Last Christmas, instead of wrapping another sweater that would end up forgotten in the closet, I surprised my daughter with something different: tickets to a musical and for the family a trip to see the magical Christmas lights in Leavenworth, Washington. Nearly a year later, the kids still talk about that snowy Bavarian village twinkling with thousands of lights and the incredible musical we attended together. Meanwhile, I can’t remember a single material gift from that Christmas.

That’s the magic of experience gifts for families. While material presents collect dust, experiential gifts create stories that become family legend. They bring parents and children together for quality time that strengthens bonds and builds confidence. Most importantly, they teach us that the best gifts aren’t things we can hold. they’re moments we can treasure forever.

This article contains affiliate links. We earn from qualifying purchases.

This comprehensive guide features 40+ unforgettable experience gifts that create lasting memories instead of clutter. From budget-friendly local adventures to bucket-list family travel experiences, these sustainable family gifts offer screen-free activities and mindful alternatives to traditional presents.

Whether you’re shopping for families with teens, outdoor adventurers, or multi-generational groups, you’ll discover unique Christmas gifts that bring everyone together for quality time and shared adventures.

Best Family Experience Gifts

Choose the perfect experiential gift based on your family’s interests and personality:

Families with Teens: Escape room experiences, indoor skydiving, cooking classes, or amusement park tickets
Sports-Loving Families: Local game tickets, sports camps, outdoor adventure tours with 57Hours, or ski vacation packages
Outdoor Adventure Families: National Parks annual pass, guided backcountry ski trips, camping/glamping experiences, or hot air balloon rides
Budget-Conscious Families: Movie vouchers with Groupon, family game night coupons, local food tours with Viator, or botanical garden memberships
Learning-Focused Families: Subscription boxes from KiwiCrate, science museum memberships, or Masterclass subscription
Travel Enthusiasts: CityPASS tickets, familymoon resort stays, unique train rides, or weekend getaways, RV rental adventures
Creative Families: Art classes, music lessons, dance lessons, or hands-on workshops from Uncommon Goods
Foodie Families: Cooking classes, food tours, wine country trips (adults), or culinary subscription boxes
Animal-Loving Families: Zoo memberships, animal sanctuary experiences, swim with otters adventures, or dude ranch vacations
Multi-generational Families: Interactive city scavenger hunts, scenic train rides, resort stays, or local event tickets for all ages

Budget-Friendly Family Gift Ideas

Creating lasting memories doesn’t require breaking the bank. These affordable experience gifts focus on quality time together rather than expensive activities.

Family Game Night Experience Package

Create a custom family game night with classic favorites like Ticket to Ride, Catan, or Unstable Unicorns. Some of our favorite family board games are the ones that can be played by ages 6 and up. Add homemade snacks and a family game night voucher for the ultimate clutter-free gift.

Educational Subscription Boxes

Monthly learning adventures arrive at your door with subscription boxes from Cratejoy that offers everything from educational boxes to self-care and food kits. Popular family-friendly options include:

Try The World for snacking and trying international foods
Think Outside for nature-based family activities
KiwiCo for age based educational boxes ranging from Kiwi Crate crafts to Tinker Crate STEM for teens

Movie Experiences

Create a family movie night tradition with these tickets for a specific show or theater gift cards from AMC, Regal, Cinemark, or others.

Money Saving tip: Find discounted movie vouchers on Groupon for local theaters, or purchase theater gift card packs at Sam’s Club for additional savings. If you aren’t a Sam’s Club member, use my exclusive partnership link to save 60% and get a new membership for $20 for the first year.

Local & Regional Experience Gifts

Discover amazing experiences in your own backyard. Local adventure gifts support your community while creating special family memories.

Food Tour Adventures

Explore your city’s culinary scene with food tours through Viator or Get Your Guide. These guided experiences introduce families to local restaurants, cultural neighborhoods, and regional specialties. If you are traveling soon, you can also gift a food tour in a different city too like this one we did in Georgetown outside Washington D.C.

Interactive Local Experiences

Book interactive city scavenger hunts that combine sightseeing with family challenges. Available in 400+ cities worldwide, these experiences turn your hometown into an adventure playground.

Local Event Tickets

Support local teams and venues with tickets to minor league baseball games, local concerts through SeatGeek, community theater productions, or seasonal festivals. These events create lasting memories while strengthening community connections.

Here are a few ideas:

Local Concert Tickets
Major League Baseball Tickets
Minor league baseball tickets
Comedy Show Tickets
NFL Football Tickets
NBA Basketball Game Tickets
College Basketball Tickets
Virtual Experience or Virtual Reality Game Tournament
Play or theater presentation
Broadway Tickets
Paw Patrol Live Tickets – for families with younger children
Disney on Ice Tickets
Ballet or musical tickets
“Gift Voucher” to attend a free local festival they love
NASCAR Race or Event Tickets
Haalem Globetrotters World Tour Tickets

Printable Holiday Experience Coupons – Only $2.99!

Create personalized experience gifts with our beautifully designed, printable holiday experience coupons! Perfect for families who want to customize their gift-giving.

Download our complete set of holiday experience coupons for just $2.99 from our Etsy shop. This digital download includes:

15+ pre-designed experience vouchers (movie night, game day, cooking adventure, outdoor exploration, and more)
Customizable templates for creating your own unique family experiences
Gift wrapping ideas and presentation suggestions
Instant download – perfect for last-minute gift needs

🎁 Get Your Holiday Experience Coupons Here: Transform any ordinary day into a special family adventure with these thoughtfully designed vouchers.

Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Family Experience Gifts

Choose mindful family experiences that support environmental conservation and teach valuable lessons about sustainability. These eco-conscious gifts create memories while protecting our planet for future generations.

National Parks Annual Pass

The ultimate sustainable family gift, the National Parks Annual Pass ($80) provides access to over 400 parks and federal recreation areas. When purchased through REI, 10% goes directly to park conservation efforts.

Go and explore everywhere from Mesa Verde in Colorado to Joshua Tree, California to Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park. Passes allow for the admission of pass holder, 3 additional adults ages 16+, and children 15 and under wherever entrance fees are charged.

Botanical Garden Memberships

Support plant conservation and environmental education with botanical garden memberships. Many gardens offer reciprocal agreements, allowing visits to gardens worldwide. These memberships often include educational programs, butterfly releases, and seasonal events.

Eco-Camping & Glamping

Book sustainable accommodations through Campspot, featuring eco-friendly campgrounds, solar-powered cabins, and canvas-covered wagon experiences. These accommodations minimize environmental impact while maximizing outdoor adventure.

Wildlife Conservation Experiences

Support animal conservation with zoo memberships, animal sanctuary visits, or unique experiences like swimming with otters, this animal encounter with Galapagos Tortoises at the OKC Zoo, or the behind-the-scenes penguin encounter the Tampa Zoo. Many facilities offer special behind-the-scenes experiences and animal adoption programs that directly support conservation efforts.

Premium Family Travel Experiences

Create once-in-a-lifetime memories with these bucket-list family adventures. These experiential gifts for families provide luxury experiences that bring generations together.

All-Inclusive Family Resorts

Vacation makes great family gifts. Give your kids the opportunity to see the world and foster better connections with their nearest and dearest people. Take a family vacation where everyone in the family, even grandparents and toddlers, can participate. Beaches Resorts offer family-friendly, all-inclusive resorts, which give you the opportunity to relax and focus on your family, provide world-class amenities, waterparks for kids of all ages, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Start planning your holiday familymoon at Beaches Resorts here.

Other favorite family destinations of ours include:

Theme Park & Attraction Passes

Gift admission to major theme parks with exclusive discounts through our affiliate links:

CityPASS Multi-Attraction Tickets

Save up to 50% on must-see attractions with CityPASS tickets available in 14 major US cities and Toronto. These mobile tickets provide VIP experiences and significant savings on popular family destinations.

Outdoor Adventure Tours

Book guided outdoor experiences through 57Hours, connecting families with certified guides for activities like backcountry skiing, rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and surfing in premier destinations worldwide.

If you prefer to head to popular ski destinations like Vail, Aspen, Park City, and others, check out ski vacation packages from Orbitz that lists options for all ski levels; beginner skier to expert. Also see the deals Undercover Tourist has available.

Creative & Learning Experience Gifts

Hands-on Learning Workshops

Discover unique educational experiences through Uncommon Goods, offering virtual cooking classes, chocolate tasting, handmade dumpling workshops, and wine experiences. These screen-free family activities encourage creativity and skill-building.

Space Camp Family Experience

Blast off for adventure at U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. The Family Astronaut Training Experience offers hands-on STEM learning and simulated space missions for all ages. For budget-friendly options, visit the Space and Rocket Center for day passes.

Music Lessons

It’s no secret that music is a powerful force that can unite people from all walks of life. This Christmas, why not give the gift of music by giving music lessons or a musical instrument to your loved ones? Music lessons are a great way for family members of all ages to learn a new skill and bond with one another. Plus, they’re a lot of fun!

MasterClass Online Learning Platform

Give the gift of world-class education with MasterClass, featuring intimate lessons from industry legends like Gordon Ramsay, Martin Scorsese, and Annie Leibovitz. With over 180 classes across creative arts, business, wellness, and sports, recipients gain year-long access to cinematic-quality courses that feel more like exclusive mentorship than traditional online learning. Half Off thru Cyber Monday!

Adventure & Outdoor Experience Gifts

Hot Air Balloon Adventures

Soar above the landscape with family hot air balloon experiences. Most flights include champagne toasts (sparkling cider for kids) and create unforgettable memories floating gently through sunrise or sunset skies. Book directly through Viator for the best experience packages.

Indoor Skydiving Experiences

Experience the thrill of skydiving without jumping from an airplane. iFly indoor skydiving offers safe, supervised flight sessions for ages 3 and up. Find discounted tickets on Groupon for additional savings.

RV Adventure Rentals

Pick out a travel destination or region and gift an RV rental to explore. Gift the freedom of the open road with RV rentals through RVShare. Choose from budget-friendly options to luxury motorhomes, complete with trip insurance for worry-free adventures. Perfect for exploring national parks, coastal drives, or mountain retreats.

Family Gift Ideas – Travel Together

Travel is one of the few things you can buy or gift that makes a family richer. Can you imagine their glee when they discover their very own secluded paradise? I’m sure this will be a memorable experience for years to come! A travel gift can be small like a weekend road trip or big like an extended bucket-list vacation to a secluded tropical getaway.

Did you know you can gift plane tickets too? So if the family you are buying for is planning a trip, you can help them get there! Plane tickets are a great way to show your family you care and that you’re with them on their journey. You can also use plane tickets to surprise someone for an upcoming special occasion or just because.

Unique Train Rides

For children who love trains, there’s nothing quite like taking a scenic train ride or a themed Polar Express Ride. There are many Polar Express experiences available, but the best is the one provided by The Grand Canyon Railway which offers a special Christmas Eve ride.

For scenic train rides, get tickets for the Skunk Train through the redwood groves in Northern California, or ride through the Royal Gorge of Colorado on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.

For a longer ride, experience the American Orient Express, which runs from Chicago to Seattle or Los Angeles, and offers luxury accommodations for an unforgettable journey. And if you’re looking for a truly unique adventure, hop aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train to enjoy breathtaking views of vineyards as you sip wine.

Waterpark Tickets

During the winter months, a visit to an indoor water park is a welcome escape. Get tickets for the day or stay the night at a resort/hotel with an onsite waterpark like Great Wolf Lodge. See our list of the best indoor waterparks in the US many of which make it easy for a weekend escape.

Resort Stay

Give the gift of relaxation and a little escape with a resort stay. Family resort stays can include amenities like spas, golf courses, pools, kids clubs, and onsite entertainment. Here are 5 US Marriott Resorts for Families we really enjoy.. Book directly with the resort or book with Expedia

Creating Lasting Memories Through Experience Gifts

Experience gifts for families create bonds that last long after the wrapping paper is thrown away. Whether you choose budget-friendly local adventures or bucket-list travel experiences, these mindful family experiences teach us that the best gifts aren’t things—they’re moments shared together.

From sustainable eco-adventures to educational workshops, local food tours to premium resort stays, these experiential gifts offer something for every family type and budget. Remember to check out our printable holiday experience coupons for personalized, last-minute gift solutions at just $2.99.

For gift wrapping ideas, see this article on How to Gift Experiences for Christmas (Gift Wrapping Ideas).

Start planning your family’s next adventure today and discover why experience gifts create the most meaningful Christmas memories of all.

For More Gift Guides and Ideas, Check Out These:

40 Best Experience Gifts for Families This Christmas

Best Family Experience Gifts