Top Customer Picks for Valentine’s Day Gifts
I know, I know. The 2011 holidays have just ended. We're all finally getting adjusted to writing 2012 at the end of our dates and most of us have whittled our list of resolutions down to 1 or 2 that we might keep up for another couple of weeks. It almost feels like there might be some time to take a deep breath and relax for a few minutes. Until you look at the calendar and realize that Valentine's Day is less that 4 weeks away!
Lucky for you (and yours), we've got you covered with a roundup of our most popular Valentine's Day Gifts. Whether you're looking for a gift that will give them a memorable experience or something that the two of you can do together, we have something that fits the bill:
Five Favorite Customer Memories of 2011
Jim L. standing in front of the B-25 Bomber that helped make his dream come true
At each of our weekly company meetings we read aloud at least one customer comment we've recently received. Sometimes these comments make us laugh, sometimes they pull at our heartstrings, but they always inspire us to live life to the fullest.
Here's five of our favorite customer memories from 2011. Thanks, and we hope you all keep living out your dreams!
- "Took this ride to take my Father's ashes for a spin before we laid him to rest. He was supposed to do this with a friend so I took him instead. Everyone was very respectful of my wishes and I'm sure my Dad enjoyed it as much as I did. Thank you again." Colby Brown, Drive a Stock Car
- Since childhood, it had always been my dream to share part of what my father, a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot in WWII, had experienced. He was taken from us at a far too-early age, but I've always tried to emulate his life. My wife and family surprised me on my 64th birthday by giving me a Cloud 9 experience -- a ride in a B-25 Mitchell bomber, the same type of aircraft that my father flew. I was able to ride right behind the pilot and watched in awe as they ran through the pre-flight checklist and then lifted off for a most amazing flight. As I glanced to the left of my seat, I saw hanging on a hook, a WWII flight officer's cap ... just like the one my father wore. I was engulfed in an overwhelming sense that he was there on the plane with me. I will always be grateful to my family, the wonderful people at Cloud 9, and the Commemorative Air Force crew at St. Paul, MN for providing this incredibly meaningful experience. Jim Landerkin, North American B-25 Bomber Ride in Minneapolis
- "This was the second best birthday gift I've ever received (1st being the birth of my youngest son, who was born the day after my birthday)!!! I was at a loss for words. My instructor was Ted, and he ensured that I was informed and comfortable from the initial phone call. I have told everyone about my experience and all were in complete awe! I have always dreamed of flying, and you guys assisted with making this dream come true... THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!" Drake Booker, Aerobatic Thrill Ride
- "The bungee jump allowed me to conquer a fear of heights, a fear of the unknown, and a fear of commitment simultaneously. For me, all three of those were combined into a single moment. It was extremely difficult to take the leap, but I did it! Now I feel more confident in overcoming similar challenges, and I look forward to events like this in the future." Derek Padula, Bridge to Nowhere Bungee Jump
- "I am 64 years old, overweight and I had a hard time getting into the stock car but let me tell you about the fun I had. Absolutely one of the highlights of my life and I have had many!" Franco B., Drive a Stock Car
See more memories and pictures sent to us from experience participants on the Cloud 9 Living Wall of Fame
December 2011 Memory of the Month Winner
Thank you for sharing Colby. We're sorry for your loss and appreciate your style in remembering your father. As a winner of the Memory of the Month, you'll be receiving a $50 Experience Gift Certificate that can be used toward any of the over 1,700 experiences on our site.
View Colby's Experience here: Driving a Stock Car in Phoenix
Learn more about the Cloud 9 Living Memory of the Month Program
To send us your memories, head to the Cloud 9 Living Page on Facebook and post them there OR send us your memory in our post-experience survey that you complete. Extra credit for pictures and videos!
Great Outdoors Series: Greater Fort Lauderdale
The Everglades: A Birder's Paradise
"Nature is always lovely, invincible, glad, whatever is done and suffered by her creatures. All scars she heals, whether in rocks or water or sky or hearts." John Muir
Lovely, indeed. With a tropical climate affording year-round temperatures in the seventies, abundant sunshine, and one of the country's most unique national parks, Fort Lauderdale is an ideal playground for explorers. The Everglades National Park, according to the National Park Service, is not only the country's largest subtropical wilderness, but also a World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance. As a national park, it also set precedent as the first wilderness area to be preserved not for it scenic value (like Yellowstone) but solely for its biological diversity.
By land, by sea...or bi-plane.
We've come a long way since the 1900s, when settlers began draining the Everglades to produce farmland, and these days it's back to its old, usual self: a pristine mosaic of ponds, marshes and swamps. If you haven't seen this wonder yet, now's the time.
Everglades Seaplane Tour in Fort Lauderdale Get a bird's eye view of the so-called "River of Grass". Soaring in a Cessna 172 Seahawk seaplane, the Everglades are laid plain beneath you, teeming with gators, turtles, wild birds and other fauna, not to mention plenty of vegetation. This is, after all, the world's largest remaining swamp.
Last Minute Gifts: Ten Experience Gifts for Sixty Dollars or Less
Private Fly Casting Instruction in Indianapolis
In these harrowing moments before Christmas, Cloud 9 Living presents you with a list of the ten best experience gifts under sixty bucks. Perfect for your boss, your sister's new boyfriend whom she toted unexpectedly home for the holidays, or even as a punchy stocking-stuffer, there's a little something for everyone, and every wallet.
Private Pilates Session in Chicago: A private lesson for this popular exercise combines stretching and strength training to provide the ultimate in body toning. After your introduction, you'll come away with the knowledge to practice--and strengthen--on your own.
Horseback Trail Ride in Orlando: Whether it's been fifteen years or your entire life, hop back into the saddle and nudge your sturdy friend forward into a laid-back exploration of Kissimmee, Florida.
White Christmas: Gifts for Snowbirds
Happy feet.
For those who prefer their temperatures well below freezing, with torrents of powder swirling in the air and frost forming on their beards (or eyebrows or nostrils or long, sooty lashes), any one of these snowy gift experiences will light up the snowbird in your life.
Helicopter Skiing in Telluride: Take off from Las Vegas and traverse the San Juan Mountains of Colorado in a helicopter. Touch down on the backcountry slopes of Telluride again and again, carving your way down these untracked peaks in a day of the best skiing of your life. (Also available with starting points in Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Denver, or in Alaska with starting points in Seattle and San Francisco).
Helicopter Skiing in Telluride
Intro to Snow Kiting in Minneapolis: For the mountain-starved Midwesterners, here's a chance to learn the basics of snow kiting before you set off to the high country. This introductory lesson teaches you how to capture the wind in your sails with a board (or skis) strapped to your feet, kite control, safety, equipment, and more--all the building blocks you'll need to tackle this adventurous new sport. (Also available in Denver.)
Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Romantic Gifts for Couples
With just a few days left before Christmas, Cloud 9 Living has you covered. These five romantic experience gifts will keep you and your loved one warm and cozy as the winter wears on, perfect for the rose-colored gifts on your list--no diamonds, roses, or fancy watches needed.
Couples Private Yoga in Phoenix: Take a deep breath, open up your mind, your heart, and your chest in an intimate setting. This private session caters to the two of you and your specific needs, like working out the kinks in that lower back of yours or increasing flexibility in sore shoulders, all the while building trust and encouraging relaxation.
Couples' Private Yoga in Phoenix
Couples Massage in Philadelphia: The only thing better than a private massage is a private massage for two. Strip down and unroll yourself onto the heated massage bed, with your partner an arm's length away. Separate but equal, this luxurious afternoon is perfect for a drowsy conversation or indulgent silence with your love as you both get the stress rubbed from your bones.
Great Outdoors Series: Greater Salt Lake City
Horseback Riding in Soldier Hollow: They're waiting, folks.
As it so happens, this city by the lake used to be called Great Salt Lake City, thanks to its proximity to the Great Salt Lake. With the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges bordering the city east and west, dozens of glacial-carved canyons, and the salt lake itself, this city is brimming with geological and natural wonders. Just thirty miles to the southeast of downtown, Park City boasts three ski resorts, the Sundance Film Festival, and the home of the U.S. Ski Team (not to mention snowshoeing, white water rafting, and other John Muir-worthy experiences). Great Salt Lake City, indeed.
New Food and Wine Experiences for the Holidays
Just before the holidays, Cloud 9 Living introduces a bundle of new Food and Wine Experiences, perfect for the foodies in your life. Whether they're in Austin or San Diego, Chicago or Boston, there's a little something new for everyone.
For the wine connoisseurs (or those who'd like to be), take a look at the Host a Wine Tasting Party in Chicago, where you and up to fourteen friends can gather in your own home to be wined and dined by a professional sommelier. The Sunset Wine Tasting Cruise in Los Angeles whisks guests to the Long Beach peninsula on a fully restored vintage sailboat, with appetizers paired to complement the four wine tastings. For a thorough introduction to the sommelier's world, check out Wine 101 in St. Louis, Portland or Denver, or get outdoors to the Private Hill Country Wine Tour in Austin's rolling, tree-dappled hills.
Daredevil Holiday Gifts – New for 2011
Wild things, wild presents.
Witness the risk-seeking, thrill-hunting adrenaline junkies, those who prefer a leap into thin air over a leap of faith, waltzing across hot coals instead of the dance floor.
Whatever your particular brand of crazy (I say that with love and affection), this season Cloud 9 Living introduces more hair-raising, heart-pounding, scintillating, adventurous experience gifts than any one daredevil knows what to do with--not that they won't try.
Aerial Stunts
Those dreaming of flight have much to get excited about this season, as twelve plane experiences and eight helicopter experiences join the Cloud 9 hangar, like the Ultimate Seattle Scenic Flight and Winnipesaukee Biplane Ride in Boston. True thrill-seekers can get their hands on the joystick with Learn to Fly in Boston(also available now in D.C. and Seattle, among other cities), a beginner's introduction to the sport game art of flying.
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- Five Favorite Customer Memories of 2011
- December 2011 Memory of the Month Winner
- Great Outdoors Series: Greater Fort Lauderdale
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