40 Campervan Gift Ideas - The Ultimate Vanlife Gift Guide

Are you looking for the perfect gift idea for a campervan owner? I’ve got you covered. In this article, you’ll find 40 campervan gift ideas that any van lifer will love and appreciate.

Ever since we converted our ford transit campervan, all we ever ask for on Christmas and birthdays is gifts for our campervan. Despite only having a small amount of space, it’s amazing how much stuff you need if you want that space to be both comfortable and convenient.

At the same time, life on the road is one of those times when size really does matter. Is it asking too much to have all the conveniences of a traditional house, but in a compact form? I don’t think so.

Anyway, any van lifer will tell you that there’s always some kind of gadget or accessory that will make life on the road that bit easier. So that’s why in this guide, you’ll find a good mix of vanlife essentials, along with some fun and quirky ideas as well.

So, with all that out of the way, let’s get to it. Here are 40 campervan gift ideas for vanlifers.

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Practical Gifts for Vanlife

We’re going to kick off this list with some practical gift ideas for vanlife. While these items might not seem like the most glamorous of options on this list, the campervan owner in your life will be over the moon with them. Trust me!

1. Solar Shower

Unless the campervan owner you’re buying for spent a fair few quid on buying or converting their van, the chances are they don’t have a shower.

With this in mind, one of the best practical gifts we received from a family member was a solar shower bag. We can fill it with water, leave it in the sun all day, and enjoy a nice warm shower in the evening.

There are a fair few brands on the market; however, I wouldn’t recommend getting one that’s too cheap as the quality isn’t likely to be great.

Advanced Elements are a mid-range brand with excellent quality products. And you don’t have to only take my word for it; click the link to see thousands of 4 or 5-star reviews on Amazon.

2. Privacy Tent - Essential Campervan Gift

This next campervan gift idea goes hand in hand with the first idea as a privacy tent allows you to take a shower without the prying eyes of other campers.

These are especially convenient when pitched up somewhere for an extended period. Sometimes we even leave our loo in ours to save having it in the van.

3. Camping Grill BBQ

When we are on the road in our van, our favourite method of cooking is to BBQ. While we are all geared up for cooking inside when we need to, it’s far more practical to cook outside.

Not only that, the reason that most vanlifers choose this lifestyle is so that they can enjoy the outdoors more. It’s great being inside the van, but we are all about the nature, ya’ll.

There’s honestly no better feeling than finding the perfect camping spot, putting on the bbq, and spending the evening outside taking in the surroundings.

We have one very similar to this folding camping grill and believe me; this is one practical gift idea that they will use time and time again.

4. Camping Kitchen Wear

If the person you’re buying for has had their campervan a while, they’re probably already sorted on the kitchen wear front. On the other hand, if they’re new to vanlife, you could be on to a winner with this one.

The most important thing to consider when buying kitchen wear for a campervan is that it’s compact and lightweight. While a luxury set from Le Creuset would be lovely, it’s just not going to be practical enough for vanlife.

Luckily for you, most camping alternatives come at just a fraction of the price. Like this camping cookware kit, which condenses all the basics into a compact bag. Or a BBQ accessories kit to complement their camping bbq.

5. Solar Powered Lights

Regardless of whether a campervan has electricity or not, having some solar-powered lights on standby is never a bad idea.

These will come in super handy when you accidentally run your battery down. You don’t want to ever find yourself in the middle of nowhere with no light back up… that sh*t be creepy.

At the same time, they’re great to have around on those evenings when you’re simply sitting enjoying the outside. Anything that saves us running down our leisure batteries is always worth having in our eyes.

6. Portable Wash Bag

One exciting, albeit un$exy, campervan gift on our list this year is this portable wash bag by Scrubba.

During our recent extended road trip around the South of England, we realised we needed a convenient and portable way to wash our clothes. It’s not always an option to visit a laundromat, and while hand washing is OK, it’s pretty time-consuming.

That’s how we come across this little gem. It’s compact and vanlife friendly, but its inbuilt scrubbing washboard provides an effective way of washing your clothes. In fact, it promises to deliver washing machine results in just a few minutes.

7. Camping Chairs

For obvious reasons, this campervan gift idea is geared more towards your newbie van lifer – for those just getting started, it can make for a fabulous welcome gift.

I couldn’t imagine going on road trip adventures without our comfy camping chairs. They are the first thing to come out of the van when we rock up to our camping spot.

Whilst not being the most compact option, we have zero regrets about buying our high-back camping chairs.

Having that added neck support is a game-changer and means you can have a sneaky afternoon nap in the sun.

8. 12v Portable Fridge

If you’re feeling generous, I don’t know any van lifer who wouldn’t be beside themselves with this awesome campervan gift.

We noticed during the summer in our van that even though we have a fridge in the back, it’s always packed to the brim with food. Leaving no room at all to refrigerate the beers on a warm summer’s day… Disaster.

This portable fridge by Alticool provides the perfect solution. It’s large enough to hold 24 330ml cans of cola and can be run off the vehicle battery while driving.

It even has a freezer section which is hard to come by in 12v fridges.

9. Head Torch - Budget Vanlife Gift

On the slightly less exciting end of the scale, yet no less practical, is a head torch.

It’s inevitable that at some point or another, you’ll need to go outside when it’s dark. And holding a phone whilst trying to use the privacy tent or filling up water is never a sensible idea.

I recently bought this head torch by Everbeam, and it was a solid investment. Not only is it one of the cheapest on the market, but it will come in super handy for both our road trips and early morning runs.

10. Storage Solutions

When it comes to owning a campervan, any kind of practical storage solution is a gift from the vanlife gods.

It’s essential that we make good use of every last inch of space we have while at the same time keeping the van neat and tidy.

Based on our experience as campervan owners, these are our favourite storage solutions:

Packing Cubes: Any seasoned traveller will tell you that packing cubes are one of those items we cannot live without. Not only do they help to save on space, but they keep everything nicely organised. Meaning we don’t have to fumble around looking for items.
Hanging Storage Pouches: Any type of slimline hanging storage is an excellent campervan storage solution as they can be attached to most walls or the inside of cupboard doors. They’re super handy for those odd bits and bobs that you don’t want to leave hanging around.
Mesh Bags: These mesh bags are a staple feature of those gorgeous campervans you see on Instagram. They make a great storage solution for fruit and veggies and can be doubled up as a cute beach bag.

11. Life Straw - Practical Vanlife Gift

The Lifestraw makes an excellent and compact gift idea for campervan owners who are also hiking enthusiasts or love exploring out in the wilderness.

With the LifeStraw, you can drink from any water source (streams, lakes, puddles etc.), and they will filter out all the bad stuff. They protect against bacteria, parasites, microplastics, dirt, sand and cloudiness.

Ultralight and durable, the LifeStraw weighs less than 46 g and can filter up to 4000 litres of water! It’s the perfect survival accessory.

Quirky Campervan Gift Ideas

OK, so we’ve covered the practical gifts for campervans that might not seem exciting to you but are guaranteed to be adored by them. But now we are entering the fun zone.

If you’re looking for something a little more lighthearted, this section is for you. I’ve got some cool and quirky ideas that not many camper owners would buy for themselves but make perfect gifts for vanlife all the same.

12. Travel-Sized Games

Thanks to social media, everybody sees the dreamy aspects of #vanlife. Warm summer days, enjoying the outdoors, freedom of location, the list goes on.

The reality, however, can be very different. The weather is not always on your side, and sometimes you can spend days stuck in your van.

That’s why it’s handy to have some travel-sized games to keep you entertained. These make especially great gifts for travel couples, but there are games fit for solo players as well.

13. A Real Plant

If you know a campervan owner who loves plants, a natural plant that’s camper-friendly is a unique and thoughtful idea that they will love.

The challenge is finding a plant that can survive life on the road. It needs to be something that’s low maintenance and isn’t going to take up too much space.

Some campervan plant ideas include succulents, devil’s ivy, snake plant, and peace lilies.

14. Pop-Up Firepit - Cool Vanlife Gift Idea

I don’t know any camper or vanlifer that doesn’t long for nights huddled around the campfire staring up at the stars. Nights like those are what remind us that our chosen lifestyle is all worthwhile.

Depending on where you are, however, there are specific rules and regulations regarding campfires. I would only encourage doing so if 1. It’s allowed, and 2. You do so responsibly.

That’s why this pop-up fire pit is a sensible yet quirky gift idea for campervan owners. It’s elevated off the ground to ensure it won’t cause a fire or leave any trace. Plus, it’s super convenient to put up and takedown.

15. Blow Up SUP Board

Stand-Up paddle boarding is all the rage these days! And it’s no surprise since it’s the closest most of us will get to walking on water.

We just purchased a blow-up paddleboard for our vanlife adventures in Europe, and it’s one of the best vanlife gifts we have bought ourselves.

It folds away into a backpack so we can easily transport it from our van to the beach or lake, and it has become quite the vanlife hobby!

If paddle boarding is out of the question, perhaps a blow-up kayak instead?

16. Neon Light - Quirky Campervan Gift Idea

One of my favourite campervan gift ideas on this list, these quirky neon lights will give any campervan character and edge.

They are powered by USB, so they won’t drain much power, and you can choose from tons of designs and styles. I NEED one of these in our van!

17. Marshmallow S'mores Kit

This next idea makes for a fantastic gift either on its own or as a fun add on to the fire pit.

Because where there’s a campfire, there’s got to be marshmallows, right? And where there are marshmallows, there’s got to be s’mores.

It’s the law of physics, so who are we to argue?

18. Portable Espresso Machine

For the coffee-loving van lifer, why not gift them the gift of life itself. Because, let’s face it, who’s actually alive in the morning without a cup of coffee?

Personally, I’m a cheap date instant coffee kinda girl, but I can see why this portable espresso machine would go down a storm with coffee connoisseurs.

To operate it, all you need to do is add the ground coffee, fill it with boiling, give it a few pumps, and voila. Coffee shop quality coffee without the need for batteries or electricity. Genius!

19. Projector - Awesome Vanlife Gift

Movie nights in the van just hit different with this ultra mini compact projector.

We can set it up inside the van and watch movies on our blank white wall. Or we can hang a sheet outside and watch things that way.

This is, without doubt, one of our favourite campervan accessories, and the campervan enthusiast in your life will no doubt love it too!

20. Mobile Gimbal

Life on the road is an adventure. It’s natural to want to take photos and record videos that will be our visual memories in years to come.

As travel bloggers and photographers, we’ve got a lot of camera gear. However, one of our recent purchases is the DJI Osmo 3 Mobile Gimbal, which I believe is a practical and quirky gift for anybody who travels.

The gimbal acts as a selfie stick and a stabiliser, allowing you to snap photos at the touch of a button while ensuring any video footage is smooth and seamless.

21. Campervan Hoodie

Campervan owners are proud to be campervan owners. So much so, we even love to wear clothes that tell the world that we are campervan owners.

Thankfully, we recently discovered an incredible sustainable clothing brand called Bohemia Organic who have an entire range dedicated to travel and van life.

They are a small business doing their bit to save their planet, and I don’t know any vanlifer who wouldn’t respect that.

Plus, every time you buy from a small business, an actual person does a happy dance. True story!

22. Crocs

Gift your vanlife buddy the gift of comfort with a pair of crocs to wear in and around the van!

Not only are they comfortable, but they are super convenient – easy to slip on and off, quick drying, and lightweight.

They are also breathable, promote circulation, and have enough room to avoid compression of the toes, so naturally, every van lifer needs them!

23. Hammock - Popular Vanlife Gift

And the award for the most creative gift goes to… Yep, that would be you. Well, if you buy the hammock, of course.

Isn’t this a great idea, though? These comfy hammocks by Wise Owl come equipped with 9ft long tree straps and carabiners. They can be set up in less than 1-minute wherever there are trees.

They’re also compact and come in different sizes, so they’re ideal for whether you’re travelling solo or with a partner. I know what I’m asking Santa for this year!

24. Road Trip Books

Nothing quite gets you in the mood for an adventure or road trip like reading, hearing, or seeing about it.

If I ever need some inspiration to tear myself away from home comforts, I read a few pages of a road trip book, and I’m packing my bags.

What book to buy will depend on where your vanlifer is based, but here are a few recommended titles as a guide.

100 Drives, 5,000 Ideas – America & Canada
The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips in the USA– USA
Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips – Europe
DK Eyewitness Road Trips Great Britain – Great Britain

25. Airbnb or Hotel Gift Card

Don’t get wrong; we absolutely love our van. For the most part, Ventura is very comfortable and cosy.

However, there are times when we just crave a hot shower, a flushable toilet, or an actual washing machine to clean our clothes.

When we were backpacking on a budget through Asia, our families would always gift us with a booking.com or Airbnb voucher, and it was the best thing ever.

I hope they continue to do this now we are vanlifers as well!

Awesome Campervan Accessories Gifts

Like any great outfit, a motorhome needs some accessories. They might be convenient or decorative or just for the hell of it; who cares.

I just know that the van lifer in your life needs these awesom campervan accessory gifts in THEIR life.

26. Portable Air Con Unit

There are several pros and cons to vanlife, and one of the biggest challenges we face as vanlifers is finding a comfortable temperature in the van.

In the winter, it’s extra cold, and in the Summer, it’s extra hot, even with the best insulation.

When Natalie’s Dad gifted us this Evapolar portable air con unit, we didn’t expect to get much benefit from it. However, it turned out to be quite a nifty bit of kit.

We don’t have any air con in the van, so this accessory is a godsend during the Summer. And it’s also super convenient for vanlife, as it’s powered by USB and incredibly energy efficient.

27. USB Heated Blanket

And while it’s ok to have our electric heater on during the day, we couldn’t leave it on overnight.

That’s where our heated blanket comes in handy. Again, it is powered by USB, so it’s incredibly energy efficient, and it just helps take the edge off last thing at night and first thing in the morning.

It actually radiates quite a bit of heat, so it also helps warm up the van somewhat.

28. Clip-On Fan

OK, this is my final campervan accessory gift that helps with regulating temperature. All these gadgets might seem excessive, but trust me, they all come in handy!

This time we have a clip-on fan. This is another of our must-haves, allowing us additional airflow on warm days.

The best part about it is that we can clip it onto a multitude of surfaces so we can move it around the van. And since it’s battery-powered, we can even take it to the beach.

29. Travel Yoga Mat

One of the things I love most about road trips is waking up in the morning and getting outdoors to stretch and reflect. Is that not the most typical, hippie, van-lifey, thing you’ve ever heard?

But, honestly, there’s no better way to start the day. And it wouldn’t be possible if I didn’t have my trusted yoga mat on board with me.

Again, something that folds up nice and compact like this one by Gaiam is ideal as I can easily tuck it away. I love their funky designs as well!

30. Resistance Bands - Fitness Gifts for Vanlife

Maintaining a fitness routine when living and travelling in a van can be challenging, but having some resistance bands on board definitely help.

Again, they are compact, lightweight, and easy to transport, making the perfect vanlife gift for fitness enthusiasts!

31: 12v WiFi Router - Vanlife Gift for Digital Nomads

As digital nomads, it’s crucial for us that we have internet access. Not always, but most of the time.

One of our recent purchases worth its weight in gold is our Huawei 12v WiFi Router (B535). We can put any sim card inside it, and it will allow us both to work from it simultaneously.

It’s much faster than working from the personal hotspot on our phones and also boosts the signal. So that even in low coverage areas, we can nearly always still get internet.

32. Campervan Cookbook

Considering we have limited space and equipment, keeping up a varied and healthy diet can be tricky when on the road. However, it’s essential that we do so to keep ourselves in tip-top condition.

With that in mind, a clever and thoughtful gift could be this Campervan Cookbook. It features over 80 tasty and nutritious recipes that can be prepared using just a two ring hob or a bbq.

I’ll be honest, I’m pretty creative with my campervan cooking so I haven’t read this one myself. But it’s got plenty of great reviews on Amazon.

33. Eco-Friendly Toiletries

If you aren’t mindful, vanlife can put a lot of stress on the environment. That’s why we try to take simple measures where we can to make our lifestyle more sustainable.

One of the easiest ways of doing that is by using eco-friendly toiletry brands. These brands are helping to eliminate the excessive packaging and harmful chemicals that are damaging to the environment.

For a unique and mindful gift idea, why not put together a box of eco-friendly toiletries. Such as a bamboo toothbrush, a shampoo bar, reef-safe sunscreen, and eco-friendly soap bars.

34. Portable Speaker

Every campervan needs a portable speaker. For nights sat around the campfire, for evenings cooking in the van, for days lounging in the sun. Well, for pretty much any campervan activity, in fact. Having some tunes playing in the background sets the mood just perfectly.

We’ve had our trusty Sony portable speaker for about 6 or 7 years now. It’s been with us backpacking through South-East Asia, hiking the Himalayas in Nepal, and camping under the stars in India.

Obviously, there’s no doubt of its robustness and reliability; however, it also packs a punch when it comes to sound. You honestly wouldn’t want anything any louder in a van, and it’s very reasonably priced.

35. TomTom Campervan and Caravan Sat Nav

It’s every motorhome owners nightmare to find themselves on roads that are too narrow, under bridges that are too low, or in any type of scenario that isn’t suitable for their vehicle.

We had a similar situation ourselves in Cornwall following a road closure. And trust me, there were some squeaky bum moments when navigating those country roads.

Perhaps life would have been a lot easier if we’d had a TomTom Campervan and Caravan Sat Nav. This bit of kit is customised to guide vanlifers along suitable roads and routes for their vehicle.

36. Tile Mate

The perfect camper van accessory gift doesn’t exi…. oh wait.

Losing your keys at home is a nightmare; we’ve all been there. But losing your keys when you’re camping in the middle of nowhere could be a potential disaster.

That’s why Tile Mate makes not only an excellent camper van accessory but an important safety feature as well. With this simple and affordable gadget, you’ll never have to worry about misplacing your keys again.

How it works is, you attach Tile Mate to your keys or any other item for that matter, and by using the Tile app, you can ring your Tile whenever it’s within Bluetooth range. Or, if it’s out of range, the app can tell you the tile’s most recent location.

37. Portable Blender

The health-conscious vanlifer is going to love this travel-friendly accessory. Smoothies are an ideal way of getting in your five a day, but man, they are expensive, aren’t they?

But long gone are the days of spending 4 or 5 quid on a smoothie. With this portable blender, they can make their own.

Once again, this one ticks all the boxes. It’s affordable, lightweight, compact, and energy-efficient. That’s going straight in my basket!

38. Go Pro Adventure Camera

Every campervan owner needs an adventure camera in their life. How else are they going to capture all those wild and crazy adventures?

Naturally, Go Pro are the king of adventure cameras – I recommend the Hero 8 or above. That said, many other brands now dabble in this area.

We love that we can take our Go Pro on the gnarliest of adventures. They’re great for those moments where you can’t use your phone or DSLR, like capturing cool photos underwater.

39. Earthpak Dry Bag

Here’s another campervan gift idea for adventure enthusiasts and anybody who loves being outdoors.

These Earthpak dry bags help protect your valuables from the elements – most notably from water, and come in various sizes!

I can vouch for these bags since we once capsized in our kayak with our phones and camera inside. They all survived without a drop of water on them!

40. Personalised Campervan Gifts

If you made it this far, bravo! It’s been quite the journey.

This final campervan gift idea is sure to welcome mixed feelings. Some say personalised camper van gifts are cute; some say they are cheesy AF. The jury is out on that one, and I’ll let you decide.

In the meantime, if you are considering a personalised motorhome gift, here are a few ideas to tickle your fancy.

Camping Mugs
Welcome Mat
Cushion
Campervan Journal
Chopping Board

Did You Find The Perfect Vanlife Gift? Accessories Gifts

So there you have it, 30 practical and quirky Campervan Gift Ideas for Vanlifers.

Which one is your favourite? Are there any other motorhome gift ideas that you think deserve a spot on this list? Let us know! We love hearing from you. You can reach out to us in the comment section below.

Stay adventurous and Happy travels.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also be interested in our other Gift Guide articles or Vanlife Guides to help with inspiration.

If you enjoyed our free guide, you could support us by buying us a coffee! Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, where we share more travel advice and inspiration. Charlotte & Natalie x