If your mom was the one who first sparked a love of travel in you, why not say thank you to the one who loves to explore with one of these perfect Mother’s Day travel gifts? Here, we’ve rounded up 18 of our favorite travel-primed accessories, gadgets, and other assorted treasures that are sure to make Mom’s travel easier, better, and more stylish than ever.
Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 9, this year, and there’s no doubt that moms deserve a fitting reward after an especially challenging year. This wish list spans everything from the practical to the inspirational, and the budget-friendly to the splurge-worthy. (Bonus: These thoughtful gifts for globetrotting moms also work for birthdays and holidays, too!)
Present Mom with any of these Mother’s Day travel gifts and you’ll not only warm her heart with your thoughtfulness but spark her wanderlust, too.
Cookbook & Basket
We all know foodies sometimes plan their entire vacations around a local food scene. If your mom’s palate has led her to her next travel destination, consider recreating a taste of her favorite travel spots right at home. Whether she loves the flavors of Italy, Thailand or Turkey, you can bring Mom’s favorite culinary memories back to her right on her home turf.
Purchase an international cookbook and a basket of related ingredients, which might include sauces, spices, and other local specialties. For instance, an Italy-themed basket might come loaded with jars of quality sauces, organic pasta, and balsamic vinegar.
Or, let somebody else do the cooking for her, with a gift certificate to a local ethnic restaurant, where regional dishes will transport her straight back to her favorite travel spots.
Personalized Passport Cover
Whipping out your passport is always a momentous occasion in travel, as it means you’re just about to embark on an adventure to a foreign land (or are returning home from a recent journey). Make Mom’s moment count by gifting her a stylish, personalized passport holder.
They come in many shapes and sizes but consider splurging on one of the tasteful leather versions. You can even have your mom’s initials monogrammed right on the front for some added personalization.
Or, upgrade to a larger, chic travel wallet, where Mom can safely tuck her passport away alongside IDs, cards, and travel documents, too. This functional gift pairs polish with the ultimate in organization, and will help keep all of Mom’s essential documents together in one place.
Wine Country Delivery
If the oenophile mama in your life can’t make it to wine country, bring wine country to her. Many leading wineries around the globe offer direct shipping, and there are plenty of tailored wine subscription services that make for perfect Mother’s Day travel gifts, as well.
Stock her up on her favorite varietals, and she’ll be transported to the vines of her favorite wine region vineyards. Whether it’s Napa, Mendoza, Bordeaux, or someplace else that she’s been missing. After all, with all the hard work she does, we know that Mom could rightly use a glass (or two).
Read: Best Wine Destinations for Oenophiles
Packable Travel Hat
If Mom’s headed anywhere sunny, be it the beach, a national park, or even a city sightseeing trip, a good, wide-brimmed hat that offers protection from the sun’s rays is essential. Some of the most fashionable hats can be hard to pack, however, so do your mother a favor and find one that’s meant for travel.
There are several packable travel hats on the market that are designed to be easily rolled up or folded away into a suitcase or purse. Nab one that’s stylish and versatile enough to top off a sundress or a swimsuit, as needed. Hopefully, your mom will say hats off to your spot-on gift.
Travel Photography Books
Armchair travelers can easily get lost in the destinations they dream about by glancing through a quality art or photo book. Talented travel photographers have a way of capturing the essence of a destination, portraying slices of life via street scenes, portraits, cultural happenings, and natural settings.
Pick up an art book or two devoted to a destination that Mom loves, and let her revisit or imagine a place that makes her heart soar. Gorgeous photo books can depict Greek beaches, the Alaskan wilderness, the concrete jungle of New York City, and just about anywhere else that you can think of.
Virtual Cooking Class
If Mom is happiest in the kitchen, consider giving her a virtual cooking class. Thanks to the technological versatility of today’s video-centric world, she can easily join in on a local chef-led class on the other side of the globe.
Whether it’s Peruvian ceviche, Spanish tapas, or Argentinian empanadas that Mom loves, it’ll be easy to find a class that fits the bill. Not only will she get to participate in an immersive cooking class that will connect her with talented local chefs and like-minded foodies, she’ll also leave with some newfound kitchen skills to boot.
Travel Jewelry Case
Whether it’s a roll-up design or a hard mini-container, a portable travel jewelry case is essential for the mom who loves her baubles. The best ones have dedicated and zippered compartments for earrings, rings, necklaces, and bracelets to ensure that Mom’s favorite accessories are safely tucked away, tangle-free, and easy to turn up.
If you want to score some points, you might look to sync up with a local jewelry designer in a destination that she loves, and have a piece tucked away in the case. Many jewelry makers today have an online store and can readily arrange for international shipping.
Tip: Encourage Mom to travel with the case half empty, so she can stock up on jewelry finds to bring back as souvenirs from her next vacation.
Weekender Bag
Chances are that your travel-loving mother has got her luggage squared away, but there’s always room for a new, stylish weekender bag. These multifunctional carryalls come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, whether she’s after a quality carry-on for her next flight or in need of a bag that’s sized right for a quick weekend getaway. Choose one in a bold design that she loves and it will double as a fashion statement, too.
Whatever you settle on, make sure that it’s lightweight with plenty of space to organize all of her must-haves, and you’ll have a winning Mother’s Day travel gift that’s sure to please.
Aromatherapy Travel Kit
So much about travel is wonderful, but that doesn’t mean it’s not without any stress or fatigue. Whether you’re battling jet lag, feeling zapped of energy, or needing a little help falling asleep, there’s an essential oil blend to help. Travel-size roller balls are just the ticket since Mom can tuck them into her carry-on for a perfectly portable pick-me-up for body, mind, and spirit.
Luggage Organizers
If your mom’s the organized type, she’ll surely appreciate tools she can use to help keep her travels streamlined. If she hasn’t yet discovered them, packing cubes are revolutionary. These space-saving cubes will not only allow for more luggage space but will also let her find what she’s after in a cinch.
It’s also worth picking up a handy tech travel kit organizer so that Mom can neatly pack away all of her favorite gadgets.
Read: Travel Gifts for Dad Perfect for Father’s Day
Travel Scarf
A stylish, lightweight travel scarf might be the most versatile item in Mom’s luggage. Whether she’s using it as an extra layer on a chilly day, folding it into a pillow-in-a-pinch for a long flight, or using it as a stylish wrap to spruce up an outfit for a night out, travel scarves come loaded with versatility.
Pick one in a color that your mom loves, in popular materials like cashmere, wool, or silk, and your mom will have the scarf, sarong, or blanket that she needs for her next trip.
Online Class to Boost Travel Skills
If your mom is the type who never wants to stop learning, you’re guaranteed to find an online course to match her budding interests. Whether she’s always wanted to learn a new language, sharpen her photography skills, or is nursing a new fascination with Japanese gardening, team her up with the perfect class that will help make sure her next big trip is that much more enriching.
Travel Journal
In a world of infinite technology and gadgets, there’s still no real substitute for capturing a moment by putting pen to paper. A stylish, tuck-away travel journal is a must-have staple, in which Mom can jot down her travel observations, sketch a picture of a favorite place, or plot out her travel itinerary for the day ahead.
You can find journals in all different formats with covers that range from fine art to vintage leather. She’ll love to revisit this journal keepsake down the road, whenever she wants to remember her first impressions from a favorite vacation.
Portable Charger
While a portable charger may not seem like a super exciting gift on the surface, you’ll be doing your mom a huge favor by turning her on to the save-the-day wonders of a portable charger.
Find one that’s sleek and slim, which Mom can throw in her purse before she sets out on her next adventure. She’ll be singing your praises when the device charges her phone or camera while she’s out and about and in need of a boost.
Travel Print or Poster
Does Mom wax poetic about her days traveling through Italy? Or when she learned to dance the tango during her honeymoon in Argentina?
Help her to trigger those fond memories with ease by purchasing a stylish travel print or poster that depicts a destination that she loves. You can find lots of art prints and travel posters online, and can even connect with local artists for something more original with a little online sleuthing.
Tip: You’ll get bonus points for completing the gift with an elegant frame.
Lavender Eye Mask
Travel usually involves plenty of transit time and those moments on trains and planes can afford a much-needed chance to catch up on some sleep. Help Mom make the most of it with a portable lavender eye mask, which can help block out light, offer gentle compression acupressure, and dole out a dose of aromatherapy, too. (Lavender is known for its soothing effects and is said to help aid sleep and reduce stress.)
Tip: For the ultimate indulgence, consider buying her a velvet version.
Hardcover Photo Albums
In this digital age, we can lose sight of the old-school pleasure of having a physical photo album to flip through on a whim. Print out Mom’s favorite images of a trip and set them up in a quality hardcover photo album. You’ll help her preserve her precious travel memories and perhaps inspire her to make new ones in the years to come.
Read: 50th Birthday Trip Ideas
Charity Donation
Consider skipping out on a physical present and instead look for a Mother’s Day travel gift that will make an even bigger impact. If there’s a travel destination near to your mother’s heart that needs help, whether it’s a hurricane-wrecked region in the Caribbean or an orphanage in Asia, go ahead and make a contribution there in her name.
Not only will Mom be touched by your thoughtfulness, but your gift will add a force for good in the world at large. Good luck beating that!
While all of these gifts are fantastic finds, for a travel-loving mom, there’s no better gift than a trip itself. Gift her the magic of a cruise vacation with Celebrity Cruises. Browse through our itineraries around the globe and consider giving her the ultimate Mother’s Day travel gift this year.
