Gifts For Map Lovers

Updated November 2021

Gifts for map lovers (like myself!) can be more than just an item for the bookshelf.

I wear map jewellery, have map wall art, map decorations and a ton of map themed accessories.

Maps inspire wanderlust and day dreams but also evoke memories of places, people and experiences. Map themed gifts can be practical, decorative and fun and do not have to be expensive; most of the gifts mentioned in this post are under £20.

So what are perfect gifts for map lovers?

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Practical travel gifts for map lovers

A custom made personalised map

Is there a better gift for a map lover than a map? Yes – a personalised map!

Ordnance Survey personalised maps allow you to choose your own location as the centre of your map plus you get to design the front cover with your own photo and text.

I bought a personalised Ordnance Survey map for my husband for our wedding anniversary. It looks amazing, is the usual, high quality OS map and it only took me 5 minutes to create. If you love maps, this is the perfect gift.

Check out this thoughtful and practical gift starting from only £6.99 here.

A themed map to help with travel planning

For a quirky gift for a map lover, check out the fantastic ST&G themed maps of Great Britain.

These high quality maps focus on different themes (such as food and drink, literature, folklore) and highlight the best places to visit in Britain for this topic.

It is packed with unusual and interesting facts so it is a good read as well as a practical map. Did you know the furthest journey by a paper boat on the River Thames is 160 miles?

I gave my husband a £14.99 ‘Great British Adventure Map’ for his birthday last year and we have added so many places to our ‘must see’ U. K destinations because of this map.

Check out the full ST&G range here.

A write on/wipe off map

I love gloss coated Miller Projection maps which are useful for the early stages of planning extended travel or a road trip.

If you change your travel plans, just clean the map and start again!

This affordable £9.99 travel planning map is a must buy if you are thinking of embarking on a family gap year,

Map Picnic Rug

The lightweight Pacmac picnic blankets are another fantastic practical map themed gift.

Family sized rugs measure 140cm x 140cm, weigh just 485g (which is ideal for anyone who likes to travel light) and are machine washable.

The rugs have a waterproof base and pack up very small. The rugs feature OS maps of different areas of the U.K and are a fantastic talking point or travel memento.

I guarantee you will be spoilt for choice! Check out the full range here. 

Map print notebooks and journals

Notebooks, journals, scrapbooks, photo albums (remember those?) make perfect map lovers gifts.

I received this budget friendly, stylish world map note book and it has proved invaluable for travel planning, home school ideas and those never ending ‘to do’ lists.

For an extra thoughtful gift for a map lover, check out these gorgeous personalised map journals from Etsy which can be customised with a name, travel dates or quote and a map of the destination.

Travel journals make great gifts for kids who travel. 

Re-useable water bottle

A practical and sustainable gift for a map lover is a re-useable water bottle.

I love my tough, insulated vintage map print bottle and never leave home without it.

It keep liquids cool for longer on a hot day and keeps hot drinks hot for hours. Plus it is easy to wash and hygienic to use as your hands do not touch the drinking part of the bottle.

Buy this gorgeous, eco friendly bottle here.

Map print cup

Whether you prefer Yorkshire Tea or Costa Rican coffee, a map print mug makes a practical, affordable gift.

I like these colourful world map mugs which will match any kitchen colour scheme.

Decorative gifts for map lovers

We have maps in different sizes, shapes and textiles all over our home and find it helps to keep travel an integral part of our family life.

World map wall art

We have a push pin colourful canvas map like this one to keep track of our family travels which reminds us of where we have been – and how many places we still have to visit!

You can also buy world map canvas in an artistic watercolour style, in a vintage print or an animal themed map for kids.

But for the ultimate world map gift, I love this gorgeous wall map from Enjoy The Wood.

This detailed map is available in different sizes and wood tones and has an option to add push pin flags for countries visited. It even includes the often neglected Iceland and New Zealand!!!

Check out the fantastic prices and options for this stylish map here.

Personalised world map wall art

Etsy has a fantastic range of thoughtful, personalised map gifts.

I like this personalised ‘mountain peak’ print which allows you to select different locations for your print. It is on my wish list this Christmas!

World Map Christmas decorations

I collect Christmas decorations from each location we visit and am always on the look out for map themed Christmas decorations.

Check out this range of colourful, handmade map baubles from 43Collective Home. I have the green bauble and love it!

Or capture the memory of a special place or moment with a personalised map bauble.

I love these ceramic map stars which can be personalised with a chosen location.

Fun gifts for map lovers

World Map Board Games

We love playing board games in our house and even more so if it is map themed.

Mapominoes which is equally challenging for adults as well as kids and has helped to improve my geographical and flag knowledge.

There are different countries and continents available with each game having varying levels of difficulty so it can be adapted to the ages or abilities of those playing. Plus the box is small and lightweight so it is ideal for bringing away on trips.

Check out all the options here.

We have Mapominoes Europe and Mapominoes Asia and hope to collect the full Mapominoes set to create one huge game.

We love train travel with kids so it is understandable that our family’s favourite map themed board game, is ‘Ticket To Ride.’

This fun, educational game is suitable for all ages and we spend hours playing this strategic game. It never gets boring and has helped develop our geographical knowledge of cities.

Check out the full Ticket to Ride range of cities, countries and continents here.

Jewellery

Take it from me, map themed jewellery always makes a great gift for a map lover.

I love this eye catching, vintage inspired world map jewellery set which is light and small enough to fit in my hand luggage.

Unlike other map jewellery this map isn’t squashed or indistinguishable.

Or check out this lightweight, sustainable bamboo watch from Sentai in a neutral colour to match any capsule travel wardrobe.

World map gifts for the home

The possibilities are endless.

Choose from world map soft fleece throws, map bedding, or even this funky world map shower curtain!

Map print clothing

A map print outfit is the ultimate way to publicly declare a love for maps!

These world map shirts for women and men,  t shirts, skirts and even shoes are guaranteed to be a conversation starter!

Map lovers gifts for under £10

There are lots of great map lovers gifts for under £10.

Choose from a map themed lunch box, a world map iPad case, a world map phone case, a world map glasses case….the list is endless. And yes, I have most of these map themed accessories!

But my favourite map themed accessory for under £10 has to be my funky, map print umbrella.

It is compact and lightweight so it fits easily into a handbag, daypack or cabin baggage.

I have been told my brolly is ‘very me’ and my kids say it makes me easy to spot in a crowd. My umbrella gets a lot of use living in the U.K!

You can find my world map umbrella here.

There are so many fabulous map themed gifts for map lovers of any age or gender that are fun, practical and sustainable as well as educational.

Buying a map lover a map themed gift shows you have put time and thought into their gift.

But remember, if you are obsessed with maps like I am, you can always treat yourself to a map themed gift!

I will just leave this list here…