A couple I know is planning a 2 week trip to Europe to celebrate an achievement that is upcoming. What gift idea is a good idea for them?
Price range is, I would prefer it be less than $50 but would go up to $100 or so if it was a good enough gift.
Travel mugs? When I was there, some time ago I admit, coffee to go was not commonly available.
And those dorky neck wallets, the ones that are the right size for a ticket / bording-pass and your passport. (I still use mine; it’s makes traveling just that little bit easier.)
Pimsleur language CD.
Manual transmission driving lessons.
Coffee won’t be a problem. Nor will renting an automatic if you can’t drive a manual.
Get them something to cheer them up when they come back. Or look up how much it would cost to do something cool in a place they’ll be going to (e.g. go up the Eiffel Tower or the Fernsehturm), and give them that amount of euros, telling them what it’s for. You don’t tie them down with a booking, but when/if they do it they’ll know it’s your gift. My mother-in-law gave us the money for a gondola ride in Venice (though we actually decided they were a rip-off and had an amazing dinner instead, which she was cool with).
Cheap/disposable camera? Stamps for mailing postcards (do people still do that?)…
Money belt.
I thought about one of those switchblade combs.
Might be a tad difficult to buy stamps here, for use in countries there.
I am sure there are reasons and you are being nice, but I don’t think I have ever heard of someone buy a gift for someone taking a European vacation. I mean, they should pack as little as possible and obviously don’t need any other silly things to schlepp along.
Maybe wait until they return and buy them one of those digital picture frames to display their European photos - or just take them to dinner and let them tell you about their trip.
No, no, no! What they need is some power adapters like these so their laptops and small devices will work over there. There are different types for UK, Italy, Switzerland the rest of Europe. Get a handful of each type and they’ll be worth their weight in gold.
Friends said that a good quality power strip to plug into it was helpful. Be careful that you dont pop the circuit breaker though. (They also raved about how successful they were with a battery charger & rechargeable batteries but that isn’t for everyone)
If they have a DSLR or camera bag of some kind, one of these would be a good gift:
As for power adapters, the one listed above looks good, but some have the right plugs, but don’t actually fit the plugs, so caveat emptor applies. You probably don’t want to be the guy who gave them the adapters that don’t work, you know!
That’s a very good point; it might be best if you let them find an appropriate one in their destination country.
So where are they going to be going? If France, get them a gift certificate to L’image plus nette. If Germany, get them one to Die schärferes Bild. If Italy, it should be to L’immagine più nitida. And if they’re going to England, get them one to The Sharper Image, Old Chap.
If they’re visiting Spain, just get them a voucher for Cielo-Centro Comercial. 
Trackable luggage tags, and associated subscription/registration. I’ve never used one, so don’t know which is best, but they seem like a nice idea.
Get them an around-the-neck-and-under-the-shirt wallet, the kind with a cord that can’t be snipped. I’ve used one since the time my wallet was stolen in the Madrid airport.
That one won’t work unless they plan on visiting the boondocks around Madrid, and it’s spelled Zielo. It’s not an urban mall or a chain, but one of those that are in the middle of nowhere; well, in the middle of a parking lot. El Corte Inglés would work better for multiple locations, it’s a chain of department stores found in most provincial capitals.
What about a Lomography camera? I’m guessing they already have their own camera/phone with camera, but a Lomography camera takes pictures with a difference.
A coloured strap to go over their hold luggage which is probably a black wheelie suitcase like everyone else’s.
Otherwise, just be nice and comment on their photos when they get back.
Two outlet (splitter), wall socket to USB/lightening adapter. I was recently oversea, and while everyone knew to bring their power cords few had considered that outlets could be at a premium. Especially for a couple with more than one device.
We’re a tad old and not terribly computer savvy, but were given props for bringing such a tiny thing that made such a big difference. It wasn’t expensive, either.
The other thing to consider is a long power cord, USB or lightening. Means you can comfortably use your device while it’s charging. Tres convenient!
You could probably get both, in your price range, quite easily!
Maybe a nice journal so they can log their itinerary and jot down interesting things that happened along the way. It 's amazing what you can forget, two weeks later, that seemed so important the moment it is happening.
Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Vacation-The-Travelers-Journal-Cover/dp/B001B2N1RU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1393941154&sr=8-4&keywords=travel+journal
Another vote for power adapters. Laptop power supplies can take all voltages, but you still have to be able to plug it into a wall, and if they have any appliances you may need a voltage converter. USB charger is good, but if they have a laptop they can charge from there.
The issue with coffee is not that it is not available, but it is expensive and served in tiny quantities. My German future son-in-law can hardly believe the size of the coffees we get here, and that there are free refills.
Find out what cities they are going to and get a €50 pass for the local museums in one of the cities. You can normally do it online and they will send the pass physically to you in advance.