23 College Graduation Gifts for Him - Experiences He’ll Treasure Forever

Are you searching for the best college graduation gifts for guys?

Your college grad has just completed a long, grueling 4 years sharpening his academic brain. 

Now is the time to celebrate his accomplishments in a truly special way.

This guide shares 23 of the most thoughtful and unique graduation gifts that he’ll remember forever.

Contents:

• Why Experiences Are Better Gifts Than Items For College Graduations
• Workshops and Classes 
• Adventures
• Entertainment and Culture
• Food and Drink
• Getaways

Why Experiences Are Better Gifts Than Items For College Graduations

Let’s face it - graduation checks come, get cashed, and then very quickly go, often with little to show for it.

New experiences, however, can last a lifetime.

Why not show your pride in his accomplishment in a unique way - give him the gift of a new or exciting experience.

Don’t just listen to what we have to say. 

There’s science to prove that giving experiences will make him happier than a material gift.

The National Library of Science states that, “Previous findings have shown that experiential purchases contribute more to consumer happiness than material purchases.

Workshops and Classes 

Who says the learning has to end once the graduation caps are thrown? 

Give your special college grad the opportunity to continue learning with a high-interest and fun workshop or class experience that he’ll treasure long after the graduation checks have been cashed and spent. 

Workshop and Class Gift Ideas

Power Tools. The Cha-Cha Slide. Clay and a Kiln.

No matter which topic piques his interest the most, a workshop or class is a perfect gift alternative for your college graduate. 

Gift #1: Wood Workshops

Very little is as satisfying as creating something out of nothing, especially when power tools are involved. 

If your guy loves the sound of a buzzing table saw or the thrill of pulling the trigger on a nail gun - this is the gift for him.

These are not your typical high school shop classes. 

With projects ranging from cutting boards to chair building to household carpentry projects, a wood workshop is a perfect chance for him to hone his existing DIY skills or develop a new one. 

Gift #2: Art Classes

He doesn’t have to be an art aficionado to enjoy getting his hands dirty in one of the many art class offerings found at Gift a Panda. 

With classes such as pottery, crafts, painting, sculpting, figure drawing, photography, and even glass blowing - Gift a Panda can quickly and easily help you find an art class that will give him the opportunity to channel his inner Picasso and create a work of art he’s sure to treasure forever. 

Gift #3: Fitness Classes

If the grad on your list prefers to spend a Saturday afternoon in the gym rather than checking out the local music scene, why not treat him to a fun and new fitness class?

With a variety of class types ranging from boxing to yoga, any fitness-minded guy on your list will surely enjoy the chance to up his physical fitness to the next level. 

Gift #4: Dance Classes

Ballroom. K-Pop. Urban. Swing. Hip Hop. Salsa.

Regardless of his style of choice, a fun and upbeat dance class is a great way to give your grad a toe-tapping, body moving celebration of his many accomplishments. 

Why Are Workshops and Classes a Great College Graduation Gift For Him?

Graduation is a great time to give your special graduate a chance to explore his creative side in a whole new way.

Gifting him with a workshop or class is the perfect way to reward his hard work and help him perfect a new skill, all while creating memories he’s sure to cherish forever. 

Adventures

If your graduate has an adventurous spirit and delights in the thrill of an adrenaline rush, what could be a better gift than feeding his appetite for new adventures? 

Adventure Gift Ideas

Skydiving. Snowboarding. Race Car driving. Escape Rooms. Go-karts.
If it’s a thrill he seeks, you can’t go wrong giving him one of these exciting and breath-taking gift experiences.

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Gift #5: Skydiving

For the true daredevil on your list, nothing can top the experience of fearlessly jumping from a plane to the earth below. 

Looking for the same type of thrill for someone a little less fearless? 

Indoor skydiving gives the perfect dose of adrenaline with a bit less risk.

No matter which type you choose, giving him the experience of skydiving is an adventure he will never forget.     

Gift #6: Rafting

If heights aren’t quite his thing, a water adventure might be more his style. 

From the fast-paced rapids to the relaxing river floats, a whitewater rafting trip can be the ultimate experience for the water-loving guy on your gift-giving list.

Gift #7: Kayaking

What could be more relaxing and rejuvenating than floating through crystal-clear blue waters, surrounded by breath-taking natural scenery?

If your water-loving guy prefers a more laid back experience, a day out on the water paddling his own kayak might be just what the tour guide ordered. 

Gift #8: Car Race Tracks

If fast-paced races get his heart pounding, he’ll love tickets to a live race event. 

Nothing will get his engine running and his checkered flag waving like a day out at a race track.

Take it a step further and give him the experience of a lifetime - an actual racing experience. Allowing him the chance to live out his racecar driver dreams is sure to be a day he’ll remember forever.  

Gift #9: Go-Karts

Looking to fulfill his need for speed in a more controlled setting? 

Indoor tracks or go-kart experiences can be just the thing to fuel his thrill-seeking nature. Add a few good friends to the mix, and the result is guaranteed to result in an experience he’ll treasure for years to come. 

Gift #10: Gyms

If the guy on your graduation gift list loves pumping iron, increasing his reps, and perfecting his physique, a gym membership might be right up his alley. 

Weights. Running Tracks. Group classes. Saunas. Tanning. 

With a plethora of gym types and locations to choose from, you can’t go wrong giving this gift to the fitness buff on your list. 

Gift #11: Escape Rooms

Does the adventure lover in your life find thrill in heart-pounding situations and seemingly impossible to solve puzzles? 

Nothing will challenge his problem-solving skills and level-headedness like being locked in a room with a group of friends, racing the timer to solve the Escape Room’s puzzles.

Win or lose, an Escape Room gift is something that will keep him talking for years to come.

Why Are Adventures a Great College Graduation Gift For Him?

College graduation is often a once in a lifetime accomplishment for many. Such a momentous event is worthy of an equally meaningful event.

Besides the fact that most young men crave adventure, there’s more science that goes into it:

Recent research in 2017 states that “experiential gifts foster stronger social relationships than material gifts.”

So, if you want to have a lasting and healthy relationship with your college graduate, definitely consider giving an experiential gift that involves adventure. 

If you’re looking for the best college graduation gifts for him, nothing will mark this historic occasion like one of these riveting experience-based gifts. 

Entertainment and Culture

If the guy you’re celebrating has more refined tastes, preferring the role of observer over active participant, he’s sure to find these entertainment gift options electrifying. 

Entertainment and Culture Gift Ideas

Modern or classical.

Symphony or hard rock.

Action-packed blockbuster thrillers or off-broadway stage productions. 

No matter his personal preference, an experience-based entertainment gift is guaranteed to provide a memorable experience for your college graduate.  

Gift #12: Concerts

Whether your graduate considers himself a music aficionado or simply walks to the beat of his own drum, he’s sure to appreciate the thoughtfulness of specially selected concert tickets as opposed to a more traditional graduation gift. 

Small intimate venues, ornate concert halls, smoky jazz clubs, or electrifying big stage productions - regardless of his preference - if your grad is a music lover, concert tickets are guaranteed to strike the right chord with him.

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Gift #13: Symphony

Guys with a deep affection for the timeless wonders of Bach or Mozart rather than more modern-day tunes may appreciate a more traditional experience. 

For those with an ear for the intricacies of a classically-composed orchestra, nothing beats a tantalizing evening out at a local symphony performance. 

Gift #14: Movie Theater

Looking for a blockbuster gift idea for the movie-loving graduate in your life? 

Do big-screen box-office hits get his inner critic excited? Or perhaps he has an affinity for Cannes worthy indie masterpieces instead. 

Regardless of his cinematic favorite, movie tickets are guaranteed to receive a 5-star review from your film fanatic.

Gift #15: Museums

Relaxing Sunday afternoons spent at a favorite museum can be a breath of fresh air for those with a deep cultural appreciation. 

With choices ranging from history, classical art, or pop-culture, museum passes make a remarkable gift option that is sure to leave a lasting impression. 

Gift #16: Performing Arts

If your graduate is keen on performing arts, why not feed his artistic appetite with a unique fine arts gift?

With choices ranging from comedy, small theatre companies, little-known playwrights, or even the hottest gallery exhibit in town, this gift option is sure to result in a standing ovation from the fine arts connoisseur on your gift-giving list.  

Why Are Entertainment and Cultural Events a Great College Graduation Gift For Him?

If you’re searching for unique college graduation gifts for him, entertainment events might be just what he craves. 

Luckily for you, Gift a Panda has you covered! With literally hundreds of experiences to choose from and a quick and easy process for gifting, there’s no doubt you’ll find the perfect way to celebrate your grad!

Food and Drink

Maybe you’ve heard the old saying…

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

If this saying rings true for your college graduate, express your pride and love by showering him with a tantalizing food-based gift.

Food and Drink Gift Ideas

Whether he’s a foodie at heart or a meat and potatoes kind of guy, these food and drink gift ideas will kick your graduate’s taste buds into overdrive and leave him with an experience he’ll always remember. 

Gift #17: Restaurants

Whether he’s looking for a fun and casual night out with the guys or a romantic evening alone with his special someone, dinner out at a restaurant can be the highlight of anyone’s week. 

With options covering virtually any and all cuisines imaginable, you have the option to choose from his old favorite or to treat him to a brand new culinary experience. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this tasty and satisfying gift!

Gift #18: Cooking Classes

You don’t have to fund a trip to Europe to help the rising cook in your life to prepare a dish that would make a 5-star Michelin chef swoon. 

With classes including Japanese, Italian, French, Indian, Thai, and American cuisines, you can choose a memorable culinary experience that is sure to please even the pickiest of palates. 

Gift #19: Food Tours

Nothing is more satisfying for a true foodie at heart than a day spent on a food tour.

With varying menus to choose from, food tours will give him the chance to engage his senses and sample some of the best bites around town. 

If he has a taste for the finer things in life, this is a gift that will undoubtedly provide an extraordinary experience for him.

Gift #20: Dinner Theater

Trying to decide between gifting him dinner or a show?

Why choose just one?

Tickets to a dinner theater will give him the best of both worlds - delicious food and an unforgettable stage production. 

Why Is Food and Drink a Great College Graduation Gift For Him?

Graduation is a milestone worthy of great celebration.

What better way to celebrate than an evening out with good food, drink, and company?

If you’re trying to decide what to give a guy for college graduation, you simply can’t go wrong with a tasty food-based experience. 

Getaways

Are you finding yourself Google searching…

“What to get my boyfriend for college graduation?”

If so, consider spoiling him with a truly equally remarkable gift. 

Nothing says “I love you” like a surprise weekend getaway to somewhere new and exciting.

Getaway Gift Ideas

Looking for an exciting weekend in the city?  

Or maybe a more romantic tucked-away town fits the bill.

Perhaps he’ll get a kick out of a city bike or ghost tour.  

With so many options to choose from, you can’t go wrong gifting him a commemorative getaway.

Gift #21: Hotels

Is he a fan of classic elegance and historical sites? If so, the Four Seasons in Washington D.C. would be the ideal getaway for him.

Perhaps he prefers a more contemporary experience while testing his luck at a Black Jack table. In this case, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas might be the winning hand for his vacation.

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If a hip, boutique hotel and a cuppa hot java or more his style, consider the Inn at the Market, just steps away from Seattle’s iconic Pike’s Place Market.

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Gift #22: City Tours

Does your guy reveal in exploring all of the cool and quirky traits of a new city? If so, a city tour will provide a superb gift option for him. 

Tampa by bike.

Ybor City walking tours.

San Francisco love tours.

Big D fun tours.

Colorado segway tours.

The list of city tour options at Gift a Panda goes on and on. From coast to coast, you’re sure to find cool college graduation gifts for guys here.

Gift #23: Tourist Attractions

Historic monuments. Animal-filled zoos. Exceptional architectural masterpieces. Hip markets. Astounding aquariums. 

With dozens of options to choose from in a wide variety of cities, a day trip to an interesting and popular tourist attraction is bound to provide him with memories he’ll recall fondly for years to come. 

Why Are Getaways a Great College Graduation Gift For Him?

Once the commencement speech ends and the graduation caps come off, chances are your grad will be craving an escape from the real world. 

After all, the past four years (or more) have been filled with late-night cram sessions, stressful exams, and countless essays. 

After all that work, your graduate is long overdue for a little rest and relaxation. 

Celebrating his accomplishment with an unexpected getaway will be the ultimate gift he’ll treasure for a lifetime.