Experience as a Gift: 18 Christmas Experiences That Beat Another Thing to Unwrap
Giving an experience as a gift means trading an object for a memory: a national parks pass, a cooking class, a CityPASS for a city weekend, a museum or aquarium membership, a ski pass or a supercar track day. Below are 18 experience ideas with prices checked on each provider's own site in October 2026, from $46 to $1,529, plus how to wrap something that doesn't fit in a box.
A note before the list: we make Tribute, the group video maker, and Storybook, and they're the first two picks. Everything else comes from other providers.
| Experience | Best for | Price (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Tribute group video | A shared moment on Christmas Day | From $35 |
| Storybook video book | Reliving last year's trips | $49 to $129 |
| America the Beautiful pass | Road trippers | $80 |
| Sur La Table cooking class | Home cooks and couples | From $89 per person |
| Cozymeal gift card | Letting them choose the class | $10 to $1,000 |
| Empire State Building tickets | A New York visit | From $46 |
| San Francisco CityPASS | A Bay Area weekend | $89.95 |
| Art museum membership | Gallery lovers | From $90 |
| Aquarium membership | Repeat visits | From $75 |
| Zoo membership | Families who go often | From $78 |
| New York CityPASS | First-time NYC visitors | $149 |
| Chicago CityPASS | A Chicago weekend | $144 |
| Walt Disney World tickets | A family trip | From $119 per day |
| Universal Orlando 3-Day | Thrill seekers | From $297 |
| Longwood Gardens membership | Garden lovers | From $125 |
| California Academy of Sciences | Curious minds | From $119 |
| Xtreme Xperience track day | Car lovers | From $279 |
| Ikon Pass | Skiers and riders | $1,529 |
Why give an experience as a gift?
Experience gifts for Christmas tend to bring people closer than objects do. A study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that experiential gifts strengthened relationships more than material gifts, because of the emotion recipients felt while using them. It also matches what people say they want from the season: in a Pew Research Center survey, 69% of Americans named time with family and friends as what they look forward to most, while 4% named gifts.
Christmas present experiences also skip the clutter. Nothing to store, nothing to return, and the best ones come with a plan to do it together.
1. Tribute group video (our pick, we make this)
Some experiences happen in your own living room. Picture the moment on Christmas morning when the TV starts playing messages from 25 people who love your aunt: her sister in Manila, her college roommate, the neighbor who taught the kids to ride bikes. Tribute makes that happen. Tribute is a group video maker that turns messages from friends and family into one surprise video.
It works by inviting everyone to record a short clip from their phone; Tribute compiles the clips, music and photos into a finished video you share or play together. Over 8 million videos have been sent on Tribute, and it holds 4.9 stars from 7,000+ reviews.
- Look for: A link opened 2 to 3 weeks before Christmas, and a deadline a few days before
- Price: Free to start a draft; from $35 when you publish, or $99 with a Concierge editor (as of October 2026)
Best for: Pairing with any experience below, as the moment you reveal it.
Why it works: Unlike a video call, nobody has to be online at the same time, and the room watches it together.
2. Storybook video book (our pick, we make this)
Experiences end; the footage doesn't have to. Storybook is a square hardcover video book by Tribute with a screen inside where a page would be. You upload the trip's videos and photos, put them in order and pick a song in the online builder; we load the film, print the book and ship it, and it plays when they open the cover.
- Look for: Clips from last year's trip, wrapped with tickets for this year's
- Price: 5-inch $49, 7-inch $88, 10-inch $129, free US shipping (as of October 2026)
Best for: Travelers with a camera roll full of trips.
Why it works: Compared to an envelope with a voucher, it gives them something to open and replay.
Which experience gifts cost under $100?
Cheap experience gifts are easy to find once you look past the spa voucher. All of these come in under $100 as of October 2026.
3. America the Beautiful Annual Pass
A year of entry to national parks and other federal recreation sites run by six agencies. The America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass covers a car at per-vehicle sites, or the passholder plus three adults at per-person sites.
- Look for: It covers entrance and day-use fees, not camping or tours; valid 12 months from the month of purchase
- Price: $80 plus $7.50 in fees (as of October 2026)
Best for: Road trippers and hikers.
Why it works: One card turns into a dozen weekends outside.
4. Sur La Table cooking class
Chef-led classes in Sur La Table stores, with ingredients and tools included. Sur La Table cooking classes also come in Date Night and online formats.
- Look for: Date Night classes for two, from $99; online classes from $39 per household
- Price: From $89 per person (as of October 2026)
Best for: Experience gifts for couples.
Why it works: You leave with dinner and a dish you can make again.
5. Cozymeal gift card
A card for cooking classes, private chef meals, food tours and online cooking or cocktail classes. A Cozymeal Gift Card never expires.
- Look for: Cozymeal suggests $200 to $275 for two guests at most in-person classes
- Price: $10 to $1,000 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Food lovers who like to pick their own date.
Why it works: They choose the cuisine; you get credit for the idea.
6. Empire State Building observation deck tickets
Tickets run from the 86th-floor Main Deck to the 102nd floor and private tours. Empire State Building tickets can be rescheduled in most cases.
- Look for: The Flex Ticket (from $66) when the visit date isn't set
- Price: From $46 (as of October 2026)
Best for: A trip to New York already on the calendar.
Why it works: The view at sunset is the kind of memory people bring up for years.
7. San Francisco CityPASS
Entry to four attractions, chosen from places like the California Academy of Sciences, the Exploratorium, SFMOMA and a bay cruise. The San Francisco CityPASS is good for 9 days from the first visit.
- Look for: A $2 processing fee per ticket
- Price: $89.95 on sale, regular $164.95 (as of October 2026)
Best for: A Bay Area weekend.
Why it works: It plans the trip for them.
8. Art museum membership
A year of admission plus exhibition perks. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston membership starts at $90 with two special-exhibition tickets per show, and the Whitney Museum membership starts at $108 with previews and half-price guest tickets.
- Look for: The MFA Ambassador level ($300) for reciprocal entry at 21 U.S. art museums
- Price: From $90 at the MFA, from $108 at the Whitney (as of October 2026)
Best for: Gallery lovers in Boston or New York.
Why it works: Membership turns one visit into a habit.
9. Aquarium membership
Year-round visits plus member hours. The Monterey Bay Aquarium membership runs from $75 (student) to $295 (family), and the New England Aquarium membership starts at $79 with express admission.
- Look for: A level that covers everyone who will go
- Price: From $75 at Monterey Bay, from $79 at the New England Aquarium (as of October 2026)
Best for: Families who live within an easy drive.
Why it works: Quiet member hours beat a crowded Saturday.
10. Zoo membership
A year of daytime admission plus discounts. The Denver Zoo membership starts at $79, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance holiday gift memberships start at $78 and cover the zoo and the Safari Park.
- Look for: Family levels if kids will tag along
- Price: From $78 in San Diego, from $79 in Denver (as of October 2026)
Best for: Family experience gift ideas close to home.
Why it works: Short visits are easy when you've already paid for the year.
Which experience Christmas gifts for families are worth the trip?
These need a plan and a few days off. Give them with dates in mind.
11. New York CityPASS
Entry to 5 of 10 attractions, including the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, the American Museum of Natural History and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The New York CityPASS works for 9 days from the first visit.
- Look for: Reservations at some attractions
- Price: $149 on sale, regular $307.04 (as of October 2026)
Best for: First-time visitors to New York.
Why it works: It covers the classics in one purchase.
12. Chicago CityPASS
Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago, plus three picks such as the Field Museum or the Art Institute. The Chicago CityPASS arrives as mobile tickets.
- Look for: Reservations at most attractions
- Price: $144 on sale, regular $288.90 (as of October 2026)
Best for: A summer weekend in Chicago.
Why it works: Two days of plans, already made.
13. Walt Disney World tickets
Date-based tickets for 1 to 10 days at the four Orlando parks, with Park Hopper add-ons. Walt Disney World theme park tickets are tied to a start date.
- Look for: Trip dates and names first; tickets can't be transferred
- Price: From $119 per day (as of October 2026)
Best for: A family trip already planned.
Why it works: Revealing the trip on Christmas morning is the gift.
14. Universal Orlando 3-Day Special Ticket
One day each at Universal Epic Universe, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. The Universal Orlando 3-Day Special Ticket varies by date.
- Look for: The Park-to-Park upgrade (from $357) to move between Studios and Islands on the same day
- Price: From $297 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Teens and adults who love coasters.
Why it works: Three parks, three very different days.
15. Longwood Gardens membership
Year-round admission to the Pennsylvania gardens, member hours and performance access. The Longwood Gardens membership starts with two guest tickets at the first level.
- Look for: Gardens Premium ($895) for groups up to nine with no reservations
- Price: From $125 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Garden lovers near Philadelphia.
Why it works: The Christmas display alone fills a December evening.
16. California Academy of Sciences membership
A year of daytime admission to the San Francisco science museum, with up to 20% off shopping, dining and tours. The California Academy of Sciences membership comes in levels from individual to family.
- Look for: Higher levels that add NightLife (21+) access
- Price: From $119 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Curious people of every age.
Why it works: Rainforest, aquarium and planetarium under one roof.
What are the biggest experience gifts?
These are the splurges, best for a milestone or a gift the whole family pools for.
17. Xtreme Xperience supercar track day
Drive exotic cars on real racetracks with a pro instructor at 40+ U.S. locations. Xtreme Xperience drives start with the Nissan GT-R and go up to Ferraris.
- Look for: The gift option so the driver picks the date and track; ride-alongs from $79
- Price: From $279 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Car lovers.
Why it works: Few gifts come with this much adrenaline.
18. Ikon Pass
A season ski pass for 78 destinations, with unlimited days at 18 of them and no blackout dates. The Ikon Pass also comes in lighter Base and Session versions.
- Look for: Ikon Base ($1,099) or Session (from $369) for fewer days
- Price: $1,529 for the 2026/27 season (as of October 2026)
Best for: Skiers who chase snow.
Why it works: It decides their whole winter.
How do you wrap an experience gift?
Give them something to open. Print the ticket and tuck it inside something related: the cooking class in a new apron, the parks pass in a trail map, the CityPASS in a guidebook. Or set up a reveal: a short video from friends saying "We're coming with you."
Plan the date, or at least offer two. Experiences that sit in a drawer are the main risk with this kind of gift. For small add-ons to the envelope, see our stocking stuffers under $25.
What experiences can you ask for at Christmas?
If family asks what you want, experiences to ask for at Christmas include a class you've wanted to take, a membership near home or a pass for a hobby. Some families agree on a Christmas experience instead of gifts: one shared trip or outing in place of a pile of presents. Newlyweds often start that tradition; our first Christmas married guide has ideas, and our Christmas ideas guide covers the rest of the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good experience to give as a gift?
A class, a membership, a pass or tickets to something they love, such as a cooking class or a national parks pass. Pick something tied to their hobbies and give it with a date or plan attached.
Are experience gifts better than physical gifts?
Research in the Journal of Consumer Research found experiential gifts strengthened relationships more than material ones. They also add no clutter.
What are cheap experience gifts?
The national parks pass ($80), Empire State Building tickets (from $46) and many museum or zoo memberships (from $75) cost under $100 as of October 2026. A homemade coupon for a day trip costs nothing.
How do you give an experience gift at Christmas?
Wrap a related object with the ticket inside, or reveal it with a card or video. Agree on a date soon after Christmas so it gets used.
What are good experience gifts for couples?
A date-night cooking class, a city weekend with a CityPASS or a ski pass for two. Pick something new to both of you.
What are good family experience gift ideas?
Zoo or aquarium memberships, theme park tickets or a national parks pass work for the whole household. They give the family a reason to plan days out together all year.
👉 Start a Tribute and make Christmas morning an experience of its own.
