New York — Buying gifts for people who love to travel has never been simpler, thanks to the ease of Internet shopping, a burgeoning selection of specialty items and publications, and gift certificates that allow recipients to book an inn or spa when and where it's convenient for them. Here are some gift ideas to inspire you, from stocking stuffers to luxurious dreams come true.
Gift certificates
Rather than guessing someone else's schedule and preferences, give a gift certificate for a getaway. Gift certificates from www.BnBfinder.com are good at hundreds of bed-and-breakfasts across the country, like La Belle Ãpoque, a Victorian gem in Napa, Calif. Gift cards from www.historichotels.org are good at 50 U.S. hotels registered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, including Raphael Hotel in Kansas City, Mo. The exclusive Relais & Chateaux association of 450 fine hotels and restaurants worldwide also offers gift certificates at www.relaischateaux.com or (877) 334-6464.
Gift certificates from www.spafinder.com are good at numerous spas, but make sure to click on "About certificates" for pricing advice.
Road trips
"Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel For a Year For the Cost of Staying Home" (RLI Press, $17.95, www.roadtripdream.com), is a practical and inspirational gift for RV owners, new retirees or anyone who's ever dreamed of a cross-country expedition. Gift suggestions for road-trippers from Carol White, who wrote the book with her husband Phil, include AAA membership, gift cards to Starbucks and other chains, or a gift membership to KOA or Good Sam campgrounds. Or buy the traveler a year of access, for $59, to www.MyTripJournal.com, which provides ready-made personalized Web pages for posting vacation photos and notes.
For $50, you can buy a pass that grants admission to all national parks for a year (buy.nationalparks.org/default.asp or 888-GO-PARKS).
Globes, maps, guidebooks
If you know someone who is fascinated by maps or globes, consider a gift from Murray Hudson's Antiquarian Books & Maps in Halls, Tenn., or California Map & Travel in Santa Monica, Calif.
Hudson's vast inventory is perfect for collectors, armchair travelers and history buffs. Items include Civil War battle plans, maps of colonial Canada and centuries-old depictions of the world (www.murrayhudson.com or 800-748-9946).
For those with contemporary tastes, California Map & Travel (www.mapper.com or 310-396-6277) claims to carry "every travel guidebook known to humankind," along with equipment and accessories for 21st century explorers who prefer Global Positioning Systems over atlases. The store also stocks every local topographical map produced by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Gadgets and gear
A small headlamp can help a camper cook after dark, read in a tent or change a tire at night. Petzl's Tikka headlamp is $28.95, available at Karst Sports (www.karstsports.com, 800-734-2851) and other retailers.
Down booties from Mountain Hardwear, about $60 (available at Eastern Mountain Sports, www.ems.com or 888-463-6367, and other retailers), are warm, light and allow feet that have been stuck in hard, heavy boots to relax, even in subzero weather.
A five-piece fly rod can be packed in a suitcase or frame pack, or even rolled into a sleeping bag. Cabela's (www.cabelas.com or 800-237-4444) sells "Stowaway 5-Piece Fly Rod Kits" in several sizes for around $70.
Digital cameras are a great gift for anyone who hasn't yet made the transition from old-fashioned film. Two- to three-megapixel cameras are fine for most nonprofessionals.
Coffee-table books
The richly illustrated "Celebrating Women" by Paola Gianturco (PowerHouse Books, $49.95) describes female-oriented festivals around the world.
Lonely Planet's "The Travel Book: An A-Z Journey Through Every Country In The World" ($39.99) is filled with gorgeous photographs of natural phenomena, everyday life, landscapes and cityscapes.
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