For those of us who love the outdoors, accumulating more “stuff” can leave us a little conflicted. When we receive gifts or give to our loved ones we hope they are items that benefit (or at least don’t harm) our planet. If those gifts can support our outdoor activity habits, that’s wonderful. And if the gift is an experience instead of a possession, so much the better! Here’s a curated list of gifts for yourself or a fellow nature lover with a variety of price points and interest levels. Happy gifting!
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Literary Gifts for Nature Lovers
Gift your nature lover a great book to read while relaxing in their hammock or cozied up indoors by the fire. Whether it’s a personal memoir or periodical on wider topics it is inspiring to read about the lives of others who love our planet.
Check out all of our other favorite book recommendations for the whole family.
A Place In the Woods
Helen Hoover and her husband left careers and city behind and moved to northern Minnesota in 1954. Her series of books documents the challenges and joys of homesteading in the remote Boundary Waters wilderness.
The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America’s National Parks
Terry Tempest Williams eloquently uses her personal relationship with the National Parks of the United States to express how those iconic spaces are the soul of the country. We love how she weaves the history of the parks she visits in with her own love for each individual sanctuary.
Nature Conservancy Magazine
Founded in the U.S. through grassroots action in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Their beautiful quarterly magazine highlights current projects, needs, and leaders in the field of conservation. We find ourselves inspired to act on behalf of our world when we read stories of others around the world working to bring healing and restoration.
Cloud Spotter: 30 Cards to Keep You Looking Up
A mindful activity complimenting the wonderful book The Cloudspotter’s Guide: The Science, History, and Culture of Clouds toss these cards into the car to encourage nature observation out the windows instead of being glued to screens.
Nature Writing Class
Gift an online nature centric writing course to an aspiring author in your life. We love that this experience gift doesn’t require traveling or carving out a chunk of time from our already busy lives.
Culinary Gifts for Nature Lovers
Preparing and eating food are intrinsically connected to nature. The more we know about the foods we eat and serve our families the more we realize how our shopping choices and eating habits affect our local food economy and therefore, the land. Here are some delicious options to consider.
Maple Syrup, Honey, and Locally Grown Produce
Search out locally grown products sold directly from the producers to gift. Our family harvests and sells our own maple syrup from our family farm. Purchasing a product directly from a farmer cuts down on their marketing costs. You can also usually arrange a visit to see where your products were produced. Facebook marketplace and your local farmer’s market are places to start when looking for locally produced gifts.
Grain Free Granola
Drawing from her love for her home culture in West Africa, Chef Mawa McQueen’s grain free granola comes in 5 flavors. We love every one, especially Health Nut and Tropical Paradise. Small batch made in Aspen Colorado.
Wildcrafted Tea Gift Box
Taking time to prepare and drink a cup of herbal tea is an opportunity to reflect on the benefits of wild plants for our health and well being. Locally harvested and packed in Denver CO, this is a blend of delicious teas. Purchases go towards reclamation of Indigenous lands, and revitalizing and reactivating traditional ancestral knowledge for First Nations.
Gozney Roccbox Pizza Oven
Gift the ultimate portable pizza oven to your favorite outdoor chef. The Roccbox is lightweight, uses wood or propane, and rocks out an awesome pizza. It’s not limited though, cook up steak, veggies, or anything else you’d throw on the grill in a cast iron skillet. We love how easy the Roccbox is to store and transport with it’s foldable legs and included carry case.
Self-Care Gifts for Nature Lovers
Getting back to nature in our self care is refreshing and eye opening. Big name brands can make it seem like it takes laboratories and unpronounceable ingredients to create skincare or healthcare products. Here are a few gift ideas that prioritize natural processes and practices for your nature lover.
Tallow Herbal Salve
Turning grass fed beef tallow into skin care products Sunny Pastures uses medicinal plants to create luxurious and beneficial self care salves and lotions. They also offer locally foraged bulk herbs. We love the herbal salve for everyday first aid.
Color Cloud Hammock
What says self-care more than a nap in a hammock? These comfortable hammocks come in a wide range of color combinations. Women founded, owned, and manufactured, Color Cloud Hammocks partners with women in developing nations to provide them with consistent jobs to support their families.
Check out all of our favorite hammocks for everyone in the family.
Kula Pee Cloth
When nature calls (and it will), the Kula Cloth Reusable Antimicrobial Pee Cloth keeps your hands dry on one side while sopping moisture into the absorbent, antimicrobial side that won’t show stains. Hang it off the outside of your pack to dry on the trail. We love how many fun designs they come in!
Ethique Shampoo Bar
Lighter to carry and less mess, we prefer a shampoo bar to liquid when we’re outdoor adventuring. It can be hard to find one that leaves your hair feeling refreshed after a wash. We agree with many rave reviews that Ethique shampoo bars are worth a try. They come in a wide range of scents and styles for all kinds of hair types plus compostable packaging.
Artistic Gifts for Nature Lovers
Time outside naturally inspires creativity. We see it all around us! Taking time to sit, observe, listen, wander, follow our curiosity; all these practices benefit us in numerous ways. If your nature lover is someone who appreciates artistic response to their outdoor experiences here are a few gift ideas.
Nature Journaling Supply Kit
Everything you need to be prepared for a day in the field practicing the art of observation with nature journaling. Check out our post on Nature Journaling For Kids for tips on how to get started.
Custom Landscape Painting
Commission a watercolor painting of your loved ones favorite wilderness destination. A unique and beautiful piece of art for their home. We’re already pondering which of our favorite destinations we’ll have painted first.
Juniper Grove Handmade Journal
Adorable, unique, and refillable! We love that you can add pages to an existing journal without buying a whole new book. Not that we know anything about having six half finished journals laying around the house.
Grand Marais & Beyond Nature Photography Workshop
Gift your favorite amateur nature photographer a weekend photography course on the shores of Lake Superior in the picturesque town of Grand Marais. It’s held in the atmospheric North House Folk School which hosts numerous art education classes throughout the year.
Nature Journaling Safari
The ultimate nature journaling trip. Embark on a 9 day safari in Tanzania nature journaling with expert John Muir Laws. Getting to see lions, zebras, and elephants in their native habitat is a life changing experience. Taking our young family on safari years ago is something we’ll never forget. But will hopefully get to do again!
Experience Gifts for Nature Lovers
Fill your life with experiences, not things. Send a loved one off to spend time reconnecting with self and nature. Alternatively gather a group of friends to adventure together. Either way there are so many benefits to spending time in nature. Here are some epic trips to consider.
National Parks Annual Pass
Our nation has a wealth of natural treasures and we are blessed to have so many of them preserved in our national parks. Give the gift of an annual pass to the parks. Or for a family with a fourth grader a free option is the Every Kid Outdoors Pass. Consider traveling to a park during an off season to avoid the crowds.
San Juan Islands Women’s Kayaking Trip
A weekend trip to witness diverse sea life in the dramatic landscape of the Pacific Northwest with a group of likeminded women. Who doesn’t need a trip like that in their life? REI trained guides host and curate a wide range of trips throughout the year.
Mexico Monarch Butterfly Photography Trip
Trip with World Wildlife Federation (WWF) Natural Habitats tours. Travel to Mexico for a guided tour of the Monarch Butterfly winter habitat. Led by experienced naturalists and photographers. We love that WWF trips focus on wildlife preservation, responsible traveling practices, and benefiting the local tourism economy.
Foraging Class
Head out into the fields and forests to discover what edible foods grow in your area. Learn how to safely and sustainably harvest and use wild foods. It’s amazing to discover how much of what grows wild in our own backyards is actually edible and delicious!
Tech Gifts for Nature Lovers
Tech isn’t the enemy of nature. There are more options than ever for using the innovation available to us to help us interact with our environment in more thoughtful and intentional ways. Here are a few device-friendly gifts for your modern nature lover.
Online Trip Planning Class
Planning an outdoor adventure can be one of the most overwhelming parts of the experience. Gift yourself or a friend an online class with an experienced guide to give you confidence that you are prepared. Especially helpful if you are embarking on a new type of trip! Minnesota guide Pam Wright has decades of experience in backpacking, canoeing, and winter camping.
Solar-Powered Charger
Keep devices charged during long outdoor trips with a handy solar-powered charger. If you’re taking kids on the trail it doubles as a science lesson in solar power and renewable energy! (Recommended by Gear Lab)
Gardening Community Subscription
Give the gift of community and mentoring to your favorite gardener. Season extending garden guru Meg hosts an active online community with daily content for subscribers. We love the robust and regularly updated content she posts. Her monthly Q&A is full of great tips.
Pela Compostable Phone Case
Beautifully designed, Pela cases are the world’s first truly sustainable phone case. They are durable enough to protect your phone from drops and scratches and are also compostable! We love the 1980s themed cassette style.
Comfy Gifts for Nature Lovers
The people have spoken! Our buying choices really do guide the direction of manufacturing and we are seeing the results of making more ecologically responsible clothing selections. More and more apparel companies jumping onboard with products certified by standards such as Bluesign, Oeko Tex, Cradle to Cradle, and B Corporations. Here are a few wearable gift ideas for your nature lover.
Patagonia Better Sweater
A cozy, versatile fleece sweater made from recycled materials. Patagonia is renowned for its commitment to sustainability and fair labor practices.
Tentree Atlas Sweatpant
Comfort meets eco-friendliness with these sweatpants made from organic cotton and recycled polyester. Tentree plants ten trees for every item purchased, emphasizing their commitment to reforestation.
prAna Foundation Dress
Ideal for those warmer days spent outdoors, this dress is made from a sustainable Lenzing Modal blend, making it soft, breathable, and eco-friendly. prAna is known for its sustainable practices and fair trade certifications.
Outerwear Gifts for Nature Lovers
Expanding from comfy and cozy to some solid outwear pieces. Here are a few more wearable gift ideas for your nature lover.
REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie
Perfect for hiking and long days under the sun, this hoodie offers UV protection and is made with bluesign®-approved materials to ensure it meets high environmental standards. We love it as a cute way to stay outdoors in the sun while protecting our skin and staying cool.
Cotopaxi Teca Half-Zip Windbreaker
This colorful windbreaker is made from remnant fabric, reducing waste and promoting a more sustainable production process. Cotopaxi also dedicates profits to social causes.
Smartwool Merino Reversible Beanie
Merino wool is a must have for all kinds of nature lovers. It is naturally odor resistant, comfortable in a wide range of temps and so soft! These hats from Smartwool are no exception.
Best Gifts for Nature Lovers
We love nature, we love our nature lovers, and we love giving gifts. Those don’t have to be mutually exclusive! We hope our curated list of gift ideas for nature lovers gives you some new ideas for those environmentally minded loved ones in your life. Or maybe it’s even given you a few ideas for your own birthday list!
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