Looking for gifts for moms and dads who are avid RVers? Perhaps you need a special something for your spouse, who is constantly by your side on epic road trips. Or you’re looking for a unique Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift for a parent who opened up a whole new world of travel for you. We’ve collected a bunch of gift ideas here for RV travelers!
Gifts for Mom
Let’s start with some Mother’s Day gifts that are just for mom to use. These are items that your mama won’t have to share with the rest of the family, and she’s sure to adore using them time and time again.
1. Yeti Rambler 26 oz Cup with Straw
Some of the best cups on the market are made by Yeti. Mom deserves the best, right? So that means she absolutely deserves to have an awesome Yeti Rambler Cup, as well as the lid and straw that go along with it.
Perfect for sipping iced tea or lemonade while relaxing in a camp chair or hammock, this stackable cup also fits nicely with other cups in RV cupboards. What more could an RVer ask for?
2. Hydro Flask 21 oz Water Bottle
Tea and lemonade are wonderful, but staying hydrated is also very important, especially while out hiking, rock climbing, or kayaking. For this reason, a sturdy water bottle such as the one made by Hydro Flask is an excellent choice for the camping mama in your life.
We love that these bottles come in a variety of colors, and the fact that they’re made with stainless steel means they are easy to care for and don’t give your water a funny taste.
3. Columbia Gift Card
We all love new clothes, and Mom is no exception. In fact, some mothers might even say that clothing is one of their favorite things. That said, shopping for clothes for another person is never easy. For this reason, we highly recommend giving a gift card instead, and a Columbia gift card is absolutely perfect for outdoorsy people like your mom.
4. Queen of the RV Coffee Mug
Every queen deserves her throne and a quality cup of java to enjoy while she sits on it. Make mom feel like RV royalty with this ceramic mug, which is also dishwasher friendly, meaning one less chore (although you’re doing the dishes on her special day, right?)
5. “Camping Hair? Don’t Care!” Hat
Even when it’s thrown back in a messy bun or just forgotten about entirely, mom totally rocks whatever hairstyle she’s sporting. It’s all about attitude—and when you’re busy having the time of your life around the campground, who can be bothered with taming tresses?
This cute hat will keep mom’s face out of the sun and help her secure that wild mane easily so she can get back to the important stuff: having fun.
6. “RV There Yet?” Wine Glasses
At the end of a long day of driving or exploring, nothing’s quite as comforting to mom as a glass (or three) of her favorite vino. With these camping-themed, dishwasher-safe stemless wine tumblers, it’s safe to say mom will feel as if she’s arrived!
RV Gift Ideas
Next, we’ve listed several gifts that compliment RV life just perfectly. These items will enhance your mom’s RV experience, are the perfect addition to any motorhome or trailer, and make excellent Mother’s Day gifts.
7. Instant Pot
When it comes to perfect gifts for an RV enthusiast, an Instant Pot is hard to beat. This is especially true if the enthusiast in question is the one who’s often responsible for dinner.
An Instant Pot provides a huge range of culinary applications in one convenient and small footprint, and it’s super easy to clean too.
8. Outdoor Tech Big Turtle Shell Ultra Speaker
Music is a great addition to any gathering. Since people tend to gather outside when camping, we think this outdoor speaker by Outdoor Tech is a super cool gift for RV campers like your mom.
This turtle-shaped Bluetooth speaker is waterproof and super durable. The built-in lantern is perfect for adding light to a campsite at nighttime, and the fact that you can tether multiple Turtle Shell speakers together means you’ll always be able to turn the volume louder when the situation calls for it.
9. Personalized Retro Happy Campers Sign
Traveling with mom is a huge part of what makes your camping trips amazing, right? This personalized sign will remind her every day how much your adventures mean, and it makes a great addition to any RV’s decor scheme.
10. National Parks Fridge Magnet Set
Is hitting every single national park high on mom’s travel bucket list? This fridge magnet map set is a great way to keep tabs on where you’ve been and all the fun adventures still to come, making it one of the best Mother’s Day gifts for national park enthusiasts.
Want to make the gift even better? Throw in a National Parks Passport to double down on the travel-tracking fun, and maybe even add an “America the Beautiful” annual parks pass!
Camping Gifts for Dad
Here are some of the best RV gifts for dads who can’t get enough camping.
1. An Inflatable Lounger
What dad doesn’t want to be able to kick back and relax for a few, no matter where in the world he is?
If you want to give your dad the gift of a comfy lounge chair that can meet his needs anywhere — and we do mean anywhere — check out the WEKAPO Inflatable Lounger. This lightweight portable couch is built to withstand the elements, and it’s super-easy to inflate: just open the valves and sweep it through the air. It even has pockets for dad’s favorite magazine or sunglasses!
2. A Portable Grill (or Firepit Grill Cover)
His insane grill skills aren’t the only reason he’s the best dad ever… but let’s face it, they’re up there. So if you’ve been relying on campground grills for most of your RV vacations, take this Father’s Day as an opportunity to upgrade dad’s cooking hardware.
Portable grills are affordable and easy to use, whether you buy one that operates with charcoal or propane. If your dad’s the old-school type, why not try a fire pit grill cover? Nothing’s quite as satisfying as cooking over a campfire you built with your own two hands!
3. Camping-Friendly Cookbooks
Even the most grill-skilled dad could always use a little extra inspiration. There are tons of amazing cookbooks specifically about grilling and other camp-friendly ways of cooking — and let’s face it, buying dad a copy is as much a gift for you as it is for him. After all, someone’s got to try the results of his efforts!
Here are a few titles dad might like to have in his collection:
- Michael Symon’s Playing with Fire: BBQ and More from the Grill, Smoker, and Fireplace by Michael Symon and Douglas Trattner
- Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling by Meathead Goldwyn and Greg Blonder
- BYOB: Build Your Own Burger by Jeff Rossman and Paul Body
4. A Dry Bag
If Dad’s the adventurous type, chances are he’s got some gear he’d rather not get wet next time he heads out into the wilderness. Whether it’s an unexpected rainstorm or a trip down the river, an active dad doesn’t have time to worry about how to keep his cell phone and snacks dry.
That’s why a dry bag is one of the best gifts for RV campers: these outdoorsy folks often run into wet and wild situations, and with the right equipment, keeping their goodies safe doesn’t have to be a concern. We like the Earth Pak dry bag because it’s easy to use, reliable, and comes with a separate cell phone case. Plus, it comes in a wide variety of colors to keep Dad stylin’!
5. Mobile Hotspot with Unlimited Data – about $100 per month
If Dad’s a full-time RVer or frequent traveler, there’s no better gift than the ability to stay connected, no matter where the road takes him.
And now that more and more people are becoming digital nomads — and more and more of our lives are tied to the internet — hot spot options are increasing and becoming much more reasonable as far as pricing. You can find unlimited data plans for $100 per month or less, which would have been unheard of just a few years ago!
6. A Jackery Power Station
For all the camping dads that like to be over-prepared, just in case. Or for the techy, gadget-loving guy in the family! This incredible, light and highly practical power station would make a great gift and come in handy in so many different situations!
This solar-powered, portable station will get Dad into the 21st century and finally able to say goodbye to loud generators. A perfect addition to the RV but also a perfect complement to any emergency kit at home, after all you never know when the next blizzard will cut off your power.
“Experience” Gifts for RV Campers
Yep, we have even more ideas to choose from! These awesome gifts will help your parents plan and enjoy more experiences with those they love.
A Passport America Membership
What mom—heck, what camper, period?!—doesn’t want to save some extra money and find awesome new campgrounds at the same time?
Passport America is the only discount camping club that gets you 50% off your campsite accommodation fees at almost 1,900 campgrounds across the nation. With that many to choose from, mom’s favorite destination is surely on the list!
And since it costs less than $50 for a year, a Passport America membership easily pays for itself in just one weekend. Because of this, it makes one of the best gifts for RV and motorhome owners we can think of—moms, dads, and solo adventurers alike.
Harvest Hosts Membership
Another excellent money-saving camping membership club, Harvest Hosts offers its members free camping at farms, vineyards, and other unique locations across the country. It’s the perfect gift for those mamas who like to find new and interesting experiences. It will be well-loved by anyone who enjoys fresh produce, new wines, and nights spent making connections around a campfire.
New Trip Ideas!
If you and your family have been stuck in the same old vacation rut for a while, one of the best DIY Mother’s Day gifts is to help mom brainstorm some fun new adventures!
You can sit down and pore through this very blog for some ideas—we’ve written about fun places to visit in summer, spring, fall, and even winter. But if you’re looking for something mom can actually unwrap on her big day, we suggest the following books, which will make fun (and useful!) additions to your RV’s library:
- 50 States, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do (National Geographic)
- Off the Beaten Path: A Travel Guide to More Than 1000 Scenic and Interesting Places Still Uncrowded and Inviting (Reader’s Digest)
- The Complete Book of Boondock RVing: Camping Off the Beaten Path by Bill Moeller
More Gift Ideas
Our last Mother’s or Father’s Day gift idea might just be our best. If you have an RV fanatic for a parent, why not take them on an RV trip to celebrate their day? If you don’t have an RV to use, you can always rent the perfect little home-on-wheels. Make sure you take on the work of setting the campsite up and tearing it down, and plan meals that you can cook without their help so they can relax and fully enjoy a weekend of camping.
We hope this post has helped you think outside the box of chocolates (or goofy socks) for Mother’s or Father’s Day this year. After all, they’re worth it.
