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15 Gift Ideas for Any Kind of Road Tripper
This holiday season, find the perfect gift for every kind of road tripper in your life—whether they’re a speed demon, minimalist, wanderer, or something else.
Sponsored By RVshare:
RVshare Road Trip Gift Ideas
Everyone road trips a little bit differently. Maybe your grandfather likes to take his time moseying down quiet backcountry streets, your mom likes to hurry up and get to her destination, and your best friend enjoys vacationing in luxury.
Using the very precise scientific method of analyzing the road trippers we’ve come across on our travels (and know in our day-to-day lives), we’ve devised the five most common road-tripping personalities from traditionalists to minimalists to the chic.
Better yet, we’ve partnered with RVshare to bring you gift ideas for each personality. So, you can find the perfect gift for any road tripper in your life this holiday season. (Keep in mind that you could be the road tripper in your life #treatyourself.)
Road Trip To Glacier National Park
But first, you probably want to let your favorite road tripper know about RVshare. RVshare is similar to Airbnb or Vrbo, but for RVs. Meaning you or your loved one can experience the luxuriousness that is road-tripping in an RV without shelling out the money to buy one. RVshare has over 100,000 listings on their website—from trailers to luxury motorhomes—available across all 50 states.
RVshare lets you narrow down your search by filtering for specific needs and preferences. Your loved one can find an RV that’s pet-friendly, has a shower, a rear-vision camera, enough space for you to go along for the ride, and much more. Regardless of the type of road tripper your loved one is, they can find an RV that suits them on RVshare.
The person who wants to squeeze in a road trip that spans from Maine to New Mexico in three days. Maybe two.
iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 Air Vent Mount
Most road trippers will want a phone mount to safely and conveniently mount their phone to follow GPS directions. But the Speed Demon will particularly like this magnetic mount from iOttie. It’s fast to set up—simply stick it in the vent—and easy to work one-handed. It’s also pretty universal and will work with most smartphones, cases, and GPS devices. Finally, the magnet is super clean compared to other mount styles. This is especially handy when renting a vehicle or RV as it won’t do any damage to the dash (the Speed Demon doesn’t want to waste precious time scraping off adhesive when there are adventures to be had).
The Speed Demon is fueled by caffeine, so we had to include a portable travel mug on this list. The Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug 12 oz is the perfect vehicle (ha) for delivering as much coffee as possible with as little effort as possible from mug to mouth. Because of its trigger-action lid, it’s easy to drink from one-handed (the Speed Demon doesn’t have time to unscrew pesky lids). And it seals, so your loved one doesn’t have to worry about spills in between sips. Better yet, the mug will fit in most car or RV cup-holders. It’s also available in a few different sizes, so if your speedy loved one is a caffeine fanatic they might appreciate the larger 20oz size. That way they don’t have to stop and refuel as frequently.
The Anker PowerDrive Speed + Duo charges devices fast. Like ridiculously fast. Which is good because the Speed Demon doesn’t have the time for dead devices. This USB car adapter has both a 30W USB-C port—which has the power to charge some smaller laptops (!)—and a 12W USB, so you can charge two devices at once. It’s also compact, so it doesn’t stick too far out of the plug.
The person who wants to pack their keys and wallet…and that’s it.
Jibbon Key Organizer
Sure, the Minimalist doesn’t need a key organizer. But they’ll quickly realize it’s nice to have as it not only keeps their keys organized, but stops their keys from jingling and scratching their fragile stuff (like a phone or leather wallet). The Jibbon Key Organizer has a thoughtful design that has made it one of our favorite organizers to date. The D-ring for attaching bigger keys—like car keys—is the only metal part on its exterior. Plus, it latches closed in a way that makes it easy and quick to open back up. We can also all probably agree that it looks pretty sleek too.
Even the most diehard minimalist will want sunglasses for a road trip. Roads tend to reflect light, plus it’s more than likely the driver will have to drive directly into the sun at some point. These Maui Jim Sunglasses make the perfect road trip companion. They’re polarized, so they cut the glare, and there’s not much distortion. Plus, they’re super lightweight and are available in a variety of styles for different face shapes.
Again, even the Minimalist is likely to use a wallet. Of course, they can road trip with whatever wallet they already own, but we appreciate how slim the Bellroy Micro Sleeve is. Its thin profile and simple organization allow your loved one to take only what they need. They can leave their bulky wallet—and those loyalty cards and old receipts at home. The two exterior pockets will also help your loved one organize what they do take, perhaps their AAA card on one side and credit card on the other.
The person who wants to stop at every single roadside attraction. Every. Single. One.
Patagonia Atom Sling
If your loved one frequently gets antsy in the car and wants to hop out for a stroll, a bite to eat, or to see the World’s Largest Ball of Yarn, then they’ll love the Patagonia Atom Sling. More convenient to throw on than a backpack, this sling will hold everything they need. It’ll fit the essentials—keys, wallet, phone—and then some, including a small water bottle, map, or packable jacket. It’s also a good spot for the small knickknacks or souvenirs picked up along the side of the road. We’re digging the Patagonia Atom Sling’s simple, thoughtful organization. Plus, its shoulder strap and back panel feature spongy mesh to keep back-sweat to a minimum.
The Wanderer doesn’t stop when the sun sets. Help them keep the adventure alive at all hours of the night with the Black Diamond Spot 350 Headlamp. (A headlamp also works for more than evening excursions, say if your loved one wants to stay up reading, but their RV-mate wants lights out.) This headlamp from Black Diamond is awesome because there are a variety of brightness settings, an option for red light, and a “memory” that lets you turn on a chosen brightness without cycling through all the options. Plus—it’s highly water-resistant (rated IPX8)—and lightweight, so it won’t weigh your loved one down.
As with darkness, the Wanderer doesn’t stop wandering just because of a little rain or wind. So, they’re going to want a solid rain jacket. The REI Co-op Groundbreaker Rain Jacket is just that. It’s surprisingly cozy—a lot softer than traditional rain jackets—with hand-warming pockets that do the trick. And it does a great job blocking wind and rain while managing to stay breathable. We also like its sleek, classy style and the fact that it clocks in at a decent price point.
The person who wants to drive the length of Route 66 listening to “Life is a Highway” on repeat.
WANDRD The Travel Journal
The Traditionalist will likely want to memorialize their adventures—and the WANDRD Travel Journal is the perfect way to do just that. There’s enough space inside for twelve—yes, twelve—different trips. There’s room for planning, including spots to jot down research (the Traditionalist loves to research), keep track of reservations, and budget. Of course, there’s also room for remembering, so your loved one can always relive what it was like to cruise down the highway, the wind in their hair. We also like that the journal comes in a fun, cheery yellow color. (But it’s also available in black if that’s more of your loved one’s style.)
The Traditionalist probably understands the magic that is taking a break from driving with a good ole fashioned picnic. And the Rumpl Original Puffy Recycled Blanket is perfect for picnicking. It’s insulated, keeping the cold from seeping up from the ground, and it packs into a stuff sack for easy transport (it’s also machine washable). Beyond picnicking, this blanket is also great for cutting the chill during a night of stargazing or cozying up for a nap in the passenger’s seat. If your loved one will want something that’s even more packable to save on precious trunk-space, check out the Rumpl NanoLoft Travel Size Blanket.
What is more quintessential “road trip” than winding down with a card game after a long day of driving? These playing cards from Air Deck are approximately half of the width of a traditional deck of cards, so it’s easy to toss them in a sling bag, backpack, or even pants’ pockets and bring them along on picnics, beach trips, or on any other adventure that arises. We also like that they are waterproof, so your loved one can play some Go Fish next to literal fish at the river, lake, and/or ocean.
The person who wants to enjoy the scenery by day and a glass of Pino by night.
Aeropress Go Travel Coffee Press
While there’s something strangely satisfying about drinking gas station coffee on a road trip, the Chic would probably much prefer to have a nice, strong, smooth cup o’ joe. An AeroPress makes exceptional coffee that will please even the snobbiest of coffee snobs (and we’re a team full of coffee snobs, so we would know) as long as the beans are quality, too. The AeroPress Go has specifically been designed for portability, making it perfect for road trips. All of its components pack away into a case that, conveniently, also works as a mug.
Classier than drinking wine straight from the bottle, but more portable than a glass, the Hydro Flask Wine Tumbler is perfect for the Chic who wants to relax with their favorite wine-of-choice, whether it’s white, red, rosé, or sparkling. It’s insulated, so your loved one can keep their wine at its optimal temperature. (It also works for other non-wine drinks too. Say a cup of delicious, AeroPressed coffee…) We like that it’s durable enough to keep up on all sorts of road trip adventures, but still classy. We’ve also found that it’s the perfect shape and size for a comfortable hold.
The Snow Peak Low Beach Chair is, as its name suggests, luxurious. It’s perfect for lounging in at camp—say around the fire—or to bring along on a beach day. It sits relatively low to the ground, allowing your loved one to stretch their legs out after being cramped in a vehicle all day. Your chic loved one will not only appreciate how comfortable it is, but its sophisticated metal-and-bamboo style, too. Plus, it packs up into a convenient carrying case.
Anyone else now dreaming of hitting the road? The radio blasting, the sun shining, the open road seeming to stretch beyond the horizon…Anyway, a big thank you to RVshare for sponsoring today’s gift guide. We hope you were able to find the perfect gift for the road tripper in your life, regardless of their road trippin’ style.
RVshare Road Trip Gift Ideas
Before we wrap things up, we have one final gift idea for the road (get it?). If you want to win the holidays, you can plan a road trip, book an RV on RVshare, and surprise your family with the gift of adventure (though it’s probably best to filter for a flexible cancellation option…just in case.) Until next time, have a happy holiday season!
Taylor is a writer who receives way too much joy from finding the perfect word for every situation. She likes traveling by plane only slightly less than by Prius, and when she’s not writing (a rarity), you’ll find her cooking or exploring the great outdoors.
