11 Best Graduation Gifts for Budding Travelers
Recent graduates have undoubtedly been through the ringer—being in school during the pandemic cut short, if not altogether eliminated, all sorts of celebrations, and curbed any immediate travel-the-world plans for grads looking to satisfy their wanderlust before taking their next step into adulthood. So, it follows that they are deserving of a great graduation gift; while it won't make up for the rejiggered milestones, these graduation gift ideas will offer a taste of the world they are ready to explore, and help prepare them for that next international flight, whenever it may be. Below, 11 of the best graduation gifts for budding explorers.
All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones
As far as splurge-worthy gifts go, a set of solid noise-cancelling headphones will certainly be appreciated. This pair from Sony has all the bells and whistles—multi-device Bluetooth pairing, 30 hours of battery life, an auto-pause feature that kicks in whenever you take them off—and will get use immediately, whether they're drowning out noisy roommates or their airplane seatmate.
Customized Away The Bigger Carry-On
If the graduate you're gifting is in need of a new suitcase, Away is a fine place to start. Not so pricey that you'll be dreading the lost-my-luggage call, but sturdy enough to stand up to rough-and-tumble weekend getaways, Away bags hit a sweet spot. Plus, just in time for graduation season, the brand added more collegiate colors to their customizable decals, so you can pick ones out that let them rep their new alma mater.
Clear Membership
If they're not already breezing through TSA, now's the time to help them out. Since there's not actually a way to directly send Clear as a gift, a Venmo transfer and a nice card telling filling them in on the membership is the way to go. (They may still be able to take advantage of the student discount, too.)
Mark & Graham Leather Passport Case
We're all jonesing for some international travel, but maybe no one more than the graduate who had big plans to backpack through Europe or island-hop in Southeast Asia after graduation. Get them geared up to go when the time comes with a handsome leather passport case and luggage tags from Mark & Graham.
Paravel Fold-Up Bag
They've probably worn out a duffel or two in the last few years, especially if they went to school somewhere close enough to lug piles of laundry home on weekends. Upgrade their go-to with a fold-up duffel from Paravel; they can use it for weekend trips in the short-term, and bring it along as a back-up to hold souvenirs when longer adventures come calling.
Paravel Packing Cube Quad
Another Paravel favorite: packing cubes. Consider this the way to show them how to properly pack a bag, especially if organization isn't their strong suit. This set of four comes with one large, one medium, and two small sizes, all made of a water-resistant fabric created out of recycled plastic water bottles.
Anker PowerCore III 10K Wireless
A graduation gift idea for the graduate and their parents, this Anker power bank will ensure their phone is always juiced up on the go. It is compact enough to slip into a pocket, handbag, or backpack, and can charge three devices simultaneously.
Atlas Coffee Club subscription
Since their college caffeine habits likely consisted of grabbing whatever was available at the dining hall or drive-thru, a monthly coffee subscription is a nice way to spruce up their morning routine. This one will introduce them to beans from around the world; each package comes with a brief history of coffee in the region of its origin, and tips for the best brewing method for that particular coffee.
Always Prepared Roadside Emergency Kit
Another gift-meets-teachable-moment: this roadside emergency kit (one of our road trip essentials), which comes with all sorts of gear to get them through their first flat tire or dead car battery. Think jumper cables, a reflective safety vest and warning triangle to keep drivers safer at night, a self-powered flashlight, a full first-aid kit, and a tire pressure gauge, among other tools.
Mini Photo Album for Fujifilm Instax
For the grad who's always snapping photos on a Polaroid, gift them a place to hold all those memories once the dorm room bulletin board comes down. This one is sized for the Instax Mini, and holds nearly 300 photos. If you know the model they have, throw in an extra pack of film or two to round out the present.
