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Holiday Gift Guide: The Gift of Adventure
Take a flight, rent a van, learn a survival skill
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2020 issue of Seattle magazine.
Instead of a material present think about giving an experience.
Surveys show more than 60% of consumers want some sort of experiential gift. There’s no shortage of that in the Seattle area, but here are three of our favorites for the adventurer in your family.
Kenmore Air
Take to the sky on a volcano tour from Boeing Field. This incredible 90-minute scenic flight tour transports passengers past Mount Rainier toward Mount St. Helens. This rare tour allows close viewing of Rainier’s 25 glaciers, which happen to be the largest collection of permanent ice on a single U.S. mountain south of Alaska. Standing tall at 14,410 feet, there’s no better spot to view the towering peak of the episodi-cally active volcano than from a Cessna Caravan. Tours start at $299 per person.
Cascade Adventure Vans
Combine the experience of camping with the thrill of a road trip and you have an “adventure van.” Each camper van comes equipped with all the necessities to start a trip in style. No need to spend time and money procuring expensive and sometimes hard-to-track-down camping gear. Equipped with beds (either one or two), a portable stove, a built-in refrigerator and a heater, it is easy to understand what all the hype about #vanlife is. Rates start at $230 per night, plus sales and rental car tax.
REI
At first glance, it might not seem like the best time to try a new skill. However, being outside in the fresh air doing something as relaxing as gliding a paddle through the water, as empowering as brushing up on survival skills or as invigorating as trying a hand at mountain biking was never easier to book. REI is offering a selection of outdoor classes and socially distanced adventures, which would be perfect for the adventurer in your life. After successfully navigating working from home, tackling virtual learning and avoiding having to step foot on an airplane, we could all use a little more adventure in our lives. Classes start at $69 for members, or $89 for nonmembers.
Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center
Take a personalized field trip though Carnation-based Oxbow’s Family Farm Adventures. Kids can explore Oxbow’s outdoor space, make connections with nature and learn things like plant structure. Families can explore plant and animal needs, witness the cycling of nutrients and learn how farmer influence the genetic traits of food crops. Two-hour slots are available on a sliding scale of $50 to $150.
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