When it comes to showing appreciation or expressing love, gift-giving is a time-honored tradition. And when the person you're shopping for loves to travel, it's important to find the perfect present, one that strikes a balance between meaningful, unique, and useful.
Sometimes the best gift idea is one that actually combines several things — like, perhaps, a travel basket full of goodies and other essentials for those who love traveling often (or even do it out of necessity, like flight attendants).
Do you need some inspiration for putting together the right travel basket? Consider these thoughtful travel basket gift ideas!
14 Travel Basket Gift Ideas You’ll Love
Show how much you care about your globetrotting loved one with these travel basket gift ideas.
1. The Wander Club Travel Tokens
One of the joys of traveling is collecting keepsakes, or souvenirs, from past trips so you can look back and have those memories.
Travel tokens from The Wander Club are a fun, unique way to keep a record of and display the places someone has traveled to. These collectible tokens are made of high-quality stainless steel and feature the name of different destinations, ranging from national and state parks to countries and landmarks.
Plus, each token is customizable with an engraving, so you can add a date or initials. Any jet-setting pal will appreciate this, so it's one of the best travel basket gift ideas!
2. The Wander Club Token Holder
Collecting travel tokens is even better when you have a customizable token holder to hold and display them. After all, what's the point of souvenirs that just sit on a shelf or in a drawer, never being seen?
Choose a unique, handcrafted Wanderchain that you can attach to a keyring to organize and display travel tokens. They come available in various colors and designs, but each is handmade for an extra level of uniqueness.
If, alternatively, you’re looking for a conversation piece, buy a chain necklace so you can wear your “travel history” in style.
Pro gift-giving tip: Split rings can only hold up to 40 tokens, whereas the necklaces can accommodate many more tokens.
3. Packable Blanket
Keep the cold at bay on a road trip or during a long flight with a packable travel blanket. They pack up small, often into a carry case that's smaller than a backpack, but open to a nice large size. Some even roll up into a tube shape to fit conveniently around your neck as a rest.
4. Compression Packing Cubes
One of our go-to travel basket gift ideas is packing cubes. They keep your clothes organized while eliminating unnecessary bulk, allowing you to fit way more into your luggage.
5. Passport Cover
For your pals who love to travel internationally, a passport cover is one of the best travel basket gift ideas. Not only is it small and affordable, it also adds a personal touch to the entire gift, especially if you add the recipient’s name.
6. Luggage Scale
Discovering that a suitcase or bag is too heavy at the airport can be very inconvenient — and very expensive. Avoid that with a handheld luggage scale that features a digital display and can measure up to 110 pounds. Its small size also makes it extremely gift-able, perfect for one of your travel basket gift ideas!
7. Reusable Water Bottle
A reusable water bottle should be at the top of your list of travel basket gift ideas. It has many benefits, including being sustainable and eco-friendly and saving money by not having to buy single-use bottles.
For extra brownie points, add a personal water purifier to the basket!
8. Airplane Necklace
A fun necklace with an airplane-shaped pendant makes a statement simply yet elegantly. Many options come in your choice of gold, rose gold, or silver, so there's a style for everyone.
9. Hanging Toiletry Bag
If you're looking for a super practical gift that will go with its recipient on every trip from here on out, this is it. Hanging toiletry bags are some of the best travel basket gift ideas because they provide a getting-ready station virtually anywhere and organize hygiene items.
10. Travel Jewelry Organizer
This is one of those travel items you don't realize you need until you've traveled with it. A simple yet wildly helpful jewelry case designed for travel (typically padded and very small) can keep your earrings, necklaces, rings, and more safe during travel. To make it an even better travel basket gift idea, add a monogram or name for a personal touch.
11. Travel Scrapbook
Often the best vacations are shared experiences between loved ones. Whether you get a DIY kit or a ready-made scrapbook, they're highly customizable and meaningful, making it one of the best travel basket gift ideas.
12. Keepsake Container
People love collecting things like beach sand, pine cones, seashells, and leaves on their travels, so one of the best travel basket gift ideas is a jar or other container to keep them all organized.
13. Scratch Map
We love this travel gift idea because of the customization and fun it offers! Who wouldn't enjoy scratching off the different places they've visited, whether that be national parks, countries, or US states? Many also come protectively rolled up in a tube, so they're extra giftable.
14. Soft Cooler Bag
We have a serious appreciation for those who travel on a budget, and a soft cooler is a great way to do that. Investing in a high-quality cooler bag lets you stock up on some basic groceries when you get to a destination, allowing you to skip eating out so often. Plus, soft bag-style coolers are packable!
