Give a memory
Experience gifts in London: give a memory, not more stuff
The best gifts aren't things — they're stories. We've rounded up London experiences worth gifting, whether it's a milestone birthday, an anniversary, or a thank-you that needs to mean something.
From hands-on classes to unforgettable days out, here are our favourite experience gifts in London, with something at every budget. Most can be bought as a voucher, so they pick their own date.
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One-offCocktail-making masterclassLearn 2-3 classics then drink them; widely available - search by area on DesignMyNight. Typically ~£35-50pp, 18+. Book ahead.Citywide/One-off£££
One-offAfternoon tea (classic or themed)From budget to bottomless to bonkers themesCitywide/One-off££–£££
One-offPottery wheel taster – Turning EarthTurning Earth: open-access ceramics studios at Hoxton, Leyton & Highgate (Highgate is North London, 5 min from the Tube). Beginner courses, 2-hr private tasters, and gym-style monthly membership once you've done a course. Book online. Hoxton E2 is the original open-access studio; other sites at Leyton E10 (the largest) and Highgate N6.Hoxton E2/One-off£££
One-offSandbox VR / immersive VRShared full-body VR adventures for small groups (~30-45 min). ~£35-45pp. Age 13+. Book ahead. The Post Building, High Holborn WC1 is the listed London venue; a second Sandbox bay sits inside Toca Social at Westfield W12.Holborn WC1/One-off£££
One-offAlcotraz prison cocktail experienceImmersive prison-themed cocktail experience - smuggle in your own spirit, they mix the rest in character. ~£50pp for ~2 hrs. 18+. Book well ahead. Alcotraz London is on Brick Lane E1; other branches in Manchester and Brighton.Shoreditch E1/One-off£££One-offChocolate-making workshopTemper & mould your own bars/truffles; various studios. Day workshops, book ahead.Various/One-off£££
One-offCheese & wine tastingGuided tasting flights; The Cheese Bar in Camden (Stables Market) does all-cheese menus & flights - walk-in or book. Open daily, later Wed-Sat.Camden NW1/One-off£££
Drop-inLife drawing drop-inCheap untutored sessions at pubs & studios citywide (~£8-15); just turn up and draw. Materials sometimes provided.Citywide/Drop-in£
One-offAlternative London street-art bike tourHidden gems, Ripper tales, Tower Bridge. Walking tours meet at the 'I Goat' statue, Brushfield Street E1; the studio on Hessel Street E1 is not a meeting point.Spitalfields E1/One-off££
One-offWhistle Punks Urban Axe ThrowingCoached urban axe throwing in Soho (53 Eastcastle St, W1W). ~£22-29pp (off-peak cheaper) for ~75-90 min; instructor-led then a mini tournament. Bar & pizza on site. 18+ (some family sessions). Book ahead.Soho W1/One-off££One-offThe Cauldron 'magic' potion bar'Magic' potion-making cocktail experience - robe, wand & molecular drinks. ~£35-45pp. 18+ (alcohol) with some family/mocktail slots. Book ahead. Single London venue on Stoke Newington Road N16; other Cauldrons are in US cities.Dalston N16/One-off£££
One-offHidden London abandoned tube tourLTM guided tours of disused Tube stations, secret tunnels & wartime shelters (e.g. Aldwych). Age 10+. Tickets sell fast - released in batches (currently to Sept 2026). New family tour of Aldwych.Disused stations/One-off£££
ClassWSET wine courseGlobally recognised wine qualification, Levels 1-3, run by schools citywide. Level 1 is a one-day intro (~£200+). 18+. Book a course date ahead.Citywide/Class£££
One-offKaraoke box (Lucky Voice etc.)Lucky Voice - private karaoke rooms (4-12 people) from ~£8pp; sites in Soho, Islington, Holborn, Liverpool St & Waterloo. 9,000+ songs, drinks service. Book ahead. Flagship karaoke bar in Soho W1; second site in Islington N1.Soho W1/One-off££
ClassThe Snow Centre HemelReal-snow indoor slope; lessons + lift pass. Second Snow Centre site is in Manchester.Hemel Hempstead HP3/Class£££
ClassSUP – Active360Stand-up paddleboard lessons. Main base is Kew Bridge Arches W4; other bases at Ladbroke Grove W10 and Brentford Lock TW8.Strand on the Green W4/Class££
ClassParkour / freerunning classLearn to move; all levels. Fixed academy at the Import Building, Clove Crescent E14; outdoor classes run at various sites and an affiliate operates in Kingston KT.Poplar E14/Class££
Questions people ask
- What's the best experience gift for someone who has everything?
- Go for something they'd never book themselves: an abandoned Tube station tour, a night in a fake prison-themed cocktail bar, or a cold-water sauna and dip session. The story is the gift.
- Are there experience gifts in London under £50?
- Plenty. Life drawing drop-ins, a street-art bike tour, a chocolate-making workshop and most pottery tasters all sit comfortably under £50 a head.
- Can you buy an experience gift as a voucher?
- Yes — most London experiences can be bought as an open-dated voucher, so you give the experience now and they choose when to go. Look for the voucher option at checkout.
- What's a good experience gift for a couple?
- A pottery date night, a wine or cheese tasting, an immersive theatre show, or a day hiring a canal boat — anything they'll do together and talk about afterwards.
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