18 Year Birthday Party Ideas

Depends on how much you would like to spend. Maybe he would like a family dinner somewhere special like a Japanese steakhouse or Medieval Times. Or you could take him (and a friend or two) to see a favorite sport, either professional or college. Another possibility is a family weekend vacation away somewhere he chooses (within whatever distance you offer). You could make up a list of possibilities and let him take some time to look at it.
Have fun!

1 mom found this helpful

How about laser quest?

Take him and any other close friends of his choosing out to a nice dinner.

What are his interests? I was just talking to the owner of TourGlides in Sharpsburg about my business GoGreenGals.com. Depending on what he is into, I could see a group of 'guys' getting into this sort of thing.
Good luck.

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~K.

this may sound wierd but we just went to the Visionary Arts Museum today( in Balt City, Federal Hill area on Key Hwy)- It is such a cool place and they have restaurant on the top floor. take some friends- Totally not a stuffy place and you leave feeling inspired on so many levels. there is also this place on eastern ave. in baltimore county just before you hit the city- Mc Fadden Art Glass- they do have web site if you google it. They have individual & group instruction on glass blowing and you walk away with what you made. They also have a restaurant next door owned by the parents of the guy who owns the glass studio. I guess it really depends on what he is into.

Is there a Dave n Buster's near you? That's a fun place for all ages. You can rent a little section and have a nice buffet lunch/dinner and then off to play for all of you. You can ask his closest friend to help you with inviting the young adults that your son is closest too!
Good Luck!

If he insists that he doesn't want a party, then don't do a party. He's wanting to feel a little more like an adult at this age and the best way to give him that is to respect his wishes. Maybe you could celebrate his birthday with him in a more mature fashion. Take him out to a nice dinner, bring a few gifts for him to open, keep it low key but loving and let him know how proud you are of what a wonderful young man he has become. Maybe take him to do something that he couldn't do before by law, like buy lottery tickets, or register to vote or something like that. That should do it.

But of course, that's my opinion. The only word my DH said was "strippers". LOL ;) Men.

You could take him and a few best buddies to a laser tag place, go to Dave N Buster's, or do what my stepson did and comandeer some tvs and play Halo. Or, as a family, go somewhere fancy and/or catch a show. Sheer Madness is great, and he might also like TSO.

The Melting Pot, a great fondue place in Gaithersburg has a great package for parties. Kids (and adults) love dipping meats and fruits...etc. in all kinds of sauces and dips. He can invite friends and the staff is great to work with.

You can never lose with that one day trip to New York City to see a great play, like Billy Elliott or the one with Daniel Radcliff. They have those buses that pick you up and bring you back the same day.

Another great day trip is a (snow) tubing trip at one of the ski resorts. My daughter went on one last year for a birthday party and it was great.

There are all kinds of organizations around here that do biking and kayaking...etc. if he is a real outdoors guy. They usually have birthday packages.

Rockville sportsplex or a large indoor rock climbing party would also be great, followed by a birthday cake (most of these places have party rooms).

If he is really serious about not having a party, any of these things can be done with one or two buddies!

Best of luck and Happy Birthday to your son!!!!!

I would honor his statement that he does not want a party, but I would allow him to chose some very special family event he would like to create. Is he interested in history, then a trip to Williamsburg might be great, or Gettysburg, or Antietam. There was a suggestion for a trip to Medieval Times (a favorite of mine and my son). How about weekend trip somewhere, or just a "family day/weekend" where you go out for a meal at his favorite restaurant, see a movie he wants to see, and visit somewhere he likes to visit? Maybe a trip to Ocean City and a meal at Harpoon Hannah's would be special enough. I do think that marking this milestone is important, but it is his birthday.

We rented a stretch limo and took 9 of her friends (10 total) into town for a haunted tour of Old Towne. We followed behind the limo so the kids had their privacy and then afterwards took them for ice cream. They loved it. The cost wasn't much more than if we had had them all at my house for a party, fed them and had the females spend the night. This way both boys and girls got to come along.

If he is shy and doesn't want a "party" respect that. Maybe just let him invite a few friends over for pizza and video games or treat for them to go to laser tag or whatever he is into. Ask him what he would like to do to celebrate. Make his day special with a gift. A nice watch or something that tells him he is responsible and a man. Good luck.

Our 12 year old daughter has mild asperger's. so, big parties are not an option. We usually let her choose a few friends, and we take them to the movies and then dinner. Or we rent a bunch of movies and have a quiet movie night at home with a few friends. Hope this helps. Jenn

When my younger sister turned 18, my other sister (30) took her to NYC for the weekend. Hopped a plane on Fri. afternoon and came home late Sun. Stayed in a hotel near Central park, went to Broadway, etc.

M.

One time we rented a limo to take my daughter and a few of her friends to the movies. If you tried that, your son would not be the center of everyone's attention the whole time. If he is shy, that would make things easier and more enjoyable for him.

D.