Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2023.
With the holiday season in full swing and the end of the year quickly approaching, it can be a little overwhelming to find the perfect present for loved ones.
If a present from a big-box store isn't cutting it this year, here is a list of 12 local and Arizona-based experiences to gift to your loved ones this year. 🎁
Tucson-area experiences
See Tucson by bike 🚲
As one of the best bike cities in the country (yes, you read that right — in the country), it's only fitting to include a bike tour on this list of Tucson experiences. Tucson Bike Tours currently offers three different bike tours, including a 9-mile historic city bike tour, a 7-mile mural bike tour featuring 35 local murals, and a 10-mile taco bike tour.
Prices range from $55 to $75 per rider.
Visit Tucson Bike Tours' website for more information or to book a tour.
Animal yoga 🐐
Tucson offers a wide range of animal yoga classes, including puppy, kitten and goat yoga. Organizations such as G.O.T. Goat Yoga, El Jefe Cat Cafe, Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary and Barefoot Studio host animal yoga classes to help you destress during and after the holidays.
Prices range from $18 to $25 per person.
Visit the websites linked above for more information and schedules.
A photo flight with Volare Helicopters 🚁
What better way to see the beauty of the Santa Catalina Mountains or the glimmering lights of downtown Tucson than from the air? Tucson company Volare Helicopters offers five different 20- to 55-minute photo flights that allow you to take stunning aerial photos over Gates Pass, Mount Lemmon and downtown Tucson, just to name a few. If you're feeling extra adventurous, you can request a doors-off flight for an additional $75.
Prices range from $150 to $325 per person.
Note: There is a two-person minimum and a three-person maximum per flight.
Visit Volare Helicopter's website for more information or to book a photo flight.
Arizona Zipline Adventures 🌵
The last tower holds the fifth and sixth lines at Arizona Zipline Adventures south of Oracle, Ariz. Two people are able to zip line down the 1,500-foot long drop together. There are five runs in an interconnected course on a 20-acre parcel of private ranch land in the Catalinas.
OK, so maybe soaring through the clouds in a helicopter is a little too adventurous for you or your loved one. Not a problem — an Arizona Zipline Adventures zip line experience will give you that flying feeling while staying a little closer to the ground. They offer five zip lines ranging from 400 to 1,500 feet that soar over parts of the Sonoran Desert. They also offer sunset and moonlight zip line experiences during the spring season.
General ticket prices start at $94. For ages 15 and under, seniors 65 and up and military personnel, ticket prices start at $83. Reservations are required.
Visit the Arizona Zipline Adventures' website for more information or to book a zip line tour.
National Parks Annual Pass 🌲
While soaring above Tucson can be exhilarating, there are plenty of adventurous things to do right here on the ground, including exploring the natural wonders of national parks in Tucson and Arizona. By purchasing an "America the Beautiful: The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass," you get free access to every single national park and national monument in Arizona (and the U.S.) for an entire year. The list includes Saguaro National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and the Petrified Forest National Park.
The 2024 National Parks Annual Pass is $80.
Visit the United States Geological Survey's website for more information or to purchase an annual pass.
Take a tour through Colossal Cave 💎
Rafael Sanchez, tour guide, shines a black light on a rock formation with old candle wax during a classic cave tour at Colossal Cave, 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail, in Vail, Ariz. on July 8, 2021.
Aside from the beauty of the National Parks above ground, a Colossal Cave tour allows visitors to check out the geological formations as you go down approximately six stories into the cave. The nearly 45-minute Classic Cave Tour covers everything from the cave's history, legends and distinctive geology. For more advanced adventurers, they offer a Ladder Tour that allows you to climb ladders and squeeze through narrow spaces.
Prices start at $23 for adults, $13 for children ages 5 to 12 and $21 for active-duty military personnel with ID for the Classic Cave Tour.
Note: Children under the age of 5 are not allowed on the tour.
Visit Colossal Cave Mountain Park's website for more information or to purchase tickets.
Visit the University of Arizona and get a museum membership 📚
A bicyclist rides past Old Main at the University of Arizona on July 6, 2021.
Simply walking around the University of Arizona campus is highly underrated, in my opinion. The campus is filled with lush greenery, amazing architecture, museums and even a turtle pond. Whether you walk or ride around campus, there is always something to check out. Try taking a guided tour of the campus and visit the numerous museums on-site, including the Arizona State Museum and Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium (which has memberships that you can gift!).
Visit the University of Arizona’s visitor center's website for more information.
Broadway in Tucson tickets 🎫
Speaking of the University of Arizona, onsite auditorium Centennial Hall is the home of Broadway in Tucson, which brings nationally-recognized Broadway shows right to the Southwest. Some of the shows for the 2023-2024 season include crowd favorites such as "Chicago," "Shrek the Musical" and "Mrs. Doubtfire." You can't go wrong with tickets to your loved one's favorite show.
Visit Broadway in Tucson's website for more information or to purchase tickets.
Tipsy Picassos craft classes 🎨
There's no better way to let your creative juices flow than with a drink in one hand and a paintbrush in the other. With a Tipsy Picassos craft class, you can create beautiful pieces of artwork to hang in your home or gift to someone special. It's really the gift that keeps giving. Some of the upcoming workshops include a paint-your-pet class and a hat-burning session.
Visit Tipsy Picasso's Instagram page for an up-to-date schedule and prices.
Bonus: Painting & Vino also has a slew of painting classes!
Arizona experiences
Visit the Grand Canyon 🥾
The Grand Canyon, shown here in 2018, is known for its geologic splendor.
While the North Rim of the Grand Canyon may be closed for the winter, you can still visit the South Rim for hiking, biking and scenic drives. You can even take in the breathtaking views while riding around a mule. If you haven't taken the trip yet, you have to do it at least once in your lifetime. Don't forget to bundle up, as the weather in northern Arizona is much cooler than down here in Tucson.
Prices start at $20 per person if you enter the park by foot or $35 per vehicle.
Visit the National Parks Service website for more information.
Relax in Sedona 🌄
Sightseers take in the red rocks of Sedona, Ariz. from the back of a jeep tour on Thursday June 3, 2004.
Need to get away from the holiday madness or know someone that deserves a break from life's craziness? Book a weekend getaway to Sedona and be surrounded by stunning scenery and fresh air. There's plenty to do in Sedona, including hiking, detoxing in a local hot spring, going to a wine tasting or taking a hot air balloon ride. Whatever way you decide to unwind and recoup, Sedona is the place for you.
Visit the Sedona visitor information center's website for more information.
Take a road trip on the historic Route 66 in northern Arizona 🚙
Before the I-40 interstate, there was U.S. Route 66. The now historic route was how travelers could quickly go from California to Illinois. After being overshadowed by long stretches of freeways, Route 66 and the small towns that sit along it have been nearly forgotten. Take a trip along Route 66 in Arizona and cruise down memory lane to a simpler time. Don’t forget to make a pit stop in Seligman — a small town along the route — that is one of the inspirations behind the fictional town of Radiator Springs in Disney's "Cars."
Visit the National Park Service's website for more information.
