Here’s the one big mistake you can make when buying gifts for avid travelers: you buy them something they’ll use at home.

The best travel gifts are the ones that can tag along on their next weekend jaunt or 10-day vacation. They elevate convenience and comfort on the road. Here are a few surefire  travel gifts your family and friends will appreciate more than a free First Class upgrade or an on-time arrival.

It’s in the Bag: Top-Shelf Travel Bag

When in doubt shopping for travel gifts for a friend or loved one, K.I.S.S. That’s “keep it simple,” and that’s exactly what you’re doing when gifting this Osprey Farpoint 40 travel bag. Everyone needs one solidly reliable travel bag that can swing nearly any trip — and this is it. Named Best Overall Travel Backpack by US News & World Report and “Great Overall Travel Bag for Keeping Your Stuff Safe and Secure” by Popular Mechanics, the Osprey Farpoint 40 has the features to back up these accolades. For starters, its frame suspension is designed to shift the weight of the bag to your hips, meaning you won’t need to fill the 40L capacity with Icy Hot for your aching shoulders or back.¹ It’s also versatile and ventilated, boasting the right size for a weekend getaway or a longer trek while packing plenty of breathability to keep any length journey comfortable. Add a padded laptop sleeve, lockable access, and scratch-free pocket for keeping your favorite shades in top shape.² With all these features, a fistful of awards, and stellar expert reviews, it’s sure to be someone special’s go-to travel bag for years to come. The Osprey Farpoint 40 is available for purchase on the Osprey site, but you may be able to snag a better deal on Amazon.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving: Travel Insurance Annual Plan

Some of the most coveted travel gifts provide the recipient something you can’t put a price on: peace of mind. Such is the case with the AllTrips Prime travel insurance plan from Allianz Global Assistance, which provides year-long travel benefits. When you give the AllTrips Prime plan, it shows you’re smart and savvy. That’s because once the recipient crosses off that second trip in a given year, it’s already been more cost effective than purchasing individual travel insurance plans for each trek. That’s one full year of affordable protection, plus benefits including trip cancellation, emergency medical and medical transportation, rental car damage and theft protection — and the list goes on. Best of all, the recipient doesn’t need to experience a minor or major calamity to feel like they used the plan. They get the benefit of resting assured Allianz Global Assistance is in their corner. (And if that’s not enough, there’s always the included concierge assistance, where one of our travel experts can recommend a local restaurant where they can have their cake and eat it, too.)³

For the Bookworm Who Reads by Campfire: ‘Parks’

Imagine visiting Glacier National Park in 1919 — before climate change had you sweating every unseasonably warm day. Or seeing decades-old, cartoon-style Public Service Announcements warning of the dangers of befriending grizzly bears or buffalo. Readers will find all this nostalgia and more packed in “Parks,” a celebration of a century of America’s National Parks. The fun, sometimes kitschy trip back in time uses park maps, brochures, and other curated materials to tell the story of 300-plus parks. It’s like flipping through a family photo album if you’re family included Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton. “Parks” is a spot-on gift for campers and hikers, those who like to spend a 3-hour layover reading, and collectors of curiosities. The nearly 400-pg. book is case-bound and cloth-wrapped. Photographed by Brian Kelly, the aptly named “Parks” is available at Standards Manual.⁴

For Socially Savvy Traveler: Spectacles V2

Digital nomads face a constant dilemma: enjoy a scene unfolding as it happens or focus on capturing picture-perfect Snapchat images for adoring fans and followers. After all, it’s tough to relish a moment in real time while also ensuring you have the right angle, filter, and lighting. With Snapchat’s Spectacles V2, you don’t need to choose. That’s because in addition to protecting you from the sun’s UV rays, these high-tech sunglasses double as a camera and video camera. They allow you to easily capture photos and HD videos up to 10 seconds, and then sync them to your Snapchat memories. The water resistant camera glasses come with two mics, charging case and cable, and cleaning cloth. Did we mention they’re stylish? Choose from onyx black, ruby red, and sapphire blue.^{5, 6}

For the Family Who Travels: MyFAK (My First Air Kit)

Whether it’s a first-time hiking trip, beach vacation, or college visitation road trip, accidents happen. From scratches and skinned knees to burns and twisted ankles, there are potential injuries and ailments waiting around every corner. And when it happens, those couple of Band-Aids floating around in the bottom of mom’s purse may not cut it. You need an urgent care clinic — compact and totable. With the MyFak First Aid Kit, that’s exactly what you get. This is the First Aid Kit that doctors bring on their cross-country RV trips and out-of-town weddings. And with a durable design and tear-away Velcro back for easy access, it’s built for the road. We know: a First Aid Kit may not be the most fun of all the potential travel gifts out there. But families, planners, and accident-prone friends appreciate the peace of mind it provides. And they will absolutely find room in their trunk or carry-on. You can even customize the kit by style — we prefer the neutral-colored Coyote option. Choose from a Basic or Advanced kit, with 120 and 250 First Aid items, respectively.⁷

For many of the people close to you, their happy place isn’t under their own roof. It’s at a state park that’s a 3-hr. drive away or the Parisian café that’s actually in Paris. So, look for travel gifts like these that elevate their comfort and joy at their home away from home. And maybe you can offer to water their plants and get their mail while they’re there, too.

Related Articles

• 13 Things You Might Not Have Known About Travel Insurance
• 5 Truly Inspired Gift Ideas for Travelers
• Holiday Travel Survival Guide: Shipping and Packing Gifts