2017 Dad & Grad Gift Guide

Father's Day is just 11 days away, and students are in the midst of graduating from high school and college right now. If the dad(s) or grad(s) on your list is into travel - I mean, who isn't? - then something fun and travel-related that will last them on many vacations is way better than, say, that engraved pen, briefcase or tie you were thinking about getting. You know one of those was on your list. Wouldn't you rather have them equate your gift with fun, worldly memories than signing documents and going to work and being a grown up? I know I would rather have something fun (and practical) than something just needed for adult life.

I know that not everyone has an unlimited budget for gifts, especially with summer coming and vacations already planned. These gift-giving occasions can seriously creep up on you, or the number of people you end up having to buy gifts for increase quickly some years. Because of that, I have gifts in all price ranges for all budgets. 

Budget (under $50)

More power

Make sure you can follow your grad's travels on Instagram or Facebook by getting them a battery backup for their mobile. You won't have to worry if they got murdered when they can keep their phone charged. Your dad can use this, too, since he's streaming all those videos and looking at all the photos you keep sending him of your kids. We have two of these doodads, which can charge two phones (or tablet or camera) twice during the day. $15.99 

Journal

Don't you like to chronicle your trips to remember later? Get them a moleskine journal where they can write down all their thoughts, notes and drawings. They are sleek and convenient, so they fit in the pocket of any bag or jacket. Get them a fancy pen to go with it and you're golden. $10-15, $20+ for Cross pen

Digital security

If your dad/grad loves to lounge by the pool or play on the beach, then you need to get them a waterproof phone pouch. It keeps water and sand out, floats and still lets you talk, text, play games and take pictures. Last time I was using mine in the lazy river, a lady floating by asked me all about it. This would be an excellent gift to go with something else, because it costs less than $10.

Hoodie Pillow

Sleeping on the plane (or a train or the back of the car) can be difficult. Give them the gift of easier sleep with the awesome hoodie pillow where they can get comfortable, keep their head warm and block out light. I love mine and take it everywhere I travel. $20

Travelon RFID-Blocking Trifold Wallet

There are so many thieves out there looking to steal your money, your identity, your credit card numbers. Protect all that stuff that's in your pocket with a stylish and RFID-blocking wallet. It fits all your cards, money, receipts and more and never gets all bulky. It's real leather. only $30

GSI Outdoors Travel Javapress: Do you need a gift for a coffee lover? I've been so disappointed many times by bad coffee. Wouldn't it be awesome to just have a coffeemaker everywhere you went? I thought so, too. This commuter javapress is like a French press in your hand, but with a mesh strainer that does the same job. I have a review here. $22.95

Packing Cubes

(Almost) Everyone likes to be organized...especially when they travel. Get them some of Lewis N. Clark's fantastic packing cubes, like the fun new expandable ones, so they fit everything she needs in her carry-on. These can run $10-44, depending on size and set

Thermos

Hydration. It's important. It's also nice to have a cold beverage stay cold and a hot beverage stay hot...like all day. Laken insulated bottles do just that and come in a variety of sizes. They're really sturdy and you'll still find ice in it hours later. I take this with me everywhere, especially when we go anywhere with the dog. Your dad will be excited that his coffee is still hot when he gets to work, or wherever he's going, even if he gets pulled into a meeting. It's also nice to have ice water available when sitting on a hot, sweaty bus in South America. Plan to spend $30-40 on a good size one

Moderate ($50-100)

Kameleon Rose Travel Dress

Okay, so I have rarely spent $65+ on a dress, but I have done it and have been happy every single time. What if you could spend that same money and get over 20 pieces of clothing? Because that's just what the Kameleon Rose dress is. It can be a dress, a skirt, pants, a top, a poncho and more! I'm loving mine that I picked up at the show and you can see my review here. $65-80

Pakems Travel Boots 

These are another Travel Goods Show find. The woman who designed these was looking for a less bulky boot for skiing and playing in the snow and made her own. They are lightweight, still warm, they're cute, and they pack down small, so they don't take up your whole carry-on when you're trying to pack light. I got my Pakems and they are so awesome. See my review here. $65

Lewis N Clark Secura Convertipack

Who doesn't love a bag that can be used multiple ways? I'll tell you who. Nobody. And moms totally appreciate a multipurpose bag, especially if it's super cute like this one. The convertipack can be worn as a shoulder bag, crossbody, or a backpack. See my review here. $69.99

Chloe Hoodie
This hoodie has so many functions...and pockets! So many pockets! Your lady grad will never take another jacket with them on trips to the laundromat or to Spain. For real. I love this hoodie so much, it's stylish, cozy and lets you walk around without a purse if you want. It isn't cheap, but the construction is rugged, it's flattering and they are going to wear it all the time. If you don't have a girl on your list, SCOTTeVEST has similar ones for men, including the 10-pocket cotton hoodie, the 10-pocket microfleece hoodie and the 13-pocket Knowmadic hoodie. $90

Splurge (over $100)

eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible Junior

This bag will come in handy on a weekend trip to Vegas, a week-long trip to visit Grandma or months in Europe. It doesn't seem like it's that large, but if you mix and match your wardrobe, then you can fit 20+ outfits in here. Perfect for when you need to carry everything with you at all times, including your laptop and other electronics. It can be carried like a backpack, briefcase or a shoulder bag. It fits under the seat on the plane, too, so that's pretty awesome. The bag expands for extra purchases along the way and has a ton of pockets to keep stuff organized. If you need more reasons why it's cool, check out my review. $120 on Amazon

Skyroll Spinner Suitcase

This is a great bag for a recent grad and the dad that likes to jetset. It has a removable wrap-around garment bag to allow you to bring suits and other formal clothes without having them get all wrinkly in your bag. The main bag has a top pocket for your laptop (a must, right?) and a top compartment for things you need to get at easily. There's still quite a bit of room in the largest compartment for shoes, your toiletries and more. We took this bag to Europe and it was amazing. Super easy to wheel along and I knew all my belongings were safe, because it had the garment bag wrapped around it. It's a bit of an investment, but it's well made and awesome, so it'll get a lot of use. $299

Bluetooth Headphones

You know what's awesome? Having noise-cancelling headphones that are also wireless and can help you sleep on the plane and are adjustable to fit everyone's head. Get them a pair of Sol Republic Air Tracks and they will love you (even more than they already do). $119

Travel

Give the gift of experience and save them money with either a CityPASS or a Go Card from Smart Destinations. Both save up to 50% off a city's most popular attractions and saves them from waiting in the ticket line, which is always the worst. from $45

Awesome pants

It's nice to have clothing that does double duty. Bluffworks pants are specifically for travel, because they are odor-resistant, stain-resistant, wrinkle-proof and almost indestructible. They look like dress pants, but they're sturdy enough to wear hiking, camping or rock climbing. One pair can work for everything you do on vacation or a business trip. $98 or $125, depending on the style

Lojel Novigo Carry-on

I bet your dad's been traveling with the same old carry-on he's had for decades. Well, why not upgrade him to a fancy new bag with all the bells and whistles and basically a crush-proof shell? I love the Novigo with its locking wheels, shiny exterior, organized interior and smooth spinner wheels. You can read my review here. $269.99

Popticals

Ever hear horror stories of lost, scratched or crushed sunglasses? All that money spent on great glasses down the drain! I usually put mine on my head, but then I have to shove them in my purse when I'm at dinner, a movie or on a theme park ride. The last trip I took, I scratched a pair of my favorite sunnies. Sad face. Popticals make this problem non-existent, because your glasses slide closed and the earpieces fold up, then they fit right into a cute little case. I hope to bring you a review of these, because they are super awesome. $199+

Airline/Hotel Gift Cards

Buy a gift card that can be used for their favorite airline or hotel chain (or Airbnb) or rental car company. It's nice because you can customize it and make it a bit more personal than a normal gift card. whatever you want to spend

What are you doing for the dad or grad in your life this year?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Your purchases help me bring you more useful blog posts and travel overviews.

Rock Your Staycation - Part 1

The weather is warming up and summer is going to be here before you know it. maybe you have plans to travel some other time of the year, but still want to enjoy the summer months and don't have the funds to swing another trip, plan a staycation or two. Don't take a typical one though. Anyone can stay home and drive around all day and then come back and sleep in their own bed. Why not make it a real adventure and be creative with your planning?

Just because you aren't flying anywhere, doesn't mean you can't stay in a hotel or pack a suitcase. Staycations are boring, because you spend half your time in your own house (and the word is also annoying to hear and say). Chances are you haven't explored your whole city or even nearby cities. Pretend you have never visited where you live before and get excited about tourist attractions. You probably haven't been to them in 10 years, or ever, so they are new to you!

Stay in a town other than where you live 

Not up to hanging around your own town? Go a town or two over and explore that one! Stay in a budget hotel or a B&B and make an itinerary with all the touristy stuff there is to do there on it. Just that change of scenery can really help you relax. And even though you could drive there and do a day trip, why not make it a real vacation by putting some money on an affordable accommodation. Claim you're from out of town, (because hey! You are!) and ask "locals" where the best places to eat and visit are. Even if you've already been there, you might learn about some really awesome cafes, shops or parks that you never knew existed.

Get a hotel or vacation rental in the middle of the action

Come on! You haven't see everything in the city you live in, have you? There are still some things in Portland that I have yet to get to...and in Oregon. And I just found out that a couple hours away from here I can see a replica of Stonehenge! (Filing that away for future day-tripping, for sure.) If you live near a big city, chances are there is a fabulous downtown that is full of fun and weird stuff to do. I also bet dollars to doughnuts (yum!) that you don't live downtown, because it is wicked expensive. This is the time to cash in some miles or hotel points for free nights or look into gettng an apartment or condo rental in the middle of it all and set out each day to discover something new and awesome about where you live.

Look online for popular (and obscure) tourist attractions 

You already do this when you go on regular vacations. Do it the same way for your hometown and find crazy things you have never heard of before, do things you always say you will or just go be a cheesy tourist and do things that you tell other people are musts when they visit.

Eat at all those food carts you always say you will try, but then never do

Oh the joy of looking at the Twitter feed and seeing a new food cart has opened. You vow you will try it, and then 30 new carts have come and gone and you have yet to drive the 2 miles into town and find parking and eat maybe some of the most delicious stuff you will ever call food. Okay, maybe it will be mediocre or downright disgusting, but you'll never know unless you try it. All in one day you could try salted cod, deep fried cheeseburgers, ham and cheese crepes and Korean short ribs on a stick! (Of course, you'll have to adjust for what your town actually has.) Seriously though. Your city probably has a ton of really cool stuff. If not food carts, like Portland is famous for, then maybe you can hit up a bunch of greasy spoons or taco trucks. At least you'll get exercise walking to each one.

Bring your camera and take lots of pictures 

Don't take your city for granted. Just because you see that stuff every day, doesn't mean it's not cool. You'll be sad one day when you talk to someone about things and then realize you have no photos of it or you being there.

Want more ideas for taking the perfect staycation? Check out my staycation Pinterest board on things you can do to turn your backyard into an awesome getaway and what to do and where to go away from home. We use our backyard as a movie theater and are looking to make it even more luxurious for when friends and family come indulge.

Where did you spend your last staycation and what did you do?

Review: Hedgren Asharum Waist Bag

As a recent email told me "Fanny packs are back and there's nothing you can do about it." The last time I sported a fanny pack for real was when I was 14. In the 25 years since, I've bought exactly one waist bag (fanny pack, bum bag) and that was for a Halloween costume. The waist bag trend has exploded again in a huge way and you can find them everywhere. Everyone's getting in on it, even high end European manufacturers like Hedgren.

Gone are the days that you can only get the same exact bag in cotton or leather. Fanny packs now come in a variety of colors, fabrics and styles. The Asharum Waist Bag from Hedgren's Inner City collection shows you that you can wear a quality fanny pack that looks great with whatever you wear and it won't make you stand out as a tourist on your travels (which you totally did back in the day). Old and young and every age in between are picking up a waist pack and making them look chic and popular. 

The Asharum Waist Bag has all the organization you need, so you aren't just rummaging around in a main compartment to find change or whatever else you're keeping in there. It's structured, too, giving it a nice silhouette against your body, instead of being a lumpy bag. 

You'll find three separate compartments inside, one of which is zippered, so you can keep those items from being shown to the world every time you open your bag. 

One side compartment has both card slots and an RFID zipper pocket. You can put your large smartphone here, as well as up to three credit cards. 

The zipper will fit your passport. I was able to put both of ours in it with no problem. This allows you to keep your information safe from digital thieves. The length of the bag is also perfect for keeping your boarding passes and other travel docs from getting all crumpled. The other compartment is plain and can be used for anything you need to carry with you. I put my large back-up battery and cords in it and there was still room leftover. In the middle zippered compartment, I kept my few cosmetics I take with me when I go anywhere.

The front of the bag has a smaller zipper slot, perfect for all the change you tend to collect as you travel. You could also use it for your transportation passes. Because it's on the front, it's fast to get in and out of. 

The side against your body has a larger zippered compartment, where you can keep dollar bills flat impossible for pickpockets to get at. It opens wide so you can see everything inside easily and takes up nearly the whole length of the bag.

The bag has a sturdy zip closure that is held down with this hardware, meaning you can close your bag with one hand with ease and your zipper end will never flop out of the bag, which I'm sure you've had happen with other bags you've owned. It's the worst, right? The Asharum also has a nice little cube detail that you can keep on or take off if you like. It gives the bag just a little bit more interest.

As you can see, even with all the stuff inside, the bag is still a manageable width. It does expand a bit to make it work for most of the things you'd like to carry around in it. The different sections are separate from each other, so it's not just one big bag with sections that can make the bag too wide and/or droopy when full. The sections are stitched together, so they retain their shape and don't allow the bag to accordion out so much that it is heavy and pulling down. 

You also have a heavy duty strap and buckle. The buckle was impossible for me to pull apart just by tugging hard on the two sides, so it's not going to just snap and fall off while you're walking around. It's also going to be hard for someone to snatch and drag off your body while you're wearing it. The strap is easy to adjust, too, so whatever size you are, you can make it comfortable for you.

I think this might change my mind about fanny packs, but if not, Hedgren has plenty of other great bags for me to try. I've got three more to bring you! Don't forget about the dad or grad on your list who might love this for their travels, or just to look cool around campus.

Other details

Where to buy them: On the Hedgren website or Amazon

How much is it? €49.00 (approx $65)

Colors they come in: black (shown) | dolphin blue | tango red

Additional specs: 5.91 x 1.57 x 10.24 inch, durable water repellent 100-200D twill nylon

Who's excited to see the waist bag return?

Loving Hedgren and want to see all their new products and see how to make them even more fashionable? Find them online: 

Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Instagram

Disclosure: I was provided with the Asharum Waist Bag for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.