“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, couple taking a walk during sunset.

You know what they say: The couple that plays together has fun every day.

The current season of “Say Yes to the Dress America” — in which 50 brides from across America will get married at one time, in one place — has us thinking about, well, being a little more adventurous.

During the whirlwind of wedding planning, couples may forget that one of the best parts of marriage is creating memories together. In that spirit, some couples choose less traditional options as they plan their nuptials. By opting for a destination wedding, they can combine their ceremony and a vacation shared with family and friends. Many are also choosing to register for what are known as “experience gifts.” Whether you want to go hang gliding or learn a useful new skill together, the two of you can register for just that: an experience.

Don’t know where to start? Here’s a list of some experience gift ideas for couples — adventures large and small — to add to your registry as you start your life together.

1. Museum Membership

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, couple looking at a painting at an art museum,

If you and your soon-to-be spouse are into museums, this would be the perfect gift to ask for. All museums offer memberships, which will give you discounts on admission, access to exclusive exhibits, early entry to special shows, and more. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York holds members-only parties, and the Smithsonian offers store discounts at all museums in their network. Many museums give members the freedom to skip lines so there’s more time to enjoy the beauty you’re there to see. Ask for a membership to your favorite museum, or register for a few.

2. Learn a New Language

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, a couple sitting on a bench looking at a book.

Learning a new skill with your significant other can be great for bonding. Register for classes in a little-known language and the two of you can share secrets, or learn French or Italian and plan that trip of a lifetime to Paris or Rome.

3. Dance Lessons

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, a couple dancing outside.

Not only is dancing great exercise, it’s a fun way to show your skills at weddings and parties. Whether it’s lively like salsa dancing or elegant like ballroom, you and your partner will experience working together as a team and have a blast doing it.

4. Improv Classes

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, a couple holding hands and staring out a large window in their apartment.

Improv can be a lot of fun, but it can also be nerve wracking, so there’s no better way to experience it than with your significant other. Improv forces you to think on your feet and go with the flow — the first rule is to always answer a question with the phrase “yes, and...” Say yes to registering for improv classes and you’re already halfway there.

5. Cooking Classes

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, a couple cooking in a kitchen and another participant using the microwave.

The great thing about cooking is that it’s both fun and necessary. Everyone has to eat! Maybe you already cook at home together each night, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to learn. Try a class in your favorite ethnic food, or learn to make gourmet meals and host a dinner party. If you both have a sweet tooth, try your hand at specialty desserts. Whatever you choose, it’ll be sweet because you’ll do it with the one you love.

6. Active Vacations with Lessons

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, a couple standing on a mountain, looking at a taller, snow covered mountain.

If you’ve put off going to Colorado because you can’t ski, or you haven’t traveled to Hawaii because you can’t surf, now’s the time to learn! Pick a location you’ve longed to visit and sign up for lessons, be it snowboarding, parasailing, even whitewater rafting. Or visit a national park and find out what’s available – hot air balloon, perhaps? Learning a new skill in the great outdoors will really get those endorphins flowing, and isn’t that what an active vacation is all about? (Are you and your fiance already the outdoorsy type? Check out this guide to the Best Wedding Registry Gifts for Couples Who Love the Outdoors.)

7. Art Classes

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, a man with paint covered hands, holding a pencil in one hand and a paint brush in the other.

Remember when you were little and your mom put your paintings on the fridge? Well, the days of displaying handmade art don’t have to be over. Take an art class as newlyweds and decorate your home with the finished products by hanging a painting over the fireplace, or over the bed. Art classes are a fantastic — and fun — way to make your relationship a little more creative and your home a reflection of you as a couple.

8. Brewery Trip

People at a table with a glass filled with beer and a pair of sunglasses.

An increased appreciation for locally made beer has microbreweries popping up all over, meaning lots of possibilities for date night. If the thought of IPAs scares you, don’t stress — there’s something for everyone. Most breweries have one conventional flagship beer that will satisfy traditionalists while the pub offers more adventurous varieties alongside. The result can be a range of flavors, from notes of citrus to hints of chocolate. Many breweries offer live entertainment and other events as well, but making your way through a beer-tasting menu with your significant other is an adventure on its own.

9. Concerts or Sporting Events

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, a concert venue with confetti everywhere.

An experience gift doesn’t have to mean something you’ve never done before. The “experience” can be as simple as a concert or football game, because any outing as a couple is special. If the two of you love sports, register for season tickets for your favorite team. If you’re into music, festivals are a fantastic option. Coachella, anyone?

10. Historic and Other Tours

“Experience Gifts” for Adventurous Couples, a group of people sitting down. Two of them are wearing historic, cowboy hats.

Whether you and your fiance are history nerds or just curious types, spending a few hours or a full day learning about a historical town can be a lot of fun. You may have already been to well-known spots like Colonial Williamsburg, but going again together will be a new experience. And don’t forget about exploring closer to home. Sign up for a walking tour of a historic part of your own town, a wine tasting tour, or a food tour of a nearby ethnic neighborhood. There’s always something new to discover!

Want more more ideas? Check out this guide to Top 10 Experience Gifts for Couples. The possibilities are endless, and whatever you and your spouse choose, it will be an adventure because you’re doing it together — and that’s the best experience of all.

Tune into “Say Yes to the Dress America” Saturdays at 8/7c on TLC. We’ll be watching! Will you?

Ready to try these experiences? Add them to your MyRegistry.com wedding registry today! Don’t have one? It’s easy — and with one universal gift registry, you can add any gift, any time, from any store. Create your registry here.

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