OT- Gift experience ideas for a 16year old bioy

[familyfirsttimer]

I know this is the budget board, but it's where I spend my time lurking!

I am trying to come up with a gift idea for by Godson who is turning 16 and needs/wants for nothing. I have tried to do "experiences" over the last few years but I am stumped of good ideas. We've gone to Franklin Institute exhibits (Body Wars! and another), even went to Broadway one year for a combo Bday Christmas gift.

Any ideas??????? Thanks so much for your input

 

[crisi]

Has he been snowboarding? Skiing? Horseback riding?

 

[Lynne G]

Maybe a movie and dinner or lunch then movie.

Camden Aquarium and tour of the Battleship NJ.

Philadelphia Zoo.

Ice skating rink or climbing place.

Go carts.

That is so nice of you to do things with him.

 

[meajuly5]

Not budget friendly--Helicopter sightseeing ride
Concert tickets
Over the ear headphones
If he's into music-- old school turntable and vinyl records of a few classic albums

 

[TLuvsD]

Kart racing
simulated flight (helicopter, jet, etc)
simulated sky diving (you don't jump out of a plane, you are in a wind tunnel sort of thing)

 

[SylviaL]

Maybe a Segway tour? That would be different. I think a lot of big cities have them.

 

[3boymthr]

relatively inexpensive depending upon how close you are to a snow park: Snow tubing.

Delayed excitement and completely not budget but totally thrilling: White Water Rafting. We did this for my DS last year. Gave him several boxes: a new bathing suit, swim shirt, swim shoes, goggles, helmet and lastly the gift certificate. He and DH went this summer. They made a 4 day weekend of it. He LOVED it. Cost not including the swim gear: $90 for the gift certificate good for two rafting rides plus $45/night for the camp cabin at the white water rafting outfitters base camp. There are lots of options for something like this, some outfitters offer a combined package of white water rafting with another high adventure which makes it even less budget but less than buying the two adventures separately. Again the look on his face - totally worth it.

ETA - we did this for a trip on the Kennebeck River in ME (ME has three rivers where they white water raft) but there are also places in West Virginia and Massachusetts and I think either Georgia or North Carolina.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos?

Since the rooms are priced for 4, you could let him bring a friend .

My DS is almost 18 and still loves Great Wolf.

 

[sksjasams]

I was going to mention the wind tunnel skydiving like PP. My DS15 has seen this on tv and thinks it looks like a lot of fun.

Another idea is a race car experience. They ride along with with a professional driver. Here is one of the sites:
http://thextremexperience.com/ I'm sure can google for more.

My DS15 hasn't tried this but would love to...he can not even imagine getting to ride in a real Lamborghini!

 

[crisi]

A lot of these seem really active and it looks like from what you've done with him before, he might not be into snowboarding or skydiving.

A cooking class? A photography class? My fifteen year old son took a pottery class with his grandma this summer that he didn't complain about too much (he is a snowboarding sort of kid, so not complaining too much about pottery with grandma is high praise).

 

[mjkacmom]

Ds15 would love tickets to any professional sporting event (football, hockey, baseball, basketball, soccer). He also really enjoys Broadway plays. Paintball with friends is always fun. I know a helicopter tour of NYC would also be appreciated a lot.

 

[jrmasm]

Tickets to a professional sports event.

 

[DizneeCM]

Does he play in an orchestra/band or enjoy classical music? If so, he might enjoy seeing the Philadelphia Orchestra or the Philly Pops. They usually have holiday-themed concerts in December. Add on lunch or dinner before/after the concert and it's a fun day out!

 

[wiigirl]

Kart racing
simulated flight (helicopter, jet, etc)
simulated sky diving (you don't jump out of a plane, you are in a wind tunnel sort of thing)

 

[familyfirsttimer]

thank you so much for all the ideas.
He LOVES snowboarding and hi parent rent him the gear for that or skis every year for Christmas so they have that covered. He is very active, I am not LOL Also he WANTS to sky-dive but my sister won't let him!

I am going to look into some of the other ideas, I really appreciate it.

I already know the Elf the Musical is coming to Philly starting Nov, so that may be my fall back plan.

Any more ideas, keep them coming. I love the idea of experience over things

 

[crisi]

thank you so much for all the ideas.
He LOVES snowboarding and hi parent rent him the gear for that or skis every year for Christmas so they have that covered. He is very active, I am not LOL Also he WANTS to sky-dive but my sister won't let him!

I am going to look into some of the other ideas, I really appreciate it.

I already know the Elf the Musical is coming to Philly starting Nov, so that may be my fall back plan.

Any more ideas, keep them coming. I love the idea of experience over things

My mother gets our kids lift tickets to somewhere where they don't normally ski/board. They have their own gear, and season tickets to the hill closest to our house. Its an expensive hobby and if there is a small hill he can spend a Saturday at nearby - instead of what I think sounds like a bigger Christmas trip with his parents - he really won't mind getting to go more than once.

This year we are renting a house and my parents are buying the lift tickets and we are going to Lutsen.

Paintball would be another activity that 16 year old boys like.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Tickets to a professional sports event.

Or local university sporting event

 

[familyfirsttimer]

OP here, thanks again for all the ideas.

I went with going to see Elf the musical as it just opened in Philly. Seems like a great show for a 16 year old boy!

My backup plan was a segway tour of the city so I am saving that idea for next year.

thanks again for all the input

 

[sksjasams]

That sounds perfect! I'm sure he will love it! Enjoy your time together

 

[vikster1]

Flyers tickets