12 Holiday Gifts That Don't Come in a Box

Get up close and personal with the friendly residents of Mystic Aquarium. You can book an encounter with penguins, rays, and even paint with sea lions!

Treat the foodie or wine lover on your list to a tour of Mohegan Sun's 42 dining options !  Give a gift card and their dream foodie outing will be on you — it can also be used for shopping and entertainment too !

A car lover on your list will love a chance to drive around the track at Thompson Speedway or race at Lime Rock in Lakeville. Get access to instructors and a private club offering special track access and more.

When the weather warms up, everyone wants to be out on the water. Give a gift certificate for the Mystic Argia. Discover islands, lighthouses and the beauty of sailing as you bask in the sun and salt air aboard a 19th century schooner.

Taste of New Haven Tours offer a variety of experiences for food lovers, including a range of foodie tours, pizza-making lessons or even a chef’s cooking class.

If you know someone with a particular passion for excitement, Skydive Danielson offers gift certificates for a tandem jump!

A gift card to The Fig Cooking School will allow your recipient to explore their culinary creativity and try hands-on cooking classes geared toward bringing people together through tasty food.

The Essex Clipper Dinner Train delights diners and train lovers alike with a four-course meal and ride through the scenic Connecticut River Valley. 

Book your favorite nature lover a tour from Connecticut Bike and Boat Tours !  Choose from several tours — some leisurely, others more challenging — along the Connecticut shoreline.  Bring a bike or rent one, the tour may even come with a boat ride !

What's better than the gift of culture and beauty? Buy a few CT Art Trail Passports and give friends or family members a whole year of visits to 21 art museums and historic sites in Connecticut.

For a really unique gift and an unforgettable experience consider booking a class at Brookfield Craft Center.  You can learn to make anything from jewelry to clay and glass creations.  Gift the class or gift the art — either way, it'll be a present to remember !

Find more great “made in Connecticut” gift giving ideas here.