Underwear. WARNING: Be mindful with this one, as it really depends on the kind of relationship you two have. It can be awkward if you’re not immediate family (parent, child, partner, sibling, grandparent) or her bestie: check cultural context! In many cultures, giving underwear can imply «I wanna see it on», so keep that in mind (and stay respectful and appropriate) before selecting your gift.
*Socks. No twists here! Anyone can give anyone socks and they are almost always needed! Winter socks (best bet : lana merino!), summer socks, high ones, invisible ones, biking ones, fun ones with cartoons or personalized, odd ones to have a different design on each foot… socks wear out easily. They can be practical or even make room for fun stories!
PRO TIP! : Some people cannot use certain materials, or seams make it impossible for them to wear some socks (if so, look for seamless socks). You can also be safe with the stay at home kind 😉
*Multi-function pieces. I personally LOVE these! Foulards/throws/scarfs/sarongs/tops… Some throws can be used in one way for summer and rolled around the neck during the winter; some can be used as foulards or tops, or even as a short dress; some can become skirts… For example, I own a piece that is a top, pants, and a dress, all in one! It’s wonderful! Practical, useful, versatile, and it does not take much space!
Miles
Are you also a traveller and have accumulated miles? Or maybe you just wanna help her get some new ones? You’re a catch! 😛 She will appreciate the miles – which will help her get to some nice destination for free, be closer to do so, or get a discount for a trip! Guaranteed smile right there! 😉
PRO TIP! : If you are Canadian, please make sure you follow and contact my content creator friend Tara here or on her instagram account. She knows EVERYTHING about Canadians + miles, so take advantage of her knowledge!!
Items to her liking
As mentioned above, the best presents will be practical, versatile, useful, of quality and reduced size… and of course, of her liking! Maybe you do not know her too well – so just pick any of the other options (or one of these movies!). If you do know her well enough, or at least have the opportunity of knowing her likings, you can choose some more «specialized» presents. Here are some examples:
*Photography or electronics lover: Memory cards for her cameras or cell phone; covers for her devices (light and of good quality); cords (such as usb cords, hdmi, 3.0, etc); energy converters; headphones (with cord and appropriate plug, bluetooth, noise cancelling); storage items, such as external hard-drives (mindful of the capacity and quality of the drive, if she’d prefer desk-drive or portable…).
PRO TIP!: My fave ones are SSD: they are light, portable, safe, and fall proof!! – it is such a pain (even a little bit of a heartbreak!) to lose captured memories due to a hard-drive fall 🙁 *Prices do raise on this one, so maybe check out some sales like these to get them!
*Camping lover: Always practical, light and something that takes little to «no» space. From an emergency whistle for excursions, to a foldable silicone cup or container, stainless cutlery or an inflatable pillow. Chairs, lights, insect repellents. Sleeping bags (light and very packable, or down feather for the winter!) and tents. These can be slightly more complicated to get if you do not know her -or her needs- very well… but if you do, can be spot on!
*When she is practical and very feminine: a tiny purse with many pockets and compartments, with zippers and some proper closing for security. As an example, that was actually one of my favorite presents many years ago: a small purse that I used on every trip until it wore off. Its size allowed for my wallet and small camera to fit in, all my documents, passport, cellphone and a little notebook, a pen, the keys… all in a perfect tetris, by section and very well organized. On top of that, its strap was adjustable, and its small and compact size made it fit inside my carry-on backpack, or even as an extra piece to bring in the cabin of the plane. Items like facial cream (you also need to know her for this one, as there are specific creams for specific skins, etc), mascara (for her eyelashes), or a nice and non-sticky gloss are useful and help her stay feminine and classy during her trips, if she enjoys that.
*Specific items which make both travel and everyday life smoother: noise reducing earplugs (foam, wax or Loop! I love these), a thermo (I have had great experiences with Yeti and with Hydro Flask – I recommend), reusable water bottle (I am yet to find a great foldable one!), hiking sandals, flip-flops, sunglasses (Rayban are awesome – it depends on her liking and face frame but I LOVE Wayfarer, and 100% recommend).
I really hope this list has inspired you… and that she agrees with it!:)
Make sure to add this page to your favorites so you can have it handy in case you need it, and share it with others that may be looking for some ideas! 🖤
Contact Info
- click here
- Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- Stockholm, Sweden
Useful links
Magazine
Travel with me
What a banger, thanks!
Cheers, mate! Glad it helps:)
I am getting to know her, and this actually helps loads! Thanks, mate!
Great article!
Hey! Thanks for your comment 🙂 Glad it could help!
Hope she likes what you get her ❤️