Are you starting to plan for your big 18th birthday? You might be feeling a little nervous and overwhelmed. That's totally normal! It is such an important milestone in life, and it can be hard to know where to start when putting together all of the details. But don't be concerned – we've got your back with 50+ fantastic and unforgettable 18th birthday party ideas that will help you make lifelong memories!
Whether this is you reading this article or a friend or family member we have you covered. We have compiled a list of the fun and memorable 18th birthday party ideas to help make your day as exciting and incredible as possible.
Who knows, maybe one or more of these ideas will be right up your alley! The key is that you are having an amazing time with friends & family while creating memories that last forever…and we can help you do that!
Birthdays are significant at any age. However, there's something special about the 18th birthday.
That means you'll need some great 18th birthday party ideas to get your party started. These interesting concepts are ideal for the celebration of your child's big day.
Below Is The Amazing List We Have Come Up With For 18th Birthday Parties:
- Surprise Party
- A scavenger hunt
- Pool Party
- Bowling party
- Trip to an amusement park
- Zoo visit
- Skating party
- Beach party
- Picnic party
- Hiking trip or camping trip
- Movie night – including pizza and popcorn!
- Barbecue with family and friends
- Dinner at a nice restaurant
- Dance party
- Go out to eat and then go bowling or ice skating
- Make a mural on the wall of your house. You can make it as detailed as you want, with whatever images fit!
- Grab some friends and family members together for an 18th Birthday Party scavenger hunt. This is a great way to get everyone involved and make some memories that will last a lifetime!
- Attend a concert or show together
- Visit a nearby city for the day and do all the touristy things there are to do
- Start planning your dream vacation – this is the perfect year to finally take that trip you've always wanted to take!
- If you love sports, get together with your friends and family to watch a game. You could even have a pot luck dinner while everyone enjoys the game on TV in the background.
- Take turns hosting an 18th birthday party for each of your girlfriends every month until it's time for their actual birthdays to come around again. This is a great way to make sure that everyone gets their time in the spotlight and have some amazing memories from your birthday celebration!
- Throw an outdoor party – complete with games like frisbee or croquet, food cooked on a grill, and drinks served in Mason jars. If the weather doesn't cooperate, move the party indoors for a game of beer pong or cards.
- Check out some unusual museums
- Plan a birthday mystery party – where everyone has to solve clues and figure out the answers together in order to have a good time at your 18th birthday bash!
- For an interesting twist on your typical get-together, ask each of your guests to bring their favorite board game to play together. This is a great way to spend the night and have some laughs while you celebrate your 18th birthday!
- Visit a haunted house or go on a ghost tour
- Start an interesting tradition like celebrating each year of your life on your actual birthday, rather than just the day itself. That way, you'll always have the chance to hold one big celebration for each year in your life.
- If you love spending time with friends and family, but don't feel like a huge party is necessary for your 18th birthday bash this year, organize an intimate dinner party instead! You can even have it catered if you want to make things easy on yourself.
- You could also cook together with a bunch of friends and family to make sure that the party goes smoothly.
- Get everyone together for an exciting game night!
- Bring in some professional music entertainment like a DJ or band, but keep it small so you don't break your budget – invite only a few close friends to this event instead. You can also make it a BYOB party.
- Have a game night with some friends and family members at home – invite over anyone that may not be able to come out during the week when most people are working. You could play an 18-hour long game of Monopoly, for example!
- Plan a themed party – like a '70s party, or a masquerade ball – and get everyone in on the fun by dressing up according to the theme. This is perfect if you want something unique and memorable for your 18th birthday celebration.
- Head out on an adventure together – go hiking, camping, or even white water rafting. Just make sure that everyone is on board with the idea before you plan anything!
- Take a road trip together – there are so many amazing places to see in this world, and you can't see them all if you stay put in your hometown. Pick a destination that's interesting to everyone and plan a trip!
- Plan your big birthday bash at a local restaurant or bar – get together with friends and family to make the most of this special day. If you don't want to shell out for food, consider doing something more casual like grilling steaks outside and eating them on paper plates.
- Eat dinner at an upscale restaurant – if you're looking for a really special way to spend your 18th birthday, consider treating yourself and your loved ones to an amazing meal at a high-end restaurant.
- Take a day trip somewhere nearby – there are plenty of great places to explore right in your own backyard, so why not take advantage of it? This is also a great way to get out of the house and do something different if you're tired of all the usual birthday party ideas.
- Get everyone together for a game night! Your guests will have so much fun playing 18th birthday games that they won't even realize how old they actually are until it's too late! If people don't show up, make it a BYOB party.
- Fancy dinner at home and then renting movies?
- Go to the beach – it doesn't matter if you don't have your bathing suit, just wear shorts or something else casual! You can even build sandcastles together. The ocean is an amazing place that's fun to visit no matter what time of day or year.
Top 20 Ideas For 18th Birthday Party Broken Down
Scavenger Hunt
This can be as elaborate or as simple as you want it. You can incorporate other activities like a Golf outing with the scavenger hunt we have done things like this. Then just a simple celebration afterward even a pizza party. Take the clues and locations to the next level for an exciting teen-friendly birthday outing while you believe scavenger hunts are only for children. Make your own hunt by including areas that are particularly relevant to your teenager. Alternatively, arrange a pre-planned hunt in your city for the occasion.
Surprise Party
Now this will be a case-by-case situation some people hate surprise parties like my wife. My wife I would absolutely never be able to have a surprise party for because she is so introverted. To keep the party a secret from your kid, enlist the help of his buddies to plan and set up the event. Also, be sure someone comes with them so they're surprised!
Night Out On The Town
Take the party out on the road with a night on the town. This is another one that requires some pre-planning, but it's so much fun! If you're going to take your party out at night, be sure to arrange transportation for them beforehand. Limo, Van, Bus, the options are limitless for transportation. Try to keep the group as small as possible around 10-20 at max. This way establishments will be able to take you in. Try some 18 and up night clubs or just go out to eat at a nice fancy restaurant and head out to the mall for some fun.
Outdoor Movie Night
We do these quite a bit both for special occasions and just for something to do. With the new portable projectors, it is very easy to do these days. Just get a fire stick and be close enough to your wifi and let the show begin. You can also look for companies that rent out stuff for these kinds of events, but we suggest that you buy your own for future use. Just check the reviews and get all the things you need right on Amazon. Screen, Projector and fire stick.
Game Night
Game nights are the best. Invite your friends over for a night of games and fun. You can either have everyone bring their favorite game or choose one game to play as a group. This is always a great way to get everyone together and have some laughs.
You can play your favorite TV games or even maybe you can try to make the game more exciting by making it 18 and over. Your old childhood board games can always be a blast too. Especially ones like monopoly that have so many themes to choose from that you can really personalize them.
Go Bowling
Bowling is a classic that never gets old, especially at an 18th birthday party! This activity allows guests of any age to join in on the fun without worry about younger kids getting into things they shouldn't.
Midnight bowling would be a blast for the 18 and up crowd as well! It would be the perfect way to end an already fun night. We did cosmic bowling for one our friends 18th birthday parties and it was great.
Cooking Class
Take your birthday party up a notch with a cooking class experience. Whether you're trying out a new cuisine or just honing your cooking skills, this is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening with friends.
There are so many different styles of cooking classes like for couples, for kids, and of course for adults. You can even do a mixology class which would be perfect if you're wanting to party later on in the night. So make sure you take a look around.
Zoo or Aquarium Trip
A zoo or aquarium trip is always a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends (or family). This activity is great for kids, teens and adults alike! You can spend the day learning about animals you may have never heard of before or just chill by a waterfall.
If there's an aquarium nearby check out what events they have going on for kids or teenagers. Many times the admission is free if it's part of some kind of event like zoo night once a month. Also with a bigger group if it is paid for you can usually get a discount and some other privileges. Maybe a free swim with the sharks!
Organize A Fantasy Football Draft
A fantasy football draft is always a great way to spend an afternoon. Get together with your friends and have a few cold drinks while you pick out players for all the teams. There are plenty of apps, commercials and boards online that can give you advice on who would be good to add or drop from your team. This will obviously need to be a late August 18th birthday party or they do have new playoff drafts as well. You can also not just do it for football, but other sports. Basketball, baseball, etc.
Mini Golf
A day of mini golf is always a good time! This activity can be enjoyed by guests of all ages and it's perfect for warm weather birthdays. Mini golfing provides plenty of laughs and memories that will last long after the party is over. A lot of mini golf places will also have other activities like go karts and arcades. So check around.
Attend A Sporting Event
If you and your friends are sports fans, attending a sporting event is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening. You can get tickets to see your favorite team play or go to a smaller game for some cheaper fun. This is also a great option if you want to do something but don't have a lot going on. You can support a local farm team like Hockey or Baseball. There is usually still box seats at these kinds of games and they can be a lot fun and not too expensive.
Take A Hike
If the weather is nice, take a hike! This can be a great way to spend time with friends and get some exercise at the same time. You can find hikes of all levels of difficulty and for all kinds of interests. If you're looking for a challenge, try hiking to the top of a mountain. Take your food and cake and take a hike to somewhere special or somewhere new.
Pool Party
If it is nice weather might as well take advantage with a pool party. This could be a great way to spend the day with friends and family as well if you have enough room for everyone at your place or know of an open pool nearby that isn't too expensive.
If it's warm, usually people will take part in more water activities than usual so these are always fun, especially if there is a bounce house. Maybe even take the party to a water park I have been to some of these for Birthdays and they are great.
Indoor Skydiving
Indoor Skydiving is just awesome. It is really expensive but it's a once in a lifetime experience. If you have the money and want to do something crazy for your 18th birthday, this would be it. You can go with friends or family and if there are enough people, sometimes they will give group discounts. It's an adrenaline rush like no other and I highly recommend it. Then up your game and go for the big jump!
Toga Party
Throw a toga themed party! This is perfect for anyone who loves to party and have a good time. You can buy or make your own togas and let the fun begin. There are plenty of games that can be played at a toga party, like truth or dare, beer pong or even just getting down on the dance floor. Be sure to stock up on some snacks and drinks, and you're good to go!
Arcade Party
If you want a party that will keep your guests entertained all night long, an arcade party is the way to go. You can find arcades with all kinds of games, from classics like Pac-Man to more modern games like Guitar Hero. This is perfect for guests of all ages. You can get plenty of food and drinks at the arcade, or you could order in some pizza!
Video Game Party
A video game party is another option for your 18th birthday if you have a lot of friends that love to play games on their consoles (XboxOne, PS Vita) or PC's like Minecraft/Sims/Second Life you name it. This is very similar to an arcade party, but with a more personal touch. Your guests can play video games all night long and enjoy some yummy snacks as well!
Beach Party
Throw your own beach bash for your 18th birthday. You could rent out a local park or reserve one on the beach. You can have a bonfire and your guests will love it! Make sure you find out if there are any rules or laws in place before doing this though just to be safe.
There are lots of Beach games you can get going too like cornhole, can jam, volleyball, etc. If you want to make it a themed party, go for it! Hawaiian, Luau or Seaside parties are all great themes for a beach party.
Skiing/Snowboarding Party
If you're lucky enough to live in an area where there is snow in the winter, throw a skiing or snowboarding party! This is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family. I recommend doing this at a ski resort where you can rent out space for the event or even just go during off-peak hours, but don't forget about your lift tickets! This is a great idea for anyone who loves the outdoors and skiing/snowboarding.
Pajama Party
Pajama parties are great for anyone who loves to get cozy on the couch and watch movies with friends. You can also play games, listen to music or even stay up late talking about life. Pajama parties are great for teens because they allow you to be yourself while still having fun!
Final Thoughts
The ideas listed in this article will provide you with some inspiration for your 18th birthday party. You can choose to go big or small, depending on what makes sense for the size of your group and budget. If you're stuck deciding between two fun activities like an arcade party vs a video game party, consider that both are great options! Let the games begin!
