Seattle Experience Gift Ideas They'll Never Forget (2023)

We live in such a unique and inspiring city, so there are a ton of Seattle experience gift ideas waiting to be discovered. Whether your loved one is into restaurants, outdoor adventures, beautiful views, or athletic pursuits, you can turn that passion into gifts of experience.

So if you’re trying to give something unique or explore the city in a quirky way, this gift guide of Seattle experiences is sure to create new memories!

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Seattle Experience Gift Ideas

Browse by interest to find the perfect Seattle experience gift ideas!

Unique tours
Activities and adventures
Cooking, craft, and music classes
Subscription boxes
Arts and events
Spa and wellness experiences
Weekend getaways

Unique tours

Here are fun Seattle experience gift ideas that’ll help your loved one see a different side of the city.

Food tours

One of my favorite Seattle experience gift ideas is treating someone to a food tour. For example, you can take a self-guided food tour of Seattle’s under-the-radar neighborhoods.

This has the benefit of being more intimate for a date night since you’re not with other people. Plus you can go at your own pace and don’t have to worry about Hungry Tom taking the last bite. Pair it with a gift card to each restaurant and have a fun day exploring Seattle’s best eats!

Another option for a food tour-like gift perfect for the adventurous is foraging. There are a ton of options, such as truffle hunting with a dog or foraging for mushrooms or seafood. This is a Seattle for foodies bucket list item you need to cross off!

Wine tours

In addition to food tours you can take a wine tour of the Seattle urban wineries or the Woodinville wineries 30 minutes outside of Seattle.

Here’s a wine tour to Woodinville which also includes a stop at popular Snoqualmie Falls, a scenic day trip from Seattle. Or you can purchase a Woodinville wine pass and do a self-guided winery tour.

Distillery tours

One option is Copperworks Distillery Co, which offers both tours and tastings or even a whiskey blending workshop!

Another idea is to visit Westland Distillery, which offers both virtual and in-person tours and tastings. Or tour Mischief in Fremont, which makes a perfect stop between eats during my self-guided food tour of Fremont.

Beer tours

Beer lovers will enjoying taking a beer tour of some of Seattle’s best breweries. You can use my guide to taking your own tour of Seattle’s best breweries or take an in-person walking beer tour.

Water tours

We’re so lucky to be in the part of Washington State right along the Puget Sound. You can help your loved one explore the beauty of the Pacific Northwest by treating them to a tour right on the water!

One of my favorite ways to spend one day in Seattle is to rent kayaks and do a self-guided kayak tour on Lake Union. I always get tandem kayaks at NWOC: their rates are about $23-$40 per hour depending on if you want a single, double, or triple seat kayak.

If you want to pair kayaking with a weekend getaway, make it extra special by booking a tour to kayak with orcas in Seattle! San Juan Island about 3 hours north of Seattle is the best spot for finding whales. Here are some options for whale kayak tours, some of which also include beer and wine!

If kayaking isn’t so much your loved one’s thing, you can still give them a Seattle experience gift to see the best Seattle water views from the comfort of a captained boat. Here are some fun options:

Sightseeing tours

Even if you and your loved one are locals, how much of Seattle have you really seen? We often make excuses not to visit touristy spots, but they draw a crowd for a reason! Take the opportunity to check out some of Seattle’s most popular attractions. Here are some ideas:

Best of Mt Rainier from Seattle to get a taste of a national park
Seattle Neighborhoods 101 Tour to lean about hidden gems
3-Hour Seattle City Tour to see get an overview of our top attractions
Emerald City Bicycle Tour to explore the city as locals do
Olympic National Park Tour to visit the Washington coast
Mount St. Helens Tour to explore a famous once-active volcano

You can also skip the tour and let them take the sightseeing into their own hands by gifting them a Seattle City Pass to access the aquarium, Space Needle, museums, and more. Or check out the SkyView Observatory to see Seattle from above.

Activities and adventures

Seattleites love the outdoors and adventures, so here are some unique Seattle experience gift ideas for the free spirits in your life.

Helicopter ride

See the beautiful Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest mountain ranges from above with a helicopter tour. One option is this Ultimate Seattle Helicopter Tour with Seattle HeliTours. You can choose to stay in Seattle or extend your trip to Snoqualmie Falls for the perfect Instagram photo!

Another option is this Learn to Fly a Helicopter Lesson that gets you behind the wheel!

Skydiving

Adrenaline junkies will love the thrill of skydiving with a company like Skydive Kapowsin, which offers tandem jumps at 13,000 feet.

Or try indoor skydiving with iFly Indoor Skydiving if this feels a bit safer than jumping out of a plane. I did this with my nieces when they were just 4 and 6 years old so it’s good for all ages!

Another option is paragliding off Tiger Mountain. It’s a little tamer than sky diving, but gives epic views. I haven’t been paragliding yet, but I’ve been skydiving so I’m sure I’d love it!

Sport lessons

Is there a sport your loved one always wanted to try? Treat them to lessons from a pro! For example, the golfer in your life will appreciate this 60-Minute Golf Swing Evaluation from a pro. Pair it with a Custom Golf Club Fitting and 18-Hole Golf Simulator Playing Lesson to make a truly thoughtful experience gift.

If they already know their way around a sport, give them a gift certificate to hone their skills. For example, get them a Round of Golf at Nile Shrine Golf Club (or a Go Play Golf Gift Card good at 5,000+ locations).

Does your loved on like another sport besides golf? Check out all of Groupon’s sport lessons and admission discounts.

Dance lessons

Dancing can be super romantic, so if you need an intimate date night idea consider dance lessons. I took a dance class once as a work event and it was a fun way to get some exercise and laughs. One option is Lynnwood Ballroom Dance for someone who’s always been interested in this form of movement.

You can also try LaVida Dance out of Kirkland if your loved one prefers virtual classes that are more about fitness than technique.

Sport car racing

Now this is a Seattle experience gift that could secretly be a gift for you: race a sports car around a track as if you were a pro driver! Dan and I always joke I’d probably be an amazing stunt driver, so this is a fun way to put my skills to the test. Luckily there are a lot of options in the Seattle area:

Hot air balloon ride

One of my favorite Seattle experience gift ideas is a hot air balloon ride. I got Dan this as a gift and treated him to a ride at the Winthrop Hot Air Balloon Festival. Being in a hot air balloon is really gentle and absolutely surreal. You don’t quite realize how small you are until you’re next to a hot air balloon!

I always recommend checking Groupon for hot air balloon ride discounts. If none are available, one option is Seattle Ballooning. You can also make it a weekend trip and do a hot air balloon ride over the best Willamette Valley wineries. This is one of the most fun things to do in Oregon besides drinking wine.

Trapeze and circus arts

Here’s a quirky gift of experience: see what it’s really like being a circus performer! Emerald City Trapeze in SODO is a gym were you can learn how to fly the trapeze as if you were in Cirque du Soleil. You can also take virtual circus classes with SANCA.

Don’t think your loved one would be into the circus theme? Get them a jump pass to a trampoline park so they can bounce around on trampolines and hop into foam pits. It’s a great way to feel like a kid again (and definitely a great gift for little ones!).

Hot tub boat rental

Here’s a romantic date night idea: sip wine at sunset in a private hot tub boat with the Seattle skyline twinkling in the distance. If the hot tub part isn’t attractive, you can also rent private electric boats.

Ax throwing

A fun date night idea is trying something quirky like ax throwing. Blade and Timber in Capitol Hill offers private lanes (kinda like bowling) where you can practice throwing axes at bullseye targets.

Swim with sharks

One of the quirkiest things to do in Tacoma is dive with sharks at Port Defiance Zoo. They’ll hook you up with a dry suit and let you meet a shark eye to eye!

Note, this experience is closed until 2024 while they repair the exhibit.

Cooking, craft, and music classes

Another one of the best Seattle experience gift ideas is a lesson that uses your hands more than your body.

Glassblowing class

If you’ve ever heard of artist Dale Chihuly, you know that Seattle has a thing for glass blowing. You can learn how it’s made with Seattle Glass Blowing, a downtown workshop that offers glassblowing experiences where you get to take home the finished product.

Craft class or DIY kits

There are so many awesome options for learning unique crafts around the city. One idea is a pottery and wheel-throwing class with Creative Hands Art Studio in Bothell. Or try this creative spin art experience in Redmond.

For other creative classes, one of my favorites is The Works Seattle. I’ve ordered their DIY kits or taken one of their in-person classes every holiday and always have a great time.

There’s also Space Craft that offers quirky activities like burning portraits of your pet in wood coasters. Or try Field Trip Society for offbeat experiences like learning how to forage or bird watch.

If the whole in-person or virtual class atmosphere isn’t your vibe, you can also get take home kits that let you make something at your own pace. For example, Orcas Island Leather Goods is a small business that sells super high quality leather goods you can stitch together yourself. I made their Classic Islander bag (pictured below) and still can’t believe how well it turned out. They also have smaller items like wallets, ornaments, and catchall bins that you could easily make for your loved one as an extra thoughtful gift.

Music class

Have a budding musician in your life? Get them a virtual or in-person music lesson, or sign them up for a drum, singing, or guitar lesson at Seattle School of Rock.

Painting class

Sip and paint events are really popular in Seattle right now. For example, with Uncorked Canvas you can enjoy a glass of wine and learn how to paint a fun scene of your choice, either in person or virtual. Or have someone from Emerald City Art come to your house for a private airbrush painting lesson.

Cooking class

A fun date night is to learn your way around the kitchen with one of the fabulous cooking courses available in Seattle, many of which offer virtual options. Some of my favorites include The Pantry, Book Larder, and Hot Stove Society.

Subscription boxes

One of my favorite Seattle experience gift ideas is a subscription box. This lets your loved one continue to experience Seattle each month!

Coffee subscription

There are so many awesome coffee roasters in Seattle. Many offer subscription boxes that the coffee lover in your life will definitely appreciate. Some of my favorites include Black-owned Boon Boona, women-owned Seattle Coffee Works, and Onda Origins. If your loved one uses a French press, see my guide on how to choose the best beans for a French press.

If you’re not sure your loved one will be ready to commit to a certain roaster via a subscription, check out NoirePack for a coffee sampler box from Black-owned roasters around Washington (including Boon Boona!).

Food subscription box

Have a foodie on your hand? Lady Jaye, one of the best butchers in Seattle, offers a meat box subscription. I’ve purchased this for my brother-in-law before and it’s a really impressive assortment of all types of meats. He always was especially gleeful when the box include Lady Jaye’s homemade breakfast sausages! So if you have a meat lover in your life, this makes an awesome subscription gift.

A lot of local Seattle restaurants also have subscription boxes. For example, my dad gets Osteria La Spiga’s monthly Pasta & Provisions Subscription, and popular places like Musang also have monthly take-home meal options. So no matter what type of cuisine your loved one is into, this gift will help support local restaurants while giving them something new to open every month.

Clothing subscription box

One option is to help your loved one amp up their style with a fashion subscription box. While there are national ones available, Seattle-based, woman-owned Armoire is a fashion rental company that can save your loved one a trip to the best shopping neighborhoods in Seattle.

Wine club

You can help your loved one continually try the best Washington wines and best Oregon wines with an annual wine club shipment. Most of the best Pacific Northwest wineries offer them, so you can’t go wrong picking one of the places I recommend in these linked winery guides.

Another option is to sign up for the wine club from one of the independent wine shops in Seattle. A lot of them focus on natural wines, so they’re likely to help your loved one experience off-the-beaten-path wines they wouldn’t otherwise try on their own.

Flower arrangement subscription

I love giving flowers as a gift, but it’s typically a one-off item that lasts for about a week. However, that’s changed with the proliferation of floral designers selling monthly, biweekly, and weekly flower arrangement deliveries.

For example, Sarah at The Stemmery makes beautiful arrangements and delivers them around the greater Seattle area. Check out my Instagram post for more local Seattle flower delivery businesses.

Arts and events

Here are the best Seattle experience gifts for people who love performing arts, culture, and sports.

Sporting event

One winning gift of experience is a sporting event: Get tickets to a Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners or Seattle Kraken game for die hard fans. Or go a bit more offbeat with tickets to a Rat City Roller Derby match.

Musicals and plays

I love performing arts and am thankful there are a ton of options in Seattle, both in person and virtual. For example, you can treat your loved one to a virtual show for a quirky performance, like the Burlesque nutcracker, one of the best Christmas activities in Seattle. Or head to the Culinary Can Can inside Pike Place Market for a cabaret performance and great beignets.

Or you can get your loved one a seasons pass to a local theater, like The Fifth Avenue Theatre or Seattle Theater Group. I’m a 5th Ave member and absolutely love every show I’ve seen, including the virtual ones!

Art curation

I avoided buying original art for years because I was intimidated by galleries and assumed all original art was tens of thousands of dollars. Then I met Sarah of Seattle Art Source who introduced me to small Pacific Northwest artists that are actually affordable.

She offers art curation for free and lets you try artwork in your home before committing. She helped me find things in my price point (some around $100!) and offered her services for free. You can give this gift of experience and pair it with a gift card for some original art that will have your loved one thinking of you every time they see the piece they chose.

Styling services

Does your loved one feel overwhelmed by the idea of styling their home? Do they need help creating a gallery wall, maybe with all that art you bought them from Seattle Art Source?

That’s where Mackenzie of Schieck Spaces comes in. She offers virtual and in-person styling services to help reflect your home’s style. Unlike interior designers who focus more on the construction and finishes of the home, Mackenzie helps with the furniture and decor. She’s super talented, so your loved one is sure to be grateful for her help turning their house into a home they love.

Spa & relaxation experiences

One of my favorite gifts to get is anything related to spa or relaxation experiences.

Spa treatments

You can never go wrong getting someone a massage or facial at a local spa. I have a whole list of the best Seattle spas that include some of my favorites like Penelope & the Beauty Bar, but one on my list to try still is Little Red Day Spa. I hear they’re amazing for couples!

Astrology reading

For your loved one who loves a bit of woo woo or as a romantic date night, get your astrology read by Seattle-based Jazmin who offers birth chart and relationship readings virtually.

Float & sauna experiences

There are a lot of non-traditional relaxation options in Seattle that are perfect for a date night. For a bit of solitude, try a 1-Hour Float Therapy Session where you float in a sensory-depriving tank full of salt water that makes you feel weightless for a truly meditative experience! They also offer infrared sauna experiences to work up a bit of a sweat afterwards.

Weekend getaways

One of the best Seattle experience gifts is treating your loved on to a Pacific Northwest getaway.

Custom trip itinerary

Plan a trip away together without all the work by delegating the trip planning part to me! I’m a licensed travel agent who creates custom trip itineraries for people to explore the hidden gems of the Pacific Northwest.

If you’d prefer to plan a trip on your own, there are so many awesome areas in the Pacific Northwest that would make a perfect weekend trip. Here are some of my favorites:

Columbia River Gorge for hiking, beer, and wine
Skagit Valley for farms and water views
10 islands near Seattle for scenery and water activities
Washington coast attractions for hiking and scenic views
Oregon Coast for beaches and ambiance

Unique resort or cabin

There are so many quirky an secluded cabins, yurts, treehouses, and resorts around Washington state. Here are articles I wrote curating some of my favorite resorts, hotels, cabins, and more in the Pacific Northwest.

Once-in-a-lifetime meal

Another idea the foodie in your life will never forget is a meal at a super fancy restaurant they wouldn’t normally visit themselves. Check out my list of the best fine dining restaurants in Seattle and restaurants worth a drive from Seattle for ideas!

Other unique gift ideas

One of my favorite things to do is pair a Seattle experience gift with a little something to open. Check out my gift guides for goods made from small Pacific Northwest makers!

Comments

elise says

December 2, 2020 at 6:56 pm

So many great gift ideas — I especially like to gift experiences (meals, adventures, etc.) because they don’t make clutter and are always a great memory.
- Adria Saracino says
  
  December 4, 2020 at 5:28 pm
  
  Thank you for your kind words! I love getting experience gifts for my partner especially for that reason…no clutter in our house! 😂