100+ Experience Gift Ideas for Everyone You Know

When it comes to gift-giving, the best presents often go beyond the physical. Experience gifts have the power to initiate unforgettable moments and foster deeper connections. Rather than focusing on items that might end up collecting dust, consider gifts that offer adventure, relaxation, or a chance to learn something new.

I’ve included a wide variety to encompass different budgets, age ranges, relation to the giftee, and more. Make sure to read through till the end so you don’t miss any of these unique options!

Let’s dive into some exciting ideas that can spark joy and create cherished moments for anyone lucky enough to receive them.

This post contains affiliate links, so I may get a small commission on purchases at no additional cost to you.

Season Passes & Memberships OR 1 Day Visit

Consider gifting season passes or annual memberships to local attractions! Or, if you cannot budget for the membership level for the individual/family you are gifting to, you can often purchase 1 day passes or tickets to these same venues. 

Here are some places you could look at purchasing passes or memberships:

• Botanical Gardens
• Zoo, Aquarium, Aviary or Wildlife Area 
• Art, History, or Science Museum or Discovery Center
• Amusement Park or Water Park
• Trampoline Park
• ClassPass or Pre-paid membership to their favorite gym/fitness studio
• Recreation Center
• Theater Season Pass
• Ski Pass to Ski Resort
• National Parks Pass
• Local Attractions Unique to Your Giftee’s Area
• Massage/Facial Membership at Local Spa

Hobby Investment

Supporting your recipient’s favorite hobby (or introducing them to a new one!) provides them with ongoing experiences and enjoyment. These are some ideas you could look into based on their favorite hobbies.

Paid Lessons

Help them learn or improve on their skills with paid lessons. Golf, cooking, instrument, art, and other classes are available through rec centers, clubs, private instructors, or even online courses. Purchase a number of private lessons or a full course.  

New Equipment or Tools

Whether your giftee enjoys gardening, crafting, or something completely different, think about getting them new tools or equipment to make their hobby more enjoyable or easier. 

A KitchenAid mixer or specialty instruments for baking, headphones for composing Spotify playlists, quality waders or new lures for fishing, magnetic tiles or LEGO DUPLO sets for young builders, things along those lines.

Hobby-focused Event

Purchase tickets for or accompany your giftee to an event related to their hobby! From fishing tournaments and ice fishing festivals, to book signings and storytelling events, to moonlight hikes and Ragnars, you’d be surprised how many hobby-related events you can find.

Membership Fees or Passes

Often hobbies come with fees you could pay for as your gift. For example, hunting licenses, membership to golf country club, video game battle passes, art or vocal studio fees, and other similar expenses.

Exclusive Access

Take a “normal” experience to the next level by giving it an exclusive feel.

• Rent out the full venue (movie theater, ice skating rink, art museum, amusement park, planetarium, etc) 
• Hire a Private Chef to cook them a fancy dinner at home
• Meal in a private dining area like a dining globe, a beachfront cabana, or a reserved rooftop dining area
• Rent a catamaran or sailboat for a private day on the water, complete with catered food and activities
• Hire a musician/band to play at a garden, their home or another intimate setting
• Sunrise hot air balloon ride somewhere scenic
• Arrange for a stylist to curate a private shopping session at a boutique
• Hire a mobile spa service to turn their home into a luxurious spa retreat with massages, facials, and relaxation areas
• Arrange a private helicopter ride over scenic landmarks, followed by a gourmet meal at a remote location
• Take a sleigh ride for two through scenic mountain snow to a private dining destination (like a yurt, a cabin, or other private dining area)

Travel

Night or Weekend Away

Treat your giftee to a weekend getaway: a romantic retreat, a trip with their friends/family, or a solo adventure to unwind. Whether it’s a cozy cabin in nature or a lively new city to explore, it’s amazing how just a few days away from “real” life can help you reset.

Longer Trip or Vacation

Is there somewhere your giftee has always dreamed of going? Has it been a few years since they have been able to travel anywhere for fun? Consider gifting them a vacation! Ask other family members or friends if they want to go in on this gift together and make it really special.

Airfare/rental car costs, lodging, food, and other misc trip expenses would need to be considered so this could be one of the more expensive gifts on this list. It’s also important to consider if your giftee is the type of recipient who would want to be surprised or consulted on this before final bookings are made. 

Outdoor Adventures

Plan an outdoor adventure trip! Explore a national park, find a pretty camping site, plan a backpacking route, go whitewater rafting, or a combination of any/all of these. If your giftee enjoys the outdoors, they would love this experience.

Tickets to Events

Concert Tickets

Get them tickets to see their favorite musician or band play, plan a night at a local orchestra, see if there is an upcoming music festival you could attend together, or browse for a future Candlelight Concert near them (these are BEAUTIFUL and would make a lovely gift). 

Sporting Events

Tickets to cheer on their favorite sports team are always a favorite! Consider both professional and college teams. Or if you can’t get them to their favorite stadium due to distance or budget constraints, local sporting events are still lots of fun and should also be considered.

Play, Musical, or Opera

Are they more of the artsy type? The world’s a stage and some of our best-received experience gifts have been tickets to see Broadway musicals, plays, or even to the opera. Whether it’s a show they have never seen or one they can never see too many times, this will be a treasured present.

You can also introduce them (for free) to Opera Streaming services like OperaVision, especially if they live somewhere remote or are not mobile enough to visit live venues.

Festival or Expo Entry

There are countless festivals and expos that occur throughout the year, some local and others that travel across the country. Look for music, film, botanical garden, cultural, seasonal or other upcoming festivals as well as car shows, arts and craft conferences, comicon or gaming conventions, and other expo events. 

Often there are entry fees charged for these festivals and events and you could gift them tickets to attend!

Check Local College & City Calendars for Upcoming Events

We are often amazed at the amount of fun (and inexpensive) events hosted at our local university or within the community. Renowned speakers, sporting events, concerts, plays, dance performances, art exhibits, festivals, cultural events, and so much more. Check these calendars often because events are regularly posted and updated.

Tickets to these types of events tune giftees into the heart of their community without breaking the bank.

Misc

“Date” Night

One-on-one outing/date night with your significant other, your child, your parent, or even with a grandparent. Plan a meal they would enjoy and an activity that will allow you to talk and spend quality time together.

Escape Room

Escape Rooms are such a fun gift! Whether they are brand new to this idea or are an expert escapee, your giftee is sure to love whatever escape room you book for them!

Virtual Chocolate Tasting

Gift a live virtual presentation that comes with artisan chocolate samples! They’ll learn how to properly taste artisan chocolate and taste the subtle differences in 9 different chocolate samples from around the world.

Fun Center Pass

Schedule a unique take on traditional “fun center” activities with a round of Foot Golf or Whirlyball if they’re available in your area!

If not, gift a day pass to a fun center featuring activities such as Batting Cages, Mini Golf, Lazer Tag, Bowling, Arcade, Bumper Cars, and more.

Fondue Night

Find a restaurant that serves cheese and/or chocolate fondue platters! If you don’t see any options near your recipient (or you think they would prefer staying in), prep your own fondue pots and dipping trays instead!

Not Your Average Movie Night

Plan a movie night, but make it a more unique experience. Look for tickets to a drive-in theater, set up a projector by the pool and float while you watch, or theme the entire night around their favorite film complete with decorations, food and even costumes. 

Thrill & Adventure Seeking

Skydiving, Bungee Jumping, Underwater Shark Dive, White Water Rapids, Scuba Diving, Super Car Racing, Hang Gliding, and other extreme experiences might be just the adrenaline rush your recipient is hoping for! Plan the specific experience yourself OR snag a gift card to Virgin Experience Gifts so they can choose their own adventure!

Model Home Touring

Over the last few years, my husband and I have taken up touring model homes as a hobby. There is a steady supply of new model homes nearby and it’s a free experience that can actually be super fun! We discuss the things we do and don’t like about each house, check out the furniture and style of decorations in each room, and get ideas for finishing or renovating areas in our home. It’s cool to see current home trends, and learn more about the other person’s preference in layout and home design. 

Research available model homes in their area, plan the times and order you want to tour them, and enjoy this experience together!

Set Up a Volunteer Experience Together

If you are searching for a gift for the person who has it all, consider volunteering together. It can be fulfilling to help others, and is generally more enjoyable to volunteer with loved ones. Find ideas for volunteer opportunities near you here.

Explore Their City Scavenger Hunt

These city-specific walking scavenger hunts from Urban Adventure Quest are a fun way to learn more about the area you live while solving clues together! 

If you don’t see your giftee’s city on the available locations, check out these more generic Operation City Quests that can be done in any city in the US or Canada.

DIY Activities

Lots of cities have DIY experiences that make fun gifts! Look for venues with bookable activities such as:

• Paint your own pottery
• Glass blowing
• Jewelry making 
• Chocolate or Candy making 
• Soap making 
• Leather working 
• Candle making 
• Wood working
• (Canvas) paint nights
• Pottery making 
• Cake or Cookie Decorating
• Floral Arranging

Not only do they get to enjoy and remember the experience itself, there is also a built-in memento for them to bring home from a DIY activity in whatever they got to make! 

Fruit Picking

We love to find Pick-your-own (U-pick) farms and orchards in our area to experience as a family! The type of U-pick available will depend on what grows in their area as well as the time of the year. Apple picking, berry picking, cherry picking, citrus fruit picking, and peach picking are commonly found in the US. 

Prepare for the experience by selecting an open U-pick, gathering any baskets or bags needed to transport your goods back home, and maybe choose a few recipes you could use your spoils to make. Wrap up the basket with the date/time you want to take them to the U-pick for them to open. They’ll love this experience! 

Throw Pointy Things

Book them a session at a local target range! These places often offer axe throwing, archery, knife throwing, ninja stars, batarangs and more. Mix and match of these activities for a unique and fun experience gift.

Picnic with a View

Plan a scenic picnic outing for them. This can be done as a couple, as friends, or as a family! A pretty walk that ends with a picnic at the beach, a mountainous hike that ends with a picnic at a waterfall, a stroll that ends with a picnic overlooking a cool cityscape. 

Come prepared with their favorite drinks and foods and of course, somewhere to sit. This Backpack Cooler and this waterproof Picnic Blanket are two of our family’s hiking picnic essentials and I highly recommend them. 

Or if you want the whole picnic experience to be planned and a surprise for everyone in the group, try out a Mystery Picnic from Amazingco.

Pamper Them

Find a pampering experience that fits in your budget and will help your giftee relax, rejuvenate and feel appreciated. 

• Spa, Facial, Massage or other treatment at a local spa
• A day or weekend retreat to an overnight spa
• A mani-pedi at their favorite salon 
• Hair color/treatment of their choice at their favorite salon
• An in-home spa day where you pamper them yourself with a fancy bath, massage, pedicure, facial, or whatever treatments you want to do.
• Day-cation enjoying amenities like the pool, hot tub, spa, etc at a local hotel via ResortPass

Ice Skating

Take them ice skating! A traditional indoor rink is always fun, but you could always check out an outdoor rink OR look for more unique skating venues like an Ice Ribbon. 

Visit a Giving Machine

If you’re gifting during the holiday season, take them to find a Giving Machine! These vending machines allow you to purchase food, clothing, and other life essential items for struggling families and communities around the world. Give them a budget and then have them choose anything within that budget to gift to those in need.

DIY Night In

Order in their favorite meal and have a craft prepped and ready to try with them! Learning a new skill or just creating something together can be an inexpensive yet fulfilling gift. Choose from tons of different ideas on Pinterest, or snag one of these kits to get you started:

• Paint by Number (2 Pack)
• At Home Permanent Jewelry Kit
• Crochet for Beginners (Make sure to get one for each person participating)
• At Home Pottery Starter Kit
• Candle Making Set
• Mosaic Wooden Coaster Kit
• Assemble a Mini Greenhouse

Yes Day

Give your giftee a “Yes Day”! It’s a wonderful way to celebrate someone special by agreeing to say “yes” to their requests for an entire day. Whether it’s a partner, child, or friend, you can set a few basic guidelines and then let them choose how to spend their time—whether it’s fun activities, favorite meals, or spontaneous outings. It’s a chance to create joyful memories together and enjoy a day filled with laughter and adventure!

Bike Ride through the City

Rent a tandem bike for a day and explore a nearby city! You can preplan your bike route or just explore to find hidden gems together. It’s a fun way to find new favorite places and adventure together. 

Bucketlist Box

Life is too short not to live for your dreams! Help your giftee check an experience off their bucketlist they might never get to on their own with a Bucketlist Box. They can redeem this gift box for one of over 10,000 available activities. This is a gift they will NEVER forget!

Hooky Day

Give the gift of a day off! A day off of school for kids, from work for adults, and from household or family responsibilities. Plan to take care of their regular duties for them so that they aren’t stressed during/after their Hooky Day. Depending on the person, you could spend the day with them or let them go have a day all to themselves.

Experience Subscriptions

Snail Mail Story Letters

Who doesn’t love getting something in the mail besides bills and ads? These clever stories by The Flower Letters are told through a series of letters mailed to your giftee every two weeks for a whole year! They will anxiously await for each installment to arrive.

Goldbelly Food Subscription

Help your foodie friends experience popular foods they can’t find in their area with a subscription to Goldbelly! They’ll receive a monthly delivery of the country’s most coveted handcrafted foods, featuring legendary artisans who pour their passion into every creation. Each curated box highlights exceptional items, alternating between savory delights and sweet treats that showcase the nation’s favorite flavors.

MasterClass

Gift this subscription to video classes from renowned individuals across many different fields and interests. Master chefs, legendary designers, famous artists and musicians, business gurus, groundbreaking scientists, and more each create their own on-demand courses that can all be accessed through a virtual masterclass membership.

Kiwi Crates for Kids

Gift a subscription for Kiwi Crates to the children in your life! These kits contain toys and projects to help kids learn and explore the world around them. Both fun and educational, they will love getting something delivered to their home just for them.

Which of these experience gifts are you planning to gift? Let me know in the comments below!

Don’t miss our Gift Guide for Bath Lovers or tips on How to Become Better at Gift Giving.

Now go out there and gift joyfully!❤️