Written by: Kendahl Plank
Published on: 11/9/23

 

Amid the hustle and bustle of life, where tangible possessions often lose their charm, we find ourselves searching for ways to celebrate our loved ones through memorable experiences. Toledo's rich tapestry of attractions, from the Toledo Museum of Art to the serene beauty of our metroparks system, offers an abundance of opportunities to create unique, unforgettable moments for all your loved ones. Join us on a journey of redefining gift-giving in the Glass City, as we delve into the world of experiential gifts and how they can transform special occasions into cherished memories!

 

For the Art Lovers

Take a class or see a performance at Ballet Theatre of Toledo
Is someone on your list interested in learning ballet? The Ballet Theatre of Toledo prides themselves in leading, training, and equipping world-class dancers ages from age 3 to adults. Gift the experience of a class at their studio or a ticket to one of their seasonal performances to enjoy together.

Tickets to Broadway in Toledo
Each season the American Theatre Guild works to bring an award winning line up of Broadway shows to The Stranahan Theater for all to enjoy. If you want to go big for that musical theater enthusiast, they offer season ticket deals, or single show tickets for a night of entertainment.

Take a Class or see a Toledo Ballet Performance
Apart from seasonal performances for which you could gift tickets, Toledo Ballet offers classes for kids and adults as well for varying skill levels. Beyond ballet, Toledo Ballet offers classes in jazz, modern, tap, and more! Toledo Ballet's Adaptive Dance Program offers differently-abled individuals specialized instruction. 

Tickets to a Toledo Opera Performance
There's nothing like the magic of live opera. From breathtaking sets and exquisite costumes to the dramatic storytelling and vocal agility of the singers, it's awe-inspiring art you have to see. Gift season tickets or single performance tickets to shows like Romeo & Juliet, Cinderella, and Ragtime.

Tickets to a class or a performance at Toledo Repertoire Theatre
The Rep has been a Toledo community theatre since 1933. They have been providing educational theatre classes for that long as well so if you have a thespian on your list, tickets to one of their classes or community performances might be just the thing.

Tickets to see the Toledo Symphony Orchestra
The Toledo Symphony Orchestra is a community-supported organization of professional musicians and teachers. The Toledo Symphony reaches more than 260,000 individuals annually through performances and education programs. They offer an array of performances from classical, to pop and they even play the scores of your favorite nostalgic movies from time to time. Check out their season and see which performance could be the experience for that art lover on your list.

Toledo Museum of Art Membership
Although the museum is technically free, a Toledo Museum of Art membership provides you with access to dynamic programs, glorious exhibitions, behind-the-scenes perspectives and valuable discounts—all while supporting TMA’s century-long legacy of making this world renowned Museum accessible to everyone.

Tickets to a show at the Valentine Theatre
Toledo’s historic Valentine Theatre opened on Christmas Day in 1895. Present day it is home to silver screen screenings of classics like Casa Blanca, ballet and theatre performances, and school productions. Grab a ticket for that art lover on your list to one of their upcoming events and experience the show together!

Lil Chips class at Copper Moon
This art gallery boasts an eclectic mix of contemporary and whimsical designs, and offers daily classes in fused glass to both children and adults. Make a reservation in advance to experience a lil chips fused glass instructional class with your loved one and take home your new creation.

Glass blowing workshop at Gathered Glass
A glass studio that produces all of their work in Toledo, where the American Studio Glass Movement began in 1962. They offer public classes or private scheduled classes and if you want an immersive date night experience you can book that special just for you and your boo. It includes instruction on glass blowing, creating your own piece and taking home an additional piece made by the Gathered Glass pros. 

Attend a workshop or event at Handmade Toledo
A super adorable DIY store in Toledo's Uptown district. On one side, the Maker Shoppe is a year-round taste of creatorship, full of rad art and locally handmade goods, and they host one of the best indie craft fairs in the Midwest twice a year, called Maker's Mart. Grab that rad person in your life and head to Maker's Mart together, or sign them up for one of the many classes and workshops they offer throughout the year.

Glass Making Experience at Firenation Glass Studio & Gallery
Located in downtown Holland, Ohio, the historic building houses both the gallery and the studio, this premier hot shop and gallery offers one of a kind works of glass art, gifts and jewelry. An Experience allows you to come into our studio and work one-on-one with their glass blowing instructors to create a piece with your own personal touch. Prior glass making experience is not required.

Class at Sunshine Studios
Sunshine Studios is a locally owned inclusive art studio that features and supports the vocational efforts of individuals with developmental disabilities. They make beautiful art which can be purchased in store, or you can attend one of their many art instructional classes. Most classes focus on working with ceramics and they even offer wheel throwing seasonally. 

 

For the Sports & Outdoor Enthusiasts 

Adventus Climbing Membership
Serving beginners to experienced climbers, Adventus Climbing Center creates space for anyone to climb. We are a family-friendly, full-service indoor rock-climbing gym with the goal of building healthy people, healthy families, and healthy communities. Memberships include unlimited climbing, discounted events/classes, and other perks. Memberships are autopay monthly or prepay annually. Not sure if your loved one is ready for an unlimited membership? You can purchase a day pass or 10 visit pass so they can check it out!

AJ Archery lessons
AJ Archery’s indoor range is the place where beginners, competitive archers, and bow hunters can hone their skills. It’s also the best place for families to learn a lifelong sport they can share for generations. Gift your the sporty person in your family the experience of archery classes and lessons so they can try something new or improve their skills. They also have date night lessons, and family packages.

Glass City Marathon Registration
Know someone who has been thinking about training for a marathon, a half marathon or even a 5K? Gift them the registration fee to participate in one of the events during the Glass City Marathon weekend right here in Toledo. 

Highland Meadows Golf Club Membership
Highland Meadows Golf Club is a private golf club located in Sylvania, Ohio. Named for the high rolling land that the 10-mile creek quietly meanders through, Highland Meadows was established in 1925, with its roots in working families. They deliver high value with affordable and accessible membership options that range from full active golfing to social. They provide members opportunities to golf, swim, dine, and socialize.

Registration for Biggest Week in American Birding
Black Swamp Bird Observatory was founded in 1992 by a group of biologists studying bird migration in the area. Today, they host the world famous Biggest Week in American Birding conference as well as other educational programs like the Ohio Young Birders Conference. The Toledo region is a hot spot for birders, so if you know any bird lovers out there who would enjoy joining thousands of other birders each year, admission to the Biggest Week is an experience they won't forget.

Metroparks Toledo Membership
Although access to all of Toledo's 19 metroparks is totally free, someone who loves the outdoors would appreciate a Metroparks Toledo Membership, which supports important Metroparks conservation, education, and access initiatives that might not otherwise be possible. Plus you get a ton of cool benefits like, behind-the-scenes information and members-only updates, exclusive access to member only events, discounts on paid events, and member gifts.

Toledo Villa F.C. Season Tickets
Did you know that Toledo has a pre-professional soccer team? They are part of the USL2 league and play several other regional teams like Fort Wayne and Buffalo their games at the University of Toledo soccer field in the summer. You can gift individual game tickets which are quite cost effective or spend a little more to enjoy the whole season!

Toledo Walleye and Mud Hens Ticket Packages
You can always purchase season tickets or single game tickets to take that sporty person to experience Toledo's famous local sports scene on the ice or on the field. Right now, for a limited time only, you can take advantage of the holly jolly holiday deals. Click the link to purchase a holiday gift package online.

 

 

For the Crew

419 Brew Bus tours
Book a tour with your crew and hop aboard the 419 Brew Bus! They offer transportation to and from each of the 4 breweries/stops on their tour, exclusive deals, snacks, and a darn good time. They have many tours to choose from, and you can join in on a public tour or schedule a private one just for you and your friends up to 13 people.

Cedar Point Season Tickets
Cedar Point is more than roller coasters. It’s more than thrill rides. It’s more than the mile-long sandy beach where our rich history began. Cedar Point is where moments, memories and connections are made. Gift your crew unlimited thrills on America's Roller Coast.

Clara J's Tearoom tea party
Clara J's serves lunch & proper tea in a historic building in uptown Maumee. They have amazing food and taking the crew out for a proper tea experience might be just the gift they never knew they needed. Everything is so cottage core and aesthetically pleasing down to the little bites of scrumptious food. You can even book a private event with them. 

Cocktail Night at Dollop Shop
Not only does the Dollop Shop have great pastries and coffee, they also have fun events throughout the year! Visit to experience their curated dessert and craft cocktail menu, served in their cozy dessert parlor! Always made with seasonal ingredients and premium spirits. Perfect for a date night, or a fun night out with your crew. They also have gluten-friendly and non-alcoholic options, too.

HandleBar Toledo pedal pub tour
Grab the crew and hop aboard Toledo's original pedal pub, HandleBar Toledo! Take a tour around downtown and pedal your way to fun. They offer 110 minute tours from Saint Patrick's Day to thanksgiving so you can book in advance for the upcoming season, or book seats on one of their public or provite holiday lights tours!

Toledo Spirits Company class
Toledo Spirits is a craft distillery that makes premium spirits in a historic warehouse in the Vistula neighborhood of downtown Toledo. They have an elevate space and menu creating the perfect atmosphere to buy your crew a drink and even check out their seasonal pop-up bar concepts. They also offer an array of frequent classes from cocktail workshops to terrarium building!

J&M Cruise Lines cruises
J&M Cruise Lines operates two boats that host tours along the Maumee River during the summer and into October. They have options on their site to purchase a gift card for several of their public cruises, or you could make it your own with a private cruise and schedule it with their team. The Sandpiper is a canal style boat that offers a number of relaxing and fun public cruises and options for private cruises, and the Glass City Pearl is a multi-level lake boat which offers public cruises as well as private cruises, which are perfect for celebrating your and your crew! 

Wine and Canvas painting party 
Grab tickets for your crew at one of their upcoming painting events or even schedule a private painting party at their studio, a local venue, or they will come to you for a one of a kind painting party!

 

 

For the Fam

Toledo Zoo & Aquarium membership
The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium is like 3 attractions in one! They have the zoo, the ProMedica Museum of Natural History and of course an expansive aquarium complete with touch tanks and more. Gift the fam a zoo membership for that full attraction experience together! They have different types of membership packages to fit your needs, and members get unlimited admission throughout the year, extended hours to beat the crowd, sneak peeks, zoo lights, special events and discounts!

African Safari Wildlife Park annual membership
An annual membership to this attraction allows the fam to drive a vehicle through this park and get in touch with their WILD side with hundreds of incredible animals from around the world, or take a stroll on the WILD side and visit more amazing animals in the Walk-Thru Safari! See gibbons, warthogs, kangaroos, parrots, tortoises and more for free, plus get 50% off general admission at more than 50 zoos and aquariums nationwide!

Imagination Station membership
Give the gift of science! A membership to Imagination Station, Toledo's science center, pays for itself in so many ways. Members get unlimited access to the science center and all its hands-on exhibits and explosive science, simulator rides, discounted parking, members-only events, discounted tickets to films at the KeyBank Discovery Theater, reciprocating membership benefits with over 300 science centers - download the list here. and so much more!

Sauder Village event tickets or membership
The whole family will enjoy this living history museum and village with a membership! At The Historic Village you can enjoy engaging stories, demonstrations, and fun activities while exploring historic homes, barns, gardens, and craft shops. Take a walk through time from 1803 through the 1920s while visiting Natives & Newcomers, Pioneer Settlement, and the 1920s Main Street.

Toledo Lucas County Public Library classes and programming
Grab your kiddos and fam some library cards and tune into all the programming, classes and events they have to offer at all of the 20 Lucas County locations! They have offerings for grade-school ages and adults alike. Plus the children's section of the Main Branch downtown is basically a destination in and of itself. They also work to bring in famous authors for their talk series which are quite popular. Toledo Lucas County Public Library is a winner of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. This is the highest honor that can be awarded to a library system or museum in the United States.

Urban Air Adventure park annual membership
This trampoline park is a great gift to utilize on those rainy or snowy days, gift the kiddos a ticket for a visit to the park, or if you’re planning to visit more than once, an annual membership could help you save big! And, let’s face it, once you’ve experienced Urban Air, you’re going to want to come back. For a low monthly price, enjoy unlimited play…every day.

 

For the Significant Other

A staycation
Intentional time for you and your boo at one of the Toledo region's local B&Bs, and gift an experience that you won't soon forget:
Stay at the Federal Inn
Stay at The Grand Kerr House
Stay at the Scottwood Inn
Stay at the Kings Throne

Movie night or a special event at Maumee Indoor Theatre
This restored Art Deco theater has become a center for the visual and performing arts. In addition to daily movies, the theater can be rented for special events. Grab your significant other a ticket to see a film together in a historical setting.

Dinner Date
Gift your significant other a date night experience to one of Toledo's locally owned restaurants.

Cocktail Night at Dollop Shop
Not only does the Dollop Shop have great pastries and coffee, they also have fun events throughout the year! Visit to experience their curated dessert and craft cocktail menu, served in their cozy dessert parlor! Always made with seasonal ingredients and premium spirits. Perfect for a date night, or a fun night out with your crew. They also have gluten-friendly and non-alcoholic options, too.

Coffee Date
Take your significant other out for a delicious cup of coffee and conversation at one of Toledo's area coffee shops. 

Flights to and from Toledo Express Airport
Nothing says romance like a weekend getaway or bringing your loved ones to you! Toledo's airport has flights that can take you and your loved one to warm and sunny places in the middle of winter, or bring you home to Toledo to visit!

Gathered Glass Workshops
A glass studio that produces all of their work in Toledo. They offer public workshops and private classes as well as an intimate glass blowing experience for two. The Date Night usually lasts about 90 minutes, and your pieces will be ready to be picked up 24 hours later (subject to gallery hours).

 

For the Museum Lover/History Buff

Toledo History Museum membership
Admission to the Toledo History Museum is currently free, but gifting that membership to your favorite history buff is gonna go far! Members can enjoy special ticket pricing on special events and tours, Free Admission to popular Behind-the-Scenes Tour, a copy of the Annual Journal, a ten percent discount on books and other items from the store, and a reciprocal membership network for historical museums, sites and societies throughout the United States. Click here for a list of member institutions.

Sauder Village event tickets or an annual membership
Send that history buff to this living history museum and village with a membership! At The Historic Village you can enjoy engaging stories, demonstrations, and fun activities while exploring historic homes, barns, gardens, and craft shops. Take a walk through time from 1803 through the 1920s while visiting Natives & Newcomers, Pioneer Settlement, and the 1920s Main Street. Gift a membership and you will be gifting a whole year of admission to your favorite museum lover, 10% discount on purchased items on site, access to special events, classes and workshops.

Wood County Museum membership
The Wood County Museum, located in Bowling Green, Ohio, is the original site of the Wood County Infirmary also known as the Poor Farm. The Wood County Historical Society promotes stories of Wood County, Ohio and its County Poor Farm, connecting memories of the past to the present while facilitating an informed future. Gifting a membership would include, free Museum Admission, admission discounts on teas and other programs, invitations to member-only events, chanticleer quarterly newsletter, 10% off Gift Shop items, and of course the satisfaction of supporting the educational programs and preservation efforts of the organization.

Fort Meigs Ohio History Connection
Gifting a history buff a Ohio History Connection membership gets them so many historical perks and connections throughout the state of Ohio, but also free admission to local historical site, Fort Meigs, Ohio's War of 1812 battlefield.

National Museum of the Great Lakes memebrship
That's right, there is a National museum, right here in Toledo! This museum is full of Great Lakes history and offers a floating ship tour as part of the visitor experience. Gifting a membership there could include unlimited admission to the museum, unlimited admission to Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and Museum Tug Ohio (May-Oct), Chadburn print newsletter subscription, a 10% Museum Store discount, and a discount to special events. 

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums membership
The R.B.H Presidential Library & Museums is America’s first presidential library and the forerunner for the federal presidential library system. HPLM is located at President Hayes’ 25-acre wooded estate, called Spiegel Grove which is now an official arboretum. Membership to this museum has many benefits including free admission. Check out the full list to see which level is right to gift to your favorite history buff.

 

For the Parents/Grandparents

Registry Bistro Cocktail Classes
Registry Bistro is a chef owned and operated local restaurant that specializes in a seasonally changing menu comprised of only the freshest, finest ingredients selected from local purveyors and presented by what she describes as casual-elegant dining. They offer monthly cocktail classes throughout the year which can be fun for date nights to give your parents a chance to get out of the house.

Dollop Shop Tea Parties

Gift your tea and pastry-loving parents or grandparents an afternoon they won’t forget at the Dollop Shop Tea Parties! Reservations include tea and a platter of sweet and savory pastries and finger sandwiches, baked fresh in the Dollop Shop kitchen.

A staycation
Gift the adults in your life an opportunity to take intentional time together and experience downtown Toledo at one of our local hotels.

Dinner Date
Gift your parents or grandparents the chance to have a date night experience to one of Toledo's locally owned restaurants.

Clara J's Tearoom tea party
Clara J's serves lunch & proper tea in a historic building in uptown Maumee. They have amazing food and taking your parents out for a proper tea experience might be just the gift they never knew they needed. Everything is so cottage core and aesthetically pleasing down to the little bites of scrumptious food. You can even book a private event with them. 

A salon or spa experience
Give the gift of relaxation to your loved ones by grabbing them a gift card or purchasing a membership to one of the region's salon's or spas:
Ahava Health and Wellness
Body and Sole Massage Therapy & reflexology Center
Serenity Health & Wellness Center
Tanlines 

 

If you are looking for more holiday or gift giving inspo, check out this related content:
Holiday Shopping Trail | Fun for the Holidays in Toledo | Spending Thanksgiving in Toledo