Give the gift of a new experience this holiday season—no wrapping paper required. Discover 12 New Hampshire activities that make great gifts.
The gifts people remember often aren’t the ones that came wrapped in a big box. This holiday season, consider giving someone an experience instead of another thing to put on a shelf. New Hampshire has plenty of options, from pottery and cooking classes to live theatre performances to outdoor adventures like ziplining and cross-country skiing.
Most of the places providing these experiences make it easy to give one as a present. You can buy a gift card or certificate from the business, usually online, and the recipient decides when to use it and which class, show, or activity to book.
Keep reading to discover some fun New Hampshire experiences that everyone on your shopping list will be excited about.
Alpine Adventures
Alpine Adventures is in the White Mountains and offers tons of entertainment for thrill seekers, like ziplines that cross 1,500-foot ravines, rides up Barron Mountain in a six-wheel drive Swiss Army Pinzgauer, and aerial challenge courses. What’s available changes with the season and can include fall foliage ziplining, snowshoe tours in winter, or a treetop canopy tour come spring.
Gift cards can be purchased in any amount and used for any tour or item in the store, or at sister park Whales Tale Waterpark. At checkout, you’ll get a code for the gift recipient to use.
Location: 41 Main St., Lincoln
Black Olive Pottery Studio
For the friend who likes to get their hands dirty, Black Olive Pottery Studio is the perfect playground. The studio runs one-day and multi-week workshops, themed events like sip and spin sessions, and eight-week courses for people looking for a longer commitment.
Gift cards start at $10 and go up to $447, so you can match the amount to your budget, and they can be redeemed for any class or event.
Location: 211 Loudon Rd., Ste. D, Concord
Culinary Playground
This local cooking studio has been teaching home cooks since 2008. Its classes offer something for everyone, from couples’ nights to adult workshops on a wide range of baking and cooking techniques.
Some upcoming sessions include focaccia bread art, French macarons, and Christmas cookies. For the friend or family member who wants to get really good in the kitchen, there is the Culinary Boot Camp, a six-week series designed to help students develop and sharpen skills they’ll use every day.
Gift certificates apply to any class, camp, or party. You can have one emailed, or pick up a printed version that comes in a pizza box.
Location: 16 Manning St., Ste. 105, Derry
Currier Museum of Art
A gift membership to the Currier Museum of Art, which has been around since 1929, keeps giving all year long. At $65 for an individual, membership includes unlimited free admission, 10% off at the cafe and shop, special pricing on Frank Lloyd Wright tours, and a yearly guest pass so the member can bring a friend (you?!) along.
Location: 150 Ash St., Manchester
Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center
Snow tubing, cross-country skiing, fatbiking, and guided SnowCoach tours are offered at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center, so a gift card is a good option for the friend who actually looks forward to winter.
Gift cards are available in any amount, and the recipient books whichever experience they want on whatever day works for them. Buy one online and you’ll get a code to share.
Location: 1 Mount Washington Auto Rd., Gorham
Manchvegas Brew Bus
Skip the designated-driver debate and give a craft brewery tour around the Greater Manchester area on the Manchvegas Brew Bus. Private and custom tours are available too. Gift cards start at $70 for a custom amount and can be delivered by text or email.
Location: Manchester
NH State Parks
A state parks gift card opens the door to parks, campgrounds, and historic sites, with the recipient deciding where and when to go. Cards can be bought for up to $250 and never expire.
You can order online through ReserveAmerica (credit card only), call the ReserveAmerica call center at 1-877-647-2757 during business hours (also credit card only), or visit the headquarters in Concord, where you can pay by card, check, money order, or cash.
Location: Multiple locations throughout the state
Players Ring
Since 1992, this non-profit performing arts hub has been staging live theater in an intimate 75-seat venue, with a lineup that mixes brand-new works and well-loved classics. The holiday schedule includes “A Christmas Carol” and “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.”
You choose the gift amount (a single ticket usually runs about $32, but you can spend more or less). Certificates can be used for any show in the season, never expire, and can be redeemed online, by phone, or at the door. Send one by email right away, or request a physical copy for pickup or mail.
Location: 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth
Red River Theatres
For the movie lover on your list, this non-profit three-screen cinema shows new releases, independent and locally made films, documentaries, and classics, plus family programming, special events, and conversations with filmmakers. Current titles include “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,” “You Can See Everything,” and “A Talent For Murder.”
Gift cards can be used on tickets as well as concession-stand treats like popcorn, beer, and wine. Buy one online or stop by the box office.
Location: 11 S. Main St., Ste. L1-1, Concord
SkyVenture New Hampshire
Indoor skydiving, surfing, rock climbing, and a water ride all live under one roof at SkyVenture New Hampshire.
Some available gift options include a two-minute flight session for $65, 15 minutes on the climbing wall for $20, or a surfing and skydiving combo for $100. If you’d rather not pick a specific activity, a dollar-amount gift card lets the recipient choose their own adventure.
Location: 100 Adventure Way, Nashua
Studio 550 Arts Center
Studio 550 is known for pottery and stained glass, though you can also paint, sculpt, or try macramé here. If you’re shopping for someone who’s curious but not ready to commit, the one-day workshops are a smart option. If you already know they enjoy one of these crafts and want to hone their skills, there are year-round classes for adults and kids.
Gift cards cover classes, workshops, gallery pieces, and anything else the studio sells, and they never expire. Standard gift cards are digital, but if you want to make your gift more personal, you can purchase a clay tablet gift card for an additional $15 and have it shipped to the recipient.
Location: 550 Elm St., Manchester
Woodman Museum
Founded in 1916, the Woodman Museum blends natural science, history, and art, with something for visitors of every age. Highlights include hundreds of colonial artifacts, mineral, shell, and fossil galleries, mounted animal specimens, fine art and furniture, and a large militaria collection.
An individual membership starts at $60 and covers free general admission, discounted tickets to select events, half-price admission for a guest on each visit, and 10% off in the gift shop.
Location: 182 Central Ave., Dover
