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Top 10 Experience Gifts for Outdoor Lovers (and Why a Sailing Voucher Tops the List) – 2025 Edition

by | Nov 26, 2025 | Gift Vouchers | 0 comments

Sailing in the snow Christmas Sailing Voucher

Experience gifts continue to surge in popularity, especially among people who love adventure, the outdoors, or simply trying something new. Whether you’re shopping for an adventurer, a nature-lover, or someone who already has everything, these outdoor experience gifts for 2025 offer excitement without adding clutter.

Here are the top 10 outdoor experience gifts for 2025, and why a First Class Sailing experience voucher is our undisputed number one.

1. Sailing Experience Gift Voucher (Best Overall Gift 2025) (We would say that ;-))

A sailing experience is the perfect blend of adventure, learning and time on the water — and it suits total beginners as well as seasoned adventurers.

A First Class Sailing gift voucher can be used for:

Why it’s #1:

  • Makes a memorable, life-changing gift

  • Works for individuals, couples or families

  • Ideal for all ages and experience levels

  • Outdoor, active and screen-free

  • Flexible and easy to redeem

👉 Explore Gift Vouchers: https://www.firstclasssailing.com/gift-vouchers

A group on a sailing weekend near the Needles

Sailing past the Needles on a Sailing Weekend. Makes for a great experience gift for Christmas.

2. Bushcraft or Survival Skills Weekend

For those who love getting hands-on with nature, a bushcraft weekend is fun and practical.
This includes shelter building, fire-making, foraging, navigation and outdoor cooking.

👉 Woodland Trust – Exploring the outdoors: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/

Campfire in woodland

Sitting round a camp fire

3. Kayaking or Canoeing Adventure

Perfect for water-lovers and outdoor explorers.
From guided coastal tours to river paddles, this gift offers excitement with a peaceful, scenic backdrop.

Canoeing on a lake in the UK

Canoeing on a lake in the UK

4. Guided Mountain Hike or Summit Day

For people who love to push themselves outdoors, a guided hike — especially in places like Snowdonia, the Lake District or Scotland — makes an unforgettable gift.

Group of hikers reaching a mountain summit in the UK.

Group of hikers reaching a mountain summit in the UK.

5. Paddleboarding Lesson or Coastal Tour

Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is one of the UK’s fastest-growing outdoor activities.
Calm, fun, and beginner-friendly.

Outdoor lovers enjoying a paddleboarding session

How about a paddleboarding session for an outdoor experience gift this Christmas?

6. Wild Swimming Retreat or Workshop

Outdoor swimmers love discovering new safe places to swim. Workshops help with safety, technique and cold-water confidence.

Wild swimmer having a dip

Wild swimmer having a dip

7. Coasteering Adventure

Fun, energetic and wet — coasteering blends climbing, swimming and jumping into a single thrilling day out.
Great for adrenaline-seekers and teens.

Adventure group jumping into the sea during a coasteering session.

Adventure group jumping into the sea during a coasteering session.

8. Outdoor Navigation or Map-Reading Course

Ideal for hikers, campers or anyone wanting to build confidence outdoors.
Navigation skills pair wonderfully with other adventure gifts.

Outdoor navigation with a map and compass.

Outdoor navigation with a map and compass.

9. Climbing or Indoor Bouldering Taster

Climbing centres across the UK offer beginner sessions that are fun, safe and confidence-boosting.
A great gift for adventurous spirits.

Beginner learning the basics of climbing at an indoor centre.

Beginner learning the basics of climbing at an indoor centre.

10. Stargazing Night or Astronomy Workshop

A magical, peaceful gift for anyone who loves the night sky.
From guided star tours to telescope sessions, it’s an unforgettable outdoor experience.

Outdoor stargazing experience beneath a clear night sky.

Outdoor stargazing experience beneath a clear night sky.

Why Sailing Tops the List in 2025

  • Works for every fitness level

  • Suitable for all ages

  • Combines relaxation + adventure

  • Builds real, useful skills

  • Takes place in beautiful coastal areas

  • Creates stories people talk about for years

  • Flexible gift voucher format

  • Supported by expert, RYA-accredited instructors

If you’re shopping for someone who loves the outdoors — or wants to spend more time in nature — a sailing experience voucher delivers far more than a typical present ever could.

👉 View First Class Sailing Gift Vouchers
https://www.firstclasssailing.com/gift-vouchers

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First Class Sailing Ltd
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Based on 278 reviews
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Maurice MacSweeney profile pictureMaurice MacSweeney
11:45 30 Oct 25
Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF, First Aid, etc), and there's now no other school I'd want to train and study with. They really stand out from other providers with the quality of their instructors and the support and responsiveness you get from the office team. There's never too many students on a course, so you get lots of time to practise and learn from the instructor. By the end of each course you really feel you've been stretched and graduated to a much higher level of skill. A really high quality outfit and thoroughly recommended!
Response from the owner 13:56 06 Nov 25
Hi Maurice, we're so pleased to have been with you from the start of your sailing journey. That's great that you enjoyed the ratio of students to instructor and felt confident with the levels you achieved. Thanks for the review, we hope you manage to get plenty of sailing in after all the hard work you've put in.
Marty Stromquist profile pictureMarty Stromquist
15:22 24 Oct 25
I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie FRIN (Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation), was fantastic. It was very fast-paced, but covered the basics and theory behind Celestial Navigation. The jewel of the week was Rennie. His abundant patience, coupled with his experiences and passion for the art, made the week incredible. First Class Sailing have the best instructors. They know their craft and have real-life experience to make training both fun and memorable. Well Done!
Response from the owner 13:42 06 Nov 25
Thanks Marty. We're so pleased you enjoyed Nigel's expert guidance and passion for sailing. Like all our instructors, he loves teaching and sharing his knowledge, but manages to make it fun too. Thanks for the recommendation.
Anne-Laure McLeman profile pictureAnne-Laure McLeman
10:07 15 Oct 25
Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3 of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice. Such a good week!
Response from the owner 13:24 06 Nov 25
Thank-you for the review Anne-Laure. That's great that the all female option suited you well and you enjoyed learning with Kirsten. Hopefully all that practice has set you up well for future sailing. Good luck!
Angus Sandison profile pictureAngus Sandison
19:57 07 Oct 25
Really great experience with First Class. My partner and I did our Day Skipper over two weekends with our instructor Mark. He was fantastic. Patient as we learned and made the whole thing fun. The boats are great and organization by First Class was seamless. Would totally recommend.
Response from the owner 13:17 06 Nov 25
Thanks Angus. That's good that you enjoyed Mark's style of teaching and also had lots of fun along the way. Wishing you lots of happy sailing in the future.
Tricia Bunten profile pictureTricia Bunten
18:48 07 Oct 25
I just finished a fantastic week taking my Day Skipper practical with First Class Sailing and I highly recommend them. I chose the Women Only week and had an incredibly patient instructor who was able to help each of us individually with areas of weakness but also worked great with us as a group. I had never sailed in the Solent before and it was the perfect location for this class. I am so grateful for First Class and my instructor for helping me build confidence and experience.
Photo from customer review
Response from the owner 16:59 04 Nov 25
Thanks Tricia, we're so pleased you enjoyed the Women Only week and had a positive experience. We always say that the Solent really is one of the best places to learn and it has some beautiful scenery to explore too, so that's good that you appreciated it. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon.
Evan Ainsworth profile pictureEvan Ainsworth
20:30 05 Oct 25
They do say that what sets great companies apart is customer service. This is my third time with first class sailing the first time was a few years ago when we did our competent crew it was one of the best weeks of our lives. Then we came again in August for the kids to do their competent crew and my wife and I to do our day skipper course. Unfortunately when I did my day skipper course the weather was terrible and I was unable to have a good session to pass. So Jake said to me you can come back and have a free weekend on us to enable you to pass. And again I had a fabulous weekend. There was just three of us on the boat. A wonderful instructor, Tom, and another student. Tom was an excellent instructor he was relaxed, he had great experiences, he got on with the practical part of sailing not just a lot of theory and he was thorough. He had lots of practical tips to make sailing easier and had some good exercises forest to try. We had a super trip down to Yarmouth where he cooked a wonderful dinner and then we went to the pub. Where we met another first class sailing group and spent the evening listening to their tall tales. The following day we had a super sail back to Southampton, with lots of cool exercises and I was thrilled to pass my day skipper.
Photo from customer review
Response from the owner 16:46 04 Nov 25
Thanks for the review Evan and congratulations on passing your Day Skipper practical, the hard work has paid off. That's good that the whole family joined you for one of the trips and so now hopefully you have some willing crew members for future sails. Good luck!
hugo kirby profile picturehugo kirby
15:26 09 Sep 25
great course with a very engaged and helpful instructor - who was happy to go outside the curriculum and give us the benefit of his wider knowledge - throroughly recommended
Response from the owner 15:30 11 Sep 25
That's good that you appreciated the experiences and extra knowledge that the instructor passed on. Thanks for the recommendation.
Justin Brooks profile pictureJustin Brooks
11:11 23 Aug 25
We would highly recommend First Class Sailing.

Very well organised with a top quality instructor who provided tuition tailored to our differing needs.

A fantastic option for a couple wanting an entire boat to do a mixed Competent Crew / Day Skipper itinerary.
Response from the owner 14:21 28 Aug 25
Thanks Justin. We always find that mixing the Competent Crew & Day Skipper works well, so that's great that it worked for you too. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon and put all your learning into practice.
ChrisC profile pictureChrisC
15:37 22 Aug 25
Great experience doing a Yachtmaster Offshore prep week followed by exam. Lots of useful paperwork up-front for the course admin and training exercises. The 3-day prep format worked well and Hayley did a brilliant job of cramming in the training over those days. Lovely modern boat too called Sazerac. Will be back.
Response from the owner 14:17 28 Aug 25
Hi Chris, thanks for the review. Congratulations on gaining your YMO qualification. There's a lot to cover, but as you've found, the hard work really pays off. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
Miles Barr profile pictureMiles Barr
11:27 03 Aug 25
I completed my Competent Crew and Day Skipper Practical with First Class Sailing. It was a great experience. I hired the whole boat each time, taking my family members along who also earned their Competent Crew qualifications.
Response from the owner 15:21 21 Aug 25
Thanks Miles. That's great that hiring the whole boat for your courses worked well for you all. Now that your family have their comp crew qualifications, you'll have plenty of help onboard for future sails! Good luck.

star rating  All female boat for day skipper practical  - Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3... read more

ALMC62
October 15, 2025

star rating  First Class experience.  - Very good experience with First Class Sailing. Mark was a terrific teacher and the boat was well equipped and comfortable for a 5 day course. Would definitely recommend.

Michael K
October 8, 2025

star rating  Yachmaster Ocean Theory  - I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie... read more

avatar thumb Marty S
October 24, 2025

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