Special Experiences in Paris or Munich

How about a beer at the Hofbrauhaus? Not unique for most of us, but unique (and perfectly legal) for an 18 year old American.

My teenage son loved the BMW factory tour in Munich---and so did I! You can sit in all the new models in the amazing showroom, tour the factory, and then walk next door to the Munich Olympic Park. He enjoyed swimming in the Olympic pool and seeing other Olympic venues.
He also requested to see the Bayern Munich professional soccer stadium (he's a soccer fan). It's huge, and an easy train ride from town.
We rented bikes for a day and toured the city, the Englischer Garten, and watched the surfers.

You won't be the only one doing it but I was in Munich one summer as a college student and we spent a good amount of time in the Englischer Garten sunbathing along the river and riding the river current to cool off. It was delightful and not touristy. That area is famous for its nude sunbathing but shorts on men would be ok, if you prefer.

Cheap and a nice break from sightseeing.

http://www.aviewoncities.com/munich/englischergarten.htm

+1 for the Englischer Garten in Munich. I'd say definitely let him have a few liters of beer in the beer gardens as well.

In Paris, The perfume department employees in the Galeries Lafayette might hold his attention for a while also. I leave Sunday for Paris and I know I'll be taking a walk through, haha.

my kids (in their twenties) loved the English Gardens...people watching and oompa bands...probably watching sunbathers (no nude ones I could see...but lots of young and old folks) but they really loved and were fascinated by the part of the river there where the young people were surfing...on a river. It blew their minds how good they were and howthe river does that constant "wave" And who would not love the Hofbrauhaus...it may be touristy, but we were all tourists someplace at sometime?? there were a lot of locals there too...tons of soccor players that day (they lost) try and sit near the oompah band or if too hot, outside in garden under the chestnut trees. The beer does go down like water there.....

In Paris, walk down Champs Elysees in the evening. There's a Hard Rock Cafe on Champs. My son not only likes to eat there (doesn't care for French food), but also likes to pick up a few souvenirs at their gift shop. He also enjoyed the catacombs and the Paris sewer tour. Check out Rick Steve's tour book for info on these sites. Have fun on your trip!

If you are looking for something unique that not many people get to do, then perhaps para-gliding over Neuschwantstein might be the ticket.

If that sounds too dangerous, perhaps arrange a private tour with "Dark History". They offer some very special tours, unlike the regular city tours that you may find around town.
http://www.dark-history.eu/munich-city-tour.htm.htm

Hi Carson. In Paris, along the Champs Elysees, there is a Renault shop that is a bit of a museum (I believe it is Renault, maybe Peugot). There are a few real old race cars in the shop. He may enjoy that. I believe that the RS Champs walk describes it. There may be another Fiat shop in the same area also. Not special, but might be interesting for him.

An inexpensive cultural experience might be an open food market closer to the outskirts of the city, maybe the Belleville marche. My last trip to Paris, I took the Metro there, a really packed, "real people" marche, many different languages spoken, a very busy market. Poultry for sale with the heads, feet, etc intact. Whole small pigs for roasting, not a thing you see every day. I can't remember if there was any food being cooked to buy and eat, maybe roasted chicken and roasted potatoes.

Have a great trip.

Both my sons enjoyed their visits to the Catacombs in Paris,, pretty darn unique . Make a point of looking up a bit of history on them, they are not just a place where there are thousands of human remains,, they were also used during WWII !

You hardly need to pay 20 dollars for a burger "Amercian" food at the Hard Rock Cafe( that place is so over priced ) if your sons don't like "French food" ,, they can get a steak or roast chicken dinner at most places,, its not all frogs legs and snails..

Not spectacular,, but fun, Fat Tire Bike Tours,, especially the Night Bike Tour of Pafis. Its fun to zip along and he will enjoy the light and humorous way the guide presents information.

May I also suggest that not all 18 yr olds get trips to Europe and that in itself is special.

Try Mike's Bikes in Munich for a city bike tour or the castle tour (where you can hang glide) - this isn't unique - but it sure is fun and not something all the tourists do. You can look them up on trip advisor. Of course it all depends on what your son likes? Music? There will be so many choices in Paris and Munich for sure. And so much more an 18 year old can do in Europe compared to the states. Does he like hiking, biking,driving? I'm sure he'd love it if you let him drive the autobahn... so many choices!