Experience Gifts For Men

by Rose Parker

There are some out there who view the holiday season as a gifting opportunity to go off the beaten path.  For some, this entails scratching off bucket list items such as visiting Las Vegas, a helicopter tour, or sightseeing. For others, this gives carte blanche to satisfy the adrenaline junkie side of their men.  This can take shape with activities like race car driving, white water rafting, scuba diving, paintball, and skydiving.  

One of the most popular extravagant gifting ideas are those that involve travel to the parts unknown. The world is full of places just waiting to be explored.

Planning a holiday getaway is a wonderful idea for an experience gift. Give the man in your life the experience of a lifetime by thoughtfully planning an escape from the mundane day to day with an inclusive trip to somewhere exotic and exciting.

Tropical forests and white beaches await, and if somewhere hot isn't his number, you could plan a snowy retreat into a quiet and charming mountain setting for just the two of you. No matter the locale, a trip away from home is sure to provide a wonderful opportunity to experience something new and memorable for the man in your life.

Cloud 9 Living offers tours and getaway experiences for just about every person and interest. You could plan and book a trip for one, two, or more quickly and easily from your home and rest assured you'll be getting, or rather giving, one of the more unique and memorable gifts ever.

Cloud 9 Living has travel packages to cities and countryside all over the world, so there are no shortages in choice and you'll be able to pick a destination that is simply perfect for the man you're gifting.

Holiday shopping for your man doesn't have to be a complex experience. Your list could be as extravagant as  a trip to New York to visit locales or as quiet and low-key as visiting your loved ones.  You could visit northern California for a small getaway and experience wine tasting in the Napa Valley and you can visit the abundance of national parks in the area. 

If big travel doesn't fit your means, you can also plan a not so far off getaway by visiting a nearby city and taking in the sights and venues you normally wouldn't give notice to. You might even opt for a carefully vetted airbnb  for a romantic but thoughtful getaway.

There might be a place the man you're shopping for has always wanted to visit or an activity he has always been curious about trying out, these are also perfect ideas for gifting an experience. There is no such thing as the "perfect gift" as everyone's tastes and preferences are different and unique.

If you're looking to purchase a less extravagant gift, another popular gift idea is to purchase a voucher for a food tasting event so your man can hobnob with the other foodies and enjoy himself.  Gift cards and gift certificates are both great stocking stuffers if you're pressed for time and need a gift last minute.

Most certificates and trips are purchased virtually, so you can  take advantage of the online shopping experience and peruse a wide list of great gifts from the comfort of your own home. Instead of fighting traffic and the immense crush of people at the retail stores and long lines, you can just hit the checkout button and be done in a snap!

The best presents are those that are inspired by the recipient. Taking the time to put a little thought into the activities your sweetheart enjoys can go a long way in deciding on a meaningful gift. If the man in your life likes a challenge you might consider more though provoking gift ideas.

Your intellectual man may have your scratching your head about the best gift to give, but you could really go to the max and sign them up for an adult scavenger hunt through the beautiful countryside or glimmering city. If a scavenger hunt isn't the right fit, many cities have escape room venues that you could enjoy together or with a group of friends looking for a fun and intellectual challenge. 

If the man you're gifting is interested in more regular activities or interests you should consider an annual pass to one of his favorite places or activities you think he would enjoy revisiting time and time again. Sporting events, zoos, theme parks, and theaters all offer annual passes to their die hard fans. If your recipient is more down to earth and enjoys activities at home, you could purchase a subscription for reading material or items that support their interests. For example a subscription

MasterClass for the gifted chef or dedicated foodie in your life could spice up their kitchen and give them experiences that they never considered before. While on the subject of masterclass, you could also sign them up for a class. Not a math class of course, but perhaps a cooking class, a woodworking class, or even an axe throwing class.

Does your recipient enjoy fine dining or expensive wines? If so you should consider touring the winery where their favorite brand is made, or visiting local wineries over the weekend so they can discover something new. If food is their art, you could buy them reserved them a table at a few of the towns hottest eateries, or even buy them tickets for a dinner train or theater. Speaking of theater, if the man you're shopping for is a bit more refined you could surprise them with amazing seats to their favorite show, or even introduce them to a completely new work of stage work.

For your adrenaline junkie, you might consider something a bit more daring to get their blood pumping and give them that adrenaline high they love. You could sign them up for a heart stopping day of base jumping, skydiving, bungee jumping, or paragliding.

Alternatively, if the man you are gifting has a need for speed, you might look into planning a day of unique driving experiences on the track, giving them the gift of every young boy's fantasy to be a race car driver! Yet, if danger isn't your man's idea of fun but he still enjoys a good day of physical activity, a few hours spent playing laser tag or paintball might be more like his cup of tea, giving him the challenge he needs without the risk he doesn't. 

When giving the gift of experience, the most important thing to focus on is the person you are gifting. What kind of activities do they like? Are they interested in a specific sport or sports team? Are they into staying fit or taking it easy? Do they have specific tastes, and experienced palate, or are they open to try new things?

Take into consideration who they are and what they enjoy. Try to think back to those random conversations about the things they mentioned that they would like to do someday, or the offhand remarks about activities and places they think would be fun. Experience gifts are gifts that are never forgotten and provide a unique opportunity for creating new and fun memories that the man in your life can look back on and relive for years to come.