Editor’s Picks: Make Memories with LBE Gifts

We all look forward to the holiday season, but the pressure leading up to it can take its toll. Doesn’t a vacation sound good about now? 

Year after year, more parents opt out of wrapping gifts and instead pack suitcases for a once-in-a-lifetime experience the family can enjoy and reflect on for years. Now that travel is becoming common again, it’s a little easier for families to take a trip (although one might say traveling with family is no vacation).  

Location-based experiences were themes of both Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe. License Global has extensively covered how more companies are working on having more events where fans of all ages can experience a brand through immersive entertainment. Most may think Disneyworld and Universal Studios fit in the category of location-based experiences, and they do, to a degree. Many families buy annual passes to enjoy the parks in Orlando and Hollywood, respectively (or Paris, if you’re going to Disneyland). But there are lots of options in the LBE sector that could be a great family gift.  

If your family wants something active, there’s the NERF Action Xperience in Manchester, England. Located at Trafford Palazzo and spanning 35,000 square feet, the indoor entertainment center features four NERF zones, including thematic blaster battlegrounds, training activities and a NERF sports arena. One of the center’s combat zones uses high-performance Gelfire blasters – a new product from NERF not currently in play elsewhere. NERF AX has partnered with Archie’s to provide food and beverages for parties and casual guests alike. (There is also one in the U.S., at Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) 

NERF Action Xperience in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

For the toddler set, “Peppa Pig” is charting new territory in 2024 with a new ride. Peppa Pig Park Günzburg, near LEGOLAND Deutschland, will feature a total of five attractions and seven “Peppa Pig”-themed playgrounds, including Daddy Pig’s roller coaster, the first real roller coaster experience for toddlers and preschoolers. 

This next suggestion may better suit parents looking to unwind without the kids. The newly opened Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells in Greater Palm Springs practically demands you to relax. Near the Santa Rosa Mountains, the transformed resort boasts a 12,000-square-foot spa and sits on 11 acres of olive trees, citrus groves and flower gardens, with three saltwater swimming pools with cabanas. What better way to relax than with a lifestyle brand that’s synonymous with laidback enjoyment.  

While you may be halfway down your holiday shopping list, a destination trip may not be in the cards this season, but there’s always next year. Now’s the time to plant the seeds for an LBE gift and to start using phrases like “experiences over gifts” at the next family gathering.