Even though the holidays are over, there is never a bad time to buy that travel loving person in your life a travel related present. The one thing these books all have in common is that they are great gifts for anyone, at any time of the year. Although we all can Google things, sometimes having a book can make planning a trip, or reminiscing about one, that much better. So the next time you run into someone who loves travel, get them one of these books, they’re a sure fire way to bring a smile to someone’s face!
Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson
I recently got this book for Christmas from my parents and it has been glued to my hands ever since! Aside from the fact that Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors, this is a great gift for someone who has traveled before and wants to reminisce, which was the reason I found it under the Christmas tree. I studied abroad, and reading about Bryson’s adventures in Europe made me smile and some of the places he writes about were places I went to so it was very relatable. Bryson conveys his experiences traveling through Europe alone in a comedic way while describing each city in a very real way. Definitely pick this up off the shelf and gift it to someone in your life who talks non stop about their time traveling the world.
Pocket Dictionaries
I know what you’re thinking: “Why would I need to get someone a dictionary in another language when you can look sayings up online?” Well there might be some situations where you cannot access the internet on your phone when in a foreign country (it can get very expensive to use data if you don’t have a good international phone plan), and you will want some sort of guide to get another a country where you don’t know the language. These are usually small and will easily fit into any carry on bag while traveling. Another way to gift these to someone, is by using them as a surprise! Planning a trip to surprise your best friend/significant other/family member(s) to Italy? Wrap an Italian-Engligh dictionary up and give it to them. It’s a great way to announce a trip, while also being a useful tool.
Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Most Spectacular Trips from National Geographic
In a recent blog I wrote, I talked about what to do when planning a road trip across the United States. My friends and I are still in the planning process, but I came home one day and this book was sitting on my coffee table and I got a huge smile on my face! This book is a gold mind for someone planning a road trip, in any country. Everything from drives in Asia, Europe, Australia and America can all be found in one book. National Geographic really did a spectacular job with this book because accompanying each detailed journey are some of the best photographic that display what your road trip will look like. Know someone planning a road trip? Make sure to grab this next time you’re in a book store. Trust me, you won’t forget it!
Hostels European Cities, 6th: The Only Comprehensive, Unofficial, Opinionated Guide by Paul Kurr
Booking hostels, and seeing reviews, have never been easier since everything is online. But again, books are still a great option. And this one is perfect for your best friend who just announced their plans to study abroad! This has some of the best advice on which hostels are the best, most affordable and how to get there in almost any city you can think of. Gifting this book will always bring a smile to a traveler’s face because they will be able to plan their trip from anywhere and know they will be saving money, because hostels are a lot cheaper than hotels. Make sure you pick this one up if you know someone studying abroad or even someone who just wants to travel and save some money. You won’t be disappointed.
All 4 of these books are great for any traveler for anytime of the year. If you’ve received or heard of any other great travel books let me know what they are in the comment section below!
