“Fill your life with adventures, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.” -Unknown
My husband and I purchased our first RV in early 2020 and we have loved the places and experiences we’ve had with it. Our hobby is a fun one but we always have a wish list of tools and gear that we want or need to enhance our experience.
Since 2020, camping has become a more popular lifestyle than ever with more families opting to enjoy the outdoors and the freedom an RV or tent can offer. Additionally, even more families than ever are downsizing their lives and traveling in their RV full or part-time. With the RV and camping lifestyles becoming more prevalent, you might have a camper on your gift-giving list. Like us, those folks probably have an endless wish list of tools and supplies for their new hobby or lifestyle. To help you, we have 7 gift ideas for the campers on your list.
Scratch-off or Personalized Travel Maps
For those of us who RV, keeping track of where we’ve been is a badge of honor, and a scratch-off map or a sticker travel map is a great way of keeping track of the places we’ve been and the places we still want to visit! Etsy has great options for the RV family in your life. Search by “scratch-off map” or “RV state sticker travel map” and the options are endless. Your RV family will love keeping track of their travels with these maps and tracking their progress toward the goal of visiting all 50 states.
Personalizing or Branding the RV experience
Many RV owners enjoy personalizing their experience and connecting through Instagram or other social media outlets. These are some of the personalized items we have enjoyed and will help your RV family to promote themselves and connect with other RV enthusiasts.
Grab a personalized Instagram decal at https://www.etsy.com/listing/703515804/instagram-car-decal-instagram-decal?ref=yr_purchases
Spare Tire covers: https://www.etsy.com/listing/880405505/custom-spare-tire-cover-your-picture-and?ref=yr_purchases
Social Media Decal: https://www.etsy.com/listing/859554628/social-media-business-decal-computer-cut?ref=yr_purchases
Personalized flag: https://www.etsy.com/listing/843477531/personalized-camping-flag-garden-flag?ref=yr_purchases
America The Beautiful National Park Pass
If you or an RV family on your list enjoys visiting National Parks or have a goal of visiting all the National Parks in the United States, an America The Beautiful National Parks Pass is a great idea to gift to your friends or family. At only $80, the pass gives its holder entrance to any US National Park, National Forest, National Wildlife Refuge, Bureau of Land Management Site, Bureau of Reclamation sites, or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites for one year. It easily pays for itself if your goal is to visit as many parks as possible and it is a great gift! Order one online at www.myscenicdrives.com.
Memberships
Any RV family would love a membership to help them as they travel and there are a lot of options that are great resources. Memberships that allow your RV family to have a spot to stay as they travel or help them as they search for a spot to camp as they travel long distances can be especially helpful.
Harvest Host memberships offer an overnight stay in any of over 2,400 locations across the United States. The one-year membership is $99 and gives your RV family a membership that offers them a spot to stop and rest in unique locations like wineries, breweries, farms, and even golf courses. Give a gift membership at https://harvesthosts.com/hh-gift-membership/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrsC_lo3k9AIVivOzCh37mgnXEAAYASABEgLoYfD_BwE
Boondockers Welcome is a similar resource for RV travelers as they look for a single-night stop between destinations. This membership is $50 for a yearly membership, giving unlimited access to up to 2,800 host locations. Check out this membership at www.boondockerswelcome.com.
There are other such helpful tools that your RV family would enjoy. Ask them for the membership on their wish list.
Gift cards
Everyone loves a gift card! For your RV family, gift cards might be helpful to buy that piece of equipment they would like to add to their camping gear or pay for gas on the road. Some gift cards to consider would include Amazon, gas cards, or gift cards for restaurants for that meal on the road.
Safety first
A source of concern for anyone that owns an RV should always be the well-being of their tires. One tool that every RV owner should have is a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). If you suspect that your RV owner doesn’t have one of these systems yet, consider getting one for them. Many options connect to the owner’s cell phone while others have a gauge in the vehicle so that if a tire becomes too hot or is not holding the proper air pressure, the driver is alerted, allowing the driver to stop safely before a possible blowout causes damage to the RV or worse. Many Tire Pressure Monitoring systems can be found and compared on Amazon.
Sought after gear
Portable fire pit: Some of us who camp enjoy a traditional fire on a chilly evening. However, another option is portable fire pits that many campers enjoy. One is a Solo Stove. These can be pricy and come in various sizes but they have gained popularity in the last year or so in campgrounds. Amazon is a great resource for a portable fire pit option.
Portable grill, Blackstone griddle, or smoker: Amazon is also a good resource for these tools. We have a Blackstone griddle and we love it. Blackstone grills come in two sizes with an endless list of accessories, stands, and covers. Many RV families also enjoy smokers and lightweight, portable grills that help to make the outdoor cooking experience fun and tasty. The options are endless and these are very nice gifts that any RV family would love to add to their gear.
Outdoor rug: camping at the beach means sand while in a campground, we track in pebbles, pine needles, and dirt, especially on a rainy day. On Amazon, there are endless options of waterproof outdoor rugs that are helpful in keeping the RV tidier. They are lightweight, dry quickly, and easy to store while keeping what the family tracks into the RV to a minimum.
If you have an RV or love to camp, have fun shopping for yourself! If you are shopping for someone who camps, I hope these ideas help to find just the right gift.
Merriest of Christmas wishes and happy shopping!
Let's Just Go 