Holiday travel: It can provide a lifetime of memories, but can be stressful too. We partnered with Tesa Nicolanti of 2 Wired 2 Tired to share the best tech and gadgets for holiday travel that will make it all easier, more convenient, and more memorable.
Traveling for the holidays can be exciting. It’s a wonderful time of year to reconnect with family and friends, spending time together and enjoying the festivities. At the same time, with road construction, flight delays, and more, it can be a cause for concern as well. When traveling this year, make sure you don’t leave home without these items. They will help ease the pain at least a little bit and make your holiday season more enjoyable.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones or Earbuds
One of the best inventions for travelers in the recent past are noise-cancelling headphones. Whether you’re in the backseat of a long road trip or on a cramped flight trying to get some work done, read a book, or catch a nap, these headphones will give you the peace and quiet you need. Many offer Bluetooth now so you can listen to your favorite holiday songs or podcasts wire-free. If you don’t like the bulkiness of headphones, you can always choose noise-cancelling earbuds instead. These also come in handy for noisy hotel hallways or when you are staying at a relative’s and they stay up late or get up early. Both the headphones and earbuds come in a wide range of prices, so you can find something that fits your budget and offers just the right amount of noise cancelling for your needs.
Mobile Charger & External Battery Pack
A good mobile charger and external battery pack can be a lifesaver. You want ones that are slim and compact so they don’t take up a lot of room in your pocket, purse, or carry-on. It’s important to keep it handy and not packed in your checked luggage or in the bag buried under the five other suitcases in the trunk. That way when your phone runs low on battery, you can just plug it into the mobile charger or use the external battery pack, and keep it powered up. These days they have become very affordable; for just a few dollars, you can make sure your phone or tablet always stays charged.
Outlet Adaptors & Converters
If you are traveling outside of North America for the holidays, don’t forget you’ll probably need an adaptor plug for the wall outlets. Outlets in other countries may be different from the ones you’re used to at home, and adaptors allow you to plug in your devices without worry. Also if you are bringing your trusty favorite older hair dryer or other well-loved gadgets that have been around for a while, you’ll also need a voltage transformer. These change the voltage of the electricity coming from the outlet to match your hair dryer or iron so they work properly.
eBook Reader
You may want to bring along an eBook Reader to help pass the time waiting for flight delays or bumping along as passenger on a holiday road trip. They are also handy to have at night to read before you fall asleep, or even during the day when you get a bit of time to yourself. On most eReaders not only can you read books, but magazines and newspapers too. If keeping track of another device isn’t manageable, there are eReading apps that are fantastic as well.
Travel-Size Steam Iron
Whether you are staying at a hotel overnight prior to reaching your destination or when you arrive, you will need to look your best, and a travel-size steam iron can help get the wrinkles out and have you ready to go. The size makes it easy to pack, and most are $30 or less—a great price to pay to look your best even after a long flight or car ride.
Electronic Luggage Tags
There are a variety of electronic luggage tags out there that, when fastened to your luggage and connected to an app on your phone, will help you locate your bag even if the airline loses it. A lost bag during holiday travel can be a nightmare. Trusting the airline to properly deliver your suitcase full of thoughtfully chosen gifts or your best holiday attire can be frightening; however, these luggage tags are here to help. When your bag is reported lost, you can pull up the app and find out where it is, then start the process of getting it returned to you. While not an immediate solution, it’s much better than not knowing where your bag is and chancing that you just may never see it again.
DSLR Camera
While smartphones these days can take impressive photos, nothing beats a DSLR camera to capture those cherished holiday memories in high-quality images. While they can be pricy, you can find companies that will rent them. Using a DSLR camera to photograph holiday travel moments will be one splurge you won’t regret.
Make this holiday travel season meaningful, memorable, and easier on yourself with tech and gadgets that are here to help. From planning to packing to traveling, they can help you find peace and quiet, stay powered up, capture every moment, and more.
Happy holidays!
Tesa Nicolanti, Gnational Gnomad
Latest posts by Tesa Nicolanti, Gnational Gnomad (see all)
- Top Photo-Editing Apps to Improve Your Travel Photos - December 3, 2016
- The Best Tech & Gadgets for Holiday Travel - December 3, 2016
- Maximize Memories & Minimize Stress With These Holiday Travel Apps - November 14, 2016
Travelocity compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.
