Season passholders to WildPlay in B.C. and Ontario get unlimited visits to Extreme courses, such a tightrope walks.Supplied
Looking for a different sort of gift for the person who has everything? Consider an experience that aligns with their interests and hobbies, redeemable either close to home or perhaps somewhere they have plans to travel to soon.
And if you really want to splurge, there’s always the option of booking some of these experiences for two so that you can spend valuable time together.
A note: Most of these suggestions are location-specific, but there are many great options for similar activities across the country.
Food and dining
WA-BAGEL Japanese-style bagel-making class (Vancouver)
Gift the bakers and food enthusiasts on your list a hands-on, Japanese-style bagel-making class with head baker Yukiko Iikura. There are classes for plain bagels in January and heart-shaped bagels in February. Buy for $90 at wabagel.com.
Bagels from WA-BAGEL.Maria Gonzalez/Supplied
Cookery knife skills class (Toronto)
Upgrade their knife skills in the kitchen – think chopping, mincing, julienning – with an in-person lesson at one of Cookery’s Toronto locations. Students will also learn how to prepare several main and side dishes with Chef Anne Hynes. Buy for $139 at cookery-store.ca.
Fairmont Empress afternoon tea (Victoria)
Treat them to an iconic afternoon tea experience at the Empress with a Fairmont gift card. Along with small sweet and savoury plates, there’s live classical piano accompaniment every afternoon, as well as an option to upgrade to the Champagne Tea experience which includes a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne. Buy from $109 at fairmont.com.
Afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress.Fairmont/Supplied
Fireworks Feast at The Inn at Bay Fortune (Fortune Bridge, PEI)
The Fireworks Feast at The Inn at Bay Fortune is an experience to remember. Guests tour and learn about the country inn, on-site culinary farm and herb gardens (the property is co-owned by Chef Michael Smith), then enjoy sparkling wine, oysters and a multicourse meal highlighting local ingredients in front of a 25-foot live-fire hearth. Buy for $295 at innatbayfortune.com.
Swallow Tail Culinary Adventures wild mushroom field trip (Vancouver)
This educational, family-friendly foraging forest walk teaches participants how to identify edible mushrooms found in British Columbia, including porcini and chanterelle, touching on topics such as sustainable harvesting. Buy for $69 at swallowtail.ca.
Classes and workshops
Shirts created at an OkayOk workshop.Supplied
OkayOk print anything workshop (Toronto)
Let them get creative at this heat transfer vinyl surface design workshop for adults and children aged seven and up. Participants can bring in their own garments, totes and textiles, or purchase blank items from OkayOk to decorate. Buy for $40 at okayok.ca.
Les Affûtés bonsai workshop (Montreal)
Across two locations in Montreal, Les Affûtés offers a wide range of unique, hands-on workshops, including a three-hour class dedicated to the art of propagating and shaping bonsai trees. Buy for $99 at les-affutes.ca.
Visual Arts Centre ring-making course (Westmount, Que.)
This art school in Montreal offers courses across a range of mediums for kids, teens and adults. There are also more focused workshops taught by professional artists, including this one where participants learn how to make a ring from sterling silver wire. Buy for $105 at visualartscentre.ca.
Perfumes from 7 Virtues Perfume Atelier.Supplied
The 7 Virtues Perfume Atelier perfume workshop (Halifax)
Book them in for this intimate workshop where they’ll learn how to design their own perfume. They’ll leave with a 50-millilitre bottle of their creation. Buy for $127 at atelier.the7virtues.com.
Gardiner Museum family clay class (Toronto)
Toronto’s newly renovated Gardiner Museum offers clay classes for kids and adults. This two-hour class for families includes instruction from a ceramic artist; access to earthenware clay, underglazes and tools; and the opportunity to fire one piece of work. Buy from $60 for two participants at gardinermuseum.on.ca.
Clay-making workshop at the Gardiner Museum.Supplied
Adventure
WildPlay Element Parks season pass (B.C. and Ontario)
WildPlay season passholders get unlimited visits to the Classic Adventure and Extreme courses – think ziplines, tightrope walks and more – from now until the end of the 2026 season at all WildPlay parks in Canada, plus a host of other perks. Buy for $200 at wildplay.com.
Ropes course at WildPlay Element Parks.Supplied
Flyberta fly fishing lesson (Calgary)
Treat the avid outdoors person on your list to a fly-fishing lesson. Calgary-based Flyberta offers lessons in the field, as well as guided trips for individuals and groups. Buy from $100 at flyberta.com.
Quebec National Parks annual pass (Quebec)
A provincial or regional parks pass is a thoughtful gift for anyone who loves the outdoors. This one includes access to all Quebec national parks and protected areas for 12 months. Buy for $91 at sepaq.com.
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum vintage aircraft flight (Mount Hope, Ont.)
Aviation fanatics and history buffs aged 12 and up will cherish the opportunity to take flight in a vintage aircraft, such as the Tiger Moth biplane or B-25 Mitchell bomber. Buy from $275 at warplane.com.
Attractions
Little Canada visit (Toronto)
An impressive miniature model of Canada that spans 45,000 square feet, this downtown Toronto attraction recently debuted a brand new destination: Little North, a replica of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Buy for $36 at little-canada.ca.
An installation at Little Canada.Elliot Armstrong/Supplied
Art Gallery of Alberta membership (Edmonton)
Consider gifting the art lover on your list a membership to their favourite local gallery. For students and seniors, a one-year option at the Art Gallery of Alberta is under $50. Buy from $42 at youraga.ca.
Spa
Bota Bota spa-sur-l’eau water circuit package (Montreal)
This water circuit pass includes individual or couple access to Bota Bota’s saunas; steam, cold and hot baths; and relaxation rooms for up to three hours. Buy from $75 at botabota.ca.
Elora Mill Spa massage (Elora, Ont.)
Pamper a loved one with a massage treatment, which also includes access to the Elora Mill Hotel & Spa’s outdoor heated pool, hot tub, sauna and steam rooms. Buy from $200 at eloramill.ca.
The winter pool at Elora Mill Spa.Rick O'Brien @rickettes/Supplied
Style
Sequel custom vintage jeans (Toronto and Hamilton and online)
Help them find a pair of perfectly fitting vintage jeans. With a Sequel Jeans gift card, they can try on vintage options in person and get a favourite pair tailored to their measurements and preferences. Buy for $225 at sequeljeans.com.
A fitting room at Mabelle Style.Christine Pienaar Photography/Supplied
Mabelle Style personal shopping package (Vancouver and online)
Know someone who’s stuck in a style rut, or just needs a few new outfit ideas for the office? Stylist Lindsay Wilkins offers a variety of in-person and online packages for everything from wardrobe consults to personal shopping and styling. Buy from $475 at mabellestyle.ca.
Subscriptions
Small Mercies fresh flower subscription (Winnipeg)
Brighten their days with monthly deliveries from a talented local florist. Small Mercies in Winnipeg offers three- and six-month subscriptions for fresh bouquets and dried arrangements. Buy from $110 at smallmercies.co.
État de choc chocolate discovery subscription (Montreal)
État de choc, an award-winning chocolate shop in Montreal, offers three-, six- and 12-month subscriptions to its discovery boxes. It’s the perfect sweet treat for someone special. Buy from $165 at etatdechoc.com.
McNally Robinson bookseller box (Canada-wide)
McNally Robinson’s monthly subscription boxes include gift items alongside hand-selected books (mostly by Canadian authors and from independent publishers and niche imprints). There are options for young adults, early readers and even babies. Buy from $60 at mcnallyrobinson.com.
Indigenous Box seasonal discovery box (Canada-wide)
Each seasonally themed box includes a curated selection of Indigenous-made products from across Canada, such as coffee, snacks, preserves and beauty items. You can gift a single box or splurge on a one-year subscription. Buy from $98 at indigenousbox.ca.
Indigenous Box offers a curated selection of Indigenous-made products from across Canada.Supplied