Tidewater Holiday Experience Guide

I know, I know. Every kid loves getting gifts on the holidays, and moms dream of the moment when their kid sees a mountain of wrapped gifts. This mama is tired though. Tired of cleaning up toys. Tired of stepping on toys. Tired of throwing toys away. For the last two years we have been asking for gift cards and experiences over toys and yet somehow my boys are not deprived.

We have been lucky enough to have been gifted a zoo membership from my mom and aunt who get together for their birthdays. That membership alone has given us the ability to participate in all that they offer plus their swaps. My cousin gave us a Children's Museum membership and we have used the reciprocity program in so many places to get in for free. Memberships are the way to go if you can swing it or if you can get a group to go in on them together.

Here's my list of top experiences for our area:

• Jump Giftcard 
• Funville Passes- $12.00 per kid per visit, $5.00 for toddler only area
• Skinny Dip/ Cold Stone / Rita's Giftcard
• Zoo passes or membership
• Aquarium passes or membership
• Cinema Cafe movie tickets
• Botanical Gardens day pass
• Busch Gardens membership 
• Chuck-E-Cheese/Dave and Busters/ Gameworks card
• Hunt Club Farm pass or membership 
• Kroc Center Passes ($12.00 per person for day pass)
• Ocean Breeze daily or season pass 
• Katie's Kickers Gift card for lessons
• Bowling prepaid games 
• A month at The Little Gym (they have Black Friday sales!)
• Hike-it-Baby Membership (only ten bucks!)
• Cookie Cutters Giftcard- they have a prepaid card where you get one free 
• Tickets to Ride the Tide (RT LOVES this. Neil takes him regularly. Kids are free, so only adults need a ticket.)
• Highlights magazine subscription
• A trip to Build a Bear
• Trip to Charles Dickens Christmastowne (open till New Years Eve)
• Trip to Great Wolf Lodge (check groupon!)
• Passes to The Pink Roller (new location since our post)

Here is a more extensive, more general Hampton Roads list for all toddlers, not so focused on our personal likes and here is a birthday list with experience ideas too. Check these places on Black Friday for deals!