When we think of Airbnb, the first thing that comes to our mind is booking a place where we can stay, sleep, cook and go about travelling, exploring, meetings, study tour, etc.
Here is the thing, there is lot more available than the routine stuff we all reach out and book for.
Ever heard of Airbnb experiences? These are described as different varieties of activities and places you might be interested in exploring and experiencing.
Usually, these arrangements do not require you to stay with the host who is introducing you to these things. The duration is short and lasts from a little over two to maybe four hours at the most.
You could go to these events, (if I may say so) or tours right in the city where you live, or while travelling.
Here are few examples from different places.
I have found places where for about $35 to a maximum of $100 you can get a feel of cuisines from Jamaica, Syria, Native American and many more in Toronto, Canada.
Or the History Walk in Paris, France is for four hours and costs $76 CAD.
You can take part in a Jazz Club in London, England for about two hours for £18 if you wish.
So, yes, you are getting a feel of what I am trying to say here.
Let us explore the options available on Airbnb for people who want to simply experience different aspects of touring and travelling. It is almost like having a micro package custom made for you.
My passion is food, photography, writing and generally lazing around and trying to find things around the area that will light up my eyes, excite me.
I usually depend on my hosts (the one I am boarding and lodging with) to give me few ideas on how to make real good use of my stay.
Now, with this feature, I have additional information and can customize my plans to suit my taste and mood.
As mentioned earlier, I like cooking and love exploring cuisines from different cultures. The fact that food category is not all about just eating but has features like learning basics of cuisines; taking part in a food walk makes it more interesting.
Let us take a look at what you will be doing while participating in food walk.
For about 2.5 hours priced at $59 CAD, you get a peek into what multi cuisine is all about.
In this walk, you can experience Chinese, Italian, Latin American and many other cuisine. This walk happens in Kensington Market in Toronto and you get snacks and one meal.
This meal, as per the host, will comprise of eight samples.
Food walks, tasting etc. comes with a word of caution—people with dietary restrictions, allergies and food preferences should notify the host in advance.
Toronto is the hub of multicultural activities and the food scene here certainly is a proof of that. What with restaurants and dining halls and food trucks serving exotic fare, there is no dearth of eating choices. Having said that, besides dining in different restaurants, people also like to add to their repertoire of culinary skills.
Airbnb has made arrangements for that too. How about learning to make pasta? It takes about three hours and costs $125 per person. You are served red wine, fresh pasta meal, cheese, a dessert and a steaming cup/s of coffee.
Or for $65, you can build a relationship with cheese for an hour and sample different varieties of cheese.
If food has the power to bring and bind cultures, beer speaks a universal language too. How about spending four lovely hours sipping 10 or more beers by visiting local breweries in Toronto?
Food (please add in beer and wine too) is not just for the tummy, food for brain and thought is good too. Interested in learning and gaining knowledge? Love the past and want lessons in history?
Try this. Three hours of blissfully soaking in art, history and knowledge of bygone times is just made for you. This is a peek into museum tours in Paris and is priced at $62 per person.
You need to make arrangements for your meals and drinks though.
They say music is the food for our soul and what can be better than enjoying an intimate evening in a Jazz Club in London, England?
Or how about some live French music in Paris? For $16, (single entry) you can feed your soul for 2.5 hours of pleasing sounds and songs that speak about art and challenges faced by young Parisians.
I am very fond of getting pleasant surprises, and can’t stand taking the trodden path of tour buses and maps. I am lover of nooks and corners that are waiting to be explored. But how does one get to doing them? Also, doing one single thing at a time bores me to death.
I like to combine stuff, like listening to music while reading, watching a movie while working on my quiz for an upcoming exam, etc.
Therefore, a chance to combine fitness and learn about those extra special corners via a bike ride in London for £39 for 4.5 hours is something very close to my heart.
According to the website, the host takes tourists through London lanes to witness history, some freshly painted murals and lot more. And, don’t be surprised to find non-English speaking people living in those areas. Yes, that would be something to discover now.
Not interested in riding a bike? No problems. You can still get your daily dose of exercise by taking a dancing lesson. Yes, you can take a lesson to tango for £20 for an hour. Bonus here is, you can burn calories while looking good.
Looking for a fitness class with a difference? That would be the Beer and Boxing in Toronto, and it costs $40 CAD for 2.5 hours. There is a catch—that cold brew in the mug comes after you learn to pack in some punches.
Craft classes, chocolate making class, make a list of all that you might want to try, and I am positive, you will find it in this package.
There are workshops too on this list. Making lipstick in about 1.5 hours with natural ingredients for a price of £36 where the host/instructor provides all the ingredients sound extremely good to me.
There is more to life than just food, history, art, learning and fitness. Hmm, how about taking time to do some shopping? Well, we all know the nooks and corners of our city malls. But it would be more fun to go on a thrift-shopping spree in New York.
On this shopping trip, you get four hours of picking the best styles of New York with the help of a former fashion magazine writer and current fashion expert for just $51.
Doing all this can get us all a bit stressed out. And some like to bust their stress by hitting a punching bag, while others prefer yoga and deep meditations. No matter what kind of buster you use, we all need an outlet for our stress. This too has been covered by Airbnb.
Pay $62 and you can smash, break and hit. Literally. Break stuff for an hour including glass, printers, plates, game controllers, mouse, etc. This stress busting session is in New York.
So then what are you waiting for? Look up for the one that suits you the most, or pick all that you wish to do and get on a booking spree.