There’s a reason $25 is such a popular gift card amount option and is often chosen as a price limit for gift exchanges. It’s just enough to be able to afford a present that’s smart and worthwhile to the recipient without putting a strain on your wallet.
At this price point, there are certainly quite a few crowd-pleasers that you can turn to for an acquaintance or friend: candles, notebooks, mugs, blankets, Starbucks gift cards. They're the things we all use, but that don’t necessarily feel special outside of the “thought that counts” category.
Related: The Best Gifts Under $10
Here’s where we come in. This year, the editors at Travel + Leisure have put together an array of gift guides for everyone on your list, from the Disney fanatic to the Etsy-obsessed. If you want your gift to feel more personal, think of a particular hobby or interest your friend or family member enjoys.
If it’s travel, you’re in the right place. The 25 ideas here are hand-picked by travel editors as the things we love to treat ourselves to and bring along when we’re on the road.
We recommend keeping a few of the under-$25 gift ideas below at the ready, just in case. There’s always an occasion for reminding your favorite travelers how much they mean to you.
Peter Thomas Roth Mask Sampler Kit
Add some travel-sized facial treats to their Dopp kit with this assortment of masks by Peter Thomas Roth. They range from a Blue Marine Algae Intense Hydrating Mask that smoothes and revitalizes to the 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Mask that leaves skin firm and glowing.
To buy: nordstrom.com, $22
Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle
One of this year’s Ultimate Travel Essentials, this clever, leak-proof “water bottle” rolls up into a compact package about the size of your fist when you’re done drinking. It comes in 11 fun colors and is virtually indestructible, a.k.a. a traveler’s best hydrating friend.
To buy: amazon.com, $25
Lost In Travel Guides
Does your giftee already have a trip planned that they can’t stop talking about? Get them one of Lost In’s design-forward city guides curated by locals. They’re just as fun to flip through as they are to follow.
To buy: amazon.com, $12
Zoppen Passport Wallet
Available in 24 colors, this leather travel wallet is the ultimate gift for anyone who appreciates organization. It packs nine RFID-blocking pockets and slots specifically designed for things like a passport, a sim card, a phone, and a pen.
To buy: amazon.com, $14
Kikkerland Mini Doodle Kit
A portable art set that's no bigger than a passport? Sounds like hours of in-flight entertainment to us.
To buy: amazon.com, $13
Bag-all Lost Sock Travel Bag
We love this cheeky drawstring organizer bag that reads, “Where the #*@! is the other sock? ” — something we’ve all thought while living out of a suitcase.
To buy: shopbop.com, $14
SK-II Hydrating Mask
This face and eye mask duo counts makeup artists, celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, and T+L's editors among its many fans. It's nourishing for pretty much any skin type: oily, dry, sensitive, or combination.
To buy: nordstrom.com, $17
AmazonBasics 4-piece Packing Cube Set
When you gift packing cubes, what you're really giving is more luggage space and less time spent unpacking at the hotel (double bonus!). AmazonBasics makes a pretty great budget set, but we've also rounded up a few more robust favorites.
To buy: amazon.com, $20
Cavallini Vintage Travel Journal
What world traveler wouldn't want to spend an hour jotting in this vintage trunk–styled journal while looking out over a far-flung view?
To buy: papersource.com, $12
Carry-on Cocktail Kits
These chic, pocket-sized kits are the ultimate treat to toast to the next adventure. This one includes everything you need to transform that in-flight gin on the rocks into a refreshing Moscow Mule, and there are kits for a few other cocktails of choice, too, from Bloody Mary to Old Fashioned.
Rifle Paper Co. City Map Cards
This colorful, city-inspired correspondence set includes eight blank notecards and envelopes, but we wouldn’t blame anymore for choosing to put them into frames instead of the mailbox.
To buy: amazon.com, $19
Zomake Packable Water-resistant Backpack
A packable bag or backpack is a must-have in the case of side trips where travelers won't want to lug around a suitcase but need to bring a little more than a handbag would allow for. This 20L pack comes in 10 colors and weighs just about nine ounces.
To buy: amazon.com, $16
Tile Mate
The Tile Mate is a lifesaver for those frantic “where are my keys?” moments. The Bluetooth tracker — another great gift pick from our Ultimate Travel Essentials — attaches to anything you’re likely to lose and tracks it using an app on your phone. And when it’s your phone you can’t seem to find, double-tapping the button on the Tile will make it ring, even on silent.
To buy: amazon.com, $25
Travel Cord Roll
This clever cord roll is one of those why-didn't-I-think-of-that? gifts that anyone can put to use.
To buy: uncommongoods.com, $20
ArtNaturals Top 8 Aromatherapy Essential Oil Blend Roll-on Set
Especially for anxious fliers, aromatherapy can help with relaxation, soothing headaches, stress, clogged sinuses and more. This convenient travel-sized set lets you take that relief along on every trip.
To buy: amazon.com, $18
On the Go Game Pad
This notebook full of classic games like hangman and dots and boxes will help pass the time on flights or long road trips (in the passenger's seat, of course).
To buy: amazon.com, $12
R+Co Park Ave. Blowout Balm
For the traveler who brings their beauty routine on the road with them, we love R+Co’s blowout balm. It’s formulated without parabens or sulfates and gives hair texture and body while keeping frizz at bay.
To buy: nordstrom.com, $16
Minimergency Kit
This palm-sized pouch is a lifesaver. It comes with hairspray, nail polish remover, earring backs, a safety pin, stain remover, pain relievers, and basically anything else you might need to solve a minor crisis on the go.
To buy: papersource.com, $18
Pinrose Best Travel Perfume Ever! Kit
This gift set not only includes 20 fragrance wipes with fun names like Wild Child and Tambourine Dreamer (and equally fun scents!); it all comes in a luminescent zip case that'll come in handy for those TSA-approved liquids, too.
To buy: sephora.com, $24
Fancii Mini Travel Humidifier
Another one of our Ultimate Travel Essentials, this little guy turns your average water bottle into a humidifier on the go. It’s especially helpful during the winter months when the low-moisture air is more likely to irritate the nasal passages.
To buy: amazon.com, $25
Travel Listography
This illustrated journal takes the bucket list to a whole new level. It includes pages and pages of thought-provoking list prompts — countries to visit, cuisines to try, animals seen in the wild — to encourage and collect travel memories.
To buy: amazon.com, $12
KT Smail Picturesque Florals Travel Accessories
How Instagram-worthy is this floral passport cover by Scottish-born artist KT Smail? There's a matching travel wallet and luggage tag, too, if you want to gift the full set.
To buy: anthropologie.com, $24
Bucky 40 Blinks Contoured Sleep Mask
This is the ultimate eye mask in our book. The contours may look a little alien-like, but once they're on, the rest of the world (including the flashing video games of the kids seated next to you on the plane) totally disappears.
To buy: amazon.com, $14
Rusee Camping Hammock
Any outdoors enthusiast will love setting up this lightweight hammock to relax or sleep in the backcountry or on the beach. It’s got a built-in mosquito net and Amazon reviewers call it a great quality tent replacement for the low price point.
To buy: amazon.com, from $17
Marvis Travel Toothpaste Gift Set
Toothpaste may, in theory, seem like sort of a lame gift, but not this stuff. This beloved Italian brand has been delighting brushers for centuries with its chic packaging and long-lasting freshness.
To buy: nordstrom.com, $15
