These “Stunning” National Park Cups Make the Perfect Gift for Everyone (And They’re Only $20!)
This feature is part of The Kitchn’s Gift Edit, our editor-curated collection of gift ideas. Need more inspiration? Check out all our guides here.
What’s So Special About Uncommon Goods’ Collect Your National Park Glassware Collection?
These $20 pint glasses are a gorgeous, unique gift for anyone who appreciates the national parks — or just a good drink. There are 15 different illustrations to represent the 15 most popular parks, so you can help start their collection and then add to it with each occasion.
I am always on the hunt for a gift that’s a bit more unique than a scented candle or novelty tie, especially when Mother’s Day or Father’s Day rolls around every year. Thankfully, I’ve starred Uncommon Goods in my web browser because it’s filled with handcrafted gems that are perfect for everyone in your life. Anytime I’m looking for a gift idea that feels special and unique, that’s where I start.
What’s So Great About Uncommon Goods’ Collect Your National Park Glasses?
My in-laws are huge fans of national parks, so I couldn’t resist browsing the National Park Glassware collection when shopping for my father-in-law two years ago. My husband and I picked out a Yellowstone pint glass for a Father’s Day gift and it was a huge hit — especially because they don’t live too far from an incredible brewery in Wisconsin. It has since become his preferred glass for enjoying his favorite New Glarus beer out on the patio.
If your loved one’s ideal vacation is enjoying the natural wonders of America’s national parks, these are the perfect gift. Each 16-ounce tumbler features a different park with a fun and colorful illustration that wraps around the glass and highlights the unique terrain, plants, and animals of that park, as well as the park’s establishment date, notable fact, and the chronological number it was recognized in American park history. Each glass also comes in a gift-ready box so there’s no need for extra wrapping.
The collection includes the top 15 most visited national parks: Acadia, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Cuyahoga Valley, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains, Joshua Tree, Mount Rainier, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion.
At just $20 each, this is an affordable gift and one that can mark the beginning of a collection — you can easily add to a growing collection each year at various holidays or celebrations. We started out my father-in-law’s collection with Yellowstone and added the Grand Canyon version last year. It’s nice that we’ve found something that he enjoys and looks forward to receiving, and we have an easy go-to gift that’s still super thoughtful.
Each glass is top-rack dishwasher-safe, so they’re easy to care for. After about two years of usage, the Yellowstone glass has held up well with regular washing; the beautiful illustrations on the glass look the same as the day it was received.
They’re a little to tall to be stacked in a kitchen cabinet, and it’s fun to be able to see each location, so I recommend either lining them up in a cabinet or putting them out on display in a hutch, on open shelving, or even at a home bar. They’re a great conversation piece and the glassware has sparked a lot of fun dinner stories from my in-laws’ national park adventures over the years.
Plus, it’s always bonus when the glasses inspire their next trip — I’ll toast to that!