Struggling to choose things to do for your birthday?
I feel you! I’m useless at making birthday plans. But they’re worth celebrating!
If nothing else, it’s a perfect excuse to temporarily forget your worries, spend time with loved ones, and reflect on another year of life.
To help you (and me!) decide how to celebrate a birthday, I’ve put together 100 fun birthday ideas for adults. Let’s dive in…
Table of Contents
What To Do on Your Birthday with Friends
If nothing else, birthdays are a brilliant excuse to get your closest friends together and reconnect with people you may not have seen for ages. Here are some fun and memorable things you could do with them.
1. Throw a big, themed costume party at your place
2. Organise a “Come Dine with Me” dinner party
3. Get dolled up and go on a river cruise together
4. See your favourite music artist perform live in concert
5. Go to the city, grab dinner, then go to the theatre
6. Organise a big night out (hire a party bus or limousine?)
7. Learn to cook your favourite food at a cooking class
8. Do a mixology class together
9. BBQ/cookout/pool party; light a fire, drink and dance into the early hours, stargaze
10. Go for a meal at a fancy restaurant you’ve been eyeballing for ages
Unique Birthday Ideas for Adults
Tired of the same old birthday plans? Want to do something totally different? Here are 10 unique things you could do:
11. Go wine or beer tasting at a local vineyard/brewery
12. Do a life-drawing class
13. Attend a salsa class with your partner and/or friends, then find a salsa club to dance the night away
14. Identify 5 fun things you’ve never done, then do them with your friends
15. Book a track day to race a supercar
16. Go on a ghost tour somewhere spooky with friends
17. Pay for a professional photoshoot with your friends
18. Get a tarot card reading from a psychic
19. Spend the day exploring a part of town you’ve never visited
20. Do a “dining in the dark” experience
Budget-Friendly Things To Do on Your Birthday
Celebrating a birthday can be expensive. Some parents spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their kids’ birthday parties nowadays.
Thankfully, you don’t have to spend lots of money to have fun. Heck, in my opinion, some of the best birthday activities don’t cost a penny. In fact, it’s even possible to plan a free birthday.
Here are 10 budget-friendly ideas to consider:
21. Invite friends and family over to your place for a potluck dinner
22. Picnic at the beach or local park with friends
23. Game and/or movie night with your loved one and friends
24. Grab some snacks and binge-watch your favourite TV series with friends
25. Visit free museums and galleries near you
26. Grab a frisbee, ball, and other games for a fun day out at the park with friends
27. Ask your best friend or partner to cook your favourite meal, then spend the evening hanging out
28. Scavenger hunt around town or at home – spice things up with prizes!
29. DIY karaoke-themed party at your place, with food and beverages
30. Host an arts and crafts event with your friends, with lots of prosecco or Champagne
What To Do on Your Birthday When It’s Raining
Poor weather can feel limiting when making birthday plans. But it doesn’t have to dampen the mood. The following things to do for your birthday would be ideal whether the heavens are due to open or not.
31. Get tickets to an indoor sporting event
32. Hire a venue for a “sports day” – like a mini indoor Olympics with loved ones
33. Do an escape room with your friends and/or family
34. Play laser tag with friends
35. Go bowling, followed by a movie
36. Do a virtual reality gaming experience
37. Try indoor rock climbing or bouldering
38. Organise a bar crawl or play pub golf
39. Pay a private chef to cook you a delicious meal and/or teach you how to cook it
40. DIY wine, beer, and spirit tasting at your place – invite friends/family to bring their favourite drink and decorate your house to create a party room.
What To Do for Your Birthday When It’s a Big One
Not all birthdays are made equal! Think about your 21st versus your 22nd birthday or your 33rd versus your 40th. Some are a bigger milestone than others, right? Here are 10 big ideas perfect for big birthdays.
41. Go on a golf trip with your friends
42. Hire a venue for a big birthday party, with catering, a bar, and entertainment
43. Go on a cruise with your nearest and dearest
44. Get a tattoo with your partner (bonus points if you get the same one)
45. Rent a luxury car and go on a road trip with your partner/best friends
46. Organise a big community event
47. Organise a staycation at your favourite local destination
48. Visit the best friend who moved overseas or to the other side of the country
49. Rent a boat or yacht for the night and have a party on it
50. Buy yourself that thing you’ve always wanted as a birthday treat
Simple Things to Do on Your Birthday with Family
If you don’t want to make a big song and dance for your birthday, the simple ideas in this section might be a good fit. They’d mark the day and provide lasting memories with your loved ones without going overboard.
51. A relaxing day – go for a walk together, lunch at a local café, then watch the game in the afternoon
52. Spa day with siblings/parents
53. Go to a comedy club to see some stand-up
54. Dinner and drinks at home or your favourite restaurant
55. Volunteer for a cause that means something to you
56. Do a bottomless brunch
57. Spend the day cooking and eating delicious food together – don’t forget a birthday cake!
58. Play mini golf together (or disc golf)
59. Invite people over for a bonfire – listen to music, sip cocktails, and share stories
60. Organise an evening of board games, cards, charades, party games, and other family games
Bucket List Birthday Activities for Adults
Okay, but what if you want to go wild on your big day? After all, if there’s ever a day you can justify doing something unforgettable, it’s your birthday! Here are 10 bucket-list-esque activities to make it one to remember.
61. Do a hot air balloon ride!
62. Spend your big day overseas, in a country you’ve always wanted to visit
63. Organise a skydive or bungee jump
64. Take a helicopter tour over where you live
65. Go on a mission to see the Northern Lights
66. Go hang-gliding or para-gliding
67. Book yourself onto a scuba-diving course
68. Find somewhere to swim with dolphins
69. Attend a major sporting event for your favourite sports team
70. Spin a globe, stick your finger out, and go to whichever country you land on
Fun Birthday Ideas for Adults Who Love the Outdoors
If the sun’s set to shine and you love the great outdoors, you may want to celebrate your birthday outside. Here are 10 ways to celebrate a birthday out in nature:
71. Organise a short camping trip to your favourite place
72. Learn to surf or organise a surf weekend if you already know how
73. Go climbing, caving, canyoning, or coasteering
74. Go canoe camping for a few days with friends
75. Find a beautiful hike to do that you’ve never done before
76. Run a marathon or do a Tough Mudder/Spartan Race with friends
77. Climb a mountain in the dark to catch the sunrise
78. Have a beach day, complete with a bonfire, BBQ, and beers
79. Spend the day fishing with friends
80. Do a bike tour of a picturesque trail near you (or a city)
Memorable Birthday Weekend Ideas
Why restrict the celebrations to a single day, eh? Here are some cool things to do for your birthday for a fun-filled weekend.
81. Book a long weekend away in a city you’ve always wanted to explore
82. Go to a music festival with your friends
83. Rent a cabin in the woods big enough for you and your closest friends/family
84. Hire a houseboat for the weekend
85. Go on a yoga retreat with your partner
86. Book into an all-inclusive luxury resort with your partner
87. Do a multi-day hike with loved ones, camping in scenic spots
88. Depending on the season, organise a weekend ski trip
89. Spend the weekend having fun at an amusement park
90. Rural escape – book an Airbnb in the countryside and spend the weekend relaxing in front of the fire, going on country walks, and so on
What To Do on Your Birthday Alone
There are countless reasons someone might not have loved ones around to help celebrate their birthday. For example, I spent my last birthday in New Zealand, half a world away from my family.
Just because you’re alone on your big day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t mark it, though! Here are some ways you could treat yourself:
91. Join a workshop for something that interests you – art, woodwork, photography…
92. Go on a solo adventure to a new place
93. Spend the day indulging in your favourite activities – want to read all day? Game? Watch movies? Eat fast food? Do it.
94. Try a hobby you’ve never done before
95. Virtual game night with friends/family
96. Walk around a local botanical garden
97. Go on a scenic drive – have a picnic, stop to see the sights
98. Do something fun outdoors – surf, hike, climb, kayak.
99. Pamper yourself with a DIY spa day
100. Join a walking tour of your city/local area
Want to Download These Things to Do for Your Birthday?
If you’ve been struggling to think of things to do for your birthday this year, then I hope this post has helped! With 100 ideas to choose from, hopefully, something took your fancy or inspired plans of your own.
Honestly, I’m rubbish at knowing how to celebrate my birthday – I tend to see mine as just another day. But that’s something I’d like to get better at!
After all, you only have so many of them. And, if nothing else, it’s an excuse to meet up with friends and family, have fun, and make memories.
Those moments of joy make all the difference in a world that feels too serious right now.
