This year, Mother’s Day is going to be special since it’s the first time my wife (@NatalieDiScala) will be honored by this holiday. It’s actually been difficult for me to grasp since I’ve spent the last 40+ years honoring my amazing mother who sadly passed away in 2000. The last 16 Mother’s Days, I tried to get away because they were too painful. But this year is much different, thanks to our adorable 8-month-old son Jack.

Instead of trying to escape, I’m going to celebrate it with my wife who is truly an amazing mother and my mother-in-law who has been a second mother to me. Of course, I will be thinking of my mom, who I know will be smiling in heaven.

Since there’s less than a week before the big day I’m scrambling to figure out what to buy my wife and figure out what gifts travelers should consider for their mothers or wives. Here are my Mother’s Day gift suggestions:

Mother's Day gift: Amazon TapAmazon’s Alexa
What mother doesn’t need an assistant? If you can’t afford a human assistant, then consider a virtual assistant like Amazon’s Echo, Echo Dot or Tap. The Echo Dot was the hottest Christmas gift last year since it costs just $49. It will be just as popular for Mother’s Day since friends have now seen it in action. In case you haven’t seen it, Alexa is a hands-free, voice-controlled device that can play music, provide information like weather, news, traffic, travel itineraries and more. You can also control smart-home devices so if you’re holding a baby or just don’t want to get off the couch to turn the lights on or the air conditioning up, you can say, “Alexa turn the thermostat to 65º” or “Alexa, turn the bedroom lights on” and voila … she does it! Related: 8 Ways to Use Your Amazon Echo for Travel.

Mother's Day gift: Total Sleep Mask
Total Sleep Mask

The Total Sleep Mask
The Total Sleep Mask System (TSMS) is the perfect gift for mothers who need some shuteye and what mother doesn’t? TSMS can help give mom a solid night’s sleep since it not only blocks out 100% of light but it does so with recessed eye cups so it allows a person to blink while wearing it (makeup will not smear and eyelash extensions are protected). And that’s not all it does – it also covers the ears to reduce sound with built-in ear packs. This sleep mask does it all so give Mom the gift of sweet dreams this Mother’s Day.

Mother's Day gift: "Geek" Tech Case
“Geek” Tech Case

SKITS “Geek” Tech Case
Regardless what type of traveler you’re shopping for, chances are she travels with an assortment of gadgets and gizmos that requires chargers. And nothing can turn into a tangled, nightmarish travel mess faster than cables and chargers. Help her keep things organized and orderly with a SKITS “Geek” Tech Case, a conveniently sized and shaped case with a zip closure with interior zip pockets, designed to store all those cords, cables and chargers in one place. It retails for $69 and is available in a variety of colors.

Mother's Day gift: Doona stroller
Doona stroller

Doona Car Seat Stroller
Since my wife and I are new parents, we’re learning all about what’s on the market to simplify life for parents and kids alike. If you’re shopping for a new mom this Mother’s Day, check out the revolutionary new car seat stroller from Doona. It is a car seat that, with just the press of a button, quickly and easily converts into a stroller. This all-in-one system is perfect for a mom who’s always on the go. She won’t have to contend with a car seat and separate stroller base and will be able to move around more freely. Not only is it compact and stylish, the Doona is a safe solution; it has been awarded five stars by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Plus, it’s great for airplane travel. It’s narrow enough to fit down the aisle of an airplane and if you’ve paid for a seat for baby, the wheels flip up so you can easily place the whole car seat in the seat. It’s FAA approved and has also been tested and approved for use on European aircraft.

Mother’s Day gift: Royce Leather Packing Cubes
Royce Leather Packing Cubes

Royce Leather Packing Cubes
Speaking of being organized…It’s one thing to have all your electronic cords tangled but it’s another kind of mess to have your dirty and clean clothes all jumbled together! If you want to step up your level of organization, then consider getting some packing cubes. They can help with pre-planning your outfits for a trip and keep your stuff organized (one cube for shirts, underwear, socks…). There are lots of packing cubes on the market but since Mom deserves the best, get her something that’s durable and stylish. Check out Royce’s lightweight luxury packing cubes. They have TSA-friendly mesh screens for identifying contents and protect delicate garments from heavier accessories. But if these are too expensive, then you can buy some generic ones on Amazon.com for $11.

Mother’s Day gift: Ergobaby Carrier
Ergobaby Carrier

Ergobaby Carrier
Give a new mom a baby carrier this Mother’s Day and you might just change her life! My wife and I know from personal experience just how much a baby carrier can make life more manageable by allowing you to have your hands free while carrying baby and it’s amazing for baby, too. By carrying baby facing inwards, he’ll have all the comfort of being close to mommy (and can even breastfeed from that position) and by facing outwards, he’ll have a comfy ride and great view of everything around him. But not all carriers are created equally as we learned and our preference is the Ergobaby carrier. Not only is it comfortable for parent and child, but it has been deemed hip healthy by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, meaning it’s ergonomically designed and is safe for baby’s growing hips. Ergobaby offers a number of different styles in a variety of colors so you can find just the right one for the mom on your Mother’s Day shopping list!

Mother’s Day gift: Vivitar HD Action Cam
Vivitar HD Action Cam

Vivitar HD Action Cam
If your wife or mother loves action and is into capturing memories so she can share with friends and family, then treat her to the Vivitar HD Action Camera. It’s basically the same as a GoPro but a lot less expensive. At $49.99, it’s the perfect gift for adventurous mothers. It comes with a waterproof case with a bike/ATV mount and remote control touch screen display with full 1080p HD Video.

2 Comments On "2017 Mother's Day Gift Guide for Travelers"
  1. Katherine Curry|

    Love your site and time with Leo LaPorte on KFI. Here is what I have a problem understanding.
    I live in Florida but want to schedule a fall vacation with my husband to Utah and drive for a week or so and leave South Dakota. I know how to make a round trip flight, (I go back and forth to Chicago) but if I do 2 one way trips, won’t it cost more if I use 2 different airlines?

    1. Johnny Jet|

      Hi Katherine,

      It shouldn’t cost more but it all depends on timing, routing… I buy them all the time since I sometimes have to cancel my outbound but don’t want to lose my return.

Leave a Reply

Required fields are marked *