Looking for a gift idea for someone outdoorsy? Or need a little pick me up for yourself? May I suggest…a coffee table book!
Adventurous coffee table books are one part each: inspiration, conversation piece, and décor. Coffee tables books also tend to be on the more expensive end of books, which means people often hesitate before buying them for themselves, but they’re not sooo expensive that they’re unaffordable as gifts.
Here are 10 coffee table books for outdoor enthusiasts of all types. These are books I own, have looked through, have heard highly of, or have on my personal want list. Want more? Check REI’s selection of Adventure Coffee Table Books, Amazon (warning: lots of options!), or go old school and peruse your local bookstore (you might even find a sale!)
For more adventure and travel related gift ideas, check out:
25+ Gifts for Campers Under $25
The Ultimate Gift Guide for Hikers by an Avid Hiker
Ten Outdoor Adventure Books that Will make You Laugh, Cry, and Want to Get Outside
30 Gifts Under $30 for the Outdoor Enthusiasts in Your Life
*Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you use one to make a purchase, I get a small commission at no extra charge to you.*
10 Giftable Outdoor & Adventure Coffee Table Books
There and Back: Photographs from the Edge by Jimmy Chin
I’m a huge Jimmy Chin fan so this one had to be on the list! Chin’s combination of outdoor athleticism and photography/videography skills is the definition of impressive. This coffee book couples his exceptional photos with behind the scenes stories from Chin. PS If you like the outdoors haven’t seen Meru, which Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (spouses) directed, check it out!
Epic Road Trips of the Americas by Lonely Planet
I mean, come on – the cover alone is epic! Not only is this book a stunning addition to any fall coffee-tablescape, but it is chock-full-of road trip ideas for all seasons and travel types along with short essays from people that have actually taken the trips. I’m currently having a blast reminiscing over the road trips I’ve done and getting ideas for new ones.
Subpar Parks: America’s Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors by Amber Share
This book is anything but subpar. Like the uber popular Instagram account (@subparparks) from which it developed, the book contains a comical collection of the worst reviews of the US’s national parks turned into graphical images. The images are artfully coupled with tidbits about the parks. The book promises 50% new content – and just plain fun to flip through.
Wanderlust USA by Gestalten (Editor), Cam Honan (Editor)
There’s a reason this book tops many “best” lists. It’s a coffee table book meets hiking guide book that is bursting with top-notch images, inspiration, and guidance. It was the first in what has become a series of coveted coffee table books.
High Tide: A Surf Odyssey — Photography by Chris Burkhard by Chris Burkard
This collection of surf photography from renowned surf and adventurer photographer Chris Burkard has fantastic gift potential for the surfer or outdoor photographer in your life. Burkard’s photos embody adventure surfing by some of the world’s best.
Gift Buying Tip: Burkard fans and adventure lovers might also like his newest book (2022), Wayward: Stories and Photographs, which is a collection of his surf, nature, and adventure photographs with the backstories, including that one time Burkard spent time in jail!
She Explores by Gale Straub
She Explores is a coffee table book filled with 40 first-person stories from female outdoor “explorers” of varying types and experience levels. It’s a great pick for any current or aspiring female adventurers in your life. I’ve seen one or two reviews that complained about the photo quality – the reason some photos aren’t tack sharp is because they are first-person photos from the storytellers not stock photos.
Powder: The Greatest Ski Runs on the Planet by Patrick Thorne
Admittedly, this one is outside my zone of expertise as someone whose only skied a handful of times, but I think sport specific coffee table books are a thoughtful gift so here we are. This book is described as “the definitive guide to the best and most feared ski runs on the planet.” If you want to splurge, you could also consider The Man Behind the Maps, which is a collection of book of images of 200+ ski maps painted by a Colorado artist, James Niehues. Perfect for your art, map, and ski-loving bestie.
Gift Buying Tip: These are ski-focused books so if you’re buying for a snowboader you may want to look for a book that is snowboard focused, like the beautiful but spendy Chasing Epic, or at least incorporates snowboarding like this one.
Mountaineers: Great tales of bravery and conquest by Royal Geographical Society & The Alpine Club
This book is awesome. It contains so freaking much (technical term ;)) information on mountaineering history, mountaineers that shaped history, and the world’s most impressive mountains along with corresponding photos and maps. Despite containing a lot, the book is pulled together in a way where it retains the ability to be “flipped-through,” the hallmark of a good coffee table book.
Van Life by Foster Huntington
Van life has become a popular way of exploring outdoor destinations in the US and abroad. This book pairs social media sourced van life photos culled by Foster Huntington who claims to have started the #vanlife hashtag. The result is a health variety of “rigs” (i.e. vans and vehicles) and landscapes and a solid dose of “if all these people can do it, maybe I can too,” inspiration.
Gift Buying Tip: As an ironic warning: this may be better suited for your part-time van-life friends or van-life hopefuls. Full-time van-lifers guard their limited space voraciously.
The Continental Divide Trail: Exploring America’s Ridgeline Trail by Barney Scout Mann
Chock full of photos and information this coffee table book is ideal for hikers, backpackers, and people that just love to go “damn, I can’t believe people do this!” It covers the Continental Divide Trail which is one of three through-hikes that make up the “Triple Crown.” The CDT gets a lot less commercial love (and through hike attempts) than its counterparts, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and Appalachian Trail, so it’s a great gift to give for something a little different. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Journeys North: The Pacific Crest Trail, which is not a coffee table book but just a great nonfiction adventure read by the same author.
Hope that you have a successful gift hunting. Happy Trails!
