Gift Guide For The Adventurer
Uncovering worthy gifts for the adventurous world traveler can be difficult. They've traveled the globe – hiked up mountains, swum across rapid rivers and flown the skies. What more could they possibly want?
Look for witty gifts with a practical purpose. From a travel diary to a language course to a tricked-out Nikon camera, fun but useful presents are the way to go.
It's The Thought (Under $25)
Being on a budget doesn't mean your gift giving should suffer. Get creative with wacky accessories or helpful tools. By grabbing a few smaller gifts, you can pull together a unique themed gift bag that's personalized to someone special.
Get artsy with Uncommon Goods' Travel Stub Diary for $14.95. The diary has room for recording memories, pasting brochures or ticket stubs, and jotting down small details. The company's scratch-off world map is both a colorful travel to-do list and a great decoration for walls. Or, give your favorite traveler a reminder of their adventures to showcase at home. Etsy is home to a multitude of cute prints, like this Keep Calm and Travel On piece.
If you're looking for practical gifts with flair, consider the Mobile Foodie Survival Kit for $26 or the Jumping Juniper Shampoo Bar for $9.95 from Lush, a quality and eco-friendly cosmetics line. For the outdoorsy adventurer, Contigo's Kangaroo Water Bottle
Travel Stub Diary - Uncommon Goods ($14.95)
Scrach Off Travel Map - Uncommon Goods ($24.00)
Keep Calm And Travel On Print - Etsy ($15.95)
Mobile Foodie Survival Kit - Uncommon Goods ($26.00)
Jumping Juniper Shampoo Bar - Lush ($9.95)
Contigo Kangaroo Water Bottle
Spend A Little More (Under $100)
Willing to spend a little more for holiday gifts? Bump up your budget for more classic, long-lasting presents. Find language classes, clothing investments and fun gadgets that can be used in years to come.
Both NPR's Road Trips CD collection and Rosetta Stone's language courses allow users to travel the world without leaving home. The NPR compilations detail people, places and stories across the world. The collection includes National Park Adventures, Postcards From Around the Globe and Roadside Attractions, all for $34.99. Or, pick one of Rosetta Stone's 30+ language classes. Rosetta Stone offers courses in many languages, from Swahili to Swedish to Spanish, at a variety of prices. Some have year-long, $20-a-month programs, while others are a flat fee for a one-time package.
Be a trendsetter by giving stylish duds with a practical purpose. Brooks Brothers offers a non-iron button-down for men ($88). And Victoria's Secret stocks stylish multi-way dresses; shift this dress ($79.50) from a strapless to a halter to a skirt for a variety of outfits in one garment. Both options cut down luggage space and offer maximum wearability on a trip.
Remember Polaroid cameras? They're back, with a new-and-improved design but the same entertaining instant pictures. Go old school with a cherry red Polaroid PIC-300R Instant Analog Camera
NPR Road Trips - NPR ($34.99)
Language Classes - Rosetta Stone (varies)
Non-Iron Button-Down Dress Shirt - Brooks Brothers ($88.00)
Multi-Way Dress - Victoria's Secret ($79.50)
Polaroid PIC-300R Instant Analog Camera
Umbra Snap Photo Frames
The Sky's The Limit (Over $100)
Sometimes, going above and beyond on a gift pays off. Whether you're investing in a once-in-a-lifetime experience or something that will last a lifetime, splurging on holiday shopping can be a treat for you and the recipient.
The Classic 101 Sunglasses from TOMS Eyewear, featuring three hand-painted stripes of bold color, will keep your adventurer looking cool as they hike, boat or explore new cities. These stylish shades also let you give a little something back. The stripes represent the wearer, the company and a person whose sight will be restored. With each pair purchased, TOMS provides prescription glasses, medical treatment or sight-saving surgery to one person in need.
Ensure your loved one captures every detail of every adventure with this Nikon D90 camera for $899.95. The classic shape and unbeatable digital photo quality make this Nikon a perfect investment. Noise-canceling headphones are also an unbeatable choice for the technologically advanced. Bose's QuietComfort 15 headphones literally tune out the world (or airplane, train or car) around you, provide high-quality sound and look stylish while doing so.
And for a real splurge, investigate a luxury car rental company like Gotham Dream Cars. Services like these often offer timeshare membership programs. Your loved one can hit the road any time he wants in a sports car of his choosing. Road trip!
But the best present of all? A vacation itself.
Classic 101 Sunglasses - TOMS Eyewear ($135)
Noise Canceling Headphones - Bose ($299.95)
Nikon D90 Camera - Nikon ($899.95)
Dreamshare - Gotham Dream Cars (varies)
Check out other Holiday Gift Guides.
Adrienne Smith is an Associate Producer for CBS Local. She's currently making an app covering dollar slices of pizza in New York City, and graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in journalism and English. Follow her on Twitter here.
