What do you get someone who has everything? Or in my case, someone who has too much of everything? In my family, I have someone who is a hoarder sadly so our family has decided that it would be best to not buy physical items for this person. I also have others in my family who have done well for themselves so they can and will buy everything that they want when they want it which makes gifting really hard.
What I love about experiences is that most people who fall in either categories would enjoy these experiences, especially if these experiences allow them to spend more time with you or others. What is a better gift than gifting them with your presence 😉 Here is a list of experiences that you can do in your local area:
Paint and Wine
If you have someone who enjoys wine, this is a great experience even if they are not a great painter. I am not artistic and I was skeptical the first time I did one of these, but it’s actually a lot of fun and there is really no pressure to be a good painter. The more wine you have, the more you will understand what I mean :P. Most studios have multiple artists that are walking around to help you if you get stuck on how to get a specific color, texture, or pattern on your canvas.
With paint and wine classes, each are different so here are some things to watch out for:
- Draft lines – some studios will prep your canvas with lines so that it’s as simple as a coloring book with paint (highly recommend)
- Different paintings – some studios offer multiple painting options so that everyone is not painting the same thing. I prefer these because more often than not, I am doing this with roommates or my significant other so there is no point in having the same paintings hanging in a living space.
- Same paintings – if everyone is painting the same design, many studios will offer step by step instructions for people to follow along.
Cooking Class
I love cooking class on vacation. Some of you might find that strange as cooking is often thought to be a chore but I promise that if you sign up for a class, it is more than just cooking! Many places pre-cut and pre-measure the ingredients for you and also offer wine, making the class way more fun than you think.
Why do I take classes while on vacation? I love learning about other cultures, their history and cuisine. I am a foodie so trying new things is fun and tasty at the same time. At the end of the class, generally everyone sits down at a large table and eat family style. Many of my cooking classes have had people from all over the world and it’s amazing meeting new people. I learn so much in thew few hours and also some great ideas/places to visit if I am traveling internationally based on what’s on their agendas.
For international classes, I have had positive experiences using Viator and Tripadvisor. While I have never tried personally, you can take classes locally in the US through Sur La Table.
Also, I always pick classes where the food is something I do not typically make so generally I learn something new from the experience to take home to my own kitchen.
Mixology Class
I took a class in Louisville at the Liquor Lab (also available in Nashville) with a bunch of girlfriends and actually learned some things despite all the alcohol involved. They taught us multiple drinks that were unique, not something I would normally order or even know how to make. It was three full drink (which was a bit too much for all the ladies in our party) and at the end of it, we also got a mixer bottle to take home. They did a great job and had multiple people helping if someone had a question or fell behind.
I do not recommend for your bartender friends. They probably already know all this, but definitely fun for the average person.
Escape Room
If the person you are thinking about gifting this to is someone who loves puzzles, problem solving, and occasionally thinking outside of the box, then this is the perfect experience. I do not recommend for people that get claustrophobic.
They last 1-1.5 hours (given that you might solve it faster). For those that are not familiar with escape rooms, some things to look out for:
- Reviews: anything 4.0+ is worth looking into.
- Level of Difficulty: most facilities have multiple rooms. If it is not on the website, then I recommend you call and ask.
- Number of people: most escape rooms work best with 4-6 people so that people can pair up. Anymore than 6 people feels like too many cooks in the kitchen. Too few and it’s easy to fall behind or not finish in the allocated time.
- Private Rooms: make sure you are aware if it’s the type of escape room that pairs you with other people or provides a private room. Escape rooms can be intense so if you have strangers on your team, that might be more than you signed up for. I find private rooms with my friends more fun so we can talk about it afterward.
