Teens will likely want to celebrate their 17th birthday with a party, event, or activity that’s new, exciting, and mature, just like the milestone age they’re approaching. Rather than doing something routine as a slumber party or bowling outing, make your 17th birthday unforgettable with one of these 17 super creative, fun, and cool 17th birthday ideas.
1) 17th Birthday Ideas: Trampoline Park
If you didn’t know already, trampoline parks are massive rooms covered wall-to-wall with trampolines where you can play trampoline dodge ball, do flips, and bounce till your heart’s content. It’s a teens dream come true, so do a Google search to see if there’s one in your area and reserve space for your 17th birthday party. You’re bound to have a fun, memorable birthday.
2) 17th Birthday Ideas: Pool Party
Celebrate your 17th birthday catching rays, cooling off, and having fun poolside with friends and family. Hold your celebration at home, if you have a pool, at a friends house, or make your 17th birthday party extra special by renting a room at a fancy hotel. PurpleTrail has an array of pool party invites to match your theme.
3) 17th Birthday Ideas: Dance Party
If you’re a teen who loves to dance, celebrate your 17th birthday by taking a dance class with friends. You can even hire a professional dance instructor to teach you and friends some new moves at your 17th birthday party. If that’s too expensive, keep it simple with DDR or create a playlist and dance the night away with friends and family.
4) 17th Birthday Ideas: Try Flying Trapeze
Flying trapeze is exciting to watch, but it can be even more exhilarating to participate in, especially if you’re a sporty, limber teen. Check to see if there are any flying trapeze studios in your area — many offer classes, shows, and party space.
5) 17th Birthday Ideas: Bonfire, BBQ
Simple and affordable, yet lots of fun, a 17th birthday BBQ and bonfire party is perfect for anyone with a summer, spring, or fall birthday. Gather friends and family together with custom teen birthday invitations and prepare a tasty feast of grilled delights to enjoy around the fire.
6) 17th Birthday Ideas: Indoor or Outdoor Skydiving
Create lasting memories of your 17th birthday by doing something crazy, like jumping out of a plane 8,000 ft above the ground. If real skydiving sounds a little too extreme, celebrate closer to earth at an indoor skydiving facility instead.
7) 17th Birthday Ideas: Rent A Movie Theater
If you’re a young movie buff with a lot of friends, rent a movie theater for a private screening of a movie of your choice. Ushers will open the velvet ropes just for you and your guests and you can enjoy having the entire theater to yourselves. Most theaters even allow you to have food catered in for the party.
8) 17th Birthday Ideas: Amusement Park
Eat junk food, play games, and ride roller coasters with friends on your 17th birthday at an amusement park. Everyone will surely enjoy themselves at a place designed for fun.
9) 17th Birthday Ideas: Rent A Party Boat
From catamarans to yachts to full-fledged cruise ships, party boats come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Choose one that suits your guest list and budget and take your 17th birthday party out to sea for a memorable, unique experience you and guests will likely reflect on for years to come.
10) 17th Birthday Ideas: Weekend Getaway
Ask mom and dad to help you plan a weekend getaway somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. Stay at a cool hotel, like one of these haunted hotels, or save money by camping out. Invite a few of your closest friends to enjoy the weekend with.
11) 17th Birthday Ideas: Go Whale Watching
Learn more about some of nature’s biggest mammals and the environment they depend on whale watching. Whale watching season depends on where you’re viewing the whales from, so do a quick search online to see if your birthday lands within that time frame.
12) 17th Birthday Ideas: Go Kart Racing
Live life in the fast lane for your 17th birthday with friends and family at a nearby go kart track. Beyond being lots of fun, go kart tracks usually have party space available, so you can set up cake, food and more without worrying about clean up.
13) 17th Birthday Ideas: Water Sports
Depending on the time of year and weather, partaking in water sports might be a fun way to celebrate your 17th birthday. Surfing is an item on many people’s bucket list; cross it off yours while you’re young and in shape. Kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing, and snorkeling are just a few more sporty things you can do in the water for your 17th birthday.
14) 17th Birthday Ideas: Professional Sports
Buy tickets to a professional sporting event, like a professional soccer game, football game, or basketball game. Seeing your favorite team play in person will make your 17th birthday unforgettable. Invite a few friends along for company.
15) 17th Birthday Ideas: Hiking, Camping
Camping and hiking are great ways to celebrate your 17th birthday because in addition to being fun and exciting, they can also be very affordable. Make your hiking or camping trip more special by selecting a unique destination. Check out this Best Places to Hike in North America article for inspiration on where to go.
16) 17th Birthday Ideas: Play Sports, Try An Extreme Sport
From golf to ping pong to paintball to basketball, there are a ton of fun, exciting sports you and guests can play on your 17th birthday. If those sound a little too dull, try something more extreme, like rock climbing, mountain biking, or parkour — or take a class to learn how to do these extreme sports safely.
17) 17th Birthday Ideas: Concert, Show
Attending a concert, play, or ballet is a great way to celebrate your 17th birthday. Do a quick search online to see if any bands you like are on tour or if there are any plays, musicals, or ballets playing in your area. Bring a few friends along for company.
Hopefully you found these 17th birthday ideas inspiring!