These D.C. experiences are the holiday gifts that keep on giving

Opening gifts during the holidays rules. You know what doesn’t rule? The feeling that comes just seconds after the last gift is unwrapped, as you survey the wrapping paper carnage. Huh, OK. I guess that’s it? 

That’s why we think the greatest gift of all is … the promise of future gifts, especially when they celebrate our city. We’ve rounded up some of the best D.C. experiences to gift this season, so that well into the new year, your loved ones can reap the rewards and keep thinking of you fondly.

For the pal who has already read every single Smithsonian informational plaque: A membership to a paid-entry museum

We all know D.C. is spoiled for free art and history museums, but there’s only so many times you can see Dorothy’s ruby slippers or even the pandas. (Sorry!) Introduce your loved ones to the offerings beyond the mall with a year-long membership to a less-traveled museum. Depending on how generous you’re feeling, most of these museums offer higher tiers of membership that come with additional perks like gift shop discounts or access to special events.

• Art lovers will enjoy the chance to visit the National Museum of Women in the Arts whenever they’d like. (Starts at $75/year)
• The Phillips Collection, meanwhile, is perfect for anyone who would appreciate the freedom to zen out in the Rothko Room when the real world gets overwhelming. (Starts at $75/year)
• If your recipient prefers an educational museum experience, what about, for language nerds, Planet Word (normally a $15 suggested donation), or the National Building Museum, for infrastructure heads? (Starts at $75/year and $60/year, respectively)
• For the parents in your life, a membership to the National Children’s Museum on Pennsylvania Ave. could be a huge help on inevitable rainy Saturdays. (Starts at $175/year)
• And what about your friends who live in Maryland and Virginia? Sweet-talk them into coming to visit you in the District more often with a membership to Southwest’s Rubell Museum. The contemporary art space is always free to D.C. residents, and a membership grants those from the suburbs free entry, too. (Starts at $65/year)

For the loved one who's into snail mail: A gift that keeps on giving

A monthly subscription is really a gift for the giver, taking the pressure of curating, wrapping, and sometimes even delivering continued thoughtful care. 

• No need to pick out the right bottle for your oenophile friend: Park View wine bar St. Vincent will do that for you with their wine club. ($69/month) 
• Call upon Kbird to bottle up 4 or 10 cocktails a month for your recipient to pick up at the bar inside Studio Theatre. ($40-75/month; discounts for purchasing multiple months)
• Fancy party-throwers will favor the “I Love Cheese” subscription from Mount Pleasant’s Each Peach, complete with everything they need to assemble an enviable cheese plate. ($70/month; also available in 3- or 6-month plans)
• Coffee snobs, meanwhile, can cozy up to brews delivered from Zeke’s Coffee with their monthly coffee club. ($85-340; available in 3-, 6-, or 12-month plans) 
• Tāst Coffee also offers regular delivery of its beans, and its Petworth ‘96 blend would make a great D.C.-themed gift. ($17.02-18.68)
• Then again, in these cold winter months, your loved one might just be craving a bit of spring freshness, in which case a recurring bouquet delivery from Lee’s Flower Shop might be perfect. (Prices vary)

For the colleague who’s bragged about how many books they read this year: a gift card or subscription from a local bookshop

Let’s be honest: The book lovers in your life don’t need you to pick out their next read for them — they want an excuse to stop by their favorite shop. You’ll find us browsing the aisles at Solid State Books’ locations on H St. NE and 14th St. NW, Sankofa Video Books & Cafe on Georgia Ave. NW, Lost City Books in Adams Morgan, Friends to Lovers Bookstore in Alexandria, or Mahogany Books at National Harbor.

If you have a young reader on your gift list, keep their bookshelves stocked with help from People’s Book in Takoma Park. They offer monthly kids’ book deliveries in English and Spanish — and the adults in your life may be intrigued by a monthly zine drop. ($30/month)

For your friend who lives for the moment the lights go down: Support a local theater

It’s hard to know where to start on the road to becoming a patron of local arts. Help your recipient on their journey with tickets to one of the dozens of theaters in our region. 

• A season pass to Gala Hispanic Theatre, for example, includes a ticket to all three shows, plus a ticket to one of the Columbia Heights venue’s flamenco performances. (Starts at $140/season)
• Mosaic Theater Company, meanwhile, offers plenty of flexibility, with packages of 4, 6, or 8 tickets for any show throughout the season. (Starts at $100) 
• Would you say your friend’s love for drama reaches … operatic heights? Consider collectively going in on a mid-season subscription to D.C.’s homegrown opera company, InSeries, with upcoming performances in Southwest D.C. and at Dupont Underground. (Starts at $52, call the box office at (202) 204-7763 to buy a gift card)
• And of course, for the friend to whom “going to the theater” means popcorn, soda, and never missing the trailers, perhaps a membership to Chevy Chase’s Avalon Theatre will earn their five-star review. (Starts at $90/year)

For the neighbor who’s always picking up a new hobby: A class from a local teacher

Help your loved one branch out into something new with a one-off class, or dive deep into a hobby with a multi-session course from a local expert.

• Does someone need to cool it with the Doordash orders? La Cosecha offers a variety of cooking classes at its Galeria kitchen space, ranging from the romantic (like a Valentine’s Day pasta-making course) to the adventurous (as in the class featuring “Thaitalian” fusion dishes). (Prices vary)
• Your crafty friends might prefer learning a new artistic form. At District Clay Center near Langdon, they can sculpt the pot of their dreams. ($80 for a one-off class) 
• You’d be hard-pressed to find more artistic variety than via the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, which offers courses and onetime classes in mediums including felting, drawing, photography, music, dance, and more. (Prices vary) 
• Alexandria’s Art League also offers some offbeat crafty courses, including stained glass, mosaic, or using resin to make your own set of Dungeons & Dragons dice. (Prices vary)
• Aspiring dancers will love Dance Place, which offers classes in ballet, Cuban, contemporary, West African, jazz, and more. ($17/1 class, or multiple-class packs start at $80)
• Or your friend can improve their swing with a gift card for group lessons at one of D.C.’s public golf courses. Group lessons are available at the Rock Creek, Langston, and East Potomac courses. (Starts at $119 for kids, $149 for adults)

For your BFF who really needs to chill out, man: A self-care experience

Obviously the meditation book you got them last year is still collecting dust on their coffee table. This year, you can actually help them find inner peace with a mini D.C. wellness retreat. 

• The Salamander Hotel near The Wharf serves up massages, facials, mani/pedis, and the like, but for something really special, send them to one of the floating sound bath sessions. Participants lounge on deck chairs in the indoor pool while practitioners strike soothing gongs, singing bowls, and chimes. (Sound bath tickets start at $85) 
• For a more traditional spa experience, a gift card to Black Bella Spa & Wellness in Lanham, Maryland, can go toward any number of treatments, including facials, massages, scrubs, and red light therapy sessions. (Prices vary) 
• Your giftee could also find healing at one of Grounded’s reiki sessions. A private appointment at the Anacostia plant shop, cafe, and wellness center includes sound healing, breathwork, and overall chill vibes. A gift certificate can also go towards yoga classes or sound baths. ($188)
• Know someone who would love nothing more than to be pampered in a seriously cool space? Let them try a month at Manifest, a social and wellness club with locations in Union Market and Adams Morgan. Perks include discounted barber service, cafe and restaurant credit, and access to special events. (Starts at $75/month)

For your buddy who is always complaining about the high fees on ClassPass: a pack of fitness classes

If your friend has mentioned wanting to get moving next year, cop them a gift certificate for a class pack at a local fitness studio. 

• WeFitDC offers a two-part package that includes a 45-minute personal training session and a group class at their Congress Heights studio. ($100) 
• Help them let out some aggression on heavy bags with credits at the Navy Yard boxing studio BOOMBOX. ($36/1 class or $150/5 classes) 
• If what they really want is to see some new muscles, a gift card for strength classes at Cut Seven, with locations in Logan Circle and Clarendon, can help. (Prices vary)

For a new stretch that comes with some zen, try introducing your pal to a yoga practice.

• You can opt for a class pack at Bhakti Yoga’s Mount Vernon Square outpost. ($27/1 class or $115/5 classes)
• Your recipient can use Yoga District’s class pack at any of their six D.C. locations. ($14/1 class or $99/8 classes)
• Finally, Bikram Yoga Works offers the classic, intensive practice in Ivy City, as well as at locations in Baltimore and Riverdale Park, Maryland. ($79 for a 30-day trial, $195/5 classes, or $390/10 classes)

For anyone who loves D.C.: the joy of knowing they’re personally powering local news

OK, OK, we’re biased here. But we couldn’t end this guide without mentioning that everything you read on this site is brought to you with the support of our members. Bring your community into the fold with a gift membership to The 51st’s nonprofit, independent, worker-led newsroom. (Starts at $108/year)