blog post

If you have a traveler or two on your shopping list, cancel that trip to the mall. You don't have to search through boring racks of discount luggage to find perfect presents for your fellow globetrotters. Sure, universal travel adaptors, language translators and suitcases make nice gifts -- but you can do better than that! This year, present your loved ones with travel gifts that are, well, a little less traveled. We're talking unique books, travel gear for pets, road-tested musical instruments and more. Check out our top 10 unexpected holiday gift ideas, sorted by price.

 Wine & Food Matching Wheel
Know someone who would never drink red wine with fish or white wine with steak? (Or know someone hopelessly clueless about wine and itching to learn?) The Wine & Food Matching Wheel from Magellan's helps travelers decide which wine to order with their meal in a snap. Just turn the dial to the appropriate food (Chinese, vegetarian, shellfish, veal, etc.) and presto: your wine of choice is revealed ... and the tablemates on your cruise are thoroughly impressed! Price: $8.95.

 The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel
Authors Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht offer a delightful blend of humor and utility in the travel edition of "The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook" series. Readers can discover how to get themselves out of sticky situations from high-rise hotel fires to scorpion stings. The book also features advice on dealing with more fantastical hypothetical situations, such as "How to Foil a UFO Abduction" and "How to Find Water on a Deserted Island." It's the perfect present for that paranoid travel companion who fears the worst at every turn. Price: $14.95.

 Travel Scrabble
Long flights, endless waits at the airport and interminable (and bumpy) bus rides all call for a diverting game of Travel Scrabble. This portable game from Hasbro comes in handy on more enjoyable occasions too -- like lazy days on the beach or nights by the fire in a ski cabin. Travel Scrabble packs neatly in its convenient zippered carrying case. And its letter pieces snap right into the board, so your recipients won't have to deal with alphabet squares flying into their faces if their plane hits turbulence (turn the board upside down and the letters stay put). Price: $22.75.

 Pet Suitcases
Travelers who never leave home without Sir Barksalot or Mr. Whiskers will just adore these cute pet suitcases from TravelSmart. There's a dog and a cat version, both with two five-inch food and water bowls that snap together under a convenient handle. Price: $19.50 for the cat bowl and $29.50 for the dog bowl.

 Reef Stash Sandals
Is your loved one too hip to wear a money belt? Reef, the popular shoe brand, sells a clever Stash Sandal that features a hidden pocket in the heel (the pocket is just the right size for cash and credit cards). The shoe is available for men or women, and comes in a variety of colors -- including pink! This product is a must-have for trips to the beach (at least until they figure out how to put hidden waterproof pockets on a string bikini). Price: $14.99 - $59.95.

 Scarf Wrap Set
Bringing gifts through the airport security line is a breeze with Magellan's clever scarf wrap set. Tie these festive scarves around your presents -- no cutting or taping necessary -- and you can easily unwrap your gifts at the airport if you need to. The soft scarves hold up well in your suitcase (gifts wrapped in paper tend to tear on bumpy plane rides). Plus, they help the environment by reducing paper waste. Price: $35.

 Washburn Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar
What's the perfect gift for travelers who love music almost as much as they love seeing the world? A travel guitar that hits the road with ease. The wandering troubadours and globetrotting musicians in your life will be delighted when you present them with the Washburn Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar. This lightweight instrument has a full-size 24-inch scale, and it can easily be carted on planes (in fact, the guitar is specially sized to fit overhead storage), on trains, on busses, on cruise ships and, well, just about anywhere. Price: $169.

 Discovery Experiences
If you can't afford to buy a trip for your favorite traveler, Discovery Experiences are the next best thing. Choose from an ample variety of excursions across the country, like sailing lessons off the coast of Long Island ($275), swimming with sharks at the Camden Aquarium ($195) or an eagle observation cruise for two in Connecticut ($95). Discovery Experiences will e-mail or mail the Experience certificate to your recipient, or you can print it out for an instant gift. After receiving his or her Experience certificate, your lucky loved one selects the date and location of the excursion. We especially like the circle gift packages, which allow the recipient to choose from a selection of excursions and tours in his or her area. Price: $75 and up.

 Track Your Travels Lighted World Map
 Let your loved ones display their travel history with this elegant framed world map. The map comes with 60 colorful pegs and is lit from behind by two 32-watt bulbs; the pegs light up as your recipient places them into each destination! Travelers can highlight where they've been or where they hope to visit. This 33" x 21" map from Hammacher Schlemmer is perfect for globetrotters of all ages. After all, what traveler doesn't love a good map? Price: $249.95.

 The Gift of Travel
What's every traveler's dream gift? A trip, of course! Hotels/Resorts, Airlines and Cruises are a few examples of travel  that offer gift cards/certificates. These gifts give recipients the freedom to customize their vacations, and they'll definitely be thanking you (a lot) when they're building sandcastles in Tahiti or carving the snow on the slopes in Aspen.

Vera Kuemmel,ACC
Cruise & Travel Specialist
www.CruiseVIPStyle.com
877-211-2130