Need help with your holiday shopping? If you're scrambling for gift ideas — or you know someone who doesn't want a thing — give a local experience instead. These outings might offer fun and memorable ways to explore San Diego that are better than anything you could wrap in a box.

Discover San Diego

Get wild by gifting a membership to the San Diego Zoo, or book an experience at the Safari Park in Escondido.
Spend a day with Sidecar Tours viewing scenic San Diego sights, or pick a tour focused on breweries or local wine.
Get on the water and explore San Diego's natural beauty with Sail San Diego, or opt for a private boat experience.
Take a tour of San Diego — with a twist. Murder n' Mayhem offers different ways to explore the city, including ghost tours, whodunit scavenger hunts, or LGBTQ+ history explorations.

Museums like The San Diego Museum of Art are packed with information. | Photo via SDtoday + Michael Beausoleil

Learn something new

Become an artist with classes at The Artist Outpost or make DIY crafts at AR Workshop's Coronado and San Marcos locations.
Take a cooking seminar and become an at-home chef with classes offered by Cozymeal or CocuSocial.
Schedule a trip to a local museum — there are over two dozen in San Diego County and many offer annual memberships.

Coronado just looks different inside a gondola. | Photo via @fiercealexandraaa

Show some love

You don't need to go to Italy to find a gondola — take a ride in the canals of the Coronado Cays with The Gondola Company.
Plan a picnic, but let Pop Up Picnic Co. do all the hard work for you.
If humor is your love language, check out a local comedy club or find a secret show with Don't Tell Comedy.