Debra is a full-time RVer who has traveled coast to coast looking for the cutest bookstores and the perfect cup of chai. She and her husband enjoy creating community on the road by meeting up with friends or finding new ones enroute. They love sharing their adventures and making friends here at The Virtual Campground and sharing Barry’s great photography.
It is that time of year when we start looking for gift ideas! If you have a RVer in your life or are a RVer, it can be hard to find the right thing that adds to the journey but not to the limited storage capacity. Here are a few things that we think are worth the added weight and space.
Live Better Outdoors Gift Ideas
One of the bonuses of living in a RV is more outdoor time. With limited indoor space, you want to spend more time outdoors to the point of creating a great outdoor “room” to add to your day. When we plan on camping somewhere for a couple weeks, we create our own outdoor living room/kitchen to enjoy the weather and give ourselves some space to spread out.
Outdoor Kitchens
Many of us prefer to cook outside due to the added heat and smells. While it takes up a fair amount of room in the basement storage, an outdoor grill is an essential and this is our favorite. It does a great job for a meal for two to four, fits in either our bin or towed car and hooks right into our rig’s propane tank. Many folks bring along portable propane tanks, but we prefer to use the one in the rig.
We also use a Blackstone griddle, but we have more storage space than some. This is best for breakfast, veggies, and chopped up meats so, if storage space is an issue, determine which might be best for your RVer. Or if they already have the cook stove, consider some of the handy accessories.
Pretty and Comfortable
In addition to a few camp chairs and tables, we make the space prettier and more useful. We don’t always hang lights, but it is so pretty when we do. After several sets, we finally found these and are very happy. Using solar power, they add the right amount of light and can be hung from our awning or trees when we are lucky enough. We also use hook-like attachments that can assist us in hanging a string of lights or solar lanterns over the picnic table.
Most campgrounds provide tables. However, the tables are often in bad shape so a table cover is a must. We have used several kinds in our years on the road, but the LITO tablecloth has lasted the longest. It is easy to wipe down, folds nicely and keeps it’s color. They have a lot of fun patterns and also sell rugs, making it easier to have a matching
For those days when I don’t have or want to work on a picnic table, I use my lapdesk. Clearly handy both indoors and outside! But my favorite addition to our space is my inflatable footrest! It might not sound necessary but camp chairs just never seem to hit the back of my legs right. Getting to put my feet up, makes sitting outside so comfy. And since it is inflatable, it takes up very little room!
Another new addition to my outdoor space and quickly becoming a favorite is my new hammock! I love the colors and comfort of this type, but others like the nylon type that quickly dry. If they are really hard core and like to tent camp, some of these even come with mosquito nets!
Gifts that Follow their Passion
Most RVers have something that directs their travel or interests them to explore. Whether it is a love of history, craft beer, or photography, there is something that gives them focus on the itinerary or what to do when they get there. And, for nearly every passion, there is a way to track it or learn more to enjoy it even more! Here are a few we like to start you thinking.
Craft Beer
Craft breweries are EVERYWHERE! We have seen a significant rise in the offerings across the country and this book helps track favorites and remember each brewery. Once you go to a few in several states, it can be hard to remember specifics! I love taking my book into new breweries to track what we liked (or didn’t). It is amazing how often we have used it as a reference for our trips.
The RVers who publish this journal run the Living a Stout Life website where your RVer can also get suggestions on breweries to visit. Another idea is the Hop Passport which gives discounts at participating craft breweries. Not only do you save them money but help them find new spots!
Bookish Types
For bookish types like me, the best could be a ereader so we can take as many books as we wish along the way and easily read outside. Another option for readers is a membership to Libro.fm so that they can listen to great books while driving. By using Libro.fm, you can support their (or your) favorite independent bookstore.
For book ideas, consider where they plan to go. I have a few ideas here of books set in specific states. For those who like the National Parks, Secrets of the National Parks gives great ideas on the out of the way spots others might not find.
And for full-timers who like to read and talk books, a membership to the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club is perfect. This helps them stay in touch with other readers and enjoy great discussions on books.
Outdoorsy Types
For those who enjoy more athletic endeavors, there are many choices. From hiking poles to mountain biking repair kits, the sky is the limited. For those who enjoy the water, we highly recommend getting either this inflatable paddleboard or a two person inflatable kayak. For your adventurous Rver who might want to explore water as well as land, these are great and easily pack down to manageable storage sizes.
Photographers
It is hard (and expensive!) to buy for your photographer. However, there are a few things that you know they will need. Memory cards are always popular as they will be taking a lot of pictures once they are on the road. Filters are also popular, but can get expensive. There are also several books which give great detail on great photography locations if you know where they plan to travel. From more ideas, check out this blog for a list from Barry.
Another great idea is to send them to a workshop where the experts have already done the scouting and help them learn more techniques to improve their skill.
Other Pursuits
And if your RVer is less into these past-times and more into bourbon, birding, coffee or mountain biking, you can easily find gifts to fit all these passions on Etsy or Amazon, of course. But you might also think about destinations to fit their plans and passions. For instance, perhaps a whiskey tasting along Bourbon Trail if they will be in Kentucky or a gift card to a couple of highly rated independent coffee shops along their trail. Speaking of trails, a good hiking or off-roading trail book for a state they plan to visit. It might take you a bit more time to do the research, but that makes it even more special. And RVers always appreciate when someone else has done some of the planning.
A Gift that Gives More Joy, Less Stuff
Speaking of items that support their travel plans, these add a lot of fun to the journey without taking up any space. And you don’t have to worry about size!
They will enjoy the road more with a community of like-minded folks. If they like outdoors, laughing, craft beer, hikes or mountain biking, get them admission to Camp Carpe Diem. This is a weekend of fun activities with other RVers. They can relax and let us make all the plans so all they have to do is enjoy. We have two in 2025. One in Salida, CO from May 14 – 18 and one in Cascade, ID September 11 – 14. Go here for more information.
Nearly every RVer will eventually visit a National Park and depending on their plans for the year (like visiting California or Colorado), they can often hit several. If you know they are planning to visit one or more National Park, consider an annual pass. For only $80, you can help them plan their journey and support the National Park system! If they are 62 or older, you can also purchase a lifetime pass for only $80. Truly the best bargain out there! The pass also gives free admission to other attractions along the way. Or get them a stamp book to track which of the more than 429 national sites they visit.
Or if they are planning to spend time exploring one or more states, many have State Park Passes which gives entrance or is required to camp overnight.
With nearly every Cracker Barrel offers free overnight parking for RVs and is conveniently located off the highway. This makes for an easy and safe stopover. Cracker Barrel just asks that overnighters buy a meal or something from the store. By giving your RVer a gift card to buy their breakfast, not only is their stay truly free but you show that your insider knowledge of the RV life. And who doesn’t want to have those biscuits!
A Harvest Host membership is another gift that shows you have RV knowledge and cred! With this membership, you are giving them hundreds of options for overnight parking. Most Harvest Hosts are breweries, farms, wineries, golf clubs or museums so they get an experience along with a stay. Since they ask for the campers to support the host with a purchase, it gives them an easy way to enjoy a wonderful evening just steps away from home. This is one of our favorite memberships and we highly recommend it to all RVers. Read more about why we love this membership here.
For Dreamers and New to RVing
Maybe your RVer is still dreaming of a RV but hasn’t committed yet. You could get a gift card to Outdoorsy for a RV rental or book them at a camp like Flathead Lake Resorts where they can stay in a vintage Airstream and test out living in an RV.
If you want them to laugh about the dirtier side of RVing, check out Tales of the Black Tank. For a strong introductory book, Living in a RV by Alyssa Padgett is excellent. And we recommend Create Space from Thin Air to help with organizational ideas.
There are so many ideas and we are happy to help you find just the right thing. Check out our other blogs, see below, on more products that every RVer needs or leave a note to ask about ideas for your gift recipient. And please share your favorite ideas in the comments below.
Not Sexy, but Necessary Gifts!
If your gift recipient is new to RVing or planning to increase their camping in the coming year, these items can be lifesavers! They might not be the most fun items to give or receive; but trust us, they are necessary! Here are just a couple of our top picks sold by our friends at TechnoRV. We are proud to be part of their affiliate program (you support TVC whenever you buy using one of our links) because we know their products are top-notch and their customer service is even better!
When you plug into a power pedestal at a campground, you are trusting that all goes well. Some RVs come with power protection built in, but it is still a great idea to consider guarding yourself against possible issues such as sudden surges that could fry your electronics. Using a Power Surge Protector to connect your power into before connecting to the pedestal can save you a lot of headache.
Speaking of tires, whether for your rig or tow, it can be hard to fill up those tires while on the road. This portable air compressor is a great addition. We used it when we went off-roading in the jeep and use it for the RV as well.
And for those who are fairly new or just unsure about the care and maintenance of a RV, we have a course that can assist them in keeping their rig road ready. Fix It Yourself comes with eight downloadable sections covering the basic systems of the RV as well as a private Facebook group and a 30 day money back guarantee.
Conclusion
We have plenty of other idea and information so if you are looking for specific help or ideas, leave a comment and we would be happy to help. I love playing Santa’s elf! Or feel free to leave your own suggestions too!
Other sources for ideas and information
Tips for Newbies on what they Need
The Virtual Campground does get a small commission on all Amazon and TechnoRV items as well as some other links in this blog. Your purchases help support us without adding any cost for you. Even if the items mentioned are not the right ones for you, you can use one of our links to enter Amazon or TechnoRV and your purchases will still support us with your cart purchase. Think of it as a gift that gives twice! Thank you for considering this help.
Love some of The gift ideas I hadn’t thought of! Especially the pillow with the map! I may have to add that.
Glad you liked it!
Love all the gift ideas! Your blog and emails offer great tips. Thank you! 😊
You are welcome. Thank you for the lovely note.
Love Flathead Lake!!
OMG we do too. And had such a blast there. Watch for a blog coming soon on our stay there.
Love all these amazing ideas. The pillows are a classic! Love the solar lights too! Thank you for the awesome post!
You are welcome! Thank you!
Those seat cushions are amazing! A friend brought them with her when she and her husband joined us for a BBQ. Unfortunately, she took them with her when they left. Lol
Darn. If only people where more forgetful when you want them to be. LOL
The Viair that goes up,to 150 psi is a great idea for any of my friends out their who have that kind of dough to drop on the likes of me!!! Hint hint subtle slap in the face….
Seriously ~ some great ideas!
Glad to help!
I love the map pillow and am looking forward to checking out the books! Thank you! I would also recommend a replacement shower head for anyone new. Happy holidays!
OOh, great idea. Replacing the shower head and bed are probably the two most common first switches!
Great compilation! Thanks!
Awesome!
Great gift ideas! Thanks so much for posting!!
You are welcome!
Love, love the picnic table bench cushions! These are brilliant
I know, right! I saw them a couple years ago at a campground and had to find them.
I like the practicality of the gift card for RV rentals. We have some family members that have been considering buying an RV since we have gone full time. Gifting them the opportunity to try it out seems like a win/win.
That would be perfect! They could meet you out somewhere so you can show them the ropes and they get to really experience it.
Great ideas, I bought the Q1200 after Barry recommended it. Love it. Have not fixed to run of the internal tank yet, but thinking on it., I love the picnic bench cushions. You are right, they are usually worn, hard or dirty. Our all of the above. I also like the State Pillow, have to look into that one.
I would add one more item. A propane Extend-a-Stay adapter, Attaches at the propane tank and allows you use a 10 or 20 pound external propane tank. Lets you add propane for heat or cooking with out doing all the things you have to do to move the rig. I bought this version from smile.amazon.com
Great addition. Thanks, Larry!
Oh my! So many cool things I didn’t know I needed. Ohhhh honey…
LOL!!
Cool article!
I love that pillow!
I do too. Combining my love of coloring and of tracking our journey!
I love the inflatable pappleboard idea. We have four kayaks and they take of so much space.
Oh, the inflatables are really great as they fold down and fit in the back of the jeep. And I was surprised by how solid they are when inflated.
Great ideas and always love to hear about what others are doing! Thanks
YOu are welcome!
Wow, these are fantastic gift ideas! Great suggestions-thank you!
So glad you think so!
Ooooh digging the blow up ottoman idea especially for outside. The solar patio lights are just what I have been looking for too!
One of our must haves…..if you know someone who loves their Big Green Egg but hates leaving it at home while they travel, consider a Big Green Egg Mini Max. We got one for the RV four years ago and it’s awesome!
The Big Green Egg Mini Max is an amazing tool to bring along if you have room. Cooks up dinner soooo well.
Great gift ideas! Thanks for putting this together!
Thanks for stopping by!
Have the Webber (love it) and the patio lights. Both are great presents!
Thanks!
Some good ideas to consider from this list. For those looking at the Viair, don’t hesitate because you won’t regret it. Ours works really well not only for our own Class B RV, but also for several neighbors in campgrounds who found themselves with a low tire and a cheap plug-in air compressor that couldn’t keep up or literally burned up and started smoking. Can you buy air inflators for cheaper? Sure. But you get what you pay for!
Love it when not only is the tool handy, but you make friends with it as well!
Oh I LOVE the pampering yourself section. I would LOVE to get my nails done!
I can highly recommend Happy Camper Nails. If you tune in to the show, you can see mine! I am ready for the holidays.
Love your ideas!
Thank you!
Thank you!
Lots of great gift ideas. I have added a couple to my wishlist!
Love hearing that! Enjoy.
Our favorite gift idea is Turkish Towels. They are great for full-time and part-time RVers.
So agree! And you can get such pretty options plus they can be souvenirs from the road. I got one in WA with an Olympic NP design.
LOVE the picnic table cushions Also, the inflatable foot rest would be a nice, always looking for added comfort that wont take up space!
Right! Inflatable is such a great option for RVers. We also have the inflatable solar light would is nice and water jug that flattens when not full of water for storage. A great option if you boondock and want to have added water on hand.
Wonderful ideas. Thank you for the book nerd suggestions too!
Always happy to talk book nerd ideas! Thinking I need to set up a book club for RVers.
Great read ! I have found a few things we will need; surge protector and tire air compressor and Living in an RV.
Thank you for the entry.
Lee
So glad to help. Don’t forget to go to TechnoRV’s private sale page through our link so you can get the best price. I am not sure how much longer the sale is going on.
These are some really great and unique ideas!
Ohh, thanks! You can find so many lists out now so I hope ours are a bit different!
I love these ideas. The inflatable kayak this on my list list for sure, as well as the solar lights.
We finally tested the kayak last week. Worked like a charm. Of course, I wasn’t the one inflating it but it seemed to go well.
The inflatable foot rest!!!
Game Changer!
Always interesting stuff coming from these wonderful Virtual Campgrounders. Those of us who have RVs are better off because of Debra and Barry!
Ohh, Tom, you are a dear! Thank you!!
Great gift ideas! We’ve been looking at getting the VIAIR portable air compressor kit to replace our nonportable air compressor. Hubby always loves new tools!
Boys and their toys! LOL
Great ideas, you guys! I love the idea of an outdoor solar lantern like the MPOWERD Luci Outdoor 2.0: Solar Inflatable Light only $20. Inexpensive gift for your RVing friends!
Thank you! We have an inflatable solar light as well. It works well for the picnic table. And love our string of solar lights.
A Favorite RV Gift?
Well… a ScottyGaaDo CAMPING TRAVEL JOURNAL & MAINTENANCE LOG of course! 🙂
( Or some cool threads for sitting around the campfire. )
https://scottygaado.com/t-shirt-category/camping/
Seriously though, nice write-up with some cool ideas!
Scott McLean
It looks like you have a big shop of items! We too have t-shirts! Check them out at https://thevirtualcampground.com/store/
Hello Hello!
So many great ideas here. Everyday I have to remind myself I live in an RV now and have to limit stuff. I even forget I have to be careful with too much food and shop more often for groceries. Learning everyday. Thanks for the tips. Happy Holidays.
It is a constant refrain when I go out to explore. The desire to buy a memento and the reminder that I have limited space. So I buy a lot of tea and chocolate souvenirs, consumables! My biggest issue with groceries is less space and more spoilage. Happy Holidays to you!
You got yourself a kayak too??$ 🥳 That’s amazing!
Paper maps for hiking trails specific to the national park you’re entering has been 💯 helpful!! Bc 1) paper maps are cool again 😎 and 2) basically every nat park goes w/o cell service, so the maps are lifesavers!
Also, cast iron skillets…. For that cooked on, leftover flavor goodness meal after meal ….
Turkish towels — bc they’re incredibly absorbent, great design and have TONS of uses … picnics, blankets, scarfs, towels, lightweight, don’t stain… (house rule: every item must have multiple uses or it doesn’t make the cut).
Oh, yes. We have. kayak and SUP. So planning more stays near water in 2022!
Great ideas, Brit! Love Turkish towels too as just pretty! And if I keep the maps nice, they can be used as decor later. Wondering about a map wall instead of paint in the rig.
I can’t stay here long but you said to leave a post, so here it is so I’m entered in the GiveAway. Now I’m off to shop from the link you provided!!
PS I bought a minivan which I’m turning into my mini camper-van so hope to see you down the road !! Joined Instagram while at GUTTED. I’m Kay_Van_Wanderer on IG.
So glad to “see” you again, Kay! We hope we see you again soon too!
Great article! The Viair is on my list!
I loved the blow up ottoman gift idea. I have recliners in my RV but outside it would be nice to use. Also when company come I like to offer them a way to put there feet up. We are not full time RVers but we do travel months out of the year across the U.S. we RV Missions. We’ve learned a lot in the last 3 years.
RV Missions??
As a newbie RVer, this is super helpful! I want just about everything you listed. 🤣
One of the first things we are going to purchase is the outdoor grill. Even when we had sticks and bricks homes I hated the smell of food inside!
I bookmarked this and will be doing some shopping – thanks so much for this awesome article!
Amanda, you are welcome! And feel free to ask questions before you buy here or in our Facebook groups to make sure you get the best options.
Neat ideas. I don’t think you could ever go wrong. Always welcome, easy to obtain, easy to ship and anyone can use it. For the tool geek, me, that is a really cool air compressor. Mine works fine but it is no where near as cool looking….lol The surge protector is a great idea. I have a friend that I suggested she get one. She bought it, used it a couple of times, decided it was too much trouble and stopped using it. Then she discovered what real trouble was.
I hope she didn’t discover the problem by getting a bigger one??
LOVE the picnic table cushions! I had no idea something like that existed. I’ve added that and the footstool to my Christmas list. I also love the map pillow, I’m just not sure how much would get colored in before we have to retire from camping. Thank you for your always useful content.
Cathy, thank you! We appreciate you finding us.
Thanks for the article. I can see a few things we will have to buy. Two things that have been awesome for us is the Tire Monitoring System and an expanding ladder. Highly recommend them. Also please enter us in the drawing for Harvest Host membership which would be the best gift ever. Thanks
Reginald,
You are entered. And yes, we agree on both the Tire Monitoring System and expanding ladder. Ours gets borrowed almost every time we pull it out. We recommend TechnoRV for the TMPS system and our ladder is this one. So easy to use and store.
I think the gift cards would be nice for RVers. Also, the inflatable foot rest would be a nice gift.
Lots of good info here!
Well guys the grill is not for me, my wife only likes charcoal but I’ve got that covered already. The Biltmore sounds like a good idea. I was there many, many moons ago so it’s time for a return trip. Gotta keep working on those apartments.
Soon Johnny, very soon.
Great read! I haven’t gotten my rv yet (I live in Hawaii) but I’m making plans to and these are really great gift ideas (that I’ll be sure to pass along to family as ideas of what to heh me). Hoping to be able to start rving in 2022. Wish me luck!
Wonderful! It can be like a bridal shower to set you up for your new home. LOL. Enjoy!
I love the pillow case with the states! We splurged last Christmas and got a Dish satellite dish. Luckily, we have a friend we piggy back off of so it’s inexpensive for us.
Thanks for another great post!
You are welcome!!
Great ideas, looking for cooking outdoor
Excellent. We love our weber!