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Your loved one is going to be over the moon about the surprise vacation you’ve planned just for them, but how do you reveal the surprise? Luckily, there are tons of ways you can surprise someone with a trip and make the reveal unique to them! In this article, we’ll fill you in on the best, easiest, and most creative ways to gift your partner, parent, kids, or friend the trip of a lifetime. What are you waiting for? Keep reading because we have a trip to reveal!

Things You Should Know

  • Create a scavenger hunt or play a balloon popping game to get kids excited about discovering their gift.
  • Watch a movie featuring the surprise destination or dine at a restaurant specific to the culture they’ll be experiencing to surprise an adult.
  • Reveal the secret at the airport the day of the trip to give kids the ultimate surprise.
  1. Simply order a custom puzzle online featuring a picture of where you’re going, or make your own by printing out a picture, gluing it onto a piece of cardboard, and cutting it up into pieces. Wrap the puzzle up, give it to your loved one, and watch as they slowly uncover where they’re going. [1]
    • Order custom puzzles through sites like Shutterfly and Collage.
    • Consider adding a message to your puzzle’s image like, “Surprise! You’re going to Hawaii!” or “Happy Birthday! Mickey’s waiting for you!”
    • If the puzzle comes in a box with the puzzle’s image on it, put it in a blank box or bag, so your loved one won’t know what they’re revealing until the puzzle is complete.
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2

Treasure hunt

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  1. A treasure or scavenger hunt is a great way to entertain younger and older loved ones! Plus, the game drags out the anticipation. Set up the hunt by scattering clues around the house, with each clue leading to the next. [2]
    • Theme your clues around the destination. For example, if they’re going to the beach, hide clues near a pair of sandals, under popsicles in the freezer, or beside the pool.
    • Make the final clue their ticket or a message saying something like, “You’re going to Disney World!”
    • Keep the clues age appropriate. If the vacation is for a younger child, help them read the clues or use pictures to describe where the next clue is.
3

Daily riddle

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  1. Let your loved one know you’ve planned something big by giving them a riddle each day to solve. Do this a week or month before the trip, giving them plenty of time to try and guess what you’ve got up your sleeve.
    • Write the riddles on notes to stick randomly around the house for them to find.
    • Text them a clue in the middle of the day to lift their spirits.
    • Make the riddles as easy or difficult as you like; just keep your loved one’s age in mind.
    • One of your riddle clues might be, “I measure time, I build castles, and I’m small enough to fit in a spoon. What am I?”
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5

Box in a box in a box

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6

Hide the ticket in another gift

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  1. Whether you’re hoping to surprise a child or adult, this reveal idea will fool almost anyone! As you hand your loved one their small gift ( t-shirt, book, a box of chocolates, etc.), make an excuse like, “I’m sorry it’s not something more. Things have been tight this year.” Then, watch as they open the package to see one thing. If they don’t dig deeper, remark playfully, “Are you sure that’s all that’s in there?”
    • Place the ticket in the fold of a piece of clothing, so they’ll have to unfold the item to find it.
    • Slide the ticket in between the pages of a self-help book.
    • Tape the ticket to the underside of a box of chocolates.
7

Write a message on a cake

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  1. One of the best parts about birthdays is the cake. Your loved one is sure to know they’ll have cake, but they won’t expect a special message written on it! Use icing gel to write the message yourself or ask the bakery to. Here are some message ideas:
    • “Happy Birthday, Abby! P.S. You’re going to London!”
    • “Pack your bags! The Eiffel Tower is waiting!”
    • Consider theming the cake around the destination, even if it doesn’t go with the party’s theme.
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8

Ask a friend or family member for help

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9

Gift a travel essential

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10

Cook a meal from the destination

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  1. Take date night or a casual mid-week dinner to the next level by cooking or ordering food from where you’ll be traveling. As you’re eating, ask them questions about the meal: Do they like it? Would they like to eat something more authentic? Then, reveal your surprise! [4]
    • For instance, if you’re taking them to Italy, try making pasta from scratch and serving wine imported from the country.
    • If cooking isn’t your thing, take them to a restaurant featuring the country or culture’s cuisine.
11

Balloon pop

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  1. If you’re surprising a birthday boy or girl, center their big gift around a party game. Blow up 20 or 30 balloons, and slip notes inside each. On one of the notes, specify where they’re going with a picture or written message. Scatter the filled balloons across the floor and tell the birthday boy or girl and their friends that they must sit on and pop the balloons to find the final present. [5]
    • Fill the balloons with confetti or sparkles for extra fun.
    • This game is best to play with children of elementary age and older as sitting on balloons could cause a few boo-boos.
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13

Reveal the destination at the airport

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