27 Places to Go for Your 18th Birthday
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- Well now, look who just became 18, look who just became an adult. First of all, congratulations on reaching this milestone. You have just reached the age of freedom and responsibility and the keys to a wide variety of things that you can now legally do.
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- It is only right therefore, that you celebrate it in a big way. Unless of course you just want to be with close friends and family in a quiet ceremony, that’s the thing, you’re 18 now, it’s your choice.
- We understand that there might be pressure to celebrate your 18th birthday in a certain way and this pressure is causing a little confusion but don’t worry, we got you.
In this article we show you fun places to celebrate your 18th birthday, 18th birthday trip and vacation ideas, places to go for 18th birthday with friends and 18th birthday destination ideas.
Before we get into all that however, there are a few things that you need to consider to ensure that you have a splendid 18th birthday celebration wherever you go. These are:
1. Budget
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How much do you intend to spend on this celebration and can it take you where you want to go?
You need to bear in mind that if you want to travel out of your current location, these costs would be higher and so you will need to plan extensively for such a trip and as well have a rainy day fund in case things go awry.
You also have to consider the friends you intend to go with and whether or not they might need financial help during the trip.
2. Availability of venue for places
You also need to account for the availability of the places you need to go.
- If you are headed to a location, will they be open that day?
- If you are headed to another country, will you need certain documentation to get into and move around the country?
- If you are headed to a festival, what are the entry requirements like and where will you stay?
These are some questions that you need to ask and answer before you go.
3. Interests if planning for someone else
If you are planning this trip for someone else then it is important that you pick a destination that you know is along the lines of things that they are interested in. This way you can be sure that they appreciate the trip more and that they will not be bored the entire time they are there.
With all that out of the way, this article will attempt to give you ideas on:
- Fun places to celebrate your 18th birthday and;
- Great 18th birthday destination ideas.
17 Fun places to celebrate your 18th birthday
1. Club
You just got to an age that is the legal drinking age for a lot of countries so why not celebrate by going to a club where you can party all night. The good thing about this is that it can be in your city which would save you costs and you could even rent the entire place for the night to have a truly epic party with friends.
2. Festival.
This is right up there with the best 18th birthday ideas and this is evident from the number of 18 year olds that go to festivals as shown by this chart from StatInvestor.
It is therefore one that you should consider if you can afford to because festivals are some of the best places to have fun and celebrate being alive.
There are many different festivals going on around the world in a year that you could attend such as Burning Man, the Rio Carnival, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, Lollapalooza, and many more so you have the chance to pick the one that you are interested in and plan ahead for it.
3. Road trip with friends
At 18, most if not all countries in the world would grant you a driver’s license. You could celebrate this by taking a road trip with friends and making several stops along the way at popular spots, sorta like a backpacker with a car.
This has the makings of an excellent 18th birthday idea because it involves freedom, friends and fun, “the holy frinity”.
The pictures you take would be legendary and would be a great addition to your online and offline (if you have one) scrapbook.
4. Outdoor Adventure
If you want to be more adventurous, you could go on an outdoor adventure to experience and appreciate nature more.
You could go camping with a few friends to several tourist sites around the country such as national parks and game reserves.
You could also go hiking to hills, mountains and the countryside in general. Or you could combine both of them and go Backpacking for a few days where it would be just you, nature and a few friends to fully appreciate the beauty of the planet.
If unsure what to pack for such a trip, here is an article on a travelling checklist that could help.
5. Safari trip
If you would like an adventure but not the type that would require strenuous activity, you could go on a safari drive.
There are several companies that offer this service and it would be an excellent opportunity to observe wildlife and nature without the strain of having to hike and camp.
6. Amusement/ Theme Parks
Regardless of the age you are at, an Amusement park should always be in your list of birthday destinations because the excitement offered by the various rides and attractions transcend age.
To make this even more memorable, you should go with friends and/ or family to enjoy the rides with and this is even more necessary for those scary rides that require courage to go on.
7. Adrenaline activities
If an adrenaline high is your idea for a great 18th birthday celebration then there are activities that would feed your cravings. These include:
- Scuba diving
- Bungee jumping
- Skiing
- Skydiving (this can be done indoors if you want the experience without having to be in the troposphere.
- Hot air balloon ride.
8. Spa day
It is not an unspoken rule that you have to have a wild celebration or an adrenaline sensation in order to be fulfilled on your 18th birthday. You can simply take it easy and what better way to take it easy than to go to a spa. You could get a makeover, a deep tissue massage and other relaxation services that would leave you feeling refreshed.
You could even go a step further and make it a party. That’s right, a spa party. This is essentially a party at home with friends, but with a spa treatment. For more on that you can take a look at Things to Do at a Spa Party.
9. Concert.
You could make your birthday all about music by going to a concert to see a favorite musician. If the concert requires you to travel but not too far you could even make a road trip out of it.
Simply grab a few friends, get the tickets, sort out accommodation, and let the good times roll. Not a bad idea for a place to go for an 18th birthday with friends.
10. Sporting event.
A lot of people in the 18 – 34 age range are quite into sports as shown by Statista and if you are one of them, then you could make it a sports birthday. Much like attending a concert, you could attend a sporting event such as soccer, baseball or basketball. The excitement of watching the sport with fellow supporters would make for a great atmosphere to celebrate an 18th birthday.
Instead of just watching however, you could also participate as well by organizing a sports day. You could book a sporting field and play soccer, volleyball or even basketball with friends and make a party out of it with some barbecue and some music.
11. Beach/Lake house
I like the beach and you probably do too cus I mean, it’s the beach. It is therefore a great place to celebrate your 18th birthday. Instead of just going to the beach however, you could rent a lakehouse or some accommodation near the beach. This way you could enjoy the beach for an extended period of time and participate in events such as sailing, jet skiing and beach parties.
12. Fancy Restaurant/ Hotel
Well you’re an adult now so why don’t you do some of the fancy things that come with adulthood. One of those would be to go to a fancy restaurant and order fancy food that would make you feel like a culinary expert. It may not sound like much but this could be really fun with friends trust us.
You could also, as an 18th birthday weekend getaway idea, book a room at a fancy hotel with a couple of friends. You wouldn’t even have to go anywhere. You could just relax and unwind for the whole weekend and leave refreshed and rejuvenated.
13. Escape room
Do you fancy some cognitive based adventure with a touch of adrenaline added, then the escape room might be for you. Much like that episode on the Big Bang Theory where Leonard, Amy and Rajesh go to an escape room, you could do the same with your friends.
Escape rooms are an excellent way of bringing friends together to solve puzzles and have fun whilst doing it.
14. City tour.
How well do you know your current city? If your answer is in the negatives then your 18th birthday could be an excellent opportunity to explore your city and see the sights that it has.
If you’ve already seen most of your city or aren’t much interested in seeing it, you could go to another city that you’ve always wanted to see and take a tour around it.
15. Mall – Shopping Spree
It’s your 18th birthday and it is perfectly okay to treat yourself so why not go on a shopping spree. You’ve seen those movies where friends go from shop to shop and we see a montage of them going in and out of dressing rooms to try on different outfits, well, that could be you.
So grab yourself a couple of friends and go spend on yourself. You deserve it.
16. Paintball, Lasertag, Shooting range.
Do you feel like shooting something on your birthday and want to do it legally – you should always want to do it legally – then there are a couple of activities for you.
You could go paintball shooting with some friends but if you want an activity with a lower risk of injury, you could instead go for laser tag.
At 18, several states allow you to go to the shooting range unsupervised so this could be another option for the day.
17. Volunteer
There are some of us that derive the greatest pleasure when we help others and if you are one of them, volunteering for your 18th birthday would be a memory that you would cherish for the rest of your life.
You could volunteer at an orphanage, a homeless shelter, with the Red Cross/ Crescent or at a local soup kitchen.
10 Great 18th birthday destination ideas.
If you are instead looking for places to travel to on vacation then might we have some suggestions on places you can go. Be sure to check out the immigration policies of these places so that you are not stranded when you arrive in the country.
18. The United States
The United States is blessed with some of the most alluring landmarks in the world be it natural or man made and would be a great place to go for an 18th birthday celebration. You could take a tour of the various landmarks including:
- The Grand Canyon
- Yellowstone
- Niagara Falls
- Florida Keys
- Yosemite National Park and many many more.
The U.S. is also home to some of the most iconic cities in the world that you can visit. These cities usually have attractions of their own that draw in tourists such as:
- Las Vegas with the very famous Las Vegas Strip.
- New Orleans and the excitement of Mardi Gras.
- San Francesco and the world famous Golden Gate Bridge.
- Many, many more.
19. Greece
Greece is one of the most beautiful places in the world and one of the top sites for tourism. They welcome tourists with open arms which makes it a great place to travel for an 18th birthday.
Some of the best sites in Greece include:
- the Acropolis of Athens
- Meteora
- the Parthenon
- the Ancient Agora of Athens
- the Navagio cove.
20. Spain
Spain ranks highly in any list that has to do with tourism from its white sandy beaches to its many natural attractions. One of the most famous places in Spain is the island of Ibiza which you’ve probably heard about so many times along with the fun that can be had there so Spain could be a great place to go for your 18th birthday.
Other places to visit in Spain include:
- the Cave of Altamira
- the underground Drach Caves
- Timanfaya National Park
- the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park.
21. Zanzibar
Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania in Africa and one of the most popular tourist sites on the continent. It is considered one of the most beautiful places that one can visit with scenery that will have you talking about it for a while after you visit.
Given that the island is small, you are able to see the various attractions that it offers in a couple of days which makes it the perfect 18th birthday weekend getaway destination for you.
22. Botswana
This Southern African country has been the destination of many famous people including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, owing to their emphasis on tourism and the protection of wildlife.
The people are friendly and the attractions are plenty. It would be a perfect place to visit for your 18th birthday.
Some attractions you can look forward to seeing are:
- the Okavango delta
- the Chobe National Park
- the Khama Rhino Sanctuary and;
- the Makgadikgadi pans.
23. Mauritius
Mauritius is an island nation off the coast of Africa that is so renowned for its attractions such that tourism contributes to more than 20% of its GDP.
Your breath will be taken away by attractions such as the Black River Gorges and the Le Morne Brabant amongst others.
With a mixed population of African and Indian descendants, the atmosphere is vibrant and full of culture and would make for an immersive experience should you choose this as your preferred 18th birthday celebration destination.
24. Egypt.
While most parts of the world were still building mud houses, the ancient Egyptians constructed architectural marvels that have survived till this very day. Pyramids, tombs, temples and fortresses were built that marvel even the architects of today.
If you are interested in such things then Egypt is a great destination for you. There are also plenty of other sites to marvel at such as the longest river in the world, the Nile, and, the parts of the Sahara Desert.
25. Barbados
If the Caribbean were an oyster, Barbados would be the pearl in its mouth. The beaches in Barbados can go toe to toe with any of the most beautiful in the world and give it a run for its money.
Added to this is the focus on tourism by the government that has allowed for multiple activities to be made available such as beach sports and recreational venues that ensure you get totally immersed in the island while you are there. It would be a great 18th birthday destination to go to if you can.
26. France
Imagine being able to say, “I spent my 18th birthday in France”. That statement draws envy from people because France is considered one of the top destinations in the western world and why not, its France, “le pays de l’amour (the country of love)”.
With plenty of attractions and a loving people who you might pick up a few French words from, this is an ideal 18th birthday destination.
27. Bali
If you want to experience absolute beauty as well as a positively intoxicating culture, Bali is for you. Located in Indonesia, Bali has some very beautiful attractions with beaches, volcanic peaks, breath-taking waterfalls and vast landscapes dotted with rice terraces to name a few. Added to these are the offerings by the locals which include local delicacies, music and cultural artifacts which are sure to leave the smell of Bali in your mind for years afterwards.
It is definitely a go to destination for an 18th birthday party of a lifetime.
For more locations to travel to, take a look at this article on magnificent destinations for your birthday.
Frequently asked questions
What is an 18th birthday called?
Turning 18 in a lot of cultures symbolizes that the person is now an adult and will accept adult responsibilities. For this reason it is called, “the Debut”. You are making your debut on the adult stage of life.
1. Why is 18th birthday special?
An 18 year old has just reached one of the most important milestones in life, entering adulthood. It is special because you can now do certain things that only adults are allowed to do such as making most of your decisions, voting and even drinking – in some countries that is – so it is a pretty big deal of an age.
For more reasons check out what is special about turning 18?
2. What do 18 year olds do for their birthday?
Many prefer to celebrate their 18th birthday with a lot of gusto and fanfare and some want a quiet celebration and both are perfectly fine. You can check out some things to do in these articles about what boys and girls and anyone in-between can do on their 18th birthday.
Conclusion
Your 18th birthday is no joke, it is an important milestone and we sincerely hope that you are excited for it. Adulthood can be very stressful so we recommend that you take this time and enjoy yourself before you step into the bigger shoes waiting for you. So, whatever it is that you decide from the above, be sure to soak in the experience and live for the moment as best you can. Welcome, to the rest of your life.
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