Planning a teenage birthday party might seem tricky. You want to make sure you can find an activity your child and their guests will enjoy, that’s perfectly age appropriate. Meaning both not too mature and not too childish. And while your teen might think they don’t need their parents around, you’ll want to still be able to supervise everything, though you don’t want to be overbearing. Luckily, there are plenty of places that can be perfect for fun teenage birthday parties in the Portland area. Read on for a few suggestions.
Escape Rooms
Escape rooms are becoming more and more popular every year and could be a very fun place for teenage birthday parties. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, an escape room is when a group of people go into a room and are given an hour or so to figure out how to, well, escape. Along the way, you’ll find clues, key, codes, etc. It’s perfect for any teen who loves puzzles and mysteries. And don’t worry, there are emergency exits if needed.
Because it’s becoming so popular, there are numerous options located in the Portland area. These include Escapism Portland, Escape Games PDX, Hour to Midnight, or Combo & Key Escape Rooms. But keep in mind that this might be a better option for older teenager birthday parties. Most places allow anyone above 10 years old, but others have different age limits, such as 14 and up. Some places might recommend that a parent supervises by being in the room.
Certain places also have variously themed escape rooms, so you can decide on one depending on your teen’s interest. This is a fun activity for teenage birthday parties because it ends up being a bonding experience, since everyone really has to work together. There’s a reason it has become such a popular choice for team-building exercises. And if you book for a party, you won’t have to worry about being stuck in a room with strangers. Different places might also have special rates for large groups.
Skating Rinks
Roller skating rinks are a timeless, fun teenage birthday party idea. Skating is an activity that allows teens to socialize while it’s still easy for you to supervise. And rinks typically offer food and tables to sit at. In addition to roller skating, you could try an ice-skating rink birthday party, especially for a winter birthday.
Ultrazone Laser Tag
Laser tag has consistently been a favorite teen activity for some time now. Ultrazone is a fun place for teenage birthday parties because it has numerous special events for teens, including their Friday Frenzy Glow Party. To host a birthday party, it costs $37 per person and requires a minimum of 10 people.
The party package includes three pizzas and unlimited soft drinks. Guests will also get glow-in-the-dark party favors and use of the blacklight room. And it still allows parents to supervise. Plus, their staff is known for being very helpful. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time. You can find more information on their website.
The Academy Theater
What if your teen is less into activities and more into entertainment? Consider a concert, going to a live theater, or even seeing a movie. For any teen cinema fans, The Academy Theater in Portland can actually be a birthday party venue. The theater has a gorgeous, vintage, 1940s style that separates it from your typical multiplex.
For a birthday party, you can reserve access to their party room. This is where you can have a pizza party before going to see one of the regularly scheduled movies. You can also bring a cake or another dessert and open presents in the party room if you want. And don’t worry about finding enough seats to keep everyone together, as the theater will rope off seats to reserve for your party.
Bullwinkle’s Entertainment
Here at Bullwinkle’s in Wilsonville, OR, we have a number of fun packages for teenage birthday parties. We know that no two teenagers are alike, which is why we have a variety of options available.
The party package options include the Late Night Bash, the 3-Hour All Access Pass, and the Pins & Pizza Package. The Late Night and All Access packages require a minimum of 10 people, while the bowling package has two different options, one for up to 12 people and the other for up to 24.
In addition to bowling, the Pins & Pizza package also includes arcade credits. The Late Night party can be scheduled for 5–9 or 6–10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, or 4–8 p.m. on Sunday. Both this package and the All Access package include arcade credits and enable guests unlimited access to their favorite attractions. Guests can try go karts, laser tag, mini-golf, and much more. With so many attractions for all different interests, we can provide a full day of fun!
For food, we have a Pizza Party, either included in your party package or as an add-on. This reserves a table for an hour and includes large pizzas and unlimited soda. We’ll handle both the set-up and the cleanup for your table, so you can relax and just focus on having fun! When it comes to dessert, you can either choose to bring a birthday cake or purchase some of our ice cream sundaes.
No matter which one of our packages you choose, the reservations must be made at least one day in advance. If you don’t want to include the Pizza Party Package, email us. You can find out prices, detailed information on our attractions, and more on our website.
As you can see, there are different options for your teen’s interests, the number of guests, and even the time of year. And these are just some suggestions. There’s plenty more out there! Plus, if you pick one option this year, you can always keep another one in mind for next year. Here’s to a party your teen will never forget!
