Roam 2016 Travel Gift Guide

Peruse our travel-centric gifts.

We all have our travel rituals that help make a big trip easier or more fun: the indispensable in-flight pashmina to keep you cozy or a great app to help you find your way. Roam rounded up a variety of tools, books, cool travel accessories and items that proclaim your love of travel. Buy them for yourself or gift a fellow travel fan this holiday season with one of these picks.

Travel Accessories

Travel Accessories

Travel in style with these Skyler travel accessories that keep your passport, bags and other travel accessories organized.

Photo by: Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn

CHIC TRAVEL ACCESSORIES

Nothing gets me ready for a trip like everything neat and organized and ready to hit the road. This set of luggage tags, passport holders and pouches in the Skyler Travel series from Pottery Barn are the perfect accessories for stylish travel.

Photo by: Tuttle Publishing

Tuttle Publishing

Photo by: Tuttle Publishing

Tuttle Publishing

Photo by: Tuttle Publishing

Tuttle Publishing

JAPAN FANS

Fans of Japan and the unique style and customs of its residents will love these books aimed at younger travelers. Abby Denson's Cool Japan Guide: Fun in the Land of Manga, Lucky Cats and Ramen offers great insider-tips on some of the best foods and attractions in a kicky comic book style. Using a blend of photos and fun illustrations, Japanese-American writer/illustrator Christine Mari Inzer travels at 15 to Tokyo to reaquaint herself with the country while offering up her Diary of a Tokyo Teen: A Japanese-American Girl Travels to the Land of Trendy Fashion, High-Tech Toilets and Maid Cafes packed with interesting observations and plenty of navel-gazing for other teenage visitors. Fashion fans will flip over the copious photographs of the endless permutations of Tokyo street style in Tokyo Fashion City: A Guide to Tokyo's Trendiest Fashion Districts, which includes guide maps to area stores and a breakdown of the popular styles, neighborhood-by-neighborhood.

Picnic Kit

Picnic Kit

Picnic anywhere with this clever GlobeIn picnic kit sourced from global craftspeople.

Photo by: GlobeIn

GlobeIn

PICNIC GEAR

Love an impromptu picnic? This fun Picnic Box kit from GlobeIn will insure you are never without the supplies you need. Even better: GlobeIn products are sourced from artisans around the world and help support and make life better for those local makers. GlobeIn also offers ongoing subscriptions to other internationally-sourced maker boxes, from Kitchen Boxes to Laundry Boxes, a great gift that keeps on giving for a globally-minded friend.

Magnetic Travel Map

Magnetic Travel Map

Chart your travels with this fun, beautiful to display magnetic travel map.

Photo by: Frontgate

Frontgate

MAGNETIC MAP

Commemorate your travels with this handsome World Magnetic Travel Map that lets you mark where you've been, and where you are dreaming of traveling to next.

Photo by: LL Bean

LL Bean

PACKABLE COMFORT

The ultimate Waterproof Outdoor Blanket is great for picnics, football games, tailgating, camping and outdoor concerts. Featuring a classic plaid design, the generously sized blanket features waterproof backing on its underside to keep moisture away and a comfy polyester fleece on the other side to make your outdoor time cozier. A must-have for car trips and camping so you're ready for whatever dampness life throws your way.

Quilted Jewelry Roll

Quilted Jewelry Roll

Keep your jewelry organized and protected with this jewelry roll.

Photo by: Potttery Barn

Potttery Barn

JEWELRY ROLL

Be like Liz Taylor and keep those sparklers pristine with these elegant Quilted Soft Sheen Velvet Jewelry Rolls. Better still, their sleek rolled design means they won't take up too much space in your luggage.

The Little Pleasures of Paris Book

The Little Pleasures of Paris Book

Explore one of the world's most popular cities with this Paris guidebook.

Photo by: Chronicle Books

Chronicle Books

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS

Love Paris or know someone who does? This quirky tome lets you explore another side of the City of Lights. The Little Pleasures of Paris offers insider looks, by season, at the secret gardens and candied violets, oysters, a classic Parc Monceau carousel and myriad other pleasures—described in terse prose and lovely illustrations—that make this such a magical destination for travelers.

Photo by: Orvis

Orvis

BRASS BAND

ID your luggage in style with these Engraved Solid Brass Luggage Tags from Orvis and never fail to instantly spot your bags on the airport carousel again.

Travel Cocktail Kit

Travel Cocktail Kit

Before your plane touches down in the wild—or wherever you’re going—brace yourself while you soar at 30,000 feet with a Carry On Cocktail Kit. Choose from Old-Fashioned, Gin & Tonic, Moscow Mule or Champagne Cocktail kits. Each comes in a small tin with a recipe card and the tools and ingredients you’ll need to mix two drinks during your flight. The Old-Fashioned tin even has a linen coaster, so the airline’s paper one won’t stick to your glass. Alcohol and ice are not included, of course; see your friendly flight attendant for those items. 

Photo by: W&P Design

W&P Design

IN-FLIGHT REFRESHMENTS

Tired of the standard two-item airplane cocktails or limited mini-bar options? These clever, mini-Carry On Cocktail Kits will turn anyone into an airborne mixologist and make your seatmate super jelly. Cocktails include the Bloody Mary, Champagne cocktail, Hot Toddy, Old-Fashioned and more.

Foldable Travel Bags

Foldable Travel Bags

Plan on buying souvenirs on your trip? Bring along this Everyday Lightweight Tote for shopping and then transporting your finds back home.

Photo by: LL Bean

LL Bean

OVERFLOW BAGS

Some of us tend to hoard during trips, so having a spare bag packed for overflow can be a life saver. These cute, stuffable nylon Everyday Lightweight Tote bags from L.L. Bean are great for shopping while on your trip and can then be used for anything extra you buy that won't allow you to zip your checked bag. 

Pocket Binoculars

Pocket Binoculars

A great pair of binoculars like these Raven Pocket Binoculars make a wonderful travel companion for everything from birding to opera-going.

Photo by: Orvis

Orvis

SEE MORE

Be prepared for what travel throws your way: an opera, some impromptu birding or just a great way to better take in an incredible view. These portable, affordable Raven Pocket Binoculars are easy to stow in your bag and will come in handy for many occasions. Even better: they're waterproof too.

Flint Lint Roller

Flint Lint Roller

Keep your travel clothes tidy with these retractable, very portable lint rollers in fun colors.

Photo by: Flint

Flint

TIDY IS AS TIDY DOES

As handy as those in-flight towelettes or portable toothbrushes to neaten up after a long flight, these retractable, portable Flint Lint Rollers will keep you well-groomed for business travel or just help you stay neat even after a roll around with your host family's cat. The sassy colors will allow you to easily find these in your bottomless travel bag.

Picture Keeper

Picture Keeper

Save photos from your phone with the Picture Keeper.

Photo by: Picture Keeper

Picture Keeper

FINDERS KEEPERS

We've all been there: out and about when we hit that photo storage wall. This handy Picture Keeper USB drive allows you to quickly download all of your images to keep your phone ready to accept new pics.

Photo by: Rockport

Rockport

HAVE BOOTS WILL TRAVEL

Super comfortable, easy to slip off when TSA comes calling and—puddles, snow, rain be damned—waterproof too, the Christine Waterproof Bootie from Rockport might just be the perfect travel footwear. The stylish cut and yummy colors will up your fashion game while traveling too.

Photo by: Rockport

Rockport

ROAD LESS TRAVELED

These easy-to-wear Path to Greatness Slip-Ons will get you through security without pulling or unlacing and other travel traumas. An anti-microbial lining and comfort-insoles could make all the difference in your travel comfort.

Photo by: LL Bean

LL Bean

QUICK CHANGE

L.L. Bean's Cresta Zip Off Hiking Pants convert to shorts in an instant, making your hike or city walk that much more comfortable when the day turns hot.

Photo by: LL Bean

LL Bean

CHAIR GIFT

The PackLite Camp Chair is so compact it can even fit in your canoe or kayak and its lightweight design makes it perfect for toting to outdoor festivals of every stripe.

Photo by: Chronicle Books

Chronicle Books

X MARKS THE SPOT

Chronicle Books You Are Here: NYC offers a panoply of maps that chart the many vagaries of this famous city. There are maps of cemeteries, historic maps of Greenwich Village, maps of Manhattan pizza delivery routes, street trees, artists' maps and more in this clever, creative love letter to one of the world's most vibrant cities.

Photo by: LL Bean

LL Bean

TOP TOTE

The stylish, roomy Nor'easter Tote is perfect for carry-on with enough space for a computer, magazines and other in-flight options. Water-repellant to boot, the Nor'easter also boasts a charming faux bois design and looks like it will hold up for decades.

Photo by: Tuttle Publishing

Tuttle Publishing

WHEN IN CHINA...

Mind your manners when traveling with this essential guide to the social customs of China. Etiquette Guide to China: Know the Rules That Make the Difference! is geared more to business travelers and offers tips for banquet customs, talking politics, drinking and avoiding humor in business situations among many other guidelines to help you avoid putting your foot in it.

Beach Shelter

Beach Shelter

The L.L. Bean Sunbuster Folding Shelter is a great way to take a break and get out of the sun.

Photo by: Benni Spinelli/L.L. Bean

Benni Spinelli/L.L. Bean

TAKE COVER

Have a beach bum in your life? There is a lot to love about this super-compact shelter that will save its owner from a vacation-ruinous sunburn. This lightweight Sunbuster Folding Shelter folds up into a handy, toteable bag with a strap you can throw over your shoulder. A fabric with UPF 50+ sun protection and enough space for some serious lounging, this is basically a personal cabana you can take anywhere with privacy panels for when you need a midday nap.

Next Up

Fellow Traveler: Brooklyn Photographer Erik Tanner

See what this shutterbug keeps in his bag.

Cool Camping Gear for Intrepid Explorers

Go off-grid with great gear and gadgets.

What to Stop Spending Money on so You Can Travel More

Small change adds up to big travel experiences.

Fellow Traveler: Photographer Bjorn Johnston

This Aussie on the go keeps things streamlined in his motorcycle kit bag.

3 Wine Cork Hacks for Travelers

You'll want to save those #WineWednesday corks.

Packing for a Week in Paris

10 items, 10 outfits.

25 Dollar Store Pack Hacks

Pack smart and save $$$.

3 Hat Tricks That Are Lifesavers

Finally pack a hat without crushing it.