Cloud 9 Living

Co-founder Adam Michaels and the team at Cloud 9 Living have done the legwork to find 1,700 activities across the U.S. that make for unforgettable gifts. You can send a friend bungee jumping or to ninja school, or have them ride shotgun in a race car. If you’re looking for something less physically challenging, you could choose a food tour, private DJ lessons or pottery classes. Or maybe you know someone who longs to star in a movie, play poker with pro Jamie Gold, or pull off a perfect crime? Cloud 9 Living offers so many experiences that the hardest part might be deciding which one to choose.

The idea for the company started with a wedding present for a couple who had just moved to southern California. Adam and a friend decided to give the new-to-California newlyweds surfing lessons, and their gift was a huge hit. Now anyone can give an adventure like that, and Cloud 9 Living handles the logistics so it’s easy on the gift-giver and recipient. And the experiences are more affordable than you might think — prices start around $50 and there are plenty of options under $200. Life is about our stories, and this is a great way to add a chapter of adventure, drama and fantasy to the lives of people you care about.