Over 20 of the Best Experience-Based Gifts for 2022!
For 2021, why not give a gift that will get your family and friends off the couch and experiencing the world. This year, give an experience.
Experience gifts are my absolute favorite and most people live getting an experience rather than more stuff! What I love about experience-based gifts is that they will leave lasting memories. So this year, give more memories with an experience-based gift.
Here is a list of some of the best experience gifts!
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Gift Ideas for Those Who are Active
My husband and I took dance lessons together, and to this day it has been one of the most fun things we have done! We already love to dance, so having formal lessons was fantastic. Through our class, we learned techniques that we used on the dancefloor at our wedding. It was a chance to get to do something different and somewhat vulnerable together.
We got a great discount on the dance lessons by buying them through Groupon! Here is the specific class that we took and absolutely loved!
You really don’t need to have the “gear” for dancing, but if you would like to get dance shoes here are some of Amazon’s best!
Gifting someone a pass to their favorite group exercise place would be awesome! I love yoga and would love to receive a pass to take more classes. Or maybe your friend has been talking about joining a spin class and has never made the jump. You could step in and provide that pass for them.
A lot of places offer discounts for the first month for new members. Check to see if your local group exercise facilities offer any kind of discount! You can also look on Groupon for great deals!
Related: My Favorite Verses on Giving
3. Laser Tag
I don’t know about you, but I love laser tag! It is a great gift to give to a family or a group of friends. I have had a lot of fun laser tagging with groups! If you’re looking for a gift to give a family this is a great option.
They also make laser tag that you can play at home! I’ve tried it once and it was pretty fun to play in the comforts of your own home. Though you won’t get the full effect like you would at a specialized laser tag facility!
There are a lot of places that will do hourly kayak rentals. We have enjoyed a few in Colorado as well as in Michigan and Illinois. If you or enjoy getting outside and being on the water, kayak rentals could be a great experience-based gift for you and a loved one!
Buying a kayak for yourself might also be a great option if you live near water! There are tons of great kayaks to buy online. They even make ones that you can inflate.
5. Sports Lessons
Private or group lessons in a particular sport could be a lot of fun for the right person. We met a guy at our community center gym who mentioned he was taking personal ice skating lessons. His reason was so that he could keep up with his 8-year-old son who had recently taken up hockey. That way he could spend more time with him on the ice!
Gift Ideas for Foodies
6. Chocolate and Wine Pairing Class
For my 21st birthday, my parents took me to a chocolate and wine pairing class and it was so much fun! It was a great way to experience wine and also get to enjoy some delicious chocolate.
My favorite chocolates are Ghirardelli. There are so many flavors now that it is hard to choose from!
7. Sur La Table
I received a cooking class at Sur La Table as a bridal shower gift. My husband and I love to cook! So going to a professional cooking class was a blast for us. We learned some new cooking techniques as well as a great new recipe. Through the class, you also receive a coupon to use in their store. We ended up buying a kitchen tool that we fell in love with during the class. It was a garlic peeler, similar to this one.
8. Cooking Class From Restaurants
Sur La Table classes can be a bit expensive, so find out if you can take a class somewhere else! There are some restaurants that offer cooking classes. Call up your favorite place to grab a bite and see if they do offer classes.
I also recommend checking with your community center, or checking on Groupon for more ideas of cooking classes! You might be surprised to see what is out there.
9. Exciting or Exotic Restaurants
My husband knows that when we do go out for dinner (we don’t go out very often) I love to try new and interesting places. Recently we went to an underground restaurant called the Rabbit Hole. There was an entrance to it sort of like a subway entrance.
Gift Ideas for Thrill Seekers
10. Sailboat Excursion
If you live near a big body of water I’m sure there are some cool boating excursions nearby. We went on a fancy sunset sailboat excursion in San Diego and it was a lot of fun. Boating excursions can be a great way to get a lot of people involved.
If you do a boat cruise, make sure to have good boat shoes to walk around the deck with. As well as a windbreaker because it often gets cold and windy while on a boat!
11. Sailing Lessons
Sailing lessons can be a great gift for those who love to be on the water. Sailing lessons can really be for all ages. Most cities with a big body of water will offer sailing lessons, so check out to see if there are some offered near you today!
Related: 7 Things to Stop Paying For
12. Concert Tickets
We love to go to concerts. We used to go a lot in college, and have scaled back a bit since they can be quite expensive. But we have both given each other concert tickets as some sort of present over the years!
13. Escape Room
For those who love puzzles and a good challenge, escape rooms make the perfect experience-based gift. We have been to a few escape rooms with friends and have always had a blast working together. Make sure to get a big group together, otherwise, you will get paired with people you may not know.
We’ve gotten most of our escape room experiences from Groupon!
14. Flying Lessons
My father is a pilot, and for a graduation present, he got my sister’s boyfriend a beginner flying lesson session! The lesson was in a small 4 seater plane, so be sure that whoever gets the present likes that kind of a thrill! Either way, I thought the idea of gifting flying lessons was extremely unique and a once in a lifetime experience. Maybe your loved one would think the same thing.
15. Unique Groupon Experiences
When we are looking for something different to try, we like to search on Groupon to see what they have to offer. Not only are there great discounts, but you can also find some interesting new experiences. I bought my sister and her boyfriend a haunted bar tour once. I would have never thought about that off the top of my head, but it was interesting and different!
Also, as a bonus, if you use Rakuten you can earn cashback on the Groupons you purchase!
Learn about more cash-back shopping opportunities here.
Experience Gift Ideas That are Practical
16. Online Course
Online courses can be super fun and also very practical. There are a number of different online courses out there. You can find the perfect course for your friend or family member! Here are two of my favorite courses.
17. Genetic Test
I’m sure you have heard of all the different kinds of genetic tests available. 23 and Me, AncestryDNA, and many more. This could be a fun family gift. But be careful. My friend’s family found out that someone wasn’t a biological son for the first time in his 50’s. Yikes!
They also make genetic testing kits for your beloved family pets now!
18. Conference or Business Event Tickets
This may not be for everyone, but I have been gifted tickets to different conferences before and I have been so thankful for them. I really enjoy going to different real estate, business, and finance events. Maybe someone you know would enjoy a ticket to an event that fits into their career field.
Related: Books for Christian Entrepreneurs
19. Museum Tickets (special exhibits)
Some of my favorite experienced-based gifts have come in the form of museum tickets. Whether it is to get into the museum itself or to experience one of their special exhibits. My husband and I have gone to fun exhibits like The Dead Sea Scrolls, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Wars Costumes.
Check out this Selfie Museum I found here in Denver. This is definitely not a joke… It is totally real.
20. Massage
I always welcome a gift certificate to get a massage! It is probably one of my favorite experienced-based gifts to receive! This is typically the way that I end up getting massages since they are a bit of a luxury. My husband bought us a couple’s massage for our honeymoon and that was fantastic!
Groupon sells a lot of great coupons for massages. They make awesome gifts and you can even have them emailed to someone if you don’t live nearby.
Another one of my favorite experience-based gifts is a photoshoot session. This can either be paying for a photoshoot for someone else, or it could mean you have photos done and gift them to someone. We gifted my parents with a mini photoshoot of the two of them and their dog. They had a blast and got some really great photos!
22. Community Center Class
Does your community center offer a variety of classes? Check them out and see if there are any classes that one of your loved ones might enjoy. A lot of community centers offer language classes, cooking classes, art classes, and so much more!
23. Money Coaching Sessions
Does your loved one struggle with their personal finances? Maybe buying them a couple Money Coaching Sessions could be beneficial and very practical. This could be the gift that never stops giving because they could potentially save money month after month – and then they could give you better gifts in the long run!
Some great money coaches to check out:
- Wally with Financially Thriving
- Sean the Money Coach
- Financial Unity Coaching with Edifynancial
- Katie with Agape Investing
Gift Ideas for Those Who Love to Travel
Do you know someone who loves the outdoors and travels often? Well gifting them with an Annual Parks Pass could be a great option! The pass gives access to all of the National Parks.
25. Airbnb Get-Away
I have received Airbnb get-aways in many different forms. Each experience has been so much fun. Whether it is getting away with my husband for a quick weekend or with a group of friends it is always a blast. There are so many unique places to stay. It’s almost too difficult to pick out which place is the coolest!
26. Plane Tickets
Why pay for someone’s plane ticket? Either for a big vacation or a short getaway. Surprising someone with a getaway requires a lot of planning. However, if you are going somewhere with a friend or a family member, why not pay for their ticket? My parents like to gift us tickets to come visit them. It works out in everyone’s favor!
Not sure where your friend or loved one wants to travel to? You can also gift an airline gift card for them to use in the future!
We love our Southwest credit card because it helps us earn a lot of free flights! Those points can easily be transferred to another account as a gift to someone!
27. Camping Trip
A camping trip with a special person is a great gift for those who love the outdoors. It could be car camping, backpacking, or heading out in the RV. We have discovered the joys of dispersed camping – aka free campsites! This has been such a wonderful way to adventure for little to no money.
We recently stocked up on some new camping gear since it is something we like to do often. Here are a few of our favorite items that could also make great gifts for your favorite camper!
- Portable Camping Stove & Mini Propane Tank
- Cook Set (I use it to make coffee!)
- Teton Backpack and Hydration Pack
28. Local Tours
Every city is full of exciting tours and they make great experience-based gifts. I have personally experienced are architecture boat tours through Chicago, kayak tours through Chicago, Segway tours in Sarasota, and haunted hayrides on Mackinac Island.
29. Hotel Gift Cards
We have both received and given away hotel gift cards before. What I love about them is that it is a great excuse to get away because you need to use the gift card! We received a hotel gift card as a wedding present which I thought was a brilliant idea.
30. Train Ride
In Colorado, we have a few places that have very unique train rides through the mountains. My favorite time to go on these train rides is in the fall, however, a lot of them are known for their Polar Express rides in the winter!
31. Baseball Stadium Tours
We once did a tour of the Colorado Rockies baseball stadium and it was actually a lot of fun. My husband and his family love baseball so it was a special way to celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday!
Do you have some awesome experience-based gifts to share with everyone?
I’d love to hear about some of the gifts you have given or received!
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What a fun list! I am sending this to my husband right now. The older I get the less stuff I want but I’ll take an activity or experience any day. Thanks for this.
I feel the same way! I love to make memories. They mean so much more than a new shirt =] Thanks for the comment
Great list. So many ideas I had no thought of. Every year for our anniversary my parents buy as gift cards to our favourite restaurants so we can go out in dates together. We love eating good food and spending time together.
I really like that idea! I think I’m going to tell my mother we want a gift card to one of our favorite restaurants now!