My parents are hoping to do more travel in the coming years (dad is retiring, they’re in their mid-60s). They won’t be flying anywhere as my mom won’t fly. However, my fiance and I are taking my dad to Europe next July, so we will be flying then.
I’d like to gift my parents something that will be extremely useful for them during travel! They plan to go to Canada and out west (we’re midwest). I can get them separate things which means my dad’s gift can be flying related.
Any thing that you’ve traveled with that has been SUPER useful to you and you wish you’d gotten years ago? Or any book with travel hacks you’ve appreciated?
If they’re driving for most of their trips, a Simple Modern 128 oz Trek Pivot. SM cups keep drinks hot/cold for ages, the quality is the best I’ve found for reusable water bottles, and a 128 oz is great for road trips to refill personal size cups from when the only other option is usually buying plastic bottles from gas stations. I’ve been waiting for better colors to come out to get one for myself, but I have some of their other products and I love them. To go along with that, a smaller sized bottle from SM is also fantastic, their Classic is my favorite and fits into standard car cup holders. And their Classic Signature is an elevated version that looks nice. They’re also having a Black Friday sale right now.
One of my favorite purchases for flying is this travel blanket. Super soft, keeps me really warm. Bonus: if your parents like the car to be different temperatures, the one who likes it warmer can use the blanket in the car.
My Zojirushi travel mug is one of my most prized possessions. Also a very small but practical item: I got a Sea to Summit travel clothesline (unlocked laundry on the go which let me pack way less) and a lightweight nylon bag for dirty clothes - love them both and wouldn’t travel without them. Also a good travel toiletry kit is a great gift, and if you want to be extra thoughtful you can outfit it with little/light versions of things you know they use every day. Hope they appreciate the care you’re taking in gifting, and that their travels are wonderful!
A Turkish cotton towel. Takes up less space than regular towels, soft and comfortable enough to use as a blanket or pillow as needed, and it doesn’t hold sand. If I’m doing hikes, I keep it in my backpack so I can easily sit on it or dry off if I take a quick dip.
Since they are going to be traveling Canada and the US by vehicle if your mother doesn’t fly, get them both airalo E-Sims for their phones and take care of the charges.
That way they will be connected to the family and if they are like my parents they would have no idea how to even set that up. Hope this helps.
My family travels together a lot and I’ve bought them each new waffle fabric travel towels that take up a lot less space than your standard beach towel.
Inaya said:
My family travels together a lot and I’ve bought them each new waffle fabric travel towels that take up a lot less space than your standard beach towel.
Noise-canceling headphones for dad who is flying. Mine are Bose and they are wonderful (and on sale at Costco right now). And for either or both of them a Kindle – they can load it up with books for free from their local public library.
For your dad, noise-canceling headphones or a travel pillow would be great for flying. For your mom, maybe a lightweight packable jacket or a travel journal. Both practical and thoughtful!
Have your dad watch the Rick Steves episodes that cover places he’ll be going. Rick Steves has such a great way of making European travel less intimidating to Americans, especially American boomers. His guidebooks are also great; they’re conversational, and no detail is deemed unworthy of explanation (e.g., how to pay on a city bus, or how you should keep some change on you for using restrooms, etc.).