Avid travelers or jet-setters always love the gift of a new travel accessory or device to make their journey’s more comfortable and entertaining.
If you’re still twiddling your thumbs on what to get your special travel bug this year, not fear. We asked some travel industry experts to weigh in on their favorite travel gift idea.
“As someone who travels 200,000 miles a year for both work and pleasure I look for a combination of convenience, travel capability and entertainment/information when it comes to new gadgets,” Lee Abbamonte, travel expert and youngest American to visit every country in the world told FoxNew.com.
Check out these top travel gift picks for this holiday season.
The Best Commuter Cup: Whether you’re jumping in your car or catching a train in the morning, there is nothing like a nice hot cup of coffee to start your day. But just the same, there is nothing worse than commuting with a cold and lukewarm cup of java that suddenly splashes all over you. The perfect solution for any thirsty traveler? The Best Commuter Cup by Hammacher Schlemmer. The top notch tumbler has a spill-proof lid that comes with a safety lock preventing any type of nightmare spills. “I think that our customers are looking for problems solving products that make their travels easier and help to reduce hassle the stress one comes upon in frequent travel,” Robert Bohlin, VP-GMM at Hammacher Schlemmer told FoxNews.com.
The Best Commuter Cup also keeps your beverages hotter longer. Its dual stainless steel walls and vacuum insulation only allows its temperature to decrease by 18F after 2 hours. Plus it can keep ice cubes frozen for 36 hours compared to other bottles where ice melts in about 6 hours. $29.95 Available at www.hammacher.com
Keeper: Staying organized while you’re traveling is critical. When you’re on the go it’s easy to forget or misplace things, so do yourself a favor and keep your most important items in one place with The Keeper. The Keeper is a wallet and phone case all-in-one. This new and sleek billfold wallet case clips to the back of your phone and can carry credit cards in its 2 slot holder on one side and your ID on the opposite clear side. “A combination of size, weight and functionality are key to any device for the well traveled.” Mark Murphy, travel expert and author of Travel Unscripted, told FoxNews.com. Although it’s only available for the iPhone 5 right now, it may become available for other smart phone devices in the near future. $34.99 Available at fab.com.
Intoxicase: Don’t go thirsty at a holiday party this year. Intoxicase, a protective phone case with a built-in bottle opener is a perfect and practical gift for the socialite-traveler. Since most of us don’t travel with a spare bottle opener in our back pockets, this iPhone case will rescue you from any sudden dry-spells in your party hopping plans. The case also comes with a free app that counts the number of bottles you’ve popped. Along with the beer log, the app features a call a cab window and a share with your friends’ page that lets you post your beverage count on Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare. Intoxicase: $35/ Intoxicase Five: $49 Available at http://intoxicase.com/.
The Credit Card Sized Cell Phone Backup Battery: Give the gift of security and conveyance this year with the Credit Card Sized Cell Phone Backup Battery. Small and thin enough to fit in any regular size wallet, this backup battery is a must-have for travelers. “How many times have I run out of cell phone power without a place, or a chord, to recharge while out and about on the road. Something that slips into a small, accessible space like a wallet could be a lifesaver, perhaps literally, on the road,” Robert Reid, U.S travel editor for Lonely Planet told FoxNews.com. This credit card sized battery will extend your cell phone’s battery life by 25 percent- about an hour of extra power and is compatible with most traditional cell phones. $29.95 Available at www.hammacher.com
Adventuress Skincare to-go kit: Packed in a travel-friendly case, Adventuress Skin Care’s to-go kit has everything you need for your next traveling adventure. This on-the-go skin regime includes naturally liberating cleanser, restorative skin purifier, nourishing moisturizer, high performance sunscreen and refreshing facial wipes. “The Adventuress skin care to go kit is a great gift for women who are always on the go but who care about their skin and appearance. It includes all the necessary skin products to keep you looking young and healthy while you tend to your busy jet setting life,” Abbamonte said. All the beautifying products come in travel-sizes so you can bring them wherever you go. $85 Available at www.goadventuress.com.
Vayable: If you’re looking for a gift they will never forget, try giving them the gift of an experience. Vayable.com hooks travelers up with new and unique experiences to discover their favorite city- and without leading them into pricey tourists traps. Some of their best sellers include a Photojournalists New York tour, a Scout for Street Art in San Francisco tour and an Underground Wine Experience in Napa.
Vayable gift cards are a great idea for the last-minute shopper who doesn’t want to fight the crowds at the mall or subject themselves to outrageous overnight shipping charges. You can purchase a tour right online and decide if you want your gift sent electronically or in a custom designed and handwritten card at no extra cost. Prices vary per tour, Available at www.Vayable.com.
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