“Milestone” Birthday Gifts for Men

Yesterday, a friend asked me to help come up with unique gift ideas for her husband's upcoming "milestone" birthday.

Now, I have to say that finding the right birthday gift for the important men in my life has always been a challenge for me.

This seemed like the perfect opportunity to get a head start on birthday planning for this year, by pulling together a list of unique gift suggestions that will hopefully help her, myself and anyone else who struggles with the same dilemma.

As I looked through recent catalogs and mailers, everything I saw was either technological products that they already had or items that did not meet the high standard of being a "milestone" birthday gift.

That's when I decided that maybe these special presents should be unforgettable experiences, instead of another product that comes in a beautifully wrapped box.

Finding several options in a reasonable price range, here are the "Milestone Birthday Gifts for Men" that I came up with:

* Driving

1 day guided motorcycle tour - @ $69
Urban Segway tour - @ $80
Exotic car driving (Ferrari, Lamborghini or Porsche) - @ $100
NASCAR ride-along - @ $100/ 3 laps
Drive a NASCAR - @ $300
3 day self-drive motorcycle tour - @ $400

* Flying

Flying lesson - @ $100/ hr
Hang gliding or paragliding - @ $120
Scenic plane ride or a bi-plane ride - @ $120
Helicopter tour - @ $130
Fighter pilot for a day - @ $200
Hot air balloon ride - @ $200
Tandem skydiving - @ $200/ first jump

* Food & Beverage

Brewery tour & tasting - @ $8 (at Brooklyn Brewery, named by Forbes as one of "America's Top Breweries")
Napa Valley winery tour & tasting - @ $33 (at Castello di Amorosa, pictured above)
Urban walking food tour - @ $60
Urban pub crawl tour - @ $80
Urban walking wine tour - @ $80

* Land

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum tour - @ $20
Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Hall Pass - @ $40
Golf lesson with a PGA Pro - @ $100
Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show with George Strait, Martina McBride and Randy Rogers Band ticket - @ $140
Wine country cycling tour - @ $140
Dog sled tour - @ $175
Play with heavy equipment (excavators and bulldozers) - @ $200
Adult fencing lessons - @ $220
Guided hunt (duck, deer, turkey, dove) - @ $750

* Water

Scenic cruise - @ $50
Kayak or Paddle tour - @ $60
Sailing cruise - @ $60
Whitewater rafting - @ $70
Lunch or Dinner Cruise - @ $75
Sailing lesson - @ $100
Rowing lesson - @ $150
Scuba diving certification - @ $350
Bay fishing trip - @ $450

Just search these phrases on the internet and see what is available in your area.

Here's to another Inspired Minute!