10 Best Travel Gifts for Urban Travelers

What to get the traveler who lives and breathes city life.

Cities offer some of the most exciting experiences in the world. There’s simply nothing like catching a Broadway show in New York, shopping in Seoul or sitting at a café in Paris.

But city travel can also be stressful, full of noisy metros, crowded attractions and pickpockets. While you can’t magically make lines shorter or streets safer, you can definitely make a trip better for your loved ones by gifting them great gear.

Add these perfect travel gifts to your list for the city slicker in your life.

Sneakers That Are Both Comfy and Fashionable

KOKOLU

Price: $116

Comfortable shoes are maybe the most important thing a traveler can have. But while in a city, you also want to be fashionable. Put those hiking boots away, and go for the KOKOLU comfort knit sneakers.

Besides looking great, these shoes can help your feet endure days of hitting pavements. Plus, they’re made using a recycled and sustainably harvested sole. And they say the perfect shoe doesn’t exist.

Buy it now: Kokolu

A Packable Raincoat That Actually Looks Good

Brittany Daniel / RAINRAPS

Price: $68

Heading to London in the winter? Forget carrying an umbrella around and simply get a “rainrap.” These packable raincoats weigh only 8 ounces and come with a pouch. But unlike most raincoats, they’re actually cute.

If you’re still not sure, consider that they’re also reversible, so you can double your outfits without packing extra. That’s a win-win-win.

Buy it now: Amazon

A Chic and Eco-Friendly Swimsuit for Hotel Pools

Koraru

Price: $220

Yes, you can find cute bathing suits for $30, but those Shein bathing suits aren’t going to last. Plus, city people can spot high-quality material from miles away. This slick Koraru bathing suit offers a unique design that is sure to get you compliments at the hotel pool. It’s also made with good material that will last for years to come.

Plus, the high price tag is due to the company’s commitment to a circular and sustainable business model as well as its fair-trade guarantee. You simply can’t put a price on that.

Buy it now: Koraru

The Toiletry Kit of Your Dreams

Keep Your Cadence

Price: $76

Raise your hand if you have way too many skin and hair products that you just can’t travel without. Not just us? Good. Then, you know the struggle of getting all your refillable plastic bottles to fit in your toiletry bag.

Thankfully, the future is here, and it works like a beehive. Cadence’s groundbreaking capsules are leakproof and magnetic, sticking together to make sure there are no empty spaces in between capsules, so you’re optimizing your packing. The capsules have customizable labels and can hold anything from cream to pills to powder.

Buy it now: Cadence

City Traveler’s Favorite Day Pack

Fjallraven Store / Amazon

Price: $127.99

Go to any major city in Europe, and you’ll notice a surprising amount of people sporting a bag with the Fjallraven logo. This Swedish brand is a timeless favorite for city travelers, given its versatility and stylishness.

Though lightweight, it holds a good amount of stuff without compromising comfort. It’s also durable, water-resistant and has several pockets to organize all your trinkets. And this bag counts with the best quality a travel gift can have: being useful after a trip is over.

Buy it now: Amazon

The Best Carry-on Available

Away

Price: $325

Away’s brand is practically revered in the travel space. Every serious traveler either has one of its products or dreams about having one. This is because its suitcases have proven to be actually reliable, so you don’t have to worry about spending hundreds of dollars on a carry-on that breaks on the first day of a two-month trip. (No, we will never get over it.)

Any Away carry-on will be well worth the price. But this one stands out for having a water-resistant nylon pocket on the exterior of the hard shell. This means no more scrambling to get your laptop out of your shoulder bag at airport security!

Buy it now: Away

A Reminder of What It’s Like to See the Stars

National Geographic

Price: $65

Cities are great, but they have one major flaw: They make it almost impossible to see the stars. Give that friend who simply can’t part from the city the gift of the night sky with “National Geographic Stargazer’s Atlas: The Ultimate Guide to the Night Sky.”

One of the most beautiful books National Geographic has ever published, this glossy book measures 14-by-10 inches and has 432 pages dedicated to the universe. With pictures from space explorers and guides to constellations, it’ll make the stars feel closer, even in the brightest city.

Buy it now: Amazon

The Cosiest Travel Set Ever

Jet&Bo Store / Amazon

Price: $390

You can probably find a blanket, eye mask, sock and pillow case set for under $5. But the city traveler has luxurious tastes and will appreciate that this Jet&Bo product is made with 100 percent pure cashmere.

Rather than flimsy products that don’t actually warm you up, they’ll be cozy on planes or in hotels that insist on making rooms feel like the Arctic. Cashmere is known for its softness, but also for its durability and its ability to remain wrinkle-free. If you want to pamper a loved one who is constantly on the go, we can’t think of a better gift.

Buy it now: Amazon

Noise-Cancelling Earbuds to Drown Out the Sounds of the City

Bose Store / Amazon

Price: $199.99

Screaming kids, cars honking, loud music from the club down the street. Cities are noisy. And that’s often a terrible thing when you want to sleep or rest. These BOSE earbuds help people sleep or relax by canceling out the raucous city.

With a battery that lasts up to 12 hours, they are also extremely convenient. And they’re not as bulky as earphones, so they take less space and are more discreet — both attributes you want from any travel gear.

Buy it now: Amazon

And Finally a Gift for the City Traveler Who Can’t Travel Right Now

Hiatus Tequila

Price: $41.99

If the person can’t go to the city, bring the city to them. With this Hiatus Tequila Blanco, you can make your loved ones feel like they’re in Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s most exciting cities.

The owners of the brand partnered with a family-owned distillery in Tequila, the town where the drink comes from. Neat, smooth and flavorful, this gift will make for great memories shared together. Make it even better by drinking it while learning about tequila’s surprising history.

Buy it now: Total Wine

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out these other stories on Far & Wide: