10 Travel Experience Gifts For Making Memories Together - Full-Time Travel

10 Travel Experience Gifts For Making Memories Together

10 Travel Experience Gifts For Making Memories Together

By Esme Benjamin

As you’re working on your holiday gift list this year, consider purchasing a travel experience for your favorite person. The anticipation of an upcoming event far outdoes the momentary high of unwrapping an object, and the memories the two of you will make provide long-lasting satisfaction no gadget can compete with. From quirky hotel stays and niche events to bucket list sights and educational adventures, these travel experience gifts are worth the splurge. 

Courtesy of Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos

Watch the Northern Lights From a Lapland Igloo

For most of us, seeing the elusive Northern Lights is a true bucket list experience. Be the one who facilitates that once-in-a-lifetime moment for your favorite person by booking a night or two at Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos. Situated in a remote region of Lapland, the hotel is famous for its AuroraHut igloos – cozy, mobile cabins with a glass roof positioned over the bed for unparalleled North Lights viewing with minimal effort. 

Learn to dive in Kauai

Learn to Dive with a PADI course in Kauai  

Help the avid snorkeler in your life take their underwater obsession to the next level with a PADI course on the island of Kauai. The two-day open water scuba diving course is composed of three parts: knowledge development (which can be conducted online, so they can fit self study in around the usual vacation activities), five confined water dives held in a swimming pool, and four open water dives, where they get to put their new skills into practice while exploring some of Kauai’s most magical scuba spots.  

Formula 1 | By Marcel Heil

Get the VIP Treatment at Formula 1

Whisk them away for an adrenaline-fueled experience at the FIA Formula One World Championship. The 2023 season stops in destinations all over the world, from Miami to Australia, and if you’re feeling extra flush you could even treat them to an F1® experience, which includes Champions Club Hospitality, F1® Live Access, appearance by an F1® Legend or Driver, guided paddock access, and an exclusive pit lane walk.

Courtesy of Viator

Take a Hot Air Balloon Flight Over Teotihuacan

Mexico City is celebrated for its world-famous restaurants and buzzy cultural scene, but for a truly unique addition to your itinerary take them 45 minutes outside the capital and approximately 1,000 feet up in the air. A hot air balloon ride over the Teotihuacán Valley, a Mesoamerican city and UNESCO World Heritage Site dotted with ancient pyramids, is a stand-out travel experience and one of the best photo opportunities imaginable. 

Burgundy trip with DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. | ©PatitucciPhoto

Explore by Bike on a Luxury Cycling Tour

For the traveler who gets bored on a chilled beach vacation, there’s DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. – a travel company that takes guests on cycling tours through some of the world’s most scenic places, from Slovenia to South Africa. DuVine’s guides know the destinations like the back of their hands, so expect to stop at tucked-away spots for memorable meals and friendly interactions with locals, before resting at a different luxury hotel each night. 

Listen to DuVine founder Andy Levine talking about the trip that changed his life on our podcast >>
The Wine House Hotel | Courtesy of Quinta da Pacheca

Sip & Sleep at The Wine House Hotel

For the wine enthusiast in your life, a trip to Quinta da Pacheca, AKA the Wine House Hotel, will be an unforgettable experience. At this 18th-century manor house situated on a working Douro Valley winery in Portugal, guests can opt to stay in decommissioned wine barrels – cozy cabins with an en suite bathroom and views of the vines. Sign them up for tours, tastings, a cooking class or a private picnic to delve deeper into the winery’s top varietals. 

Courtesy of QC NY Spa

Enjoy a New York Getaway With a Twist

If they’ve already ticked off every New York touristy activity or they avoid “must-dos'' like the plague, take them over to Govenors Island (a former post of the United States Army turned park and cultural hub) for a Big Apple evening outside the ordinary. First, spend a few relaxing hours at QC NY, a recently opened spa with outdoor pools overlooking that famous skyline. Get a massage, enjoy a sunset aperitivo, then head to nearby Collective Retreats where you’ll check into your own elevated glamping set-up. Wind down the day with dinner prepared on a wood-fired grill and oozing s’mores around a crackling campfire. 

By Kristina Tripkovic

Share a Good Meal With Great Company

“Travel off the eaten path.” That’s the tagline of Traveling Spoon, a company that allows travelers to book in-home eating and/or cooking experiences with vetted hosts all over the world. For those who are always in search of authentic travel experiences, a Traveling Spoon gift card ticks all the right boxes – an opportunity to try local specialities and learn about the culture underpinning them, all while making a new local friend. 

Courtesy of Mystic Hot Springs

Stay & Soak at Mystic Hot Springs 

For hundreds of years, Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe, Utah, have been a site of reinvigoration for locals and travelers alike; a place to soak and socialize while passing through the state’s wild and scenic landscapes. These days you’ll find a collection of distinctive vintage bathtub soaking pools and quirky accommodations in the form of decked out hippie buses and pioneer cabins that make a great road trip stop-over en route to Utah’s Mighty Five national parks. Buy your loved one a gift card and start planning your 2023 Utah adventure now. 

Zion National Park Overlook Point Trail | By Katie Polansky

Inspire Adventure With an Annual Parks Pass

This year, inspire them to get outside and explore some of the United States’ prettiest places with an Annual Parks Pass. Valid at over 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country for 12 months from the date or purchase, this is their ticket to famous parks including Zion, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Glacier, as well as lesser-known ones like Isle Royale National Park in Michigan or Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska. At $80, it’s also one of the more budget-friendly travel experience gifts.

In the latest episode of our podcast, author Meg Stafford joins her daughter on a high school project to Nepal and Bhutan researching happiness. It was a mother-daughter trip that pushed Meg outside of her comfort zone. She found herself avoiding avalanches while climbing to Annapurna basecamp and dodging paint at the Holi Festival in Kathmandu. It also gave her the opportunity to examine what it means for a parent to love and to let go. 🎧 Link in bio to listen! ...

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Istanbul`s beauty lies in its historic architecture, the Bosphorus Strait`s scenic charm, vibrant neighborhoods, bustling markets, rich cuisine, Sufi traditions, captivating sunsets, street art, and its unique blend of cultures as a crossroads of Europe and Asia.

Reel: @samisrt
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Sweeping mountain views of the Dolomites, beautiful wildflowers, and the most delicious dinner included with your stay at @hotel_dolomitenhof_u_altepost.

Reel: @tc.travels
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In the latest episode of our podcast, Christine Winebrenner Irick, entrepreneur (@lotussojourns) and podcaster (@souloftravelpodcast) shares the story of her first big trip to Asia. In the midst of a period of rebirth, as her career and marriage were crumbling, Christine took inspiration from Alex Garland`s book, The Beach, and set off for Thailand with one good friend and no solid plans. What unfolded was a perspective-shifting experience that would, in Christine`s own words, "reveal who she would become." 🎧 Link in bio to listen!

#tttcm #traveltok #thetripthatchangedme #podcast #travelpodcast #thailand #travelthailand
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Is it too early to think about Fall? Daydreaming of autumn in Patagonia.

Reel: @ramirotorrents
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A lovely town on the French Riviera, Menton is known for its beauty, mild weather, colorful buildings, and lemon production. Enjoy beaches, history, and a laid-back vibe.

Reel: @sofikulin
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Full-Time Travel`s sister brand, @kingdomgolf, invites you to a join special guests from the world of golf and entertainment, including Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sörenstam, for a luxury island experience. Play the incredible courses at Wexford and Palmetto Hall Golf and Country Club. ⛳️ Link in bio to reserve your spot at the 2023 Kingdom Cup on Thursday, September 21st thru Sunday, September 24th. ...

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One night in the desert inspires a corporate worker to follow her dream of becoming a travel journalist.

In the latest episode of our podcast, The Trip That Changed Me, travel journalist, podcaster, and entrepreneur Yulia Denisyuk (@insearchofperfect) shares the story of a career-altering trip to Morocco. It`s an ode to the power of looking for signs when you need confirmation you`re on the right track. If you`re harboring a dream but it never quite feels like the right time to make the leap, this episode is for you. 🎧 Link in bio to listen!

#fulltimetravel #travelreel #ftt #thetripthatchangedme #podcast #travelpodcast
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Submerged beneath the ocean waves or inside a kaleidoscopic aquarium, these rare underwater restaurants serve meals alongside a cast of aquatic creatures. Book a table and enjoy a whole new spin on dinner and a show. ...

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Bike through the world`s largest salt flats in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia.

Reel: @islayjoy
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Known for its stunning sand dunes that create a landscape resembling white sheets (lençóis in Portuguese), Lençóis Maranhenses is a unique national park located in the state of Maranhão, Brazil.

The park`s most iconic feature is the series of turquoise lagoons formed by rainwater that collects between the dunes. These lagoons are a stark contrast to the surrounding white sands and provide a refreshing oasis for visitors.

Reel: @melly_ba
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A travel entrepreneur rows 3,000 miles in 36 days, completely unsupported.

In the latest episode of our podcast, The Trip That Changed Me, travel entrepreneur, Jimmy Carroll (@jimmyalexandercarroll), shares his experiences of participating in the world’s toughest rowing race: the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge.

For 36 days, Jimmy and his three teammates rowed in alternating two-hour stints for 24 hours a day, through storms, sleep deprivation, and an unexpected attack from a 12-foot blue marlin. It was an experience that pushed them to the limit of their resilience but one that was also full of profound beauty and awe.

🎧 Link in bio to listen!

#thetripthatchangedme #fulltimetravel #ftt #travelpodcast #podcast #jimmycarroll
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