Ideas for daughter's 16th birthday camping trip?

May 24, 2012 7:11 PM

My daughter is planning her 16th birthday party, which will happen in late July. She wants an overnight trip, preferably near the Oregon coast or someplace else with a beach. Since many beach houses expressly forbid teen parties, we're probably looking at camping or... I don't know, a remote cabin maybe. There will be three or four parents in attendance. I've already said that we'll have to have a budget (though I don't know what to plan for realistically), that only parents will drive there, and that the guests have to be people I know. 1) What are other suggestions for a party that is memorable, yet avoids things that are dangerous, illegal, or grounds for a lawsuit? And 2), Oregon folks, can you recommend a place that will be okay with late night music/dancing and about 15 teenagers?
posted by meowlix to human relations (9 answers total)

VRBO or AirBNB perhaps?

I stayed in Seaside OR (at the foot of Highway 26 from Portland) a few times for the Hood to Coast relay, and found that the coastal communities are typically mostly summer cottages with a contingent of year-round citizens living there as well. Definitely lots of seasonal places. You will have lots of choices from Astoria down to ... however down you wish to go along the coast.

I would recommend scouring these two online vacation property sites and look for a large house for your 20 people.

A caveat for you of a different kind, when we were racing there, any house that we would look at required renting it for an entire week. We made it happen (it's nice to hang out at the beach, after all) but this might be a surprise consideration that impacts your plans.
posted by seawallrunner at 7:31 PM on May 24, 2012

You don't mention which part of the coast. Maybe something like the Ester Lee bungalows/cottages in Taft/Lincoln City? They are closer to beach houses than motel rooms, and I'm sure there's more like that up and down the coast. They can party down on the beach until pretty late I think. At least, we were always out there til midnight or later.
posted by asciident at 7:34 PM on May 24, 2012

Yeah, you can have a fire on Oregon beaches so late night bonfire on the beach is pretty much all a teenager needs. Instruct them on how to put it out safely and let them know that rangers will come through and check and fine you if they aren't put out carefully. This is not entirely true but it could happen.

Have two fires -- an adult fire and a kids fire. Have smores and dress warmly as you never know the weather. Bring a boombox or ipod speakers.
posted by amanda at 8:06 PM on May 24, 2012

Make sure your daughter --- and all the other teenagers, too --- know that this party is not open-invitation: nobody is to post any kind of "everybody let's partay!" notice on fb or anywhere else, no-one that you have not pre-approved is welcome. (You do not want this turning onto one of those 200-drunk-kids-trash-the-place stories on the news.....)

(Please don't think I'm saying your daughter and her friends are any kind of troublemakers; they're teenagers, and as we all remember, sometimes teenagers just don't think things through.)
posted by easily confused at 8:31 PM on May 24, 2012 [6 favorites]

I don't have any specific suggestions, but have you considered girl scout camps or retreat rentals?
posted by oceano at 8:57 PM on May 24, 2012

Ask everyone to bring acoustic musical instruments and a song to teach everyone.
posted by mareli at 5:42 AM on May 25, 2012 [1 favorite]

When beach houses expressly forbid teen parties, do they really mean a closely supervised party with multiple adults supervising? To me, "no teen parties" means no renting the house for the weekend and dropping unsupervised teenagers off. I think you can rent a beach house without a problem.
posted by COD at 5:46 AM on May 25, 2012 [2 favorites]

Agreeing with COD - I don't think this is a teen party like that.
posted by mrs. taters at 7:13 AM on May 25, 2012

I couldn't disagree with COD more - since 16 year olds are unlikely to have a credit card in their own names with which to reserve a beach house, when a rental property owner forbids "teen parties" he/she is implicitly forbidding teen parties arranged with/by the parents. They are trying to avoid use of the property by large groups of teenagers.

At risk of stating the obvious, you need to talk through the policy on drugs and alcohol with your daughter and she needs to make it clear with all guests...you are potentially liable for anything that goes wrong if you are planning and supervising. Make that clear to your daughter.
posted by Wylla at 9:41 AM on May 25, 2012