Some of the best gifts aren't things you can wrap—they're experiences you share together. For long-distance couples, experience gifts create memories, offer something to look forward to, and prove that distance doesn't stop you from building a life together. Whether it's virtual experiences you enjoy from separate locations or vouchers for future in-person adventures, experience gifts strengthen your bond in ways physical items never could.
This comprehensive guide covers the best experience gifts for every budget, interest, and stage of your long-distance relationship. From virtual cooking classes to surprise visit plane tickets, from online gaming sessions to future vacation packages, we've found experiences that create lasting memories and bring you closer together.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. Purchases through these links support our free content.
Why Experience Gifts Are Perfect for LDRs
- Create Shared Memories: Experiences you do together become part of your story
- Build Anticipation: Future experiences give you both something exciting to look forward to
- No Shipping Required: Virtual experiences happen instantly; future trip vouchers are just confirmations
- Less Clutter: No more "stuff" to store—just amazing memories
- Stories to Tell: Experiences become conversation topics and inside jokes
- Grow Together: Learning and exploring together strengthens your relationship
Virtual Experiences You Can Share Right Now
1. Virtual Cooking Class for Two
Price: $30-$150 per session | Platform: Cozymeal, Sur La Table, CourseHorse
Book a live virtual cooking class where you both cook the same meal together on video call, guided by a professional chef. Choose from cuisines worldwide—Italian pasta making, sushi rolling, French pastry, or regional specialties.
How It Works:
- Receive ingredient list in advance
- Both shop for same ingredients
- Join live class via Zoom at scheduled time
- Cook together following chef's guidance
- Enjoy your meal together at the end
Why We Love It:
Combines learning, quality time, and a delicious meal. You're actively doing something together, not just passively watching. The meal becomes a celebration of your teamwork.
Browse Cooking Classes2. Virtual Wine or Beer Tasting
Price: $40-$120 per person | Providers: Wine.com, Vinebox, City Winery
Professional sommelier or beer expert leads virtual tasting. Both receive identical shipments of wines/beers, then join live video session to taste and learn together.
Options Include:
- Wine regions (California, France, Italy, etc.)
- Craft beer tasting flights
- Whiskey or spirits tasting
- Champagne and sparkling wines
Perfect For: Sophisticated date night from home. Feels classy and special even over video call.
Book Wine Tasting3. Online Couples Workshop or Class
Price: $25-$200 | Topics: Relationship skills, art, dance, language
Take a class together to learn something new or strengthen your relationship. Options range from couples therapy workshops to salsa dancing to language lessons.
Popular Options:
- Gottman Workshops: Research-based relationship skills ($99-299)
- Paired App Premium: Daily relationship exercises ($60/year)
- Language Learning: Learn a new language together (Babbel, Rosetta Stone)
- Art Class: Paint together virtually (Painting with a Twist online)
- Dance Lessons: Learn salsa, ballroom, or swing dancing
4. Virtual Museum or Cultural Tour
Price: Free-$30 | Platforms: Museum websites, Airbnb Experiences, Google Arts & Culture
Explore world-famous museums, historical sites, or cities together through virtual tours. Many offer live-guided experiences with expert hosts.
Recommended Experiences:
- Louvre virtual tour (Paris)
- Vatican Museums guided experience
- British Museum collection tours
- Airbnb Online Experiences ($10-30) - live hosts show you their cities
- Virtual Broadway shows or concerts
Date Night Idea: "Travel" somewhere you both want to visit. Dress up, make themed food, and explore together.
Find Virtual Tours5. Online Gaming Subscription or Game Package
Price: $10-$60 (one-time or monthly) | Platforms: Steam, Nintendo Online, Xbox Game Pass
Gift a game or gaming subscription so you can play together regularly. Gaming creates fun, low-pressure quality time and inside jokes.
Best Co-op Games for Couples:
- Nintendo Switch: Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Overcooked
- PC/Console: It Takes Two, Stardew Valley, Minecraft
- Mobile: Words With Friends, Chess, mobile co-op games
6. Virtual Concert or Comedy Show Tickets
Price: $10-$50 per show | Platforms: Moment House, StageIt, LiveXLive
Watch live-streamed concerts, comedy shows, or theater performances together. Set up video call on second screen, watch simultaneously, share reactions in real-time.
Pro Tip: Make it special—dress up, prepare snacks and drinks, create "concert atmosphere" at home.
Future Experience Gifts (For When You're Together)
7. Surprise Visit Plane Tickets
Price: $100-$1000+ depending on distance
The ultimate LDR gift: surprise them by showing up. Or gift plane tickets for their next visit to you, or tickets for both of you to meet somewhere new.
Presentation Ideas:
- Print boarding pass, wrap it beautifully
- Create countdown calendar to arrival date
- Send itinerary with romantic plans included
- Video message reveal if surprising them
Note: Coordinate with their schedule first (unless doing complete surprise visit).
Search Flights8. Weekend Getaway Package
Price: $200-$1000+ | Platforms: Airbnb, Hotels.com, Groupon Getaways
Book a romantic weekend away for your next visit together. Could be cozy cabin, beach resort, city hotel, or unique Airbnb experience.
Popular Getaway Types:
- Mountain cabin with fireplace
- Beach resort all-inclusive
- City hotel with spa and dining
- Unique stays (treehouse, lighthouse, castle)
- Wine country bed & breakfast
9. Concert or Event Tickets
Price: $50-$500+ per pair
Buy tickets to see their favorite artist, sports team, or show in their city (bonus points if you secretly fly in to join them). Or tickets for when you're together.
Ideas:
- Their favorite band's concert
- Sports game (their team)
- Broadway show or theater
- Comedy show
- Music festival
10. Adventure Experience Voucher
Price: $100-$500 | Types: Activity specific
Gift an adventure to do together next time you meet. Choose based on shared interests or something new you both want to try.
Adventure Options:
- Hot air balloon ride
- Couples spa day
- Cooking class in person
- Wine tasting tour
- Skydiving or bungee jumping
- Couples photography session
- Boat rental or sailing lesson
- Horseback riding
11. Couples Massage or Spa Package
Price: $150-$400
Book couples massage, spa day, or wellness package for when you're together. Relaxing, romantic, and creates peaceful quality time.
Alternative: Send them spa gift certificate to use now, then book yourself one too. "Spa together" via video call afterward.
12. Food Tour or Tasting Experience
Price: $80-$200 per person
Book guided food tour in their city, your city, or somewhere you'll visit together. Explore local cuisine, learn history, try new foods.
Tour Types:
- Walking food tour of neighborhood
- Brewery or distillery tour
- Chocolate or dessert tour
- Farmers market tour with chef
- Cultural food experience
Subscription Experiences (Ongoing Gift)
13. MasterClass Duo Subscription
Price: $120/year for two people
Access 180+ classes from world experts. Take cooking classes, learn photography, study writing, explore business, discover new hobbies—all together.
Use Together:
- Watch same classes, discuss lessons
- Each take different classes, teach each other
- Complete class assignments together
- Try new hobbies inspired by classes
14. Streaming Service Family Plan
Price: $15-23/month
Share Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, or other streaming. Watch shows and movies together using Teleparty (formerly Netflix Party) or syncing manually.
Makes Great Dates: Weekly show to watch together, movie nights, binge-watching sessions.
15. Monthly "Date Night" Box Subscription
Price: $35-$60/month
Services like Crated With Love or Date Night In Box send monthly activities, games, and treats designed for couples. Get matching boxes, open together on video call.
What's Included:
- Activity or game for two
- Conversation starters
- Treats or snacks
- Date night ideas
Creative DIY Experience Gifts
16. Custom "Date Jar" for Virtual Dates
Cost: $10-25 | DIY Project
Create jar filled with 52 virtual date ideas (one per week of year). Pull one each weekend and do that activity together.
Date Ideas to Include:
- Watch [specific movie] together
- Cook [specific recipe] on video call
- Take virtual tour of [museum/city]
- Play [online game] tournament
- Have wine and paint night
- Read same book chapter, discuss
- Take online quiz about each other
17. "Future Adventures" Scrapbook
Cost: $15-40 | DIY Project
Create scrapbook or journal filled with places you'll visit together, restaurants you'll try, experiences you'll share. Include printed photos, maps, travel guides, and space to add memories later.
Romantic Touch: Write dates you hope to do each experience, add countdown trackers.
18. Personalized "Adventure Challenge" Book
Cost: $10-30 | DIY Version
Create custom book of challenges to complete together (inspired by The Adventure Challenge). Seal each page or use scratch-off stickers. Reveal challenge only when ready to do it.
Challenge Ideas:
- Virtual date challenges
- Communication challenges
- Surprise challenges
- Creative challenges
- In-person visit challenges
Budget-Based Experience Gift Guide
Under $50:
- Virtual museum tour (free-$15)
- Online game or gaming session ($10-30)
- Streaming service month ($15-20)
- Virtual comedy show tickets ($15-25)
- DIY date jar ($10-25)
- Single Airbnb Online Experience ($10-40)
$50-$150:
- Virtual cooking class ($50-100)
- Wine tasting package ($60-120)
- MasterClass subscription ($120/year)
- Concert tickets in their city ($50-150)
- Couples spa gift certificate ($100-150)
$150-$500:
- Plane ticket contribution ($200-500)
- Weekend hotel package ($200-400)
- Adventure experience voucher ($150-350)
- Premium concert tickets ($150-500)
- Couples massage package ($200-400)
$500+:
- Round-trip plane tickets ($500-1500)
- Vacation package ($800-3000)
- Multiple experience package ($500-1000)
- Luxury getaway ($1000+)
How to Present Experience Gifts
For Virtual Experiences:
- Send calendar invite with mystery title
- Create custom "ticket" to email
- Send small related physical item (cookbook for cooking class, wine opener for tasting)
- Video message explaining the gift
For Future Experiences:
- Print voucher or confirmation beautifully
- Create "reveal box" with hints leading to the gift
- Add countdown calendar to the experience date
- Include small related items (sunscreen for beach trip, compass for adventure)
For Surprise Visits:
- Coordinate with their roommate/family
- Have accomplice film their reaction
- Plan first activity or meal together
- Bring small gift for extra surprise
Tips for Successful Experience Gifts
1. Consider Time Zones
For live virtual experiences, find time that works for both. Early morning for you might be their evening—find sweet spot.
2. Check Schedules First
Unless it's a complete surprise, verify they're available. Nothing worse than amazing gift they can't use.
3. Include All Details
For virtual experiences: link, time, what to prepare. For future experiences: date options, location, what to expect.
4. Build Anticipation
Don't just hand over the gift—create excitement leading up to it. Countdown, hints, teasers.
5. Document the Experience
Take screenshots during virtual experiences, photos during in-person ones. Create memory album afterward.
6. Follow Up With Keepsake
After experience, create something tangible: photo book, framed screenshot, souvenir from trip. Makes memory last.
When Experience Gifts Make Most Sense
Experience gifts are especially perfect for:
- Milestone occasions: Anniversaries, birthdays, holidays
- After long separation: Reward for making it through tough distance period
- Building anticipation: Something to look forward to during hard times
- Minimalist partners: Those who don't want more "stuff"
- Couples who have everything: When they don't need more items
- Adventurous relationships: Couples who value making memories together
Combining Experiences with Physical Gifts
Experience gifts work great combined with small physical items:
- Cooking class + Nice apron, wooden spoons, or cookbook
- Wine tasting + Quality wine glasses or decanter
- Trip voucher + Travel journal, luggage tag, camera
- Concert tickets + Band merchandise, vinyl record
- Spa package + Plush robe, slippers, candles
Final Thoughts
Experience gifts prove that the best things in life aren't things at all—they're moments shared, memories created, and time spent together (even virtually). While physical distance may separate you, shared experiences bring you together in meaningful ways.
Whether it's a virtual cooking class next weekend or plane tickets for next month, whether it's a $15 online experience or a $1500 vacation package, experience gifts all share one thing: they give you both something to look forward to, participate in, and remember forever.
In long-distance relationships, experiences become especially precious. They're proof that despite the miles, you're actively building a life together—making plans, trying new things, creating a shared history one experience at a time.
Ready to Create Memories Together?
Choose an experience that fits your relationship, budget, and current situation. Whether virtual now or in-person later, the important thing is creating moments together. Those moments become the foundation of your future, the stories you'll tell, and the memories that make the distance worth it.
Looking for more gift ideas? Check out tech gifts for LDR couples or romantic gift ideas for more inspiration.