Easy, Meaningful Gifts: Outdoor Experiences

There are lots of reasons to give experiences as gifts: you're tight on cash, you're bad at crafts, you're trying to reduce your environmental impact, you (like me) are a known procrastinator. But the other reason is just that experience gifts last.They make memories and create adventures. They are fun to personalize, and they create joy.

Plus, you can pull them off last minute. On a budget. And live your values in the process.

Here are a few ideas for turning your gift into one that looks like you've been planning it all year long.

Will you ever forget that time you saw a double rainbow? Photo at Artist Point by Deb Culver.

Plan a hike

Give someone the gift of an outdoor adventure, one they don't have to plan or research. And if it is a gift, make sure it is a pleasant experience. Pack extra clothes to keep them warm and dry, and do something to make it extra. Turn it into a proper on-trail boozy brunch picnic, or take them out for some delicious fare post-hike.

Pair with: Make it more meaningful by combining it with a gift membership to WTA. You'll be giving your friends and family the sense that they are giving back all year long. Plus, they'll get our member magazine four times a year to stay inspired and, if you support our work at the $100+ level, then we'll throw in a pair of these sweet hiking socks from our friends at From the Ground Up. (It's up to you whether you keep them or share them. Make your gift donation by Dec. 12 for shipping before Christmas.)

Hot drinks on trail can make a rainy, cold trek much more enjoyable. Photo by Karen Wang.

Create a full on adventure plan

Know someone who really longs for more outdoor adventures in their life?

Make your gift an adventure plan, one where you've already nailed down the logistics or time on their calendar. Pre-plan one adventure a month, commit to hikes after work on summer Wednesdays, rent a cabin or a yurt or build a plan around a theme, like next year's meteor showers and great places to see them.

Pair with: A journal, a hand-drawn map or itinerary, an annual parking pass or gift certificates to state park cabins and campsites. Or, combine it with one of these awesome books for inspiration.  

Combine a hike at Cape Disappointment State Park with a stay in a yurt or cabin. Photo by WonderSmash.

The basics + Skills

Nothing shows your loved ones you care about them like a first aid kit. You can even put one together with a quick cruise through the pharmacy.

Pair with: Add a class or course to help them deepen their skill set: wilderness first aid or first responder courses are on offer all year long. There are also a number of winter skills courses and guided snowshoe trips to improve your winter and avalanche safety skills. Our friends at the Mountaineers also offer quite a few courses.

Or, if your loved one has a musical soft spot, stuff a First Aid Kit album in with their first aid kit.

A riff on the same idea pairs a map set with a navigation course or navigation event.

Share your ideas

Are you DIYing an outdoor-themed gift package? Share your ideas and creations below, in case someone else is scrambling.