Whether to inspire future journeys or to reminisce on past ones, books with a travel bent make great gifts. They’re also perfect presents to take on trips—after all, we read on our devices nowadays; there is no need to lug heavy hardcovers or choose from the narrow scope of airport fiction. So just in time for the holidays, we trawled book blogs and reached out to going-places regular gals to compile some stellar suggestions, from classic to contemporary, bestsellers to under-the-radar, fiction, memoir, and more. You’re likely to find travel-related reading matter for all the loved ones in your life (yourself included!). So peruse this list of best gifts for travelers; chances are, you can take care of a number of pals with these picks!

NextTribe takes small groups of women age 45+ on fun, immersive trips across the country and around the globe. Take a look at all the places we go here!

For the Solo Adventuress

Anyone who enjoys taking off on her own (or dreams of doing so) should feel inspired by these remarkable true stories.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed 

Strayed’s bestselling memoir details her thousand-mile-plus trek from the Mojave Desert, through California and Oregon, to Washington State. “Sparkling with warmth and humor, [the book] powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her,” says Tina Hartas, founder of Trip Fiction.

Six Months in the Sandwich Islands by Isabella Lucy Bird 

This incredible classic—an authentic record of life in 1873 Hawaii—is a must-read for anyone who wonders about the Pacific Islands’ palm groves, coral reefs, and volcanoes were really like back in the day. It’s told largely through letters that Bird wrote to her sister, giving the observations and experiences a charming personal touch. “No other book about Hawaii surpasses it in fascination,” Hartas says.  

For the Beach Bunny

Those who aim to get a bit of reading done between snorkeling, sunning, and sipping pina coladas should try these un-put-downable novels.

The Beach by Alex Garland

Though a big-time filmmaker now, Garland first wowed us in 1997 with his debut novel about the scary side of an unspoiled Eden. Been there, read that? Well, Beth Tabler of Before We Go Blog suggests that we dive in again, as grown-ups, noting: “The Beach has nothing to do with paradise, but the outlook on what constitutes a paradise, the darkness in people, and the lengths to which one would go to protect it. If you are looking for a book that tears you up inside a bit, look no further. It is worth the second read, especially if you have some life experiences behind you.”

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum

An irresistible page-turner that skewers wealthy vacationers on New York’s Fire Island, this bestseller is a gossipy romance and an intriguing murder mystery (think Big Little Lies). It’s been touted by Vogue, Elle, Bustle, and People, and Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians, declares: ”This roiling beach community satire serves up wicked, clever fun.” Its sequel, Very Bad Company, just came out too.

For the Europhile 

“One of my favorite things to do on a trip is read a book set in the city I’m visiting,” says globetrotting literature lover Robin Glenn. When in Europe, she devoured:

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

The Paris of the 1920s feels so alive in Hemingway’s memoir, that it competes with the people he writes about. It’s pretty tough competition, of course, since he hung out with the likes of James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, Aleister Crowley, Ezra Pound, and the Fitzgeralds (that’s F. Scott and Zelda). It’s also a romantic reflection of Hemingway’s marriage to Hadley Richardson (yes, Hemingway, romantic!).

A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

In this 1908 novel, young Englishwoman Lucy Honeychurch comes to terms with her repressed English upbringing while traipsing through Florence and Rome. Florence is so beautifully depicted, that many visitors to the city make a point of seeing the sights (the Ponte Vecchio, Basilica di Santa Croce, Piazza della Signoria, et al) that they first encountered through Forster’s fiction (not to mention the 1985 Merchant Ivory film starring Helena Bonham Carter).  

For the Animal Lover

While many of us (sigh…) must leave our pets safe at home when we travel, these books make terrific animal companions! 

Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck 

Later in life (and somewhat curmudgeonly), the author of The Grapes of Wrath details the cross-country camping trip he took with his four-legged best friend, Charley. “I relished Steinbeck’s relationship with his dog and really enjoyed his perspective on America in the early 1960s,” says Norma Lessell, a New Englander who has a similar road trip on her bucket list—and intends to have her cocker spaniel in tow. 

Watership Down by Richard Adams 

When their warren is in danger of destruction, a small group of rabbits have their mettle tested as they bravely seek a new place to call home in this fantastical work of fiction.  “I was absolutely blown away by the scope of the storytelling and the amazing journey that these simple little creatures undertake,” Kristy Atkinson, the blogger behind Tassie Devil Abroad, raves. 

For the Hopeless Romantic 

Travel is the ultimate escape—and romance novels are a close second! 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 

The first time in the ginormous bestselling series introduces readers to Claire Randall, a 20th-century ex-combat nurse thrust back into 18th-century Scotland; of course, she falls in love with a hot Highlander. “I fully admit that the Outlander series prompted Scotland to shoot up my travel list,” says Leslie, the blogger behind She Reads Romance Books. Intrigued? Learn about NextTribe’s 2025 Scotland trip here!

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

The narrative arc from like to hate to love is always fun, even if you already know the outcome for the improbable twosome.  That’s why She Reads Romance is also head over heels for this queer rom-com, a Publishers Weekly Best Romance of 2024, about two former friends, now enemies, obliged to take a cross-country road trip together that turns them into…aw-w-w-w-w!

For the Asia Explorer

Serious sojourners headed way out East are likely to revel in these reads.

Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road by Kate Harris 

Dubbed one of the “world’s most adventurous women” by Condé Nast Traveller, Harris tells of her bicycle sojourns through Central Asia as she seeks to understand the concept of boundaries—on the planet and with ourselves.

The Sympathizer by Viet Than Nguyen 

This 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows a North Vietnamese spy in the South Vietnamese army, who experiences the fall of Saigon before emigrating to Los Angeles. The darkly comic tale of suspense, reminiscent of Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man, is “a bold, artful and globally minded reimagining of the Vietnam War and its interwoven private and public legacies,” according to Randy Boyagoda’s review in The Guardian.  

For the Africa Adventurer

Safaris offer a spectacular up-close-and-personal view of animal life, but Africa is also about amazing human beings. No wonder Shannon O’Donnell, the blogger at A Little Adrift, dedicated an entire post to books about African people. She was enthralled by the following, which could serve as best gifts for travelers of both the real-world and armchair variety.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba

This true tale tells of a young Malawian boy who changed the fate of his entire village. Overcoming poverty and a lack of formal education, he is guided by a library book to build a windmill from scrap materials, bringing electricity and hope to his community.

Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo

O’Donnell was moved by this novel, which delves into the life of a Nigerian couple struggling with societal and familial pressures in their marriage, set against the backdrop of political turmoil. “It offers an intimate exploration of love, betrayal, and the complexities of tradition in modern society,” O’Donnell says.

For the South America Sojourner

Among intrepid travelers (and big readers) Tina Ruyter’s many adventures include a trip to the Amazon with her teenage nephew. She’s a fan of the following:

The Lost City of Z by David Grann 

Ruyter found this non-fiction book as riveting as any novel. It’s the true tale of British explorer Percy Fawcett, who in 1925 vanished in the Amazon rainforest while seeking an ancient civilization. The author researched the book during his own journey into the Amazon, discovering new evidence about Fawcett’s mysterious disappearance.

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende 

The author of more than 25 books of fiction and non-fiction, Allende first entranced us with her first novel, The House of the Spirits, in 1982. Ruyter recommends one of the Chilean writer’s more recent books about a pair of Spanish Civil War refugees who find love and hope in Chile. “It’s dark yet romantic and makes a lot of Chile’s history feel very real,” Ruyter says.

Happy reading! And if you’re looking for more ideas for the best gifts for travelers, check out these picks.