Trip Whisperer 2023 Gift Guide
When it comes to gifts, it’s the details that count. If you want to make a person feel extra special, you’ll have to come up with a creative present that matches a special interest so it feels personal and tailored to them. This year’s guide is all about recommendations that pair well with passions, a few great functional travel items, and stocking stuffers. A experience guide if you will!
Classic Car Lovers
If you’re looking for something unique, get your car enthusiast an experience they’ll never forget driving around the lavender fields of Provence, Tuscan countryside with rolling hills of wineries, or Almafi coast’s switchbacks and panorama views in a vintage Alfa Romeo’s to Mercedes-Benz SL Classic with the top down.
For something you both can enjoy, hop on the latest Ritz Carlton’s Yacht Collection where one tour includes the Côte d’Azur in a chauffeured classic car and truffle hunting at a Croatian family farm.
For the Oenophile
For your favorite varietal, send them to Napa Valley’s Meadowood Resort. The 250-acre estate offers 36 chic rustic yet refined suites and rooms, cuisine that celebrates the region’s agricultural heritage, and an award-winning spa with treatments and rituals that make you feel at one with nature. It also offers endless opportunities to treat their inner oenophile, from tasting classes at the onsite Wine Center to the hundreds of vineyards just beyond the hotel’s front door.
Another amazing stay to gift would be Auberge du Soleil, inspired by the South of France from design to cuisine on site. You don’t have to fly all the way to France to get your fix!
Outdoorsy Men & Women
Give the gift of the great outdoors by getting them a trip to Montana at Paws Up Dude Ranch. The resort has an endless list of activities that your trailblazer will never get bored, and it’s all included. Archery, horseback riding, ATVs, cattle drives, rafting, cross-country skiing, biking and more are all available, so it’s perfect for any season.
Literary Buffs
There’s no better place to explore and send a literary buff than Ireland. Travel to the destination with all its historical authors, poets, and libraries. Get lost in the stacks and pages of books at the famous Trinity College and enjoy revelry on the annual Bloomsday in June, commemorating the famous James Joyce. Whet your whistle on a literary pub crawl to visit the old haunts of Yeats, and Oscar Wilde. You can’t go wrong with sending a book nerd to Dublin!
For the Equestrian
There are trails for every traveler around the world, ride style and skill level. Any horse lover will ride off into the sunset with you if you send them on a horseback vacation. Visiting a destination on horseback gives them a new vantage point and something they’ll never forget like on safari or beach riding on the archipelago of Mozambique. Trot around Equitours’ site for the endless possibilities.
The Crown & Downton Abbey Enthusiasts
If your loved one is glued to the last season of The Crown, you will want to get them insider access to Royal castles, palaces, museums, stately homes, and châteaus. By way of a few calls to my partner NoteWorthy with exclusive access, a travel advisor like me can wow your loved one with a visit around London and off to Highclere Castle, the 300-room home of the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon — more famously known as ‘Downton Abbey’, wander Prince Charles’ garden at Highgrove, and dine in the Orangery at Kensington Palace. Let’s design a trip fit for a King and Queen!
Champagne S’il
Vous Plaît!
In time for the holidays, the illustrious Le Bristol Paris is hosting the first-ever Dom Pérignon dining room. Le Bristol’s triple Michelin-starred Chef, Eric Frechon, will be partnering with Dom Pérignon’s Cellar Master, Vincent Chaperon, to bring guests the most glamorous dining experience from November 27th through February 18th - and a fantastic holiday gift and celebrate Valentine’s Day, $1,200 per person. Get access through yours truly for reservations!
A short drive from Paris is the perfect pairing overlooking the rolling hills of Champagne at the luxurious Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa. The owners are purveyors of recently acquired Champagne Leclerc Briant. The team can arrange exclusive Champagne House tours around the area and return to their exquisite dining room and Michelin-star experience on-site. We went last December it was a stay I won’t soon forget!
Travel Bags, Meet Function
Travelers cannot go without the proper gear. Belt and cross body bags are all the rage this year, so pair function with fashion by getting a stylish belt bag by Lululemon - one even has a hand warmer, MZ Wallace, Polène, and for the real splurge, Dior’s Saddle Belt Pouch, which I have my eye on for my upcoming trip to Paris. While traveling, it’s a great way to keep your wallet and phone on you at all times.
Travel Lover’s Stocking Stuffers
Grab a few goodies for the stocking stuffers that are functional for your favorite traveler to enjoy or the whole gang.
Trip Chaser Game - A new game that is your passport to fun in a box; great for parties and 2-6 players, 10+ years of age.
Travel Gift Cards with Delta Air Lines or American - depending on their hub and preferred airline; many more travel cards to consider on Amazon’s marketplace too!
Travel Friendly Perfume - Find the travel size of their favorite scent, so they can slip it into their carry on and purse for when they’re on the go!
Gift some books for a long-haul flight! Send some great titles tied to a trip they’re taking, guidebook or even a Kindle Gift Card.
Cooking or Wine Tasting - Get a local cooking class or wine tasting so they can travel close to home.
Happy Holidays!
