These five items are the perfect Christmas gift for your creative and outdoorsy friends

25 Gift Ideas for Your Creative Outdoorsy Friends (2023)

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These five items are the perfect Christmas gift for your creative and outdoorsy friends

DON’T KNOW WHAT GIFT TO BUY YOUR CREATIVE AND OUTDOORSY LOVED ONES?

Do you have a nature-loving friend who never asks for material things as gifts because they’re always out in the woods (you know the one)? If so, you’ve come to the right place because here are 25 amazing gift ideas for your creative, outdoorsy friend. Each of these gifts cost $80 or less!

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25 Gift Ideas for Your Creative Outdoorsy Friend

I know firsthand what it’s like not to know what to get someone who lives a minimal lifestyle. As an adventure lover and fellow traveler myself, I’ve found these five items to be my most valued gifted items.

To make it easier on you, I’ve placed these gifts items into five different categories: books, journals, games, crafts, and adventures! Let’s dive in!


Price Key:

$ = $10 or less
$$ = $25 or less
$$$ = $50 or less
$$$$ = $75 or less
$$$$$ = $100 or less


BOOK Gifts for your Creative Outdoorsy Friend

If you have a loved one in your life who loves the outdoors and reading, consider checking out some of the gifts listed below! Whether they’re looking for a travel or camping guide, a camping cookbook, or an opportunity to learn more about nature, one of these books will surely be of interest to them!

The Lost Art of Reading Natures Signs Book

1. The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs ($$)

Navigation and adventure expert Tristan Gooley wrote ‘The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs’ for readers out there looking to expand their navigational skills through nature’s clues. This is a great read for those looking to understand how the sun, moon, stars, and clouds provide directional cues for us to use to make our way around the natural world.

You may consider buying this for your loved one if they often spend a lot of time in desolate areas with no internet connection!

Shop ‘The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs’ by Tristan Gooley Here

2. National Park Adventure Guide ($$$ – $$$$)

If there’s someone in your life who is constantly traveling to new national parks, this is a great gift option for them! This guide includes guides to the 63 national parks with information on things to do, fun facts, stickers, and a space for taking notes! This can serve as a great memory keepsake for those national park adventurers out there.

Shop the National Park Adventure Guide Here

3. Where Should We Camp Next? ($ – $$$)

For your loved ones who are always camping, ‘Where Should We Camp Next’ is a great guidebook for people looking for new camping spots! This book has a fifty-state guide on the best places to go and includes other unique outdoor accommodation information. It includes over 300+ campground recommendations in the United States with practical camping tips included throughout the book!

Shop the ‘Where Should We Camp Next?’ Guidebook Here
A campfire cookbook is a great gift to give your outdoorsy friends and family!

4. National Parks Inspired Cookbook ($$)

Let’s face it… sometimes hot dogs and burgers get old on a camping trip. For campers looking for some campfire cooking recommendations, consider getting this National Parks Cookbook to help inspire their next fire-roasted meals! This cookbook is a great gift because it is inspired by all the national parks and recipes inspired by their landscape, lodging, and history.

Shop the National Parks Cookbook Here

JOURNAL Gifts For Your Creative Outdoorsy Friend

It’s not a stretch to say that many outdoor lovers are also journal keepers. It makes sense because nature is often a space that people go to for deep reflection and inquiry! Here are a handful of great gifts for nature lovers who like to keep it real through journaling!

Hiking Journal from Amazon

5. Hiking Log Journal ($)

For the people in your lives who are always on the trail, a Hiking Journal from Amazon is a great gift for those who want to log their hikes! If your friend is the reflective and creative type, this is a great gift for them to keep track of all their favorite trails! The photo above is a different hiking journal, however, the one linked includes writing prompts on each page for you to record each experience!

Amazon also offers different passport journals for the outdoors. Check out other journal options here: Campground, Fishing, Running, Climbing, and golfing.

Shop the Hiking Log Journal Here

6. Travel Journal ($$$)

The Travel Journal is similar to the Hiking Journal, although it focuses more on destinations rather than trails. It includes destination pages, journal prompts, a sleeve for holding photos, and so much more. It also includes a travel bucket list page so that your loved one can use it for future trip inspiration!

Shop The Travel Journal Here

7. Camping Journal ($$)

For the people in your life who love camping, this Camping Journal might be right up their alley! This hardcover Camper and RV Trip Planner are great for those who love to plan their trips. It includes packing checklists, meal planning, stickers, bookmarks, and a camping bucket list!

Field Note book
Shop the Camping Journal Here

8. Leaf-Engraved Leather Journal ($$)

If the nature lover in your life is not a fan of guided journals, consider getting them this Leather Leaf-Engraved Journal instead! The paper inside is unlined, making it a great gift for those who love to draw, sketch, paint, or write without lines. The leaf engravement on the front adds a unique design to this gift, perfect for those who love spending time outside.

Shop the Leaf-Engraved Leather Journal Here

9. Waterproof Notepad ($$)

The POPYLA Waterproof Pocket Notebook is a great gift for writers who spend a lot of their time outside and can’t afford to let the rain stop them! This gift is great for those who work outdoors, avid campers, or those who spend a lot of time on the water. Not only are the pages waterproof, but they are also tear-proof, eco-friendly, and the journal is small enough to fit inside your pocket.

Shop the Waterproof Notepad Here

10. Write In The Rain Pens ($$$)

If you thought the waterproof journal was a good gift, something fantastic to supplement it with are these Write In The Rain pens! These durable, weatherproof plastic clicker pens can write through water, grease, and mud smoothly without clumping or smearing. The pressurized ink can write in temperatures up to -30 degrees Fahrenheit, under water, and at any angle!

Shop the Write In The Rain Pens Here
Pen and paper

11. Plantable Pencils ($$)

Another great addition to one of the journals mentioned above would be these Sprout Wood-Cased Pencils. These pencils come in a pack of 5, and each has a heart-warming quote engraved to put a smile on your loved ones’ faces. Once the pencil is too short to use, you can place the pencil upside down in soil where it will sprout into a flower, herb, or vegetable of your choosing!

Shop for Plantable Pencils Here

GAME Gifts For Your Creative Outdoorsy Friend

Maybe the special someone in your life that you’re buying a gift for isn’t necessarily the reading or writing type. Maybe they’re more into interactive games they can play with their friends and family! If that’s the case, we’ve got a couple of different game options for you to choose from below!

National park deck of cards

12. National Park Deck of Cards ($$)

This gift is for the all-time favorite activity at a campsite – playing cards! However, this deck of cards doesn’t have the typical playing cards… they include pictures of national parks on the back! While your friend enjoys the classic game of crazy eights around the fire, they can also become inspired for future endeavors by the illustrated pictures on the cards in their hands!

Many national parks include their own set of playing cards, so if you’re looking for a deck of cards that is location-specific, chances are you’ll be able to find them! Dylan and I got gifted the Grand Canyon deck and love finding the places that show up on our cards! This deck also features information on each park or monument listed!

Shop the National Park Deck of Cards Here

13. Ecologies Card Game ($$)

The Ecologies Card Game was designed by a biologist, and the goal of the game is to build food webs in seven different biomes. It’s great for a family game night or to play at a picnic table while camping! This game can be played with one to six players and takes about an hour to an hour and a half to complete.

Shop the Ecologies Card Game Here

14. National Parks Puzzle ($$$)

This Vintage National Park Puzzle is great for national park lovers and puzzlers alike. It contains pictures of the 63 national parks and is 1,000 pieces. This challenging puzzle is great for adventurous families and is a gift that can be utilized many times over many years!

Shop the National Parks Puzzle Here
This Trekking National Park Board Game is a great gift for your creative outdoorsy friends

15. Trekking The National Parks Board Game ($$$)

Trekking The National Parks Board Game is a great gift for families who love board games and exploring the US national parks. This board game is easy to learn and is the perfect combination of entertainment, education, and strategy. It is recommended for all ages ten and up, with two to five players.

Shop the ‘Trekking The National Parks’ Board Game Here

16. National Parks Trivia ($$$)

Another great board game created by Underdog Games is their National Parks Trivia. With over 600 text and image questions, this trivia will challenge your knowledge of the nation’s national parks through guesstimation. This is a great gift for families who enjoy trivia and the outdoors alike!

Shop the National Parks Trivia Game Here

CRAFT Gifts For Your Creative Outdoorsy Friend

For the outdoor lovers in your life who like to do arts and crafts, there are plenty of gift options that are suitable for them. These gifts are interactive, artsy, and will be sure to entertain. These are great gifts to give to the special people in your life who like to create.

17. National Park Postcard Coloring Book ($)

National Park coloring postcards are a perfect gift for your creative outdoorsy friend

If your nature-loving and outdoorsy friend loves to draw or doodle, this National Park Postcard Coloring Book might be a great gift for them! The booklet includes 20 postcards your friend can color to send to their loved ones! Whether your friend is going on a long camping trip or traveling away from home, this gift acts as both a creative outlet for your friend and an incentive to maintain contact!

Shop the National Park Postcard Coloring Book Here

18. Personalized Flower Press Kit ($$$)

Starting strong, we have the Wooden Flower Press Artistry Kit. The kit includes materials to press flowers, a nature journal, blotting paper, and a free e-book with pressing tips and project ideas. This is a great gift option for those looking to create beautiful and natural art but don’t have the tools to do so.

Shop the Personalized Flower Press Kit Here

19. Mushroom Coloring Book ($)

Let’s face it… coloring is a fantastic way to destress as an adult! It’s also a fantastic activity to pass the time during camping or traveling where you don’t have any data! This Mushroom Coloring Book acts as the perfect gift for those who love the natural world and enjoy coloring for fun.

Shop the Mushroom Coloring Book Here

20. Solar Photography Kit ($)

In my opinion, the Sun Print Paper Kit is by far one of the cooler gift items included in this blog post! This kit comes with 24 sheets of cyanotype paper with an acrylic board where users can create a beautiful piece of artwork using plants, flowers, and you guessed it – the sun! This gift is great for both kids and adults since it’s fun and easy to use.

Shop the Solar Photography Kit Here
Paint

21. Succulent Paint By Numbers ($$$)

Paint By Numbers is a great gift because it’s an activity that turns into artwork after completion! This is a great gift to give to those who love plants, painting, and DIY home decor. Plus, the succulent design is chic and includes everything you need to get started painting!

Shop the Succulent Paint By Numbers Here

22. Green Thumb Gift Set

You may not always consider gardening a craft, however, many would argue that it is indeed an art! For your fellow gardeners and botanists (and those interested), this Hydroponics Growing System Kit is perfect for indoor growing. It includes a fan, an automatic timer, and the option to adjust the height.

Shop the Green Thumb Gift Set Here

ADVENTURE Gifts For Your Creative Outdoorsy Friend

If you’ve found yourself on this post, I think it’s safe to assume that the person you’re buying a gift for loves to adventure. For those who are constantly on the move, we’ve got a few gift options that will add value to their lifestyle. These gifts encourage their adventures and inspire them to take new ones!

America the beautiful annual park pass

23. America The Beautiful Annual Pass ($$$$$)

One of the best ways to save money while visiting national lands and parks is the America The Beautiful Annual Pass. If your friend or loved one doesn’t have one of these passes already, this would be a great gift for those frequently on the road. This pass has saved Dylan and me a ton of money over the long term, and it always comes in handy when we’re strapped for cash but still want to explore!

The pass costs $80 and allows up to two people to enter any national land or park without paying for a whole year. Most national parks require a $20 (or more) entrance fee, so if you think your friend will go to a national site more than four times in a year, it’s worth the cost!

National Park Passport

24. National Park Passport ($$)

Lo and Behold – one of my favorite gifts for your creative and outdoorsy friend – The National Park Passport! Visitor centers at national parks offer free stamps that you can add to your booklet by region to keep track of what parks you’ve visited! Regional stickers are also available for purchase at most visitor centers, and you can also add those to your pages!

Upon purchasing, you’ll also receive a foldable interactive map that showcases all of the national parks in the country! This gift is perfect for those who love the outdoors and want to foster their creativity by keeping track of all the places they have been.

Shop the National Park Passport Here

25. National Park Scratch-Off Kit ($$$)

The National Park Scratch-Off Kit is perfect for those who often visit national parks and have a goal to visit more! This is a great visual gift for those looking to check national parks off their bucket list. It’s a great gift for those on the move and those at a standstill because this poster can be hung up in any space!

Shop the National Park Scratch-Off Kit Here

Wrapping Up: 25 Gift Ideas for your Creative Outdoorsy Friend(s)

There you have it – 25 amazing and affordable gifts for your creative, outdoorsy friend! These items ensure that you won’t have to break the bank while shopping for gifts that your friends and family will love! What are you waiting for?

Happy shopping!