37 Awesome Road Trip Gifts for Your Favorite Nomad (2024 Gift Guide)
Road tripping is a fantastic way to explore incredible outdoor spaces throughout the country, but the right gear is crucial to make long road trips more comfortable and fun. This guide to the best road trip gifts will help you find the perfect present for your favorite nomad who loves to hit the open road and explore.
From a handy packable backpack to a cool compressible puffy blanket to the ultimate road trip gift basket, you’ll find great road trip gifts for anyone here.
This post will break out this list of best road trip gifts into 6 sections:
Best Road Trip Gifts Under $25
Road Trip Snack Gifts
Road Trip Entertainment Gifts
Road Trip Safety Gifts
Cozy Comfort Road Trip Gifts
Ultimate Road Trip Gift Basket
While this gift guide will definitely help you find the perfect road trip gifts for your favorite nomad, don’t stress out too much. Most road trip lovers will truly appreciate any gift that makes their road trip better from something practical like a car phone charger to their favorite snack.
Please note: The below post contains affiliate links.
BEST ROAD TRIP GIFTS UNDER $25
1. EDDIE BAUER STOWAWAY PACKABLE BACKPACK
The Eddie Bauer Stowaway Packable Backpack is the ideal little bag to bring on a road trip to keep the important things nearby during your drive. Our She Dreams of Alpine Content Manager Kate absolutely adores her Stowaway Backpack and brings it with her on every road trip she takes (and she takes a lot of climbing road trips).
The 20L Stowaway features two front zippered pockets for essentials and two side mesh pockets for things like water bottles or extra socks. The whole backpack also packs down into itself when you want to store it and save space.
2. KULA CLOTH
When you’re on a road trip, you never know exactly what the bathroom situation will be, so trust me, a Kula Cloth will be appreciated by anyone who squats to pee.
Whether you have to pull over on the side of the road or end up in a public bathroom or pit toilet without TP, the Kula Cloth lets you wipe instead of drip dry. It’s an antimicrobial pee cloth that can easily be attached to a bag and snapped shut to keep things clean.
You can hang it outside to air dry when you stop during your road trip, then wash it when you have access to a sink. Kula Cloths come in a huge variety of fun patterns, so you’ll be able to find the right one for your road tripper.
3. GOGIRL
When you gotta go, you gotta go…but sometimes when you’re on the road, there’s nowhere to go. The GoGirl comes in handy if you need to just pull over and pee or if the bathroom you found is not exactly, well, clean. Combining the GoGirl with a Kula cloth would make a great road trip gift for women.
4. HOTOR CAR TRASHCAN
It’s easy to accumulate a lot of trash in your vehicle during a road trip, so a car trash can would make an excellent practical road trip gift. The Hotor Car Trash Can is well-designed to fit in most vehicles, and it has a lid to keep everything contained. Plus, it’s collapsible to get it out of the way when you don’t need it, and it has mesh side pockets for convenient storage.
5. ANKER USB CAR CHARGER
Everyone needs to keep their phones charged on a road trip, and this convenient car charger has both a USB-A and a USB-C port, so you can charge newer devices quickly while still being able to charge older devices as well.
6. ANKER POWERCORE PORTABLE PHONE CHARGER
It’s also nice to have a good portable charger when you get out of the car for road trip stops. The Anker Powercore is my favorite portable charger, since it’s small but powerful and holds several charges.
7. COMPACT MICROFIBER TOWEL
A microfiber towel is a great thing to stash in the car for a road trip. If you need to wash your hands or spill something, this is the perfect little thing for drying off. This one comes with a case to keep it clean when you’re not using it.
8. UCO PIKA LANTERN
This little lantern/flashlight combo would make a great road trip gift. You never know when you might need a little more light on a road trip – something falls down under the seat, you’re parked and don’t want to leave the car on, etc. The UCO Pika Lantern stands on end for hands-free lighting, but can also be used like a flashlight when you need it (plus, it can charge other USB devices).
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ROAD TRIP SNACK GIFTS
9. NALGENE WATER BOTTLE
Nothing beats a classic Nalgene for a water bottle when you need to stay hydrated. However, the wide-mouth Nalgene can be quite a challenge to drink from while driving or riding in a car. So if you’re giving the road trip gift of a Nalgene, add on a Nalgene Easy Sipper, which attaches to the mouth to make it easier to drink from a smaller opening.
10. YETI RAMBLER TRAVEL MUG
Many road trippers are fueled by coffee, and the Yeti Rambler Travel Mug is the perfect coffee vessel for the car. The Rambler is insulated and designed to fit in a cupholder. Plus, it has a locking slider lid that’s easy to open but prevents spills. And it comes in a variety of colors, so you can pick the right one for a road trip gift.
11. KATE’S REAL FOOD BARS
You gotta have snacks on a road trip, and Kate’s Real Food Bars are my favorite snack these days. They’re tasty and definitely feel like a healthier option than a lot of gas station impulse buy snacks. :) A variety pack would be a much-appreciated road trip gift!
12. MSR SPORKS
When you’re enjoying road trip meals, it’s super handy to have a spork (or a few) stashed in the car. If you get that gas station salad and forget to grab a fork, you can still eat! I like the MSR sporks because they’re collapsible, and a four-pack would make a great road trip gift.
13. STASHER BAGS
Keep your road trip snacks fresh with reusable Stasher Bags. These silicone bags come in a variety of sizes to store sandwiches, fruit, chips, cookies, and more while on-the go. Get a multi-pack for a great road trip gift!
14. BEE’S WRAP
Another great way to keep food fresh on the road is with Bee’s Wrap. This wax wrap will cover any meals or snacks that you don’t finish right away so you can keep them fresh when you get hungry later in the middle of a long stretch of driving.
15. YETI ROADIE 24 COOLER
You definitely need a good cooler on a road trip for beverages and more. If you want to splurge on a gift for your favorite road tripper, go for the Yeti Roadie 24 Cooler, which is small enough to not take up too much space in the car but big enough to fit a bottle of wine upright – and the Yeti Cooler keeps things super cold!
The REI Cool Haul 18 Soft Cooler is a cheaper option that is great for getting out of the car, since it has a shoulder strap and handles. It’s also got a daisy chain to attach other things (like sporks!), and even includes an attached bottle opener.
ROAD TRIP ENTERTAINMENT GIFTS
16. A WOMAN’S PLACE IS IN THE WILD PLAYING CARDS
A pack of playing cards always comes in handy during a road trip rest stop (or when a traveler gets stuck in traffic). The “A Woman’s Place is in the Wild” card deck is extra special, because the cards are illustrated with portraits of amazing female outdoor athletes. Any outdoorsy road tripper would love to get this deck to play games while being inspired by some serious badass outdoor women!
17. WORD TEASERS ROAD TRIP AMERICA TRIVIA
During those long stretches of highway or stints in traffic, you can stay entertained with a trivia game. Word Teasers Road Trip America Trivia features fun questions about unique and random destinations in the US, and it would make a fun road trip gift.
18. OONTZ BLUETOOTH SPEAKER
While most road trippers probably have their tunes taken care of during the drive with their car speakers, a bluetooth speaker brings the beats on the road when they stop at a destination. Whether camping or staying in a hotel, listening to some tunes can be a nice way to wind down at night after a long day of driving. The OontZ speaker has good battery life and can be recharged via USB.
ROAD TRIP SAFETY GIFTS
19. FIX-A-FLAT
Help your favorite road tripper out if things go wrong with the gift of a can of Fix-a-Flat. Sure, it might not be the most exciting gift, but if they get a flat tire on their trip, they’ll be thanking you for not being stranded on the side of the road.
20. CAR BATTERY SELF-JUMP STARTER
The car battery self-jump starter is one of those nice-to-have emergency items when you’re on the road. While most road trippers might have jumper cables already, this setup allows you to self-jump your own vehicle if no one else is around. Having this in the car provides more peace of mind when you’re off the beaten path.
21. IGLOO 6 GALLON WATER JUG
A water jug is a road trip essential to keep your water bottles filled up and make sure you have water if you’re camping or get stuck on the road. Regular water jugs are bulky and take up a lot of limited space, so a flat water jug like the Igloo 6 Gallon Water Jug would be a welcome gift.
22. ADVENTURE MEDICAL KITS FIRST AID KIT
You must have a first aid kit on a road trip, in case of emergency or just for a small cut or a headache. Adventure Medical Kits makes a variety of compact first aid kits that are perfect to stash in the car.
23. PETZL ACTIK CORE HEADLAMP
A headlamp is another thing that comes in handy on a road trip, when you’re searching for something in the car or need to set up camp after getting in late. My go-to is the Petzl Actik Core headlamp, which can run on an included rechargeable battery or 3 AAA batteries.
24. LEATHERMAN WINGMAN MULTI-TOOL
A multi-tool makes an awesome road trip gift! It’s super useful for all sorts of tasks, and it easily fits in the glove box. The Leatherman Wingman has 14 tools, including a knife, scissors, pliers, screwdrivers, and more.
25. GARMIN DRIVE 52 GPS
For someone spending a lot of time on the road, a dedicated GPS is a nice upgrade from navigating on your phone. I love Garmin devices for hiking and backpacking, and they also make great car GPS devices, too. The Garmin Drive 52 would make an excellent road trip gift.
COZY COMFORT ROAD TRIP GIFTS
26. RUMPL PUFFY BLANKET
I absolutely love Rumpl puffy blankets! They are easy to pack down to store in the car and then pull them out when you’re feeling chilly. They come in a bunch of fun colors and prints, so you can find the perfect one for a road trip gift.
27. BOMBAS SOCKS
You need a good pair of socks to keep your feet comfy in the car, and Bombas are known for being super soft. I also really like Darn Tough socks, especially if you’ll be doing lots of walking or hiking on your road trip.
28. BAFFIN DOWN BOOTIES
Go beyond socks with the gift of down booties, and your favorite road tripper will love you for life! These things are so comfy and warm for a road trip passenger or to slip into on a cold night. The Baffin Down Booties have a rubber sole, so you can still get out of your car and walk around in them.
29. PATAGONIA BETTER SWEATER FLEECE HOODIE
What’s more comfortable for road trip attire than a fleece hoodie? Nothing! The Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece Hoodie is the perfect layer when you’re spending a long time in the car. A full zip makes it easy to take on and off when you have a seatbelt on, too.
30. COTOPAXI ABRAZO FLEECE JOGGER PANTS
Of course, you also need a cozy bottom layer for your legs, and fleece pants are the way to go. I first bought a nice pair of fleece pants as a mid-layer for colder mountaineering trips, but I then found I loved wearing them anytime. The Cotopaxi Abrazo Fleece Jogger pants are nice and warm but also cute!
31. THE NORTH FACE CITY PLUSH BEANIE
Stay cozy from head to toe on a road trip with a beanie! And bonus, they’re great for covering up a bad hair day when you’re been on the road for awhile. The North Face City Plush Beanie is extra soft, so you might just fall asleep in it in the passenger seat.
ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP GIFT BASKET
Go all out and give the ultimate road trip gift basket with a car organizer or tote bag filled with other gifts!
32. FORTEM CAR STORAGE ORGANIZER
The Fortem Car Storage Organizer is the perfect thing to stick in the trunk to keep all your gear organized on a road trip. It can be secured with straps, and it has outside pockets to keep smaller things in a convenient place. It can also collapse down to just one compartment if you want to move it to the backseat.
Fill it with some of these other gifts and your favorite nomad will be eternally grateful for the ultimate road trip gift basket!
33. COTOPAXI ALLPA GEAR HAULER TOTE
Another awesome option for your road trip gift basket is the Cotopaxi Allpa Gear Hauler Tote. This cool tote is durable and fits all sorts of gear to easily get stuff in and out of the car. It has pockets to keep things organized and compression straps to keep things from rolling around.
34. PATAGONIA BLACK HOLE DUFFEL BAG
The Patagonia Black Hole Duffel Bag is the one bag you need to pack up all sorts of stuff for a road trip. It fits SO much, and you can even attach more to the daisy chains on the outside. Plus, you can carry it as a tote or a backpack, which is super convenient when you need to bring your pack inside when stopping to sleep somewhere for the night.
35. NOMADIX CHANGING PONCHO
For something unique and useful to put in the ultimate road trip gift basket, check out the Nomadix Changing Poncho. Put on this poncho and you can easily change clothes underneath, which is great when you’re stopped on the side of the road. It’s made of absorbent MicroTerry fabric, so you can use it after jumping in a lake or cozy up in it around a campfire as well.
36. THERAGUN MINI
After being cooped up in the car for hours on a road trip, you need to stretch your legs, and the Theragun Mini really helps unkink those tight muscles. It’s a bit of a splurge, but this portable percussion massager would be a much-appreciated road trip gift.
37. NATIONAL PARKS PASS
One of the very best road trip gifts is a National Parks Pass! An annual national parks pass costs $80 and grants access to all sites managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation for an entire year.
It’s totally worth the price for a road tripper criss-crossing the country, since entrance fees to national parks run about $20-$30 per visit. That means that after 3 or 4 visits to any national park, the pass pays for itself. We buy one every year!
Hope this guide has helped you find the perfect road trip gifts! And if you need more outdoor gift ideas, check out our other gift guides below.
OTHER GEAR AND OUTDOORSY GIFT GUIDE RESOURCES:
Cheers,
Allison - She Dreams of Alpine
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