Gifts of experience are becoming increasingly popular, and it’s easy to understand why. A “thing” can be nice but nothing really tops learning a skill or making a new memory. Since experiences vary by location, I’ve compiled a list of gifts of experience available in the Baltimore area. Some I’ve tried, some I haven’t but every place has good reviews. I hope this curated list with multiple price points helps you find something to give.

For this post, the “Baltimore area” means you can get to the event by car within an hour from central Baltimore.

How do you “gift” an experience?

Obviously you can’t wrap gifts of experience in a box or a bag. It can also be awkward to book an event to find out the recipient is busy on that specific date.

For gifts of experience, you can pick something vague or specific but you want to leave the time and date open. Gift cards or vouchers are a great way to gift an experience if they’re available. This blog post has links to all the gift cards available and specifies if one is not available (at the time of last update). If not, you can always make your own “IOU” gift card.

For the artistic ones, you can make a gift card yourself – maybe something that says “one ticket to XXX” or “good for 1 XXX at XXX.” If you’re not artistic, you can find some designs for purchase on Etsy. Once you have your card, you can put it in an envelope or wrap it in a small box.

Everyone is different and thought should always be put towards the individual for all gifts. But many times I’ve given experiences and they’ve been well received.

Gift A Fun Night (or Day) Out

Movie Night at The Charles

Photo by Pixabay

Cost: About $14+
Location: Station North
Website: https://thecharles.com/
Gift Cards: purchase here

Remember that gifts of experience don’t need to be “special occasion.” Something as simple as going to the movies at Baltimore’s most loved movie theatre can be a lovely night out. Don’t forget to add some extra money on for popcorn!

Paint Your Own Pottery (one of the classic gifts of experience) ★ Value pick! ★

Cost: $5+
Location: Mt Washington and Bel Air, MD
Website: https://www.amazingglaze.net/paint-your-own-pottery
Gift Cards: purchase here

I personally love painting pottery. I’m not good at it, but there’s something so relaxing about painting. Painting your own pottery is a nice way to spend an hour or two that doesn’t break the bank and is also fun – for both children and adults.

Give an AVAM Membership

Cost: $50
Location: Federal Hill
Website: https://www.avam.org/membership

The American Visionary Art Museum is an icon of Baltimore and loved by many modern art enthusiasts from around the world. Gifting a membership will get your loved one unlimited visits for a year plus two tickets for guests – so two visits, each with a friend, will pay for the membership itself. Plus you’re helping support the museum and everything it does to support the local art scene in Baltimore.

Paint Your Pet

Cost: About $40
Location: Multiple locations in and around Baltimore
Website: https://www.tcstudios.org/events
Gift Cards: purchase here

I’ve been to paint & sip before but this one is on my list. I find painting relaxing and when you leave, you get to take home a nice portrait of your fur baby!

On the calendar, look for events called “Paint your Pet™” and check the location.

Dinner & a Show at Medieval Times

Cost: $75 per person
Location: Hanover, MD
Website: https://www.medievaltimes.com/baltimore
Gift Cards: click here (must call)

Huzzah! Did you know the Maryland state sport is jousting? Enjoy a joust tournament with a four-course dinner at Medieval Times. Often used to celebrate birthdays, it’s a fun and special way to spend the day or evening – whether you’re a kid or just a nerdy adult (like me).

Just a heads up, the vegetarian meal is the best!

Bonus: Did you know the shopping center Medieval Times is in has an Egyptian-themed movie theatre? If you walk to the other side of Arundel Mills, you can go check it out! Tickets not needed to be impressed by the beautiful design.

Go On a Drive-In Movie Date

Cost: about $13 per person
Location: Middle River, MD
Website: https://www.bengies.com/
Gift Cards: purchase here

Outside Baltimore is Bengies drive-in theatre, which has grown to be a local icon. I’ve never been since their long list of rules is intimidating but maybe I’ll go one day. For movie lovers, it’s one of the unique gifts of experience to give.

Pour Your Own Candle

Cost: $27-40
Location: Downtown Baltimore
Website: https://lumierecandlestudio.com/reservations/
Gift Cards: not available

This has also been a place on my list and I might go this year. I love candles and choosing your own scents, colors and even label sounds so fun. I still need to see the sizes in person but $27 is not a bad price for a small candle, especially from a small business.

Have a Fun Night Out at Monster Golf ★ Value pick! ★

Cost: $14+
Location: Jessup and Parkville
Website: https://monsterminigolf.com/locations/us/md/towson/

Fun for the whole family and for all ages, Monster Golf is an indoor mini gold course that’s a fun way to spend the night out. Monster Golf also offers an arcade and laser tag for a very reasonable price.

Go Skydiving

Photo from Pixabay

Cost: About $200+
Location: Churchville, MD
Website: https://skydivebaltimore.com/
Gift Cards: purchase here

Isn’t skydiving one of those things lots of people have on their list? I know many people who have been skydiving with this company and loved it. This one’s for the daredevils.

There’s also an indoor skydiving venue located near White Marsh.

Gift A One-Time Class

Blow Your Own Glass Piece ★ Value pick! ★

Cost: $25-70
Location: Bayview/Colgate
Website: https://mcfaddenartglass.com/services/make-your-own-activities/
Gift Cards: purchase here

There a few locations to blow glass in Baltimore but I chose this location because they’re super well priced. Their workshops last about an hour and you get to choose which glass piece you’d like to make and your colors. They guide you through the process so it’s not intimidating, but you still get to be hands-on when making your piece. I highly recommend them!

Take a Cooking Class

Photo from Pixabay

Cost: About $90 per class
Location: Hampden
Website: https://www.baltimorechefshop.com/cooking-classes
Gift Cards: purchase here

This has been a place I’ve been eyeing but saving for a special occasion. I take cooking classes a lot when I travel and it’s an excellent skill to have, plus it comes with the meal included.

Enjoy a Night of Dancing ★ Value pick! ★

Cost: $10 ($80 multi-night classes available)
Location: Station North
Website: https://www.mobtownballroom.com/events
Gift Cards: not available

Mobtown Ballroom (now at Station North) is a classic Baltimore establishment. They host inexpensive classes each Friday on the Lindy Hop. You’ll see people, like me, who are so uncoordinated that they accidentally smack people on the face. You’ll also see people come in and dance like professionals. It makes a great night out and is an inexpensive but memorable gift of experience in Baltimore.

Classes run each Monday and Friday with a fee of $10 at the door (as an “event”) but there are more dedicated classes available for about $80 (as a “class”).

The Gift of Guinness (Brewery Tour) ★ Value pick! ★

Cost: $19+
Location: Halethorpe
Website: https://www.guinnessbrewerybaltimore.com/tours-and-experiences
Gift Cards: purchase here

Did you know that Baltimore has its own Guinness Brewery? We have a nice pale ale brewed here exclusively and you can take a tour of the brewery with a tasting for a mere $19 (very cheap compared to the one in Ireland).

Join the Circus (kind of)

Photo from Pixabay

Cost: About $50-100 for a workshop (multi-week classes available)
Location: Pigtown
Website: https://www.inthedarkcircusarts.com/classes
Gift Cards: purchase here

This is one of the more unique gifts of experience available in Baltimore. Definitely reserve this for your friends and family who can appreciate it.

I took the “fabrics” (it’s like aerobics) course for a few weeks and actually have a few friends and family who do fabrics. It wasn’t for me but was pretty fun and I learned a lot. Note that they say it’s for “everybody” but I was quite out of shape when I started and the class was difficult for me. I didn’t get kicked out or anything but it was hard to keep up. But if you have an active and quirky friend, this might be an interesting gift for them!

Unfortunately per the contract I am not allowed to publish any photos or videos I took in class.

Make Your Own Pottery

Photo by Pixabay

Cost: About $45-95 per one class; multi-week classes available
Location: Ellicott City, MD
Website: https://claygroundonline.com/
Gift Cards: purchase here

Any other craft fans here? I chose to promote Clayground because they have a variety of classes from handmade pottery to mosaics. They also offer one-time classes for a nice day out or multi-week classes for those who are more determined.

Give the Gift of Education (a Multi-Session Class)

These are gift ideas for more dedicated individuals who’ve been saying they “want to learn to cook” or “want to learn to sew,” etc. This is not an exhaustive list and are just ideas. If you’re willing to gift someone a class for a few hundred dollars then I recommend shopping around more extensively for the best program for your loved one.

Learn to Sew (and more!) ★ Value pick! ★

Cost: $36 for 6 weeks
Location: Reservoir Hill
Website: https://arts.jubileeartsbaltimore.org/
Gift Cards: not available

No that is not a typo. You can take sewing (and other) classes for 6 weeks for $36 total! That’s $6 a class, all materials included. That’s no joke! Both children’s and adults’ classes available. I took the sewing class and it was a great experience.

They have classes in claywork, TV production, line dance, and more – all for an incredible price! I cannot recommend Jubilee Arts enough. I’m so glad I found them because they really are a godsend to the Baltimore community.

Learn to Knit or Crochet

Image from Pixabay

Cost: About $80 for a 2-session class
Location: Hampden
Website: https://www.lovelyarns.com/learn
Gift Cards: not available

This cute yarn shop in Hampden also has beginner classes that last 2 sessions and are well priced. Knitting and crochet are becoming more popular so it may be one of the gifts of experience to keep your eyes on.

Take a Woodcutting Class

Photo from Pixabay

Cost: $95+ for 1 or 2 classes
Location: Timonium
Website: https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store-classes/baltimore?srsltid=AfmBOooa4JTgSYo3fh3h6B_Q1xmzQoWAqx6FXPENbyj9CvCSp_jgvRrJ
Gift Cards: purchase here

I took woodcutting in college and it’s not for the faint of heart, but I wanted to add something here that is artistic but also very practical. I really wish I enjoyed woodcutting since I like designing furniture, and the two would go well together. It’s a great skill to have for a profession. Woodcraft is a national chain.

One-Time Classes (Above) that have Multi-Session Classes

The establishments and activities I mentioned above have single day workshops, but some also come in multi-session classes.

• Baltimore Chef Shop has cooking class series.
• Clayground hosts multi-week classes for various arts.
• You can also take multi-session pottery classes at Clay Coven, Baltimore Clayworks and Potters Guild.
• In the Dark Circus Arts has multi-session classes.
• Mobtown Ballroom has multi-session swing dance classes.
• McFadden Art Glass also has multi-week classes and private lessons.

I hope this post has given you some ideas and proper recommendations for great gifts of experience in Baltimore. Whether you’re looking for a birthday or Christmas present, or are just looking for ideas for date night, this list hopefully has something for you!

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