The 12 Days of Travel: Gift Ideas for Travel Lovers (Day 1)

Thanksgiving has come and gone, leaving in its wake the chaos of the holiday shopping season.  

Have you made your wish list for the holidays yet?  

Personally, I prefer experiences over things, both when I travel and for gifts, because if I need or want something, I usually buy it for myself. 

Does that sound like you, too?

If yes, you and I are part of the 81% of Americans who would rather receive experienced-based gifts than a physical gift! (Source: Sparefoot blog.)

With that newfound knowledge, its time to think of what types of experiences are available for your loved ones to gift you.

Gift Cards/Certificates for Experiences

Depending on what your interests are, it is pretty likely that there are a variety of gift card or gift certificate options available.

Here are some ideas of things you can add to your holiday wish list this year:

• Airbnb (Lodging) – Not familiar with Airbnb? To put it simply, Airbnb is a popular lodging alternative to hotels that can be found in 34,000 cities and 191 countries. They allow you to live more like a local than a tourist. Airbnb gift cards will cut your travel costs, are easy to use, and never expire. And they allow the gift card holder to choose from over 1,000,000 homes worldwide.  Go to the website for more information; click “Gift Cards” in the footer.
• City Pass (Attractions) – City Pass allows you to experience a city’s top attractions while saving up to 1/2 off the cost of admission in cities including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California, Tampa Bay and Toronto. CityPASS booklets, vouchers, cards and e-tickets and New York C3 passes may be purchased and given as gifts; however, once activated (first used), they are non-transferable. 
• StubHub (Tickets) – Get tickets to sports, concerts, theater & comedy shows. Search by event type or venue. Best of all, the gift cards never expire!  Visit the website for more information.

Some other things to consider asking for:

• Cooking classes – Learn how to make a few of those delicious dishes you enjoyed on your last vacation with a lesson or two from an expert
• Cruises – Relax and enjoy brunch, lunch, dinner, or the sunset on the water 
• Wine – Two options for indulging your love of wine:
  • Wine Club Membership – Experience wines from around the country (maybe even the globe) with a wine club membership 
  • Wine Pass (Annual) – Wine passes provide the cardholder and a guest to get free or discounted tastings, purchases, and tours for 1 year. (Examples in the DC area include the Maryland Wine Pass and the Virginia Wine Pass). 

♦ PRO TIP: You can get discounts on cooking classes, cruises, wine experiences and more on sites like Groupon. 

I hope this post gave you some ideas for gifts you can put on your wish list or buy for yourself. 

These same ideas can be used to help you choose gifts for people you’re buying gifts for, too.