I've been traveling non-stop since 2006, inspiring others to get out and see the unique corners of the world. Check out my newsletters below that are full of travel tips, unique tours, gear recommendations and travel discounts. I focus on outdoor adventure travel for women and will help you get out to see the world in an active way with the best gear. I also run active adventure tours in places like Ireland, Alaska, and El Salvador. Wether you are a newbie to outdoor adventure travel or a seasoned expert - my newsletters are a great way to join my community of other women who are looking to live their best lives.
🛫 No Layovers Here—These Travel Gifts Are Nonstop Awesome!
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Hello Reader, Are you planning a trip next year and need to pack more efficiently? Do you have a friend/family member who loves to travel? Do you need to refresh your hiking and outdoor gear for 2025? I got you...well...this newsletter has you! In a special newsletter edition, I will be sharing genuinely useful travel gifts. These are items I've actually used and loved over the course of 18 years of travel. Most travel lists are crap, just general lists that the author has researched and never used—or maybe they just let AI compile a list. But this is travel gear you see me using on nearly every trip! I've also included a few cute items to inspire you and show off your love for travel and the world. Finally - I've included my list of Travel Gifts under $30 if you need something budget-friendly Don't hesitate to drop me a line and ask me questions about any of these. Or maybe you need ideas for a specific travel or outdoor person in your life - I can help! I know not all of you are interested in shopping, so feel free to throw this in the email trash. I'll get back to my normal travel news and updates shortly! And I have some new announcements coming up for 2025 that you don't want to miss! But if you are shopping this season, please consider these recommendations or simply shop at my Amazon link, as it helps support my site and business without adding any extra cost to you. Happy Travel Gear Shopping! Travel Gifts I Use and LoveThis year I started using Thule compression packing cubes and fell in love with them. The addition of a compression zipper means that you can compress the contents to be much smaller and take up less space in your suitcase. This is really great for puffy winter travel gear like sweaters! The cubes are really durable, and the zippers and fabric are very high quality which enables you to really compress a lot of items in one cube! This is my new favorite piece of travel gear for 2024! Scrubba wash bag allows a machine-quality wash anywhere in just minutes. With the Scrubba bag, I can say goodbye to hotel sink laundry! The bag has the washing instructions printed on it; all you need is water and some soap. It also doubles as a dry bag! Being able to do a few pieces of laundry while traveling means you can pack fewer clothes, travel lighter, and save money on laundry! Never be in fear of dropping or losing your phone again while on vacation! I used to simply carry my phone in my pocket when I traveled – but I was always in fear of it getting stolen or dropping it somewhere in nature where I would lose it…like off a kayak! Secure your valuable phone around your neck or slung as a cross body with this cool phone strap. It’s easy to use and ‘install’ – It secures through your phone case This tech pouch comes with me on every trip. It’s perfect for keeping all of your various cords, batteries, external drives, and more. In fact, you won’t believe how much you can fit into it! It has little pockets and compartments to keep everything organized. Every traveler needs one of these! These are just a few of my favorite pieces of travel gear - see my entire list including travel experiences, suitcases, backpacks, clothing, and more!
Travel Inspiration GiftsI saw this cool vintage world calendar on a friend’s Instagram. I immediately knew I wanted one. In this world of digital calendars and smart phones, I loved the idea of a calendar I had to change every day that was incredibly unique and reminded me of world travel! I searched for it on Etsy and found a few different sellers of vintage decor that had one and snapped up my own! You turn the globe to change the number and below is a month and day of the week dial. It’s really fun at the end of the month! I adore this candle ‘scent’! A fun gift for your friends who love to travel or a great white elephant gift! I’ve been traveling so long that I tend to forget when I went to a destination as it all blurs together these days. But this cool ornament/keepsake can alleviate that problem! You can have it personalized with the countries/places you traveled that year so you’ll never forget! See all of my travel inspiration picks from Etsy. Many of these are super unique and can be personalized!
Travel Gifts Under $30One of the best gifts for international travel is this pack of these Plug Adapters. I’m REALLY critical when it comes to plug adapter solutions. I’ve been in more situations where those ‘universal adapters’ don’t work because they are too big and heavy and constantly fall out of the outlet – especially when you have a lot of things plugged into them. And unless you are doing an around the world trip – the universal adapters are overkill. Most people travel to one country/region so you really only need to bring one small adapter at a time. In addition, I use a multi-plug power strip in conjunction with the one plug adapter solution above. I have found that this is the best plug adapter solution for every travel situation. The multi-plug adapter should have a longer cord so that it alleviates the ‘too heavy and falls out of the socket’ issue. This allows the heavy part – the power strip – to sit on the floor. I like the Trond power strip because it is small, has 4 regular plug slots, 2 USB-A slots, and 2 USB-C slots. The cord wraps around the base so it takes minimal space in your bag. This combo of plug adapter and power strip is the best solution I have found for travel. If you are simply an armchair traveler – you can still travel through this cool new card game. Just like actual travel, expect both stumbling blocks and enriching experiences along the way as you play the game. You’ll rely on the luck of drawing a good event card or proactively buying travel insurance to save you from the unexpected! It’s like real travel but without the suitcase, spending, or stress. For the couple planning an upcoming trip - this is a super gift. I know that I really specialize in solo travel, however this year I had a couple of good friends publish this awesome travel idea book for couples. I love giving this as a wedding gift! If you are trying to figure out where to go, check out Ultimate Journeys for Two for ideas! These are just a few of my under $30 items - see the complete list!
If you've been finding value in these newsletters and the info I've been sharing, please forward this along to any travel-loving friends whom you think might find them useful! Use these helpful links to book your next trip:
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Are you a 40+ woman looking to travel more?
I've been traveling non-stop since 2006, inspiring others to get out and see the unique corners of the world. Check out my newsletters below that are full of travel tips, unique tours, gear recommendations and travel discounts. I focus on outdoor adventure travel for women and will help you get out to see the world in an active way with the best gear. I also run active adventure tours in places like Ireland, Alaska, and El Salvador. Wether you are a newbie to outdoor adventure travel or a seasoned expert - my newsletters are a great way to join my community of other women who are looking to live their best lives.
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