10 Experience Gifts The Travelers In Your Life Actually Want

Experiences are some of the best gifts you can give—whether it’s for someone else or yourself!

In our opinion, “experiences” sure beats “stuff”. Things get old. Things cause clutter. Experiences are what really stick with you—they’re the kind of memories you’ll be telling your grandkids about one day.

For the travelers in your life, an experience gift is like handing over a new story waiting to be written, whether it’s a local adventure, a trip halfway across the globe, or a special weekend trip at their favorite destination.

In this gift guide, we’re rounding up some of what we think are the best experience gifts that’ll likely make any travel lover light up.

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An All-Inclusive Vacation To The Tropics

Great For: New parents who need a break from their busy lives

When in doubt, give the gift of sun, sand, and zero planning required. All-inclusive vacation packages to places like Cancún, Punta Cana, and Riviera Maya make for a truly relaxing travel gift—especially for someone who just needs a break.

The Caribbean is one of the best regions for scoring affordable vacation packages, with deals often starting under $599 per person, including flights and accommodations.

Most packages cover food, drinks (yes, alcohol too), entertainment, activities, and even gratuities, so the person you’re gifting won’t have to worry about pulling out their wallet every five minutes.

Even better? On CheapCaribbean, you can find tons of resorts that come with exclusive perks, like free room upgrades, resort coupons, spa discounts, and “kids stay free” promos. It all depends on the resort, but if you’re looking for a gift that feels luxurious without breaking your budget—this is it.

Our Bucket List: Journal for Ideas and Adventures for Couples

Great For: Couples planning that trip-of-a-lifetime

Our Bucket List is a fun little journal for adventurous couples to record their wildest dreams and out-of-this-world goals.

Want to go skydiving, swimming with dolphins, or climbing a few mountains in France? Simply record the idea, the story behind the idea, and the completion date once done!

Grab one for all the couples you know… or even one for yourself!

We love this journal because it stirs up so much collaboration, discussion, and creativity between couples. This journal makes for a great anniversary or Valentine’s Day gift for newlyweds, couples looking to explore more together, and even couples who have been together for decades.

A Trip To The Happiest Place On Earth

Great For: That Disney-obsessed couple / family you know

If your gift recipient is a Disney lover—or just appreciates theme park magic—Disneyland tickets make for an unforgettable experience gift.

Whether they’re in it for the rides, the churros, or just the nostalgia, a trip to the happiest place on earth is the kind of gift that feels big without needing a physical box.

Pair the tickets with a Disney gift card or some cute Disney gear and you’ve got a gift that’s guaranteed to spark joy.

Pro tip: You don’t need to pay full price for tickets! You can often snag deals at Costco (especially for multi-day park hopper passes), or check out Undercover Tourist, a legit site that sells discounted Disneyland tickets with no hidden fees.

Read Next: Disneyland Hotels With Free Parking (That Don’t Suck)

America The Beautiful National Parks Pass

Great For: Outdoor adventurers, campers, and national park lovers

Now more than ever, people are heading outdoors to find peace and adventure.

If sightseeing at Yellowstone, sleeping under the stars in Joshua Tree, or hiking through Zion National Park are all things that the traveler in your life would love, then an America the Beautiful Park Pass is gonna make for a great gift.

This annual pass covers the entry cost to thousands of federal recreation sites across the country, including national parks, national monuments, national forests, and more.

Gifting this pass is practically gifting someone a bunch of bucket list opportunities!

TokyoTreat

Great For: Your friend who can’t stop raving about Japan

If you can’t travel to Japan anytime soon, TokyoTreat is the next best thing.

TokyoTreat is a monthly subscription box that delivers a unique and hard-to-find selection of Japanese snacks, candy, and other treats straight from Japan–right to your doorstep!

With each box, you can expect a whopping 15-20 full-size Japanese snacks. This means they won’t be sample-sized bags, but they also won’t be massive, USA-sized either (USA-sized snacks are way too big in our opinion).

The boxes typically include a mix of sweet and savory items, such as candy, cookies, chocolate, ramen, rice crackers, chips, mochi, and even Japan-exclusive and seasonal KitKats. Tell me, who doesn’t love Japanese KitKats?

Sakuraco

Great For: Your bougie friend who can’t get over their trip to Japan

If TokyoTreat is about fun and flavor, Sakuraco (TokyoTreat’s sister box) is about elegance and tradition.

This monthly box is designed for those who appreciate the craftsmanship behind Japanese snack-making. Each box features authentic, regional specialties—like handmade yokan, roasted teas from different prefectures of Japan, artisanal senbei, and other elevated snacks that’ll give you a taste of Japan’s rich culinary heritage.

You’ll also occasionally find beautifully crafted teacups, decorative dishes, ceramics, and chopsticks sourced from traditional Japanese makers, which makes the box that much more gift-worthy!

I usually gift the 3-month subscription so my friends and family can sample a few different themed boxes—one recent favorite was the summer Mount Fuji-themed box, which was packed with Fuji-shaped cookies, blue-themed snacks, and fun summer flavors.

Explore Local Box

Great For: Travel lovers who can’t actually travel

This travel-themed subscription box is so creative and fun, especially for people who are cooped up at home but have a travel bug that never really goes away.

With Explore Local Box, you can explore a new US city every month through premium, locally-made snacks!

Boxes include food and non-food items that are locally produced by small businesses and local artisans from the featured month’s city. Previous cities include Albuquerque, NM, Chicago, IL, Brooklyn, NY, Portland, OR, and many more.

Our tip is to start off with a 3-month gift subscription. If they hate it, cancel it. If they love it, renew!

Go City New York Attraction Passes

Great For: Travelers planning an epic first-timer trip to NYC soon

Go City’s digital attraction passes are a game-changer for saving money in NYC—a must-have in a city where things are far from affordable.

With the Go City Explorer Pass, you can explore at your own pace, choosing from over 90 top attractions, tours, and experiences as you go. Enjoy iconic spots like the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock Observatory, One World Observatory, the Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus Tour, and more for up to 50% off retail prices.

This pass brings the best of New York within easy (and budget-friendly) reach!

Go City San Diego Pass

Great For: Travelers who love a healthy mix of beaches, eclectic neighborhoods, and amusement parks

East Coast weather not your vibe? How does the West Coast sound? If San Diego is on someone’s horizon, complement their trip with the Go City San Diego Pass.

As you can see, we’re huge fans of Go City attraction passes because they let you bundle multiple experiences for one set price, which is usually a lot cheaper than buying tickets individually.

With the SD version of the pass, you get access to popular attractions like the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, speed boat rides, whale watching tours, and more.

While there’s an all-inclusive version available, we personally prefer the Explorer Pass for its flexibility and value!

Read Next: 60 Fun-Filled Things To Do In San Diego, California

A Photo Book Of All Their Previous Trips

Great For: The jetsetter that already has everything they could ever want

Know a traveler who just doesn’t really seem to want anything? A photo book of their past adventures is the perfect gift for the “ungiftable” traveler who already seems to have everything they could ever want.

With Shutterfly’s customizable options, you can design each page to reflect their unique journey—adding layouts, text, and embellishments however you like. Plus, you can give the book an extra level of oomph with options like metallic covers or lay-flat pages, making it extra fancy to match their lifestyle.

Right now, you can get up to a whopping 87% off photo books with this Groupon.

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