Holiday Gift Ideas For Full-Time RVers – Photo via iRV2 Forums member bsirby
Big Celebrations Start with the Little Things
When you live in an RV full-time, receiving gifts can go from being fun to being stressful pretty quickly. This is because RVs are such tiny living spaces that finding places to put new things can be nearly impossible.
Many traditional gifts are fun things that aren’t necessarily needed by RVers. Lots of full-time RVers end up getting rid of a good percentage of the gifts they receive during the holiday season. This isn’t particularly fun for the gift receiver. The gift-giver would surely be upset to find this out. Therefore, it’s best to avoid the problem altogether.
A List of the Best Holiday Gift Ideas for Full-time RVers
Luckily, there are some gifts that won’t end up in the donation bin. If you aren’t sure what kinds of things to get the full-timer in your life, try the holiday gift ideas in our list below.
Consumable gifts
Consumables are great gift ideas because they get used up, meaning they won’t take up space for long, but are still used and appreciated. There are the typical consumables such as food gifts and bath & body products, but the items below are far more useful to RVers who may be picky eaters or don’t have access to a bathtub anyway.
1. Roll of quarters
This one might seem a bit odd, but honestly, it’s the perfect stocking stuffer for the person who has to use laundromats on a regular basis. After all, quarters aren’t always easy to come by, and having a roll put away for when you need them can be a lifesaver.
2. Gift cards
Gift cards are always one of the top gift ideas! Give the gift of a great meal by picking up a restaurant card, or snag one for a favorite ice cream or coffee chain. Walmart, Camping World, and Amazon cards are also useful when an RVer needs to make a repair or upgrade.
3. Venture Wipes
Those who spend a lot of time boondocking know what it’s like to go a few days without a shower. Help make the boondocker in your life more comfortable by providing them with these awesome Venture Wipes to clean up with between showers.
4. Rainbow sticks
These are tons of fun for full-timing families. Simply throw your rainbow stick in the campfire and watch the flames change colors before your eyes.
Practical gifts for All RVers
Practical gifts are always appreciated. They may not seem super fun but they will get used, and the fact that they make life a little easier is sure to get you bonus points. Besides, some of these things are fun to receive if you choose a special color or print.
5. Multi-tool
Tools always come in handy while on the road. What better way to save space than with a well-made multi-tool? The Leatherman Skeletool Multi-Tool is the perfect example of this.
6. Flashlight
Another super handy item? A good flashlight. You never know when you’re going to need to peer into a dark cabinet, under the rig, or walk to the bathhouse late at night. The SOG Dark Energy Flashlight has you covered on all fronts!
7. Instant Pot
Anyone who has spent any time at all in the RV community has heard someone rave about the Instant Pot pressure cooker. This handy appliance can do a wide variety of jobs. It can cook entire meals quickly using only one pot and is a breeze to clean up.
8. Berkey Water Filtering System
When you travel, you never know what kind of water quality you’re going to be living with. A Berkey Water Filtering System solves that problem by giving you delicious and clean water no matter where you land.
9. Water bottle
Of course, you will need something to drink that water out of. Many RVers like to have a single high-quality water bottle for each member of their family in order to cut back on the number of dishes they own (and have to wash). The YETI Rambler Water Bottle is the perfect bottle to fill this role and one of our favorite gift ideas. Another option is a fruit infuser water bottle such as the Aqua Frut.
10. Backpack
Exploring the world requires carrying some things around, meaning a good backpack is necessary. The Venture Pal Backpack is an ideal backpack for RVers. It’s lightweight, versatile, easy to clean, and packs things in quite nicely.
11. Ice maker
When freezer space is at a premium, ice trays aren’t necessarily going to fit very well. Besides, ice trays don’t hold a lot, and refilling them can be a pain. A hOmeLabs Portable Ice Maker will ensure your RVing friend has ice anytime they need it and give them back their freezer space. You may also like these 4 Portable Ice Makers recommended by Camper Report.
12. Folding wagon
From laundry to chairs, you never know what you might need to lug around the campground. You could of course carry it all, but the Mac Sports Folding Wagon makes things much easier by allowing you to pull items from one place to the next. Best of all, it folds down, so it’s easy to store and easy to travel with.
Experiential gift ideas
Finally, there is the option of an “experience” gift. These gifts are great because they don’t take up any room at all, besides maybe a slot in a wallet. They are also tons of fun to receive and help the recipient make memories that’ll last a lifetime.
13. Event tickets
Tickets to a concert, festival, or other events might be just the thing to make your RVer happy without overwhelming them with physical things. Just make sure you know where they will be and when, so you know they can make it to the event you have in mind.
14. Reciprocal Museum Membership
Another option is a membership of some sort. Since RVers aren’t typically in one place for long periods of time, many of them like having museum memberships that offer reciprocal benefits at other similar museums.
Below are some of the reciprocal programs out there:
- North American Reciprocal Museum Association
- The Association of Science and Technology Centers
- Check out the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
- Association of Children’s Museums
- American Horticultural Society
- Time Travelers
15. Theme Park Annual Pass
Perfect for the thrill-seeking traveler, many theme parks have an annual pass option that includes benefits at multiple parks across the country. These annual passes are great gift ideas. Below is a list of some of the more popular multi-park passes out there:
- Merlin Pass (LEGOLAND Parks and Discovery Centers, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museums, and Sea Life Aquariums)
- Six Flags Gold Pass
- Cedar Point Platinum Pass
- Busch Gardens/SeaWorld Platinum Pass (SeaWorld and Busch Gardens — Florida residents only)
- Herschend Pass (Silver Dollar City, Dollywood, Stone Mountain Park, and more)
While they don’t offer reciprocal benefits, annual passes to parks such as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are popular with RVers who spend the winter in Florida.
16. Camping Club Membership
Yet another card you could get for your RVing friend is a camping club membership. There are dozens of camping clubs out there, and all of them offer a different collection of benefits. A few of our favorites are listed below:
17. “America the Beautiful” Pass
Finally, there is the “America the Beautiful” pass. This annual membership gives the user free admission to our nation’s national parks. Considering no RV trip is complete without some national parks sightseeing, we’d say this is a good investment and one of the best gift ideas out there.
For more holiday gift ideas, check out this video from Marc and Julie Bennett of RVLove:
You may also find the perfect gift in one of our previous posts:
- 9 Gifts For RVers That Take Up Little Or No Space
- The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide For RVers
- Give The Gift Of Sunny Adventures This Winter
- 6 Gifts For RVers That Keep On Giving All Year Long
Chelsea Gonzales is a full-time RVer, freelance writer, and roadschooling mama who loves sharing her expertise about RVing with kids, roadschooling, and full-time RVing. The entrepreneurial and free-spirited author is also artistic director of the Aistear Mobile Irish Dance Academy, and currently travels with her family in a 27-foot travel trailer. Chelsea’s informational articles about full-time RVing, raising children on the road, camping, and destination features appear on her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander. throughout the RV LIFE network, and in RV industry media outlets such as Outdoorsy, Coach-Net, and RV Share.
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