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12 Unique Gift Ideas for the Budget Traveler in Your Life
Discover the ultimate gift guide for backpackers and budget travelers, featuring essential travel gear and experience-based gifts to make their journeys unforgettable.
Everyone travels differently, and these days, budget traveling is becoming more and more popular. I'm certainly a fan of the budget traveling lifestyle, and if you know someone who is always backpacking their way through life, then this article is just for you. This article will highlight some of the best gifts for backpackers and budget travelers so you can send them on their way with new gear, new destinations, and new experiences.
With the holiday season quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to start adding these gifts to your cart. Who knows, you may even be inspired to start planning a backpacking adventure of your own!
This article is part of our Best Travel Gifts series. If you are looking for even more awesome gift ideas for every type of traveler in your life, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to the Best Gifts for Travelers and the other gift guides in this series:
- Gift Ideas For The Outdoor Adventurer
- Gift Ideas For The Road Trip Enthusiast
- Gift Ideas For The Frequent Flyer
- Gift Ideas For The Beach Lover
- Gift Ideas For The Family Traveler
Carry-on Essentials
It always starts with the carry-on, and the balancing act of keeping the essentials at the ready so the journey to the destination is as comfortable as possible. For those who travel often, having these items can be a game changer as far as comfort is concerned, so if your traveler doesn't already have any of these essential travel items, they'll make great travel gifts.
1. Portable Charger
Between layovers, selfies, and doom scrolling, a portable charger is almost a requirement for travel these days. This portable charger by Anker is one of my personal favorites. Not only does it charge your phone super fast, but it also holds a charge for a long time. Its slim design is easy to pack, and I can even get 2+ charges on my iPhone out of this thing.
Shop Portable Charger On Amazon
2. Travel Pillow
Whether it’s a road trip or a plane ride, a good travel pillow will seriously change the game for this leg of the journey. Travel pillows have come a long way in recent years, and this travel pillow by Dot&Dot is made out of twistable memory foam, so you can adjust it exactly how you want it.
3. Water Bottle
Water bottles are all the rage these days, but backpackers need a little something more than just a container. This LifeStraw Water Bottle has a two-stage filtration system that prevents you from drinking bacteria and parasites, which is a necessity when you’re pulling water from nature. It’s easy to keep in your backpack or clip to the side with the handy dandy handle.
4. Magnetic Storage Bag
Exploring the great outdoors is a priority for backpackers, and keeping the outdoors outside has been a struggle since the dawn of time. This gear and shoe storage bag by Luno clamps right onto the side of your car with magnets and keeps all of your muddy belongings separate.
Only In Your State Editor Sarah McCosham swears by this storage bag; “This is awesome for camping trips – it keeps the funk out of the car!”
5. Packing Cubes
Here’s the thing about packing cubes. I used to not believe the hype until I was gifted a set, and then I became a fan. Packing cubes are fabulous at keeping your stuff organized, though I’m still on the fence about whether or not they actually save any space in your luggage. This packing cube set from REI Co-op is great for backpackers, and at $45, it’s one of the best travel gifts under $50. They’re water-repellent, expandable, and come in four different colors.
Experience Gifts For Budget Travelers
Those who travel on a budget tend to prioritize memories over things, so we love experience-based gifts. Some of the best gifts for backpackers are experiences, unique stays, and memberships that they can use again and again. Sure, part of a backpacker's thrill is the craftiness that comes along with the journey, but every now and then, it's nice to splurge on an amazing opportunity like a night at a fancy resort or an incredible tour.
6. ResortPass
Give your bestie the gift of luxury with a ResortPass so they can enjoy a day living like royalty. With a ResortPass, travelers can gain access to the pools, spas, and other amenities offered at these resorts for a fraction of the price. Currently, ResortPass offers day passes to select hotels and resorts in California, Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Bahamas.
7. Virgin Experience Gifts
There are more than 5,000 experiences offered through Virgin Experience Gifts, and each one is more inspiring than the next. From sunrise balloon rides through Temecula Wine Country to racing a Lamborghini in Vegas, you can bet you’ll find something your budget traveler will love. The vouchers never expire, and once you purchase the experience it’s instantly delivered to the recipient.
8. City Experiences Gift Card
A City Experiences Gift Card is perfect for travelers heading to a big city. City Experiences offers discounted tours for countless locations across the United States, Canada, and Europe, including food tours, sightseeing tours, cruises, and so much more. The best part about the City Experiences Gift Card is you can add whatever dollar amount you want, and they can choose what tours they want to take.
Shop City Experiences Gift Cards
9. AllTrails + Membership
An AllTails + membership is the perfect stocking stuffer for budget travelers. The premium version of everyone’s favorite trail map platform gives you access to features like downloading offline maps, sending routes to a Garmin, wrong turn alerts, access to over 200 trail guides, and so much more. It’s only $35.99 for a full year, and I promise the hikers and travelers in your life will use it on every adventure.
Stocking Stuffers
If your budget backpacker seems to have everything they need, then it's time to get creative with these fun stocking stuffers everyone will love.
10. World Map Laundry Bag
This World Map Laundry Bag will keep your traveling loved one inspired even if they have nothing to wear. It also can be rolled up super small to take with them on their next adventure!
11. A Good Eye Mask
Backpackers tend to find themselves in interesting sleeping situations. Maybe they’re roughing it in a tent on the side of a mountain, or maybe they’re in the heart of a city sleeping in a hostel. Regardless, a good eye mask is key to sleeping in when the sun has other plans. This one blocks out all the light while still being breathable, a solid win for less than $10 (at the time of publication).
12. Camera Tripod
A solid camera tripod is a great gift for travel photographers, and I honestly never leave home without mine. This tripod from Amazon Basics is lightweight and extends up to 50 inches, which gives you a ton of options while still being able to pack down small enough to fit in a backpack. I personally love my travel tripod, and I take it on all of my adventures. Not only is it crucial for astrophotography and long exposure shots, but it also lets you stay in control of the shot without having to ask a stranger to get the shot for you.
Did any of these gifts for travelers on a budget make it into your cart? Are you inspired to start planning your own adventure? Let us know! If you have any recommendations, let us know in the comments, and we may include them in a future article!
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