Come Brainstorm Cool **NON** School Experiences for Older Teens (REVISED OP)

[Gil]

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION: By June, they will have $1500 a piece to spend on Cool Experiences prior to graduating in 2025.

The idea is for them to do as many Cool Experiences as possible within that budget. They're not looking for a single thing that costs $1500.

Some of the experiences that they've identified as possibilities and that I'm not going to immediately nip in the bud are:

Ride in a Helicopter (just like a short city-tour)
Take a Train Ride (long distance)
Bungee Jumping
Attending a Concert (yuck, but whatever)
Touring Museums
Anime/Video Game Conventions
National Road Trip

For the National Road Trip, they've been wanting to travel for years, but for a myriad of reasons, I can't take them go see the states that they'd like to go to. Now that they're older, they're interested in them getting out and seeing national sites. I'm perfectly ok with them going adventuring as they're very good about navigating locally and socially. They have a good track record for conducting themselves well in public with adults, with Authority figures as well as with law enforcement. They are responsible, resourceful and "street smart" so I feel relatively comfortable with the idea of them going out and about on their own with some preparation, guidance and structure to the adventure.

I was thinking specifically of sending them as a duo on a long Bus Tour where they can be taken to different locations, given several hours to explore before getting back on the bus and being taken to the next location.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Gil

[HomeAgain]

Wilderness survival training

Boat tours

City scavenger hunts

Cooking class (we have a few restaurants here that offer a mid afternoon class)

"Adventure" camps - our YMCA camps offer a week experience for teens where they do ziplining, surfing, long bike trips, climbing..

[Malam]

This is slightly above the $1500 mark: https://www.nbtsc.org/essential-information/

[Gil]

1 hour ago, Malam said:

This is slightly above the $1500 mark: https://www.nbtsc.org/essential-information/

Thanks, for the idea--I'll tell them to look into camps they might be interested in--but $1500 is the budget limit.

[Gil]

Oh, can any one suggest different animal experiences.

And how can they get close to exotic animals?

Any ideas?  I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that but one of them wants to "get up close to a bunch of wild animals"

[Malam]

14 minutes ago, Gil said:

Oh, can any one suggest different animal experiences.

And how can they get close to exotic animals?

Any ideas?  I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that but one of them wants to "get up close to a bunch of wild animals"

Does your local zoo have options?

[Gil]

8 minutes ago, Malam said:

Does your local zoo have options?

We don't have a local zoo.

[Gil]

@Malam

I checked around the website of two of the closest zoos and decided real quick that messing around with wild animals is something he's going to have to do as an adult, on his own time and dime.

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Gil

[mjbucks1]

I have no ideas, but this reminded me of an episode of the Heavyweight podcast.  It is titled "Jimmy and Mark" (episode 24 which aired on Sept 26, 2019).  It is a fascinating story about young kids who go on a bike trip encouraged by one of their fathers.  I doubt this would happen today, but it really left an impression on me!!  

[Miss Tick]

I think you are on the west coast, they could take the Amtrak Southwest Chief to Chicago where there are museums, concerts and surely helicopter rides available.

Is there actually some kind of hop on hop off bus tour of America or would you just be working with Greyhound?

A discount airline could get them to many cities with money leftover for transit and experiences

I haven't priced a helicopter rides in years, but I imagine those would use most of your budget. Bungee jumping seems to happen in remote, difficult to access places, so that might be a consideration.

Is your list things they are interested in, or just examples of the ideas you came up with?

[Gil]

13 hours ago, HomeAgain said:

Wilderness survival training

Boat tours

City scavenger hunts

Cooking class (we have a few restaurants here that offer a mid afternoon class)

"Adventure" camps - our YMCA camps offer a week experience for teens where they do ziplining, surfing, long bike trips, climbing..

Thanks! this is a cool pairing with visiting cities around the country.

5 hours ago, Miss Tick said:

A discount airline could get them to many cities with money leftover for transit and experiences

What discount airlines have cheap domestic flights?
 

[Malam]

15 minutes ago, Gil said:

Thanks! this is a cool pairing with visiting cities around the country.

What discount airlines have cheap domestic flights?
 

Spirit and Frontier?

[8filltheheart]

Megabus is cheap. 

We have random local cheap flights pop up for under $100.  If you aren't looking for a specific destination and can create the plan after the location, you might be able to find some affordable options.

Renting a boat or jet ski 

white water rafting

survival training course (the kind where you have to build your lean-to, learn to make traps, etc)

 

 

[idnib]

I don't have any specific suggestions, but Atlas Obscura is great finding things like this.

[ScoutTN]

Seconding white water rafting if they’ve never been. 

Washington DC is a fun city to explore and lots of the fun things are free. Train riding on the Metro. 

Probably anywhere they want to go, there are Boardies there who can suggest activities.

[Eos]

15 hours ago, mjbucks1 said:

I have no ideas, but this reminded me of an episode of the Heavyweight podcast.  It is titled "Jimmy and Mark" (episode 24 which aired on Sept 26, 2019).  It is a fascinating story about young kids who go on a bike trip encouraged by one of their fathers.  I doubt this would happen today, but it really left an impression on me!!  

I loved this too, our family references it occasionally.

[Eos]

If you're on the west coast, take a bus to Anacortes or Bellingham WA, then take the Washington State Ferry to the San Juan Islands - you can get on and off at different islands, there is abundant wildlife, and it's beautiful.  

https://www.visitsanjuans.com/about

[Miss Tick]

10 hours ago, Gil said:

Thanks! this is a cool pairing with visiting cities around the country.

What discount airlines have cheap domestic flights?
 

Spirit

Frontier

SunCountry

Southwest (sometimes)

Allegiant (I think they are still around)

Google ITA Flight Matrix and you can see available flights without affiliation to any particular airline, or cookies or timers pressuring you to buy.

None of these are "RyanAir" cheap, just cheap-er than airlines that provide snacks and a free checked bag.

[Frances]

3 hours ago, Eos said:

If you're on the west coast, take a bus to Anacortes or Bellingham WA, then take the Washington State Ferry to the San Juan Islands - you can get on and off at different islands, there is abundant wildlife, and it's beautiful.  

https://www.visitsanjuans.com/about

If they go during the right time of year, much of the San Juan islands can be explored by bike. And then for a more urban experience and to visit another country, they could continue on to Vancouver and/or Victoria, BC. Or if they want to stay in the US, Seattle would be an option.

[Frances]

17 hours ago, Miss Tick said:

I think you are on the west coast, they could take the Amtrak Southwest Chief to Chicago where there are museums, concerts and surely helicopter rides available.

Is there actually some kind of hop on hop off bus tour of America or would you just be working with Greyhound?

A discount airline could get them to many cities with money leftover for transit and experiences

I haven't priced a helicopter rides in years, but I imagine those would use most of your budget. Bungee jumping seems to happen in remote, difficult to access places, so that might be a consideration.

Is your list things they are interested in, or just examples of the ideas you came up with?

The Amtrak Coast Starlight travels all along the west coast. For today only, buy one ticket get another 50% off  for summer travel.

[MagistraKennedy]

Scuba diving? 

And -- A Young Eagles flight is free! 

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/free-ye-flights

[bibiche]

Amtrak has USA Rail Pass. Once you start using it, you have thirty days to take up to ten rides. Apparently it goes on sale sometimes. The usual price is $499.

Edited May 14, 2023 by bibiche

[stripe]

On 5/13/2023 at 10:41 AM, Gil said:

Oh, can any one suggest different animal experiences.

And how can they get close to exotic animals?

Any ideas?  I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that but one of them wants to "get up close to a bunch of wild animals"

Wild? Or exotic? Or both? Because a squirrel is wild but in the US at least, not exotic. Ditto a raccoon. Both may have rabies — yikes. Exotics can be found at zoos and other nature type programs, and you can see animals like bison, moose, polar bears at various places, apparently. For example, Catalina Island (in CA) has a huge number of bison. Fodor’s has a list of ten “safari” locations in the US.
 

Edited May 14, 2023 by stripe
Rabies warning

[Gil]

5 minutes ago, stripe said:

Wild? Or exotic? Or both? Because a squirrel is wild but in the US at least, not exotic. Ditto a raccoon. Exotics can be found at zoos and other nature type programs, and you can see animals like bison, moose, polar bears at various places, apparently. For example, Catalina Island (in CA) has a huge number of bison. Fodor’s has a list of ten “safari” locations in the US.
 

I've decided against any thing that directly features and involves animals. I don't want to be bothered with the stress of them possibly getting infected by, stung, stomped, bitten or chewed on by anything that is 100% avoidable by simply leaving wild and/or exotic animals the heck alone in the first place. Those creatures are found in a den in the middle of nowhere for a reason.

 

I'm not an animal person, and if he still is when he's on the correct side of 18 years old, then more power to him he can knock himself out and risk his safety, health and life then.

[stripe]

I think you’re very wise. I heard about about a girl who was really interested in sloths, but when she finally saw one in person at a pet store, it bit her, leaving her enthusiasm rather diminished. (Her name is Amarianna Ramon.)

[Gil]

17 minutes ago, stripe said:

I think you’re very wise. I heard about about a girl who was really interested in sloths, but when she finally saw one in person at a pet store, it bit her, leaving her enthusiasm rather diminished. (Her name is Amarianna Ramon.)

See? They should've left that thing in the freaking Rain Forest! Sloths are found molded to the sides of tree's, deep in the Rain Forest for a reason!!! 🤕

[chiguirre]

1 hour ago, Gil said:

See? They should've left that thing in the freaking Rain Forest! Sloths are found molded to the sides of tree's, deep in the Rain Forest for a reason!!! 🤕

Nope, they live in city parks in tropical countries. They're like squirrels or raccoons or armadillos, if you don't mess with them they won't mess with you.

A lot of cool ideas will be local things that you find out about on local social media. For example, in Houston, some local stuff that might fit your cool stuff would be participating in the calf scramble at the Rodeo (no one gets stomped), canoeing down Buffalo Bayou or learning to sail in Galveston Bay. Further afield would be a bike trip along the Mission Trail outside San Antonio, tubing the Guadalupe or the Comal or going to South by Southwest.

Some stuff that isn't tied to geography is scuba lessons, Civil Air Patrol, joining a hiking club or BSA Venturing or a CC adventure club depending on what's available. They could try out an out of the ordinary sport like rowing or rugby or water polo, learn to ride a horse, volunteer at a museum or archaeological dig, join a citizen science project, volunteer with an adult organization, learn how to draw or paint or do pottery, learn a musical instrument or join a choir. I'd look for groups that have a wide range of ages involved in them and draw from different parts of your community. Being treated like a contributing adult is a great experience for a teen no matter what type of activity they're doing.

[mathmarm]

9 hours ago, chiguirre said:

Nope, they live in city parks in tropical countries. They're like squirrels or raccoons or armadillos, if you don't mess with them they won't mess with you.

Sloths can be found in city parks due largely to habitat loss and habitat encroachment by human development.

[chiguirre]

1 hour ago, mathmarm said:

Sloths can be found in city parks due largely to habitat loss and habitat encroachment by human development.

Sure, but you could say the same of squirrels and raccoons and armadillos. Habitat encroachment is not more or less lamentable because it happens in a tropical climate than in a temperate one.