Dad and Grad 2018 Travel Gift List

Graduation and Father's Day are coming up fast and will be here before you know it. If you haven't purchased anything for either of the traveling grads or dads in your life, then I've got a list of cool stuff for you to consider for them. Here's my 2018 travel gift guide for dads and grads:

Not everyone travels the same, but there are items that can help any traveler travel better and make you seem like an amazing gift giver and may just make their whole trip.

Budget items

I don't always have tons of money to spend on extra gifts throughout the year with all the birthdays I'm already purchasing for, so I'm sure you are the same. Budget, to me, counts as anything under $50. 

Awesome battery backup

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 

Back-up bag

The Travelon Pack Flat Back Up Bag is a nifty gift for those that travel to shop. It folds to practically nothing, fits right inside your regular bag and then unzips into a full-size carry-on when purchased souvenirs take up more space than you came with. $30, but you can get 20% off with the code SHEREENTRAVELS20%

Cool travel 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 I also like this fun journal for travel, because it's cute and has a bit of a scavenger hunt vibe. I Was Here journal under $15

Mini power surge protector

We loved the one we had for travel so much that we bought one of these for our house, too. This compact little gadget is perfect for traveling, because you can make one free outlet into five! We plugged it into our adapter and were able to charge our laptop, cell phones and iPad mini at the same time. Pretty awesome, right? Yeah, I thought so. Belkin is a great brand and you can turn the plug 360 degrees, which means if you have a tight space, it will always fit. Double score! On Amazon for ~$14

Travel wrap/blanket

Traveling can require a lot of things, but this HappyLuxe wrap can keep you warm, looking good, and double as a blanket no matter where you (or your mom) go(es). I take it with me everywhere, because I can use it as a wrap/scarf/blanket all at once on the plane. See my review here. $39.00

Packable backpack

Sometimes you need a really good day bag for your travels, or you need an extra bag for your purchases. This anti-theft packable backpack from Travelon has all the safety features you need, in a simple bag that can fit into your carry-on or even bu used as a carry-on, as it has an RFID-protected pocket too. If you'd like to see my review, go here. $45 on Travelon, but you can get 20% off when you use code SHEREENTRAVELS20%

The best travel pillow

There are so many travel pillows to choose from, but one of the best I've tried is the FaceCradle. Not only is it perfect for the ever-diminishing airplane space, but it's great for tall people, and for using on trains and in cars as well. It has a bunch of different ways to use it, but it can be a bit heavy to carry around, even with the shoulder strap. You can see my review here. $49.99 on Amazon

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

Reusable insulated 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

Expandable 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. I find that these help me keep my packing under control when I take a smaller carry-on and nothing else. These can run $10-44, depending on size and set

Moderately-priced items

Maybe you have a little more to spend on the dads and grads in your life, and that's cool too. I call moderate gifts anything between $50-100, which is more doable, especially if you only have one or two people to buy for this month. Of course, if you have that money to spend and want to do a little more, you can always buy 2-3 budget-priced items.

Convertible day bag

Is your dad or grad someone who loves a multipurpose bag? The new Secura Destinations messenger converts into a backpack and I'm loving it! Use it as a messenger on the plane and around town and then convert it to backpack when you're out and have purchased a little more than you want to carry or on your way back home. You can see my review here. $69.99 on Lewis N Clark's website

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! Imagine how much less your grad can pack on their trip, saving even more money. You can see my review here. $65-80

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

Splurge items

Carry-on bag that fits a huge laptop + more

As a budget traveler, I like to bring a smallish purse and then one carry-on, especially when I travel by myself. I don't like to have to put things in the overhead if I can help it, so a bag that easily goes under the seat is a must. I also know that I can carry it all on my own, even if I have to walk up flights of stairs. The InTransit bag from Walter+Ray is the ultimate carry-on bag, because it fits your large laptop, all your clothes, electronics, snacks, toiletries and more, plus you can carry it 3 different ways. You can view my review here. $119 on Walter + Ray's website

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). $170.99 on Amazon.

Travel jacket

BauBax has created the ultimate travel jacket for travelers and it comes in several different styles. Their most popular is a hoodie and it may very well become a favorite. The bomber, just like the hoodie, comes with 15 different functions that are unique and all very useful when traveling, whether you're on a plane, train, bus, or even just heading to a festival in your hometown. The jacket features 9 pockets, all of which have a function. $149-179 and you can view my review here. 

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. $158 on Amazon You might also like the Nimbus, which is waterproof and a little lighter, due to its flexible hardside. $238 on Amazon

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.

Get 300 bonus SB when you sign up for Swagbucks in June

All throughout June you can earn large bonuses when sign up as my referral on Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a rewards site where you earn points (called SB) for things you're probably doing online already, like searching the web, watching videos, shopping, discovering deals, and taking surveys. Then you take those points and exchange them for gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, or PayPal cash.

When you sign up through me this month, you can earn a 300 SB bonus! Here's how: 

1. Sign up using this link 

2. Earn 300 SB total before July 1st, 2018. You'll get a 300 SB bonus for it! 

3. That's it. It's super easy, and Swagbucks is for real. I use it myself, and I've earned over 70,000 SB that I've used to buy the things I wanted on Amazon for parties and around the house, so I can save more money to spend on vacation!

Are you a member of Swagbucks? If so, what do you use YOUR SB for?

My Best Road Trip Tips

It's been a few years since I've done a real road trip, but I'm always up for a good one, and a good one has some good rules, so you don't get bored and you don't spend all your money before you get to your destination. In two years, I road tripped solo to Las Vegas and back, and then with my mom and dog to Montana. We jumped in the car for trips to save money the majority of the time when I was a kid, and we always had a great time, so if I don't know how to do it by now, that might be a problem. Going on a road trip of your own in the near (or not) future? Here are tips to make it awesome.

Don't drive straight through! The number one rule of road trips is we don't talk about road trips! Wait. No. That's another post for another blog maybe. The real golden rule of road trips is that you stop along the way and stop often. Driving for 4+ hours straight is BORING. Even if you play games or sleep, people will get grumpy, your legs will get stiff and you won't be happy. Plan a route that has interesting stops - a funky diner, a cool cave, the largest ball of twine. Something. Your stops don't have to be expensive, just fun and memorable.

Find everything from gas and rest areas to museums and food on your way by downloading the free app called iExit. Find out what at every exit along the highway wherever you go.

Dress comfortably. It is so easy to dress comfortably and still look like a person nowadays with fabrics like jersey, bamboo and rayon. Just because you've been in the car for 10 hours, doesn't mean you have to look like a slob. Not only are these fabrics comfy, but they also resist wrinkles and breathe well, too. If you can't live without your trusty jeans, invest in some nice ones with stretch. I have three pair that I paid a pretty penny for, but they are some of the best ones I own for travel.

photo credit

Bring foods! Eating out frequently is really going to take a bite out of your budget and totally ruin your diet. I don't know about you, but I also don't want to come back from vacation hating chicken strips or cheeseburgers either. Sure, eating out is fun, but choose your stops wisely and bring a cooler stocked with homemade stuffs – like fried chicken, potato salad and muffins – along with fixings for sandwiches, sides, drinks and snacks to nibble on in between stops.

Bring tunes from home. Don't rely on just the radio, otherwise you'll have times were the only thing you get are Christian and deep country music, if you can pick up anything. I swear there must be radio towers built into the mountains for these stations. If you're a fan of either, you are probably okay, but I still suggest loading up your iPod with some good road tunes, podcasts or e-books. That way you have a variety of things to listen to and aren't forced to listen to Jesus Rock in between static if you don't want to. On my solo trip, I listened to Harry Potter as read by Stephen Fry in between bouts of music. Yer a [road trip] wizard!

A paper map is a must. Yes, you have a smarty phone and your fancy GPS, but batteries die and not all roads show up on satellites. (Just ask those kids from Cabin in the Woods - "This road isn't even worthy of global positioning.") You never know what might happen, so an old-fashioned map is great for those unforeseen circumstances. If you don’t buy one before you leave home, pick one up at a gas station, convenience store or rest areas.

Coupons, coupons, coupons! Along the road you're bound to stop at a few rest stops or greasy spoons (including Denny's) and when you do, grab one of those highway magazines that is full of coupons for dining and lodging. You can.save a ton off already affordable necessities. Sometimes, you may find discounts for roadside attractions. If not, make sure to browse that rack in your hotel/motel lobby before you do anything nearby.

Don't forget to get your car ready before you hit the road, so you don't end up stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, because that'll suck.

Are you headed on a road trip? What are your favorite tips?