The Best Gifts for Dads Who Love Travel: 21 Ideas

It’s pretty hard to figure out a travel gift for a dad who already seems to have everything. But there are always new ideas, and new products in the travel world to gift a Dad who wants to travel better.

In the list I’ve put together here, you’ll see some of my all-time favorite travel gear, from packable jackets and suitcases I trust for quality, to tech cases and even some handy accessories.

I hope you use this gift guide to get something great for a travel-savvy dad in your life.

For the business traveling dad

Business travel means that Dad is away from home. I know how tough that can be—being away from my toddler for a week when I traveled for work was hard! With these gifts, you can make business travel a bit easier for Dad, so he’s refreshed when he comes home to the family.

Bluffworks Wrinkle-Free Dress Shirts

I swear by these travel-friendly wrinkle-free dress shirts, so I’m recommending the Bluffworks Zenith and Lenox Dress Shirts first thing. They’ve come with me on every trip, from trips to client offices, to wedding weekends across the country. They perform every time, which I talk about in my Bluffworks Wrinkle-Free Dress Shirt review.

I’ve been raving about them for years: how they’re the best no-fuss travel shirt because they don’t wrinkle during transit and they don’t require ironing. They’re perfect for a business travel dad, who doesn’t have time to iron his shirts when he gets to the hotel.

Check size and availability at Bluffworks.

Troubadour business travel backpack

Becca and I both agree that Troubadour makes the best business travel backpacks. They’re sleek, minimalist, upscale and built for life. We give the quality five stars on every Troubadour travel backpack we have, because the travel features are immense. From zippers that never snag, to hidden pockets for AirTags, laptop sleeves, tech organizer panels and non-slip straps, they always wow us.

For an upscale choice, I recommend the Generation Leather Backpack and for a timeless choice, the Apex Backpack for business travelers.

See all the available business backpacks at Troubadour (and maybe find one on sale).

Nappa Leather AirTag Key Ring (2-Pack)

This is a great gift for Dad from Quince, and affordable, too. As soon as I got our AirTags for the family’s travel bags, I invested in some AirTags so we could track our valuables (especially our car seat and stroller bag, during flying).

Get the dad in your life some nice AirTag holders that come on key rings, because he’s probably been procrastinating on getting some for his biz trips. These ones come with a snap closing and top-grain leather.

Check available colors at Quince.

Noise-canceling headphones

Having the perfect noise-canceling headphones was an integral part of my business trip this year. A great gift choice are the Bose Quiet Comfort headphones, easily available on Amazon. They have a 24-hour battery life and even come in a few colors.

Check availability on Amazon.

An A+ neck pillow

For long hours spent in transit, a neck pillow that props up your neck, rather than lets your head flop, is crucial. I’ve had bad neck pillows in the past, and truthfully, a high-quality one makes all the difference between having a stick neck, and not.

My best suggestion is the Cabeau Neck Evolution, which prevents “bobblehead” issues and keeps my head aligned when I’m flying and trying to rest.

Check availability at Amazon.

For dads who love travel bags and luggage

I would say I’m a dad who loves travel bags and luggage. If you’ve seen the Gear Reviews I’ve written with Becca, you’ll see how most of them are for backpacks, suitcases, daypacks and sling bags. The gift ideas below are my must-haves, so most dads will think they’re great, too.

Quince Carry-On Hard Shell Luggage

Becca wrote the Quince hard shell suitcase review for our site, but I’ve had the same experience: we’ve taken Quince luggage on every trip since we became a family.

The lightweight factor of these hard shell suitcases, plus features like the zipper-open laptop and tech compartment of the Pocket Carry-On I used on my business trip make this luggage a great investment AND a smart gift.

Check available colors and sizes at Quince.

Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Backpack

For dads who like a fun travel backpack, the Allpa 42L Travel Backpack is a great one to know about. I like the Cotopaxi brand because it’s sustainable and excellent quality. In my travel gear, I don’t have time for anything less.

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The Allpa 42L is versatile, with all its zippered compartments, ways to keep things organized, clamshell opening (my favorite style of backpack opening) and the hip belt and sternum strap. All in all, it is an excellent gift to give a dad.

Check the colors at the Cotopaxi site.

Bellroy 6L Sling Bag

Having tested the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L, I can tell you that sling bags are for everyone. While “belt bags” may seem more like a travel gift for moms, it’s not so. Wearing a sling bag is one of the most convenient type of travel bags to have for a day out sightseeing, or a hike, and this unisex Bellroy sling bag is minimal, modern and incredibly well-made.

We named it one of the best sling bags for travel.

Check which size you’re looking for at the Bellroy site.

Peak Design Packing Cubes

Every time we pack for a trip, I reach for my Peak Design Packing Cubes first. The reason is that they’re lightweight, washable, expandable and compressible. If you’re giving a gift to a dad who may not already own packing cubes, I’d say these are the first to consider.

Read more about them at my Peak Design Packing Cubes review.

Check availability at the Peak Design website.

Peak Design Wash Pouch

In line with my gift recommendation of the PD packing cube set above, I also think the Peak Design Wash Pouch is a cool new gift idea for traveling dads. I wrote my Peak Design Wash Pouch review to highlight how it allowed me to up my travel organization game.

I started using it this year and I like that when I zip it up, it looks clean and neat, unlike other bulky toiletry bags. It has some nice pocket features and mesh organizers inside that I use for dental floss and other stuff.

Check it out at Peak Design.

Great travel accessory gifts for dads

Traveling as a dad means juggling a lot: kids, babies, toddlers and the curveballs of a trip. These accessories can make the travel experience easier, more complete or just a bit more style-forward.

Troubadour Rig Case 2.0 Tech Bag

Whether I travel for business or whether I’m taking a trip with our family, I’m the one who packs the tech bag. I think every dad should have one. Where else would you put the entire family’s charging cables, power plugs, outlet adapters, battery packs, rechargeable batteries and more?

A solid tech case among the best tech bags for travel that I’ve reviewed is the Rig Case 2.0 by Troubadour. And it’s no surprise. It has a double-handled zipper, interior organization, an exterior zip pocket and non-crease fabric. It always looks good, and can “stand up” on its own. You can read my Rig Case 2.0 review to visualize it more before you buy it as a gift.

Check availability at Troubadour Goods.

ALPAKA Travel Wallet Case

I discovered this zip travel wallet with Becca and we both agreed that it’s great for parents who are handling the family documents during an international trip. This travel wallet holds 3 or 4 passports, along with boarding passes and anything else you have to keep handy, like Global Entry cards.

There are a few colors, so check out which will be best at the ALPAKA website.

Peak Design Car Vent Phone Mount

Another big item for me as a traveling dad is the Car Vent Mount from Peak Design. This is an essential road trip item for us now as a family.

I do the driving, so having my phone set up for both Google Maps directions as well as constant charging has been a lifesaver. This is one of the most high-quality phone mounts for driving that I’ve ever seen and used.

Check availability at Peak Design.

For the “involved” dad

Travel camera

I’m the parent behind the camera, always. It puts me in a unique place where I can record the memories from our travels as a family. There’s something about having great travel photos that come from a camera, rather than a phone.

If you’re gift-searching for a dad who wants to get into travel cameras, start easy. Check out this list of budget starter travel cameras, or, read reviews on a starter DSLR like the Sony a6000, which I’ve used a whole lot for trips.

Check it out on Amazon

Travel-friendly jogging stroller

I just got the Guava ROAM stroller, a travel and jogging stroller all in one. While I got it before the holidays, I know it would’ve been a fantastic gift to receive.

If you’re working with a big budget, this travel stroller for dads who like fitness on the go would be amazing as a gift. It folds down compactly in a pretty unique way, such that I could even fold it down and keep it in a hotel room for the night while we’re away.

You can see all about my experience at my Guava Roam Stroller review, as well as all the photos.

Waterproof travel shoes from Vessi

If you read our Vessi travel shoes review, you saw how these unique shoes built for the unexpected surprises of travel have been great for both me and Becca. For involved dads who never say no to playing in the rain during a trip, consider weatherproof shoes like my Weekend Sneakers.

Check available sizes and styles at Vessi.

The perfect travel sunglasses

Sunglasses are a great travel gift, because I don’t know any dads who don’t want to look cool and laid-back in trip photos by wearing a nice set of shades.

I’ve been looking at Quince men’s sunglasses because they’re affordable and have great styles. Plus, you can always get 365-day free returns.

Start shopping at Quince.

A trusty travel cap

Since becoming a dad, I always have a baseball cap on hand for being outside and doing activities with my toddler, like being at the playground. Wearing a hat when we travel protects my face and head from the sun, or some light rain. I can also hide a bad hair day, or the need for a haircut (oops).

My favorite travel caps are the Western Rise Versa Hat and my new Mugsy hat.

Unique travel gifts for dads

Some dads just want showstopper unique travel stuff that they wouldn’t have bought for themselves otherwise. Here are some gift ideas I’ve come across.

Western Rise packable jacket

It’s hard to describe what a cool gift the Western Rise Meta Shell is for travel dads. Or maybe it’s easy. Basically, this windbreaker and raincoat-style jacket folds up into a sling bag. It’s the first of it’s kind that I’ve seen, and it has the perfect ‘Oh, sweet’ factor to give as a gift to a dad who loves nice travel gear.

For more photos, head to my Western Rise Meta Shell review, where I walk through the whole fold-up experience.

Check sizing at the Western Rise site.

A “cool dad” travel diaper bag

I traveled around Mexico City wearing our family’s No Reception Club Getaway Bag, which is essentially a travel diaper bag built for parents. I like that it looks like a true travel backpack, and not a diaper bag at all. We used it on the flight, in the airport, while sightseeing and everywhere in between. It’s built with tons of features that keep a travel dad sane when toddler chaos hits.

Becca wrote a parent-perspective opinion of this backpack at her No Reception Getaway Bag review. I think you’ll see why it’s a favorite for dads and makes a nice gift.

Check color availability at the No Reception Club website.

Paka Apparel Handwoven Hoodie

A unique gift for dads who like travel-worthy products is the Paka Apparel handwoven hoodie or crewneck sweater. I got mine in the mail and was immediately impressed with how soft the hand-knit material is.

These sweaters are ideal for travel days, layering, camping, hiking or throwing on over a T-shirt. They’re a really thoughtful gift for a dad who likes something unique that’s like for-travel, by-travel.

Note: all sizing is unisex, so be sure to either as Dad beforehand what size he thinks he might be, or estimate based on the fact that I personally feel like they run small. It’s because they’re made of 65% alpaca fiber (it’s why they’re so soft), and woven in Peru.

Check available color choices at Paka Apparel.