My favourite thing to gift for any occasion is an experience. It provides the something to do together and creates a lasting memory. Gift an Ottawa experience this season. Here are some ideas 🙂
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Cocktails…
Looking for a pre-Christmas gift? Why not surprise them at one of Ottawa’s Holiday Pop-Bars. Enjoy festive cocktails together and some quality time. You can get more info on the pop-up bars in my Christmas guide.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Exploring…
This is one of my favourite experiences to gift. I’ve gifted it to my Mom, sister, and boyfriend. For this one, you gift a day trip to someone on your list and you explore the destination together. I’ll include meals and an item from one of the local shops. You can customize it to the specific person’s interest. I often let them choose the town but I’ll make some recommendations. Something within 2 hours is perfect. Here are some of my day-trip guides to fuel the gift: Carleton Place, Carp, Almonte, Wakefield, Smith Falls, Perth.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Problem-Solving…
Grab a gift card at Escape Manor for the ultimate problem-solving gift. They have so many different rooms available and they’ll love putting their problem solving to the test to see if they can get out of their escape rooms before the clock runs out. You can gift everything from a stocking stuffer to a full room experience and drinks! The best part is that right now when you buy a gift card you’ll receive a free gift yourself. Find out more here.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves A Good Time….
Casino Lac Leamy is your go-to for this person. They have everything you need from highly-rated restaurants, club Alea, Bar 7, The Zone, Casino games and more. They also have a ton of celebrations for the holidays. You can purchase one of their gift packages like Food and Fun, Private Croupier or an evening in The Zone. Head there at Christmas to see their stunning Christmas tree in the lobby.
Ottawa Experience For The One Who Wants To Relax…
This person will love a gift card from Nordik Spa. This is the perfect spot to relax and unwind. It’s a great spot to enjoy thermotherapy in world-class facilities at North America’s largest spa. They also have a saltwater floating pool, which is the second of its kind in the world, the other being in Switzerland! They can enjoy the outdoor baths, sauna, relaxation areas, massages, and more! To help them unwind even more they can enjoy a glass of wine as they lounge at the pools. Learn about the spa packages here.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Live Shows…
With so many amazing shows ahead at the National Arts Centre, there’s sure to be a show or 10 that will be perfect for so many people on your list! Grab tickets to an upcoming show like Les Miserables, The Illusionists, NAC Orchestra and more!
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Nature…
Guaranteed they’ll enjoy passes to Parc Omega! This is one of my favourite activities in the capital year-round. You’ll love driving through the park having different Canadian wildlife come and greet you. They also have accommodation options like their wolf cabins if you want to make it an overnight stay. The cabins have a glass wall where you can see the wolves on the other side. You can read my full guide to the park here.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves To Laugh…
Gift them a night out at Absolute Comedy or Yuk Yuk’s. They’ll be laughing the whole night! Afterward, head to a local bar on Preston or Elgin St.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Needs A Getaway…
I gifted a stay to Montebello to my parents last year. It’s one of my personal favourites and a great spot to truly escape on your getaway. It’s only an hour away from Ottawa. You can read my full guide to Montebello here. Everything you need is on the grounds including restaurants, spa, and activities like snowshoeing, curling, tubing, dog sledding, ice fishing, snowmobiling and more! Afterward, it’s so relaxing to curl up by the fire in the main room on one of their couches then head for a nice dinner! This would also be a great gift for your partner.
Ottawa Experience For The One Up For Anything…
Take them dog-sledding! This is one of my favourite winter memories! I had a blast going through the snowy trails on the sled at Montebello. You can go for this activity but if you can I recommend staying the night! The dogs are well taken care of and enjoy this activity. They have over 52 dogs that they alternate.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Games…
Each year my sisters and I choose a new game to play over Christmas. Pick up some board games at The Gifted Type and have an at-home games night! Pair it with some Top Shelf Cocktails or Beau’s Beer from my other gift guide.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Cooking…
Take them to a cooking class! Ottawa has a few including La Bottega, Cordon Bleu, Pelican Seafood Grill, Shafali Indian Cuisine, Urban Element, and C’est Bon Cooking. Find a themed class or cuisine they would be interested in trying.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Wine…
Take them on a winery tour at one of Ottawa’s wineries. I have a guide to wineries here. Take them on a tour in the warmer months and then let them pick out their favourite. Create a coupon inside a gift card for this present. You could also gift it with a wine glass.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Burgers…
Why not a burger tour through Ontario’s Highlands? That’s exactly what I did this summer! You can find the road trip itinerary here.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Golf….
Snow may be covering the ground but that doesn’t mean they have to give up the game they love! Grab the golf lover your buying for a gift card to Mulligans. They have a golf simulator in their restaurant that will keep this person busy all winter long. They also have a stellar menu and cocktail list. Pick up some merch, house-made hot sauce and Django dust (their addictive popcorn seasoning) to go with their gift.
Ottawa Experience For The One That Loves Brunch…
Make them a coupon to take them to brunch at NeXT. This spot has a brunch platter full of brunch dreams. It includes chorizo spice tempura-fried cauliflower, butterscotch blow-torched brulee and more. To friends or family reading this, please gift this to me 😉
Ottawa Experience For The Beer Lover…
Take them on a brewery crawl with Brew Donkey. Pick your tour and they’ll take you to multiple destinations throughout the capital. It’s a great opportunity to visit/try some new breweries!
Gift Them A Night Away
Gift them a gift card to the Wakefield Mill that they can use at a later date. It’s a great spot to go and relax without going too far. Use my guide of things to do in Wakefield while you’re there.
Check out this guide for local products to gift this season.
Don’t Miss These Christmas Activities.
Julia started Little Miss Ottawa as a way to explore her hometown as a traveller would. She’s always planning her next adventure, whether it’s local or abroad. You’ll find her exploring with her camera in hand. She hopes Little Miss Ottawa helps bring you on new and fun adventures. Happy exploring :)
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Wow! So many great and unique ideas!! I’m always searching for good gift ideas for experiences instead of products and now I have a bunch! Thanks for such a great blog post, very helpful and very inspiring.