The Ultimate RV Gift Guide

The holidays are upon us! As you already know, gift exchanges are popular during this time of year, and many of us are scrambling to come up with something awesome to give each of our loved ones.

If you have an RVer in your life, a gift that compliments their camping hobby—or in the case of full-timers, their lifestyle—is a great idea that’ll show you are truly keeping their wants and needs in mind.

No idea what an RVer might like? Wondering what you should ask for as an RVer? Below is a list of our favorite ideas.

— Helpful Tools —

You never know what sorts of repairs might need to be done during a camping trip. In fact, for some, it feels like every time they turn around something else needs to be fixed on their rig. For this reason, it’s a good idea to be prepared with the right tools to get the job done.

Most RVers carry a well stocked RV tool box already. However, the following items might be nice to have as well:

Multi-Tool

This Leatherman Skeletool Multi-Tool ensures its owner always has tools on hand to fix little issues that may arise.

Flashlight

We love this SOG Dark Energy Flashlight, which is rechargeable and offers a variety of handy features that are perfect for the RVer.

— For the Kitchen —

Cooking in an RV kitchen can be a bit tricky. Limited space can make certain tasks feel impossible, and this leads many to avoid using their RV kitchen entirely. Fortunately, with the right tools, a camper can overcome this issue and may even start to enjoy cooking in their tiny home-on-wheels.

Below are some of our favorite small kitchen appliances to keep on hand in the RV. If your RVing loved one doesn’t have these, it’s high time they got them:

Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is perfect for RVers. It offers a way to cook without using propane or heating up the rig. It’s also multi-functional, making it a space-saving tool as well.

Berkey

The truth about campground water is that it isn’t always very clean. A Berkey water filter is perfect for ensuring you have delicious, crystal clear water every single time.

Portable Ice Maker

Buying ice is expensive, and tiny RV freezers don’t leave much space for making or storing ice. For this reason, a portable ice maker such as this hOmeLabs version is perfect for RVers.

— Travel Day Use —

Depending on how long the move is, the day spent traveling to the next campground can be pretty stressful. There’s traffic to contend with, as well as the stress of getting in and out of parking lots for gas and food.

Having the right items in your truck or RV cab can really make a difference on these days. That’s why we recommend the following items:

RV GPS

Obviously, it’s important for RVers to find their way from point A to point B. However, a regular GPS doesn’t always cut it. An RV-specific GPS such as this Garmin model is a much more reliable option.

Phone Holder

Those who do choose to use their phones for GPS, or even those who use them for music or podcasts will want a way to mount their devices. This awesome iOttie phone holder automatically opens to accept your phone and then begins charging all on its own—provided your phone supports wireless Qi charging.

— Outdoor Use —

Generally, camping means spending copious amounts of time outdoors. From relaxing under the awning to hiking, and from swimming to hanging out around the campfire, a person is likely to see more of mother nature while camping than at any other time.

The following things are wonderful for outdoor use during camping trips (or any other time, really):

Folding Wagon

Lugging things around the campground is a pain. Whether a person needs to carry laundry or camp chairs, a folding wagon like this one can be super helpful.

Zero-Gravity Chairs

Those who spend lots of time sitting outside soaking up the sun or connecting with others around a campfire will really appreciate these super comfy zero-gravity chairs.

Telescoping Roasting Sticks

Speaking of campfires, those who camp often likely eat a lot of s’mores. Make this easier for them by gifting these wonderful telescoping roasting sticks.

— “Experience” Gifts —

Those who live in their RVs might be a bit nervous about the holidays. After all, their tiny homes don’t hold all that much, meaning material gifts can be more stress than fun. This is where experience gifts come into play.

You can save your full-time RVing friends the trouble of finding a place for your gift by giving one of the following awesome experiences:

Museums and Zoos

Reciprocal museum and zoo memberships—through programs such as ASTC and AZA—are a wonderful gift for those who travel often. Our favorite museums to purchase these through include Kern County Museum and Boonshoft Museum of Discovery.

Learn more about reciprocal memberships and how they work here.

Theme Parks

Many theme parks also offer reciprocal memberships. We highly recommend the Six Flags Gold Pass or the Merlin Pass. However, any reciprocal theme park pass would be a great gift for a thrill-seeking traveler.

National Parks

Finally, there is the amazing “America the Beautiful” pass. This pass allows the holder to enter any national park without paying fees, and is perfect for lovers of the outdoors.

— For the Little Campers —

Finally, if you have little adventurers on your list, you may be wondering what kind of things to purchase for them. Full-time RVing kids won’t be able to have big and bulky toys, and kids who spend lots of time camping may be looking for items that complement their interest in the great outdoors.

Here are our suggestions:

Building Toys

Building toys are perfect for small spaces because they tend to be small and store well. Additionally, they are versatile, making them great for all ages and entertaining for hours on end. We especially love this RV LEGO set for little campers.

Outdoor Toys

Adults aren’t the only ones spending a lot of time outdoors when camping. The kids are also outside, and this means outdoor toys are always appreciated. Sand toys and water toys are great options, as are ride-on toys such as bicycles.

Books

There are a surprising number of books about RVing and adventuring for kids. The littlest campers will likely enjoy the Brave Little Camper series. Meanwhile, older adventurers might enjoy the Wright on Time series or the Adventures With the Parkers series.