Top five local 'experience gift' ideas

Shamaya Sutton, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
Updated ·5 min read

Nov. 30—This month's top five will focus on alternative gift ideas to close out the holiday season. If you're anything like me, a 30-something-year-old mom with too many activities to juggle, then your house could probably benefit from a solid decluttering session.

Minimalism is on the rise with hundreds of decluttering articles, books, and blogs to choose from. In regards to consumerism, one of the most common statistics thrown around these days states that the average American household contains around 300,000 items. While no solid study has been done yet to back this number up, there are still plenty of overwhelmed homemakers across the country that yearn to do more with less.

So instead of contributing to "clutter culture" this holiday season, why not opt for gifting memories or life skills while supporting the local community?

The following list might help with brainstorming this idea with each feature being local to the Yuba-Sutter region.

1. Tickets

The Yuba-Sutter region is lucky enough to house several performing arts companies in addition to professional venues such as the Toyota Amphitheater and Hard Rock Live in Wheatland.

Those that love music might enjoy tickets to one of the many concerts or events touring through the area. To help avoid excess fees, ticket purchases can be made in person at the box office at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain in Wheatland.

Alternatively, local theater lovers might appreciate season passes to one of Yuba City's premiere community theater groups: The Acting Company.

Last, but certainly not least, is a membership to the area's only movie theater, Cinemark Yuba City. This theater participates in a program known as Movie Club where members can enjoy benefits such as free monthly tickets, 20% off concessions, waived online fees, and other additional perks and discounts. Memberships can be purchased on a monthly or annual basis and the savings can steeply add up for those that attend cinemas avidly. For more information visit cinemark.com/movieclub.

2. Escape room experience

Norcal Escape Co., the region's only professional escape room company, now has multiple adventures to choose from, including an escape room truck. This immersive experience can accommodate between two to 10 players and challenges the group to work together to find clues, solve puzzles, and escape before the clock runs out. Prices vary by the number of people and the chosen experience. Gift cards are also available in varying amounts. To explore all that Norcal Escape Co. has to offer, visit norcalescape.co/.

3. Game time

Those with some thrill seekers in their life may want to check out Millennium Kart Racing in Yuba City. In addition to its indoor go-kart track, Millennium offers laser tag, black light mini golf, axe throwing, and a variety of other games and activities.

If videogames are your kids thing, then a trip or gift card to Yuba City's Titan VR-Cade could be a real show stopper. The "VR" stands for virtual reality, which includes a headset and motion sensing controls. With over 150 games and experiences to choose from, some with multiplayer options, both kids and adults are destined to find something they love.

Lastly, for the adults who are kids at heart, Back in Time Arcade is a true walk down memory lane. This family-owned business has two locations, one in Marysville and another in Gridley. The one in Marysville focuses on vintage-style arcade games and pinball, while the Gridley site has classic gaming along with a wide variety of games like Skee-Ball and basketball.

4. Local wine tasting

Napa isn't the only place to go for great wines, in fact Sutter County has a few of its own wineries which could make finding a designated driver a whole lot easier to manage. Try touring Sicilia Vineyards, Cordi Winery, and the Munger Family Vineyard, all nestled around the Sutter Buttes mountain range. Each winery offers its own special club with certain membership perks and discounts. Wine tasting dates may vary, so it's best to check each individual website before venturing off.

5. Nature tours

December is one of the most beautiful months in the area and is a prime time for witnessing the majesty of the Pacific Flyway. Each year hundreds of thousands of birds, including swans, migrate through the region with many spending their winter in the flooded rice fields. Swan Tours are currently available on weekends through mid-January operated by the California Department of Fish and WIldlife. For more information, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/2/Swan-Tours.

Alternatively, Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes offers exclusive access to the Sutter Buttes mountain range through its collaboration with cooperative ranches and landowners.

Hikes with varying degrees of difficulty will be offered on weekends though mid-February and can be booked online at middlemountainhikes.org/index.html.

6. **Bonus** Lessons

If none of these options seem interesting, perhaps consider investing in one of the many performative lessons in the area. These include music and vocal lessons, theatrical training, or dance. The Institute of Rock in Marysville has been quite popular with youth and offers package lesson deals. Transitions Dance Center in Yuba City has been voted "Best Dance Studio" in Yuba-Sutter for the past two years in a row and offers a variety of classes for students at any experience level.

Also consider Full Spectrum Performing Arts Academy for drop-in acting lessons or The Acting Company's new after-school drama program in partnership with Yuba City Charter School. Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture is a great resource for other art-related opportunities, including lessons or classes. For more information or to inquire about resources, visit yubasutterarts.org/.

Horseback riding lessons are also available at several local ranches including Butte Star Ranch and Youthful Courage Stables, both in Yuba City.