Gadgets for stress-free holiday travel

Holiday travel can be both exhilarating and exciting, as well as exhausting and super stressful — often all at the same time! To help keep stress levels manageable during your holiday travel, here are some of the best travel gadgets and accessories that will make your journey a breeze.

For those who just can’t get used to typing on an iPad’s touch screen, don’t let your tablet’s touch-screen keyboard slow you down. Instead, get yourself set up with the stylish Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio, which also doubles as a sleek cover, and you’ll never have trouble getting your thoughts out fast enough again. It performs just like a regular keyboard, comes in five colors and even repels liquid! (Logitech, $150)

If your trip starts at the crack of dawn, it’s nearly impossible to get out the door without a cup of coffee to wake you up, but a thermos or mug will have coffee spilling everywhere. To keep the coffee or tea in the cup and not on your clothes, laptop or car, treat yourself to the Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop Stainless travel mug. With the patented AUTOSEAL lid that’s 100 percent spillproof and leakproof, the coffee only comes out when you’re ready to drink it. Knock it over, turn it upside down — no matter what, your coffee stays warm and in the cup until the very last drop. (gocontigo.com, $21)

This wouldn’t be a travel accessories roundup without mention of a tablet, so our vote is for the ASUS MeMO Pad FHD 10 tablet. With 10 hours of battery life and a slim 9.55 millimeter profile, you can use this full HD tablet to read, surf the web, catch up on your favorite shows using the dual speakers with SonicMaster Technology or keep the kids busy all the way to your destination and then some. Available in four colors, including pink, this really is the tablet of the season. (ASUS, $329)

Keep your feet cozy and clean for your entire flight in the Fold and Go Slippers from Built NY. Made of protective neoprene and easy to just slip into your carry-on, these fashionable slippers, which are available in a variety of fun patterns, make airport security a breeze and will be a welcome companion during your travels and once you reach your final destination. (Built NY, $22)

Anyone who has traveled with electronics always worries about theft, so keep your laptop, camera and anything else you’re traveling with secure with the Pacsafe 140L Backpack Protector. Think of this adjustable, high-tensile, stainless-steel locking device as a net-shaped lock for your gear. Attach it to a secure fixture at a restaurant, on a train or anywhere else your gear needs a little extra attention. Thieves will go the other way! (Pacsafe, $100)

Language barriers can be the most stressful part of visiting someplace new, especially when you’re in a pinch. To communicate with ease in a whopping 52 languages, invest in a pocket translator like the Lingo TTX-52 Xplorer, which has a vocabulary of over one million words. No silly game of charades is needed with this powerful device! (Amazon, $236)

No one can resist a good riddle, so the next time you find yourself waiting in line or stuck somewhere for a few hours with nothing to do, whip out your Puzzlemaster Decks – Riddles and Bogglers and flex your mental muscle. Created by acclaimed puzzle master Will Shortz, NPR host and crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times, these challenging puzzles will keep you and your travel companions guessing. (Uncommon Goods, $13)

More on holiday travel

Top holiday travel gifts for the jet setting gal
The best Christmas travel destinations
Worst holiday travel experiences