17 Incredible Southern Experiences to Gift (No Wrapping Required!)
Still shopping for a few folks on your list? Consider a gift that will create lasting memories. From island safaris and farm stays to concerts and fine dining, these Southern experiences make fantastic gifts! Image: Asheville Balloon Company
While building a pile of perfectly wrapped boxes under the tree can feel rewarding, gifting an experience can be even more magical and memorable. From dazzling farm dinners and cooking classes to silk marbling classes and glamping trips, we’ve updated this year’s list with even MORE fantastic Southern experiences to give as gifts!
FOOD & DRINK EXPERIENCES
Kentucky Bourbon Trail Day with a Driver | Louisville and Central KY
Mint Julep Experiences is the way to explore the Bluegrass state, and you can create the ultimate itinerary for your group. Think multiple distillery stops, tastings, a local lunch, and comfortable transportation from Louisville or Lexington.
Their guides know the best of the best horse farms, distilleries, and eateries to show you, so you’re always in good, sober hands. Most public bourbon tours cost between $180 and $250 per person; private, custom tours are generally more expensive.
Enroll at Viking Cooking School | Greenwood, MS
The little Mississippi town of Greenwood is home to a serious culinary academy attached to a top-notch hotel to elevate your stay. The Viking Cooking School at The Alluvian is a revered destination for everything from learning kitchen basics to themed classes, including dishes from hit movies, holiday desserts, black-tie entertaining, and pasta from scratch.
Check out our full article on hands-on culinary experiences across the South for even more gift ideas.
Dinner at Herons at The Umstead | Cary, NC
For a truly transportive dining experience in the South, Herons at The Umstead Hotel & Spa is as close as it gets to a pilgrimage-worthy meal. One of only a handful of U.S. restaurants to hold the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond distinctions, Herons offers an intimate, art-driven tasting menu that feels equal parts gallery and gastronomy.
Helmed by Executive Chef Steven Greene, the signature Art Tour menu is a multi-course journey inspired by the hotel’s world-class contemporary art collection — so beautiful and intricate that it borders on theatrical.
Reservations are extremely limited, often booking out months ahead, and dinner easily becomes the centerpiece of an entire getaway. The prix fixe menu can cost around $250 to $300 per person with drink pairings. Take a peek at this Instagram Reel about the experience.
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Riedel Wine Glass Tasting at Becker Vineyards | Fredericksburg, TX
A picturesque estate winery in the Texas Hill Country has teamed up with the glass gurus at Riedel to offer an exclusive wine tasting one Saturday per month. You’ll learn how and why to pair different wines with the perfect glass — something many wine lovers still don’t know — while sampling both current and past vintages of Becker Vineyards’ award-winning wines. You even get to keep the set of three Riedel glasses at the end.
‘Outstanding in the Field’ Dinner Tickets | Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana
Outstanding in the Field puts on global culinary productions like you’ve never seen. The traveling team sets up expansive, winding tables on hills, vineyards, beaches, meadows, fishing docks, and city streets. They partner with celebrated chefs and organic, sustainable farms to bring multi-course, communal meals to the most delightfully unexpected places. They’re back in Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana this January and February. Get planning here!
THRILLING & ACTIVE GETAWAYS
Weekend Stayover on Bulls Island | Awendaw, SC
A Coastal Expeditions trip to the famous Bulls Island is a delightfully unique outdoor adventure that your loved ones will never forget … and will desperately want to repeat. Just north of Charleston, in the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, Bulls Island is a seven-mile-long barrier island where ancient maritime forests meet undisturbed beaches, jungly trails, and miles of tidal creeks.
Accessible only by boat, this wild sanctuary is home to countless flora and fauna species and one of the most dramatic boneyard beaches in the country. The Dominick House Expedition offers a rare chance (and basically the only chance) to stay in real lodging on Bulls Island. It’s an all-inclusive weekend with coastal education, guided excursions, delicious food, and more.
VIP Filmed Bioluminescent Experience | Florida’s Space Coast
Looking for a bucket-list experience for the nature lovers and social media sharers on your list? Check out the first and only filmed bioluminescent experience in the United States. Experience Florida’s glowing waters on a private paddle in clear kayaks led by Get Up and Go Kayaking founder Justin Buzzi.
The three-hour adventure goes far beyond a standard tour: you’ll slip into hidden coves, hop out to play in neon-blue sparks, and enjoy one-on-one encounters with marine life.
Best of all, Justin captures the entire night on pro-grade Sony A7Siii gear, then sends you an edited video, making this the only experience in the world where you can take home real bioluminescence footage. Click here for more info, and check out some of Justin’s footage:
Hot Air Balloon Ride | Asheville, NC
Invite your loved ones to support the still-rebuilding Asheville area with the gift of a hot-air balloon adventure with Asheville Balloon Company. While every season has something unique to offer, witnessing spectacular fall foliage from the air is a truly unforgettable experience. The season resumes in March 2026, and flights cost $300 per person in a public basket and $400 per person for a private flight.
Photo Safari at Greyfield Inn | Cumberland Island, GA
David Wright is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker and photographer who has worked with clients such as National Geographic and the BBC. Every year, he leads a group of intrepid explorers on a photographic safari through old-growth forests, along the 18+ miles of beachfront, and all over Cumberland Island’s historic sites and ruins.
You’re not roughing it, though. This experience includes a five-day stay at the luxurious Greyfield Inn from February 22 through 26, 2026. Built by the Carnegie family in 1900, this all-inclusive destination is only accessible by private boat. After days spent capturing visual magic on the island, enjoy cozy fires, moss-drenched verandas, fine dining, beach lounging, and more.
ARTS & SHOPPING
“Learn To Turn” Workshop at the North Carolina Pottery Center | Seagrove, NC
North Carolina Pottery Center’s “Learn to Turn” workshops make the perfect hands-on gift for anyone interested in nurturing their creative side and learning a new hobby. These beginner-friendly sessions (for 16 and up) provide a comprehensive ceramic experience, from centering clay and crafting basic forms to glazing and firing. Plus, this adventure takes them to Seagrove, renowned for its rich pottery heritage and Appalachian folk arts.
Personal Shopping at Hampden | Charleston, SC
Treat your favorite fashion lovers to the ultimate Charleston shopping moment with a private VIP session in Hampden’s Whaley Lounge. Tucked above King Street’s chicest boutique, this gorgeous, best-friends-only space becomes your personal style playground for two hours.
A top Hampden stylist curates racks just for your group (pulled in advance from a style quiz you’ll complete prior) while you lounge on the sofa, sip champagne, and try on the South’s best designer pieces in total privacy.
Perfect for birthdays, bachelorette parties, or a luxe getaway, the $500 experience includes two bottles of champagne, unlimited sparkling water, espresso, and Diet Coke, as well as full-service styling for up to eight guests. More info can be found here.
Locket Bar by Monica Rich Kosann x Draper James | Nashville, TN
Just in time for the holidays, jewelry designer Monica Rich Kosann has brought the locket-making experience to life in Nashville with the Locket Bar Pop-Up at Draper James, open now through the end of the year.
Choose from an assortment of lockets and enjoy the magic of their free on-site personalization. The MRK Locket Bar’s proprietary technology allows customers to fill their lockets and create a one-of-a-kind heirloom piece during a unique shopping experience. If your giftee can’t get there by the end of the year, let them make their locket online here.
Flea Style’s Original Hat Bar | 8 Locations in TX, KY, and TN
A hat bar date is the perfect gift for just about anyone. Grab your friend or loved one and book a session at Flea Style’s iconic Hat Bar, a hat-lover’s playground where you build a one-of-a-kind hat from scratch. After reserving online (just $20 to hold your seat), you’ll get VIP treatment from a dedicated stylist, a complimentary hat box, and a welcome drink as you sit down to create.
Start by choosing your base hat — cowboy, wide-brim, straw, or trucker (you can even bring your own for a small fee). Then dive into the fun: pick from suede wraps, hatbands, vintage brooches, feathers, charms, brandings, pins, and more.
MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
Tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA | Atlanta, GA
Now through January 25, Cirque de Soleil makes a rare appearance in the Southeast with its LUZIA residency in Atlanta. Imagine an evening of jaw-dropping acrobatics, stunning visuals, and live music under the big top (like a true circus) at Atlantic Station, and that’s exactly what LUZIA delivers.
Ticket prices start around $75 to $90 for basic seats, with most shows averaging $130 to $160+, and VIP add-ons with lounge access, hors d’oeuvres, and open bar for a full-on splurge night out.
Luminere at Biltmore | Asheville, NC
Debuting in March 2026, Biltmore’s new after-dark show, Luminere, is an immersive outdoor light-and-sound spectacular that transforms the house and gardens into a glowing, dreamlike world. The Exclusive Tour package pairs the show with an hour-long, expert-guided Artistic Legacies tour, the only one that delves into the Vanderbilts’ personal relationships with the artists they collected, as well as a rare glimpse at Cornelia Vanderbilt’s own artwork.
After sunset, wander the illuminated grounds at your own pace as color, music, and architecture interact in breathtaking ways. Your ticket also includes two full days of garden and grounds access, complimentary wine tastings, evening estate entry, and parking.
This experience costs around $200, and there are numerous open dates available from March to June 2026. More info can be found here, and check out this preview:
Roll VIP to Jazz Fest | New Orleans, LA
Jazz Fest is an iconic, multi-day festival that’s more than just music; it’s a full celebration of Louisiana culture, featuring jazz, blues, gospel, rock, and more. You’ll enjoy incredible regional food, crafts, and visual art, alongside headline acts and rich local traditions.
Any ticket is great, but long-standing VIP passes (like Big Chief, Grand Marshal, and Krewe of Jazz Fest) deliver serious perks: covered or raised viewing areas at major stages, access to shaded/hospitality lounges with private restrooms and bars, and express VIP entrance lines. Parking or shuttle-service options are sometimes available for added convenience.
Grand Ole Opry’s VIP Backstage Experience | Nashville, TN
The Opry just turned 100, and it’s keeping the party going with a stacked lineup of Christmas shows, as well as big and upcoming country acts next year. Any country fan in your life will relish the opportunity to get up close and personal with a VIP Backstage Experience.
The star treatment begins the moment you arrive with a golf cart escort to the artist entrance and a private backstage tour, including a peek into themed dressing rooms and the iconic Opry Family Room. You’ll meet the night’s performers, enjoy lounge access with drinks and hors d’oeuvres during intermission, and watch the first half of the show on stage.
While this list has merely touched the surface of fun, outside-the-gift-box experiences, we hope we’ve sparked some ideas for you … with minimal wrapping required!
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Zoe Yarborough
Zoe is a StyleBlueprint staff writer, Charlotte native, Washington & Lee graduate, and Nashville transplant of eleven years. She teaches Pilates, helps manage recording artists, and likes to "research" Germantown's food scene.