Outside-the-Box Experiential Gift Ideas

Gift giving is fun, joyful, selfless, and shows we care. It brings some anticipation and excitement, too: will they like what I picked out? We hope the list of experiential gift ideas below will help you give a personal, unique, and fun gift to your friends and family that won’t break the bank, regardless of where you live.

Remember, anything below can be either a skill or hobby that you have and can share, or someone else’s that’s offered via a lesson or class. Happy browsing!

Indoor Activities

• art (drawing, glass blowing, painting, photography, pottery, etc.), dance, dog training, food (baking, bartending, canning, cooking, home brew, etc.), floral design, gaming (board/video), jewelry making, interior design, language, letterpress, music (guitar, piano, vocal, etc.), organizing, repair work, textiles (cross stitch, crochet, knitting, sewing, etc.), writing/journaling, yoga/meditation, woodworking/carpentry

Outdoor Activities

• backpacking/hiking, biking (city/mountain), camping, caving, fishing, gardening, geocaching, hang gliding, horseback riding, identification (birds, trees, wildflowers, etc.), landscaping, rock climbing, scavenger hunt, skydiving, sledding, sports (basketball, bocce, golf, ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, tennis, etc.), water activities (canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, rafting, sailing, surfing, etc.), ziplining

Entry Passes/ Memberships

• aquarium, campground, charity race, dance club, gym, museum, park, pool, rec center, spa, travel club, zoo

Event Tickets/ Gift Cards

• art gallery, comedy show, concert, festivals/shows (art, car, dog, home, boat, music, etc.), lecture series, movie, opera, play, restaurant, sporting event

Personal Support

• car sharing, informational interview, massage/bodywork, personal training, photography session, resume help

Tours

• agriculture farm (apple, berry, corn maze, pumpkin, wine, etc.), architecture, city, food (local, ethnic, etc.), historical, naturalist (birding, waterfalls, wildflower, wildlife viewing, etc.), railroad, travel points or miles

Find additional ideas on our Pinterest board or share your ideas on our Facebook page.