This holiday season, if you're looking to get away from a typical material gift and give something more exciting and enriching, there are incredible experiences around the world that make unique and memorable gifts. Here are the best experiential gifts to treat everyone on your list. Still want a little something to put under the tree? Check out our list of 100 Christmas Gifts for $25 or Less.
Plenty of restaurants offer farm-to-table cuisine, but what about a gift for your favorite foodie that brings the table to a farm? Outstanding in the Field has hosted one-of-a-kind dinners featuring incredible local food in stunning locations, from a ranch in Hawaii to a farm in Texas to a beach in the Florida Keys.
Treat the car enthusiast in your life to the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles or Atlanta, where they can pilot the latest Porsche models on thrilling driving courses. It's a worthwhile splurge where they can test the limits of the vehicles and become a better driver. The Experience Centers also feature exceptional restaurants, state-of-the-art driving simulators, and a rotating selection of notable vehicles from the Porsche Museum in Germany and collectors in the United States. Other options for car lovers include these 23 Places to Get Behind the Wheel of a Sports Car You Can't Afford.
With the National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Annual Pass, an avid hiker or camper can enjoy the nation's natural wonders all year long. The $80 pass allows the pass holder and up to three adults access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, where they can enjoy activities like these 31 Bucket-List Experiences in America's National Parks.
The perfect gift for that friend or family member who has always wanted to take to the skies, a scenic glider ride promises stunning views and the thrill of a lifetime. Cloud 9 Living offers glider rides from Boulder, Colorado, which include breathtaking views of the Flatirons, the Continental Divide, and more.
Sure, you could give someone a piece of furniture, but how much cooler would it be if they could make it themselves? At Bien Hecho Academy in Brooklyn, students learn how to craft furniture through hands-on classes that cover everything from woodworking fundamentals to advanced design techniques. Even if for people who have no prior woodworking experience, the instructors offer a supportive and fun class environment.
If someone you know has always wanted to learn rock climb or would love to improve their climbing skills, treat them to rock climbing lessons. The American Alpine Institute offers climbing courses for all levels around Washington, California, Alaska, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. Other options include a guided climb with Cliffhanger Guides in Joshua Tree National Park and the Eastern Mountain Sports Climbing School in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.
A hot air balloon ride can be a thrilling adventure and make the perfect gift for someone who would appreciate spectacular bird's-eye views from a basket. Rainbow Riders, the official operator of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, offers some of the most popular balloon rides in the country. But you can find great companies across the country, including Balloons Over New England and Lake Geneva Balloon Company in Wisconsin.
Whether they've never been surfing before or are looking to improve their skills on the waves, surf lessons are a great gift — especially for someone looking to travel somewhere warm this winter. Learn2Rip Surf Lesson Academy is a great option in Southern California; Hook Up Surfing offers classes in Hawaii; and Ron Jon Surf School is a hugely popular option in Florida.
A great gift option for someone who cares deeply about global social and environmental issues, RCDP International Volunteer programs offer affordable options to see the world while giving back. The organization offers a wide range of projects, from helping sea turtles in Costa Rica and pandas in China to teaching in Thailand and helping the poor in Uganda. You could also consider these 20 Ways to See the World and Help Save the Planet.
For the starry-eyed adventurer on your holiday gift list, Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, promises to be an incredible experience. This unique camp offers opportunities for kids and adults, including hands-on interactive space missions, astronaut training, flight simulators, robotics programs, and more.
The tequila lover on your list will be thrilled by the opportunity to climb aboard the Jose Cuervo Express for a totally unique experience of their favorite beverage. The vintage-inspired luxury train whisks them through the fields of agave in Tequila, Mexico, while they sip tequila cocktails and eat regional specialties. They'll get to tour the Jose Cuervo distillery, explore the pueblo of Tequila, watch traditional performances, and more. It's a worthwhile splurge.
Related: 15 Best Tequilas Under $30 a Bottle
For the friend or family member who always fantasized about joining the circus, trapeze school offers them the chance to float through the air with the greatest of ease. Trapeze School New York offers classes for all levels in flying trapeze, silks, trampoline work, acrobatics and more, and has locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
Chocoholics will love the gift of chocolate-making classes from Ecole Chocolat. The online classes include an intensive professional chocolatier program and a bean-to-bar program for professionals and home chocolate makers, as well as options for those who want to learn more about chocolate but not as a profession. The school also offers graduate programs around the world for hands-on experiences.
Whether they have two left feet or already feel at home on the dance floor, dance lessons are a fun experiential holiday gift for all skill levels. Most studios offer several levels from beginner to advanced, and you can usually find a range of classes, including ballroom, tango, salsa, swing, modern, jazz, and even square dancing.
Whether they're a cowboy or cowgirl at heart or would just enjoy galloping off into the sunset, horseback riding makes an excellent holiday gift. Most ranches offer lessons for all levels and guided rides through stunning scenery, as well as accommodations, food, and ranch activities for longer stays. Popular ones include Paradise Guest Ranch in Wyoming, Southern Cross Guest Ranch in Georgia, and Tierra Chamahua Eco Adventures in Mexico.
If there's an Elvis Presley fan on your holiday shopping list, treat them with the ultimate experience by sending them to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. There they can tour the home of the King, immerse themselves in interactive exhibits, and eat at the smokehouse or diner. Diehard fans can even stay at the guest house.
At Malibu Wines in Los Angeles, you can treat the oenophile in your life to a Wine Safari where they can not only sip local wines but also meet wild animals at Saddlerock Ranch. There are zebras, alpacas, bison, camels, and even a giraffe. Although the animal experience may seem kid-friendly, it is for visitors 21 and up. Kids can come along at these 21 Places to Safely See Wild Animals Up Close.
Whether they've always wanted to learn to play an instrument or are looking to improve their skills, music lessons make an excellent experiential gift. School of Rock offers classes around the world for kids and adults of all skill levels on guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and keyboard. Musika offers classes online, in studio, or at home for a wide range of instruments.
Whether they're an aspiring artist or more of a paint-by-numbers enthusiast, a Paint Nite event offers the chance to get artsy while enjoying a drink and socializing. Events take place at bars and restaurants all over the United States and Canada, and the painting instructors make it easy and fun to follow along. A Yaymaker pass can be used not only for Paint Nite but for other events organized by the parent company, like Plant Nite, Flower Workshop, and Candle Maker.
If someone on your holiday gift list has always wanted to scuba dive or is looking to get more experience, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) offers lessons for all levels around the world. For a more extravagant gift, you can book a scuba-certification vacation to a destination in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Australia, and more.
Sometimes the best experiential gifts are the ones where the recipient doesn't have to do a thing. Treat a special someone to a day at a spa, where they can get a massage, soak in hot springs, lounge in the sauna and steam room, and enjoy lots of pampering. Most spas offer gift certificates; just be sure to cover not only access to the facilities but also whatever treatments you want. Choose from these Spectacular Destination Spas in Every State.
While skydiving from an airplane might be a little too advanced for some people on your gift list, indoor skydiving offers a less lofty experience that's still a thrill. Treat them to a gift card from iFly Indoor Skydiving, which has locations around the country and is available to participants as young as 3.
A good bottle of wine is a pretty typical holiday gift, so why not mix things up and give someone the chance to blend their own wine? At The Blending Lab in Los Angeles, participants learn how to taste wine, find out what makes each grape varietal unique, learn how to blend wine, and then get to take home a bottle of their very own blend.
A helicopter tour is a unique holiday gift that can offer incredible views of some of the world's most stunning sights. From the skyscrapers of New York to the glaciers of Alaska, the Grand Canyon, and Niagara Falls, there are countless places to explore from a sky-high perch.
Escape rooms are hugely popular and offer participants the challenge of solving puzzles with their teammates in order to get out of a themed room. Each escape room is unique and the themes range from spy adventures and casino heists to prison breaks, haunted houses, desert islands, and more. Most cities host several escape room companies, and Breakout Games has locations around the country.
A fun way to get your heart racing while testing your aim, paintball makes for a great holiday gift. Facilities across the country offer both indoor and outdoor courses — such as the incredibly elaborate castles and towns of Skirmish Paintball in Pennsylvania — and typically you can buy a gift certificate that covers admission as well as equipment and paint.
Indulge the foodie in your life by giving them cooking classes that will help sharpen their skills in the kitchen — if you're lucky, they'll treat you to a meal after. You can find excellent cooking classes for all levels in most major cities. If they would be game for a trip to France, La Cuisine Paris offers market tours and cooking classes in the City of Lights.
For the arts enthusiast in your life, purchase an annual museum membership to their favorite cultural institution. Whether it's a natural history museum or contemporary art space, they'll appreciate having the opportunity to explore at their leisure all year long without having to pay admission.
While most of us enjoy pizza, some love it so much they want to make pizza (and eat it) all the time. For those people, there are pizza making classes around the country, including the Goodfellas Pizza School of New York and Tony Gemignani's International School of Pizza in San Francisco. And for a hardcore aspiring pizzaiolo, there's the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli in Italy.
Many nurseries offer flower arranging classes for amateur florists, as do botanical gardens, arboretums, and college extension programs. Around the holidays, many offer wreath making classes, which offer the gift recipient a chance to develop a skill and have something to hang on their door next year.
