The Best Experience Gifts to Buy Grounded Aussie Travellers This Year

Now, I know us Aussies are confined to domestic travel for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, our country is huge and filled with many beautiful places to visit (head to this post for some solo travel inspo). If you’re searching for the perfect present for a grounded Aussie traveller like myself, I highly recommend an experience gift from RedBalloon. They’re a great way to have an at-home adventure, support Aussie businesses and create long-lasting memories. Keep reading for an overview of some of the most popular experience gifts available through RedBalloon.

RedBalloon Experiences

I feel like most Aussies have heard of RedBalloon by now (if not, where have you been?). The Australian company has been around for over 20 years and is all about gifting experiences and supporting local Australian businesses – two things I absolutely love! The Christmas gifts section on their website is insane in the best way possible. No matter what experience you’re thinking of buying that special someone, you’re bound to find it on RedBalloon. Here are some of RedBalloon’s most popular experiences:

Wine and Dine

It’s been a tough year for a lot of people, so a Wine and Dine experience may be just what the doctor ordered. 

• Dining out experiences

While we’re on the top of common sayings, they do say the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach! Fortunately, RedBalloon has experiences from brunch to degustation lunch, fine dining to cheap eats and everything in between. Enjoy a memorable meal served alongside incredible views of places like Uluru and Sydney Harbour. For my fellow NQ locals, you can enjoy a six-course Modern Australian tasting menu from the award-winning Ochre Restaurant overlooking Cairns Marina. 

• Feel like royalty with a High Tea experience

A quaint High Tea experience is the perfect gift for your best friend, mum or grandma. There are High Tea experiences available in many major cities, like Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. Personally, The Ultimate Chocolate Fondue High Tea with Sparkling in Brisbane sounds right up my alley. 

• Wine tasting from Maleny to Margaret River

RedBalloon has a bucket load of wine tasting experiences and winery tours available. From the Sunshine Coast to the Yarra Valley to the Barossa, all of Australia’s most popular winery regions are covered. Some of the most popular (and unique) experiences available on RedBalloon include the Make Your Own Blend Wine-Making Experience at Penfolds in South Australia and a Picnic Among the Vines with a Wine Tasting Masterclass in the Hunter Valley.

• Wine and Dine at home

If you’d prefer to Wine and Dine at home, RedBalloon also has experiences like online cooking classes, a Homemade Pasta Making Kit and an Australian Gin Tasting Set.

Fly away!

Okay, so we may not be able to fly overseas right now, but we can take flight within Australia. RedBalloon’s flying experiences include scenic plane and helicopter flights, hot air ballooning, indoor and outdoor skydiving, and paragliding. At the top of my list would be this scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays, but here are a few other options:

• Skydive inside or outside

I’m too chicken to skydive, but you can choose to skydive over locations like the Gold Coast or the Great Ocean Road. As for indoor skydiving, you can give an experience at iFLY, which is located in many Aussie capital cities.

• See a different side to your city from a hot air balloon

I’m yet to enjoy a hot air ballooning experience myself, but what a magical gift to give that special someone. I used to see hot air balloons floating over Melbourne in the early morning on my way to work and I just think the views would be incredible, so this is my top pick.

Plan a great getaway

Enjoy a getaway close to home next year, thanks to RedBalloon. They offer weekend getaways, glamping experiences, spa retreats, romantic getaways and so much more. At the top of my wish list would be this Luxury Treehouse Getaway in the Gold Coast Hinterland.

• Go glamping

Glamping is definitely a travel trend that’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It’s all about a luxury camping experience that combines adventure with comfort. Personally, I’d love to experience glamping on Rottnest Island, as I haven’t visited the island since I was a kid.

Take to the sea on a cruise

A scenic boating experience with RedBalloon is the perfect summertime gift for every family member. Choose from lunch and dinner cruises, sailing boat experiences and scenic cruises coast to coast. Some of my favourite options include this Full Day Great Barrier Cruise and Snorkelling Experience from Cairns, a Whale Watching Cruise on the Gold Coast (a very affordable option) and this Sydney Sunset Harbour Cruise, which includes a three-course dinner and drinks.

Shark diving, if you dare!

If you’re a little bit more adventurous than me (please see the comment about me being a chicken under skydiving), there are 12 different shark diving experiences available via RedBalloon. You can observe great white sharks in their natural habitat in SA, Swim with Whale Sharks in Exmouth or Ocean Dive with Sharks on the Sunshine Coast. Which option would you choose?

Too many choices?

Now, you may struggle to decide on an activity (I get it, there’s a lot to choose from). So, RedBalloon also offers experience vouchers, gift vouchers and e-gift cards. Finally, I have to mention that RedBalloon price matches too, if you happen to find a cheaper direct price. 

When it comes to keeping a grounded traveller happy this festive season, you seriously can’t go wrong with giving an experience from RedBalloon. It’s a different way to create unforgettable memories in 2021. There’s truly something for everyone on their website – whether you’re searching for a spa getaway or a fabulous gift hamper. Merry Christmas!

Thank you to RedBalloon for partnering with me on this post. All photos sourced from RedBalloon.