5 year validityOn all experiences and vouchers
Free exchangesOn all voucher purchases
4.6 star ratingFrom 114k+ customer reviews
To exchange your experience, select a product, add it to cart and proceed to checkout.
Once there, enter your voucher number to exchange for a different experience.
Setting a limit on what you'll spend doesn't have to mean settling for a smaller gift. A scenic cruise on Lake Wanaka, a gondola ride above Christchurch or a punt down the Avon River all sit comfortably under $100 and give someone a proper afternoon out, not a stocking filler.
A hundred dollars buys more of an afternoon out than most people expect. A one-hour cruise, a gondola ride or a guided punt down a river all fit the budget without feeling like the cheaper option, and every pick here is a real activity rather than a voucher-shaped placeholder for one. None of these needs much notice either, which helps if Christmas shopping has been left later than planned. They also cover three different parts of the country, so distance from Auckland or Wellington isn't a reason to rule this list out.
On Lake Wanaka, a happy hour cruise with wine and cheese sails for an hour aboard a catamaran as the evening light settles over the lake, with a cheeseboard and a glass of local wine or beer included. On Lake Taupo, a scenic cruise past the Maori rock carvings at Mine Bay runs for 90 minutes through the lake's secluded bays, with views out to the peaks of Tongariro National Park, a homemade muffin and onboard commentary along the way. For something shorter, a cruise and guided walk to Stevensons Island includes a beach landing, then a guided walk up to the summit for a view over the surrounding lake.
A punt along the Avon River drifts past the Botanic Gardens and the changing face of the city centre, with a guide doing the actual work. The Christchurch Gondola covers the same city from above instead, climbing suspended over the valleys of the Port Hills for a cityscape view most visitors never see. A Port Hills chairlift day pass suits anyone who'd rather ride up and down as many times as they like over a full day, with views stretching out to the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Alps, and stop for photos wherever the light looks best. All three sit within easy reach of the city centre, so they pair well with the same day out.
A fixed budget is easier to stick to with a physical gift than an experience, since it's tempting to round up once you've already picked something out. Buying the wrong cruise or tour for someone's taste is its own kind of waste, however good the intention behind it.
A RedBalloon gift voucher solves both problems at once. Set the amount you want to give, and let the person choose an experience that actually suits them from the wider range on offer. Gift a story you can't wait to hear.
A scenic cruise, a gondola ride or a guided punt along a river all sit comfortably under $100 and give someone an afternoon out rather than a small object to unwrap and set aside. They also travel well as a gift for someone outside your own city, since the experience is tied to a place rather than a delivery address.
Yes, most of these are built for two: the Lake Wanaka cruise comes with a cheeseboard and drinks to share, and a punt on the Avon River seats more than one person on the same trip. Splitting it this way also stretches a shared gift budget further than buying two separate presents.
The one-hour cruise includes a complimentary glass of local wine or beer, a cheeseboard for the trip, and a crew who point out the best of the evening light on the lake as you go.
Yes, vouchers are set to whatever amount you choose, so you can stick to a budget without having to search only within one category. The recipient then puts it toward any experience on the site, not just the ones listed on this page.
This page filters specifically for experiences that sit under $100, while the wider Christmas gift range covers everything from a short cruise to an overnight stay. Start here if the budget is the main constraint, and browse the full range if it isn't.
For a bigger day out once the budget allows, scenic cruises and city and scenic tours cover longer trips and wider regions than this page's picks. The full Christmas gifts range is the place to look if $100 turns out to be too tight a limit.