There’s so much to love about the holiday season, but trying to find the right gift for someone — something they haven’t gotten a million times, something that they’ll appreciate — well, that can be overwhelming. Before you reach for an Amazon gift card (which is super convenient, I know), consider instead giving someone the gift of a memorable experience in Memphis. We’ve put together a list of ideas separated by areas of interest. Leave your own ideas in the comments to help out others who are looking to give unique Memphis-centric gifts.
Caveats
- This list is not exhaustive. There are more businesses and organizations in each category than what we listed. This is just a starting point to inspire you.
- There are lots of different price points in here, $10 – $600+. Some of the pricier options can be paid in installments or, you can join forces with a sibling or friend to make it manageable.
- Some of these have an obvious gifting option while others may require you to ask the business how best to gift the experience to someone else. All the more impressive when you pull it off, right?
FOR THE FOODIE
- City Tasting Tours are guided, walking food tours where you spend a couple of hours sampling some of the best dishes at local restaurants. You’ll be served a decent portion of a different popular dish at each stop. Along the way, the engaging guides share bits of history and stories about the neighborhood and food scene, and you’ll get to interact with the chefs and managers of the establishments. Gift cards are available for the Arts District Food Tour and the Brunch So Hard Food Tour at $55 per person. For the Arts District Food Tour, you can add a beverage package for $35 to get a pre-selected signature cocktail for speedier service at each bar. The Brunch So Hard Tour comes with brunch cocktails at each stop. CTT also offers private group tours for a minimum of 6 people. Private tours start at $65 per person and are customizable should you want to treat your favorite people to a one-of-a-kind experience.
- Bring It Food Hub Subscription Box – Bring it Food Hub is a non-profit local foods distributor that works to increase access to affordable fresh and healthy food and support the local farming community. Sign up is open now for the Deep Winter 2019 boxes. You can gift various produce bags starting at $20/bag. At $85/ box you can gift someone a Butcher’s Box Subscription which features a bi-weekly drop of sustainably raised meats from Marmilu Farms in Jackson, TN. While you’re at it, you can choose to Pay It Forward. With every $20 donation, Bring It Food Hub can supply a week’s worth of fresh fruits and vegetables to residents of 38126 and 38106 who are experiencing food insecurity.
FOR THE BOOZE-IE
- Memphis Brew Bus – Explore the city’s craft brewing scene with stops at 3 breweries for tastings and tours. Absorb some beer history and local music along the way, $49.
- Old Dominick Distillery Tour – At just $12, consider adding it as a cap off to your Memphis Brew Bus or City Tasting Tour day. You get a full, guided tour of the distillery, a curated tasting, and a ‘Making the Memphis Spirit’ souvenir guidebook. The Old Dominick gift shop is pretty fun, too.
- Vintage901 Spring Festival Tickets – Vintage901 Fest is a three-day celebration of wine, food, and music. The 2019 festival takes place March 1 – 3. Get early bird pricing up until January 11th. Send someone to the Grand Tasting at Crosstown Concourse for $85 per ticket, or set them up for the Sparkling Brunch at Shelby Farms for $95 per ticket.
FOR THE ARTSY ONE
LIVE THEATRE
- Hattiloo Theatre – $147 for a flex-pack of 7 anytime tickets that you can use for any show in the season. Perks are early seating, 10% off concessions, can reserve seats two weeks before tickets go on sale to the general public, can purchase (1) one companion ticket for $20 per show, and a 35% saving over regular tickets prices.
- Orpheum Theatre – Gift certificates can be used for the Broadway productions, On Stage at the Halloran Centre, the Summer Movie Series, and select special engagements. Purchase in person at the Orpheum Box Office.
- Playhouse on the Square
- Holiday Half-Subscription: 4 Tickets – $95
- 8-Pack Subscription:$180 (PERK: 1 opening weekend ticket voucher good for any show in the 2018/19 season)
- 12-Pack Subscription: $240 (PERKS: 1 opening weekend ticket voucher + A 50th season souvenir cup)
- 16-Pack Subscription: $300 (PERKS: 1 opening weekend ticket voucher + A 50th season souvenir cup + exclusive invitation to a “pre-season announcement
party” in February)
To purchase, visit or call the Playhouse box office at (901) 726-4656 or buy online HERE.
- Theatre Memphis – $145 for 6 anytime tickets. Six eligible shows remain in the 2018-19 season. Subscriptions can be purchased up until Dec. 23.
MUSEUMS / GARDENS
- Brooks Museum of Art – Individual memberships are $50, dual = $65, family = $75.
- Children’s Museum of Memphis – Starts at $125.
- Dixon Gallery & Gardens – Membership tiers begin at $45.
- Memphis Botanic Garden – Starts at $45. Purchase a gift membership here.
- National Civil Rights Museum – Starts at $50 for individual membership.
- Pink Palace Family of Museums – Includes Pink Palace Museum, Lichterman Nature Center, and Historic Houses. Offering a 10% discount when you purchase a gift membership for someone else this month.
DANCE
- Ballet Memphis
- Ballet Memphis gift certificates can be redeemed for performance tickets, Ballet school classes, and Pilates classes. Select “gift certificate” in the drop-down menu here to purchase.
- Collage Dance Collective
- Adult Dance Classes: $12 each or 5-class pass for $50. Ballet, jazz, West African dance and hip-hop are offered.
- Also selling a gorgeous wall calendar for $15.
- New Ballet Ensemble
- Madison Dance Studio
- Dance lessons are 4 for $40. Salsa, hip-hop, and belly dancing are offered.
- A month of unlimited Zumba – $35
- Cat’s Ballroom
- First lesson or class is free
- Offers Private Lessons and Group Classes at Beginner & Intermediate / Advanced Level
FILM
- Indie Memphis Membership– The individual membership is $50 and benefits include:
- 5 Ticket Credits for “Indie Memphis Nights” weekly films ($50 value)
- 20% discount off Indie Memphis Film Festival passes
- 20% discount off single tickets to weekly films
- Exclusive Member perks for swag and special screenings
Check out all the Indie Memphis membership options here.
ART MAKING
- Crosstown Arts Shared Art Making– Gift a single month of access to all equipment, spaces, & resources for $80. You’ll need to set this up in person, but you can also email shared@crosstownarts.org for details.
- The Art Project
- Belltower Artisan Pottery Classes
- Five In One Social Club Workshops
- Flicker Street Studios
- Memphis College of Art Community Education
- Metal Museum
- Seize the Clay
MUSIC
- Beale Street Music Fest Passes – The #BSMF19 lineup doesn’t get announced until February, but you can bank on it being strong due to the city’s bicentennial celebration. Grab three-day passes for $115 during the pre-sale right now.
- Gonerfest 16 Tickets – Gonerfest is running a special advance ticket sale for the holidays. $75 includes all of the performances all weekend plus a Goner Records ornament, physical tickets so you have something to put under the tree, and a Gonerfest T-Shirt that’ll be waiting for pickup at the festival. Festival dates are 09/26/19-09/29/19. Offer Ends 12/30. Purchase here.
- Opera Memphis Mini-Subscription – Starting at $120.
- Shangri-La Records – Go by the shop to purchase a gift certificate so the light of your life can get some vinyl for their collection.
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FOR THE THRILL SEEKER / OUTDOORSY ONE
- Civil Axe Throwing – $20/hr
- Memphis Rox Climbing Gym – Purchase one month of membership for an individual at $55.
- Go Ape at Shelby Farms Park – Treetop Adventure course is $58 for adults, $38 for youth. Purchase a gift card here.
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- Explore Bike Share Membership
- A month of unlimited 60-min. rides for $15, or an annual membership at $120.
- Trampoline Parks
- Helicopters Inc. Tour of Memphis – 30-minute flights for $600 and 1-hour flights for $1,100. Flights are scheduled by appointment by calling 901-354-7999 or emailing at info@helicoptersinc.com. “Passengers may particularly like the option to fly over the river at the top of the hour one evening to see the Mighty Lights display on the I-40 bridge.”
FOR THE BRAINY ONE
- Memphis Escape Rooms – Someone in your life is competitive as hell and likes puzzles. Give a Memphis Escape Rooms gift certificate. You can book single tickets for a shared experience or book a whole room, $20-$200.
- History Tours
- Publications
- Commercial Appeal – Running a holiday season sale on Monday-Sunday print delivery, Sunday-only print delivery, and unlimited digital access options.
- Daily Memphian – $7/month or $77 for a year.
- Memphis Magazine – Holiday gift subscriptions for $15. Comes with 12 issues of the magazine, including the annual Restaurant Guide and City Guide, a personalized gift card announcing your gift, & a limited-run insulated Memphis magazine tote bag.
- Memphis Business Journal – One year at $100 for digital only or $125 for print + digital.
- Memphis Flyer – The Flyer’s free and always will be, but you can support them by becoming a Frequent Flyer for as little as $5/month.
- Co-Working Space Memberships
- Emerge Memphis
- Epicenter Memphis
- Wonder CC
Read this at High Ground for more info on coworking options in Memphis.
- Local Bookstore Gift Cards: Yeah, it’s a gift card to buy things but going to these shops is an experience and supports local bookstores that we should cherish:
Photo: The Salt Caves at Better Bodies Yoga
FOR THE ONE WHO TAKES SELF-CARE SERIOUSLY
- Salt Cave at Better Bodies Yoga: Currently running a special, $99 for 30 days of salt yoga, regular yoga, and salt relaxation sessions.
- Floatation Therapy at Flow Performance + Recovery: You can do a single 90-minute session of floatation for $79. You may even shave a little off the price by asking about the 60-minute float. Book a single cryotherapy session for $50.
- Relax H20 Aqua Massage Therapy & Oxygen Bar: Dry water massage, oxygen sessions, infrared sauna sessions, and massage chairs sessions. Read about our blogger’s experience, then purchase a gift certificate here.
- Craze Memphis Rage Room Session: Sometimes self-care means releasing the demons by breaking $h!t!
- 5 min – $15
- 15 min – $25
- 30 min – $50
Book it here.
- A Mini-Staycation
- The Peabody Hotel offers gift cards in increments of $25 that can be used throughout the hotel — rooms & packages, restaurants, bars and spa. The Home for the Holidays package starts at $169 and includes one night’s accommodations for two, a Peabody ornament, and hot chocolate & desserts. Feathers Spa inside the Peabody is running a holiday promo where if you buy a $150 gift card, you get a gift of Zents bath and body products valued at $65.
- More hotel suggestions: Go for the charming boutique experience of River Inn of Harbor Town. Opt for lodge-chic at Big Cypress Lodge at Bass Pro (one of our bloggers tried it). You can also give Elvis-themed elegance at Guest House at Graceland. Contact each hotel about the possibility of gifting.
FOR THE SPORTS FAN
- Grizzlies Holiday Pack – The Grizzlies Holiday Pack includes 6 games, a Grizzlies scarf, and a $10 gift card to Bass Pro Shops. The price ranges from $90 to $594 depending on your seating level.
- Memphis Redbirds Holiday Pack – The Memphis Redbirds are offering a Holiday Mini-Membership that includes six games and a Matt Carpenter bobblehead to put under the tree.
- Memphis 901FC – Send someone to watch our new USL soccer team #DefendMemphis at AutoZone park next year. Inaugural Season Tickets range from $170 ($10 per game) to $500. That’s 17 regular season matches plus perks like priority ticketing for U.S. Open Cup and playoff matches, special Memphis 901 FC offers, and access to exclusive club events.
- Memphis Express Season Tickets – Our new AAF football team will kick off their season in February. They’re planning some out-of-the-box things to shake up the game going experience at the Liberty Bowl. Season tickets start as low as $75. Learn more at their website.
- WGC – FedEx St. Jude Invitational – Send the golf fan in your life to Memphis’ first World Golf Championships event next July. These Holiday Gift Pack options start at $99 and feature discounted tickets and some of the first event merch to hit the market.
FOR THE ONE WHO “DOESN’T EVEN GO HERE”
They moved away but Memphis still has a hold on their heart. Send a care package of important local provisions starting first and foremost with Pancho’s Cheese Dip, then consider these things we’ve used before:
- J. Brooks Coffee – Spirit of Memphis blend
- Aunt Lizzie’s Cheese Straws
- My Cup of Tea
- Sweet Noshings Memphis Mix Popcorn
- Phillip Ashley Chocolates
- Makeda’s Cookies
- Nikki’s Hot Products
- Papi Joe’s Pepper Sauce (from right outside Memphis in Rossville)
- Shotwell Caramels
- BBQ Sauce and Seasoning from your fave BBQ joint. Some restaurants even have packaged pulled pork for you to ship.
Don’t forget to include ice packs so the meat and cheese snacks don’t arrive rancid.
