25 Fun Things to Do on Your Birthday

Celebrating your big day doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re a foodie, enjoying lunch or dinner from one of the best food trucks in your hometown can be a perfect memory. Dine at one of your favorites, or make plans to head to a nearby city to visit a food truck with rave reviews.

38 Exciting Things to Do On Your Birthday (Super Fun Activities)

Once a year, each of us has one special day just for us – our birthday. As children, our parents make the plans. But as adults, we get to choose how we celebrate.

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To do so, begin by asking yourself the following questions:

• Do you want to celebrate alone or with others?
• Do you prefer to be at home or go out?
• How much do you want to spend?

Whether you are a party goer or prefer to spend time alone, enjoy adventure, or prefer to chill out with friends, we have the perfect birthday plans for you.

What to Do on Your Birthday?

your birthday. This can be challenging, as we tend to think there are some set things that must always go with birthdays – parties, cake, ice cream, and, of course, presents. However, birthday plans can be whatever it is that you enjoy. If you like to be alone, plan a special day just for you. Always wanted to try something adventurous or dangerous, go for it. Have a special place you love to visit, go there. There are no set limits for your celebration.

Places to Go for Your Birthday

When it comes to birthday destinations, just about any place you can think of will work, if it is one of your favorites. Some of our choices involve money and planning. Others are free and can happen spontaneously. Pick the one that is right for you.

• Purchase Tickets for a Special Event. See your favorite rock group, a play, or opera. Go by yourself or ask a friend to join you. End the evening with a fancy dessert at a favorite eatery.
• Play with Kittens and Puppies. Shelters need volunteers to play with cats and walk dogs. Who knows? You might even find the perfect pet to take home.
• Visit a Zoo. If you love all kinds of animals, a zoo can be a perfect place to spend the day alone or with friend. Pack a picnic lunch and don’t forget a cupcake for dessert.
• Visit a Botanical Garden. If plants are your thing, visit a local botanical garden for inspiration for your own garden. Many have shops that sell native plants and decorative garden items, so treat yourself with a present if you wish.
• Visit a Winery or Brewery. Check to see what types of venues offer beverage tasting in your area. Not only is tasting encouraged, but many offer wine and cheese for a light meal. Treat yourself with a subscription to their product to make your birthday last all year long.
• Visit a Friend or Relative. Some of our friends do not live close and a road trip to visit and celebrate your birthday can be a special treat. Don’t forget grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Pick one or more to celebrate with on your special day.
• Escape to the Beach. If you love sand, sun, and the sound of waves hitting the shore, take time to relax and enjoy a nearby ocean or lake. End the day at sunset with a light dinner outside either alone or with others.
• Treat Yourself with a Shopping Spree. Shopping sprees do not need to involve tremendous expense. Set a reasonable budget and buy a new outfit, some makeup you have been wanting to try, or just whatever you see that you like and brings you joy.
• Spa Day or Makeover. Treat yourself to a mental and physical refreshing with a spa day. Choose one that allows you to specify what you prefer – massage, facial, or even a mud bath. Add a trip to your hair salon, perhaps for a daring color job.
• Stay at a Luxurious Hotel. Reserve a room for the night at a local luxury hotel or bed and breakfast. You can relax and veg out, staying in all evening with movies and room service, or dine out and having a night on the town. Make sure you allow time to sleep in the next morning and consider ordering breakfast in bed.
• Eat at a Special Restaurant. Ask a friend to join you at that new, exciting, and difficult-to-reserve-a-seat-at restaurant for dinner and dessert. Take your time to enjoy the atmosphere and food.
• Go on a Hike or Trail Ride. If the great outdoors is your thing, pack a small lunch and hit the trails. Many places have bikes to rent, or you might enjoy horseback riding at a local stable. Don’t forget water and sunscreen.
• Go to the Bowling Alley or Arcade. Maybe you haven’t bowled for years, but remember how much fun you had when you were younger? Or, maybe you like the noise and lights of an arcade. Remember, this is your special day, so grab some coins or dig out that bowling ball and revive that interest.
• Go on a Mini-Vacation. Grab a few friends and choose a local vacation spot for your birthday celebration. Sharing a cabin or Airbnb and staying up all night talking will create memories that last a lifetime.
• Visit a Foreign Country. You will need to plan ahead, but a trip to a foreign country can provide an once-in-a-lifetime birthday experience.

Birthday Ideas

TV show. Make sure you have popcorn, candy, and soda to enhance the experience.

Go Skydiving or Bungee Jumping. Bungee jumping gives you the thrill without the added altitude that can be scary for some. Your birthday is a great time to conquer your fears. Who knows – this adventure might set the tone for a remarkable year to follow.

Buy Yourself a Gift. Take a set amount and head to the mall or your favorite store. Treat yourself to something special. Forget to be sensible and really indulge yourself.

Enjoy a Favorite Dinner at Home. If you love to cook, try a new recipe for a favorite food. Or order your favorite meal to be delivered. Then take your time and enjoy every bite.

Enjoy a Progressive Dinner. If you have several favorite restaurants, consider spending the day enjoying all of them. Have breakfast or brunch and then stroll through the park. Visit a museum or other relaxing venue in the afternoon. In the evening, have your appetizer at one location, your entrée at another, and finish up with coffee and dessert elsewhere.

Activities to Do with Others

• Have an Ice Cream Social. Invite your friends and set up a sundae bar or put out the makings for banana splits. Don’t forget the sprinkles, whipped cream, and cherries.
• Plan a Trip to an Amusement Park. If it is summertime, consider a water park. Relive your youth by riding roller coasters and screaming as loud as you want at your favorite amusement park.
• Dance Party Fun. A great party includes dancing. Consider inviting your friends and hiring a DJ for the evening. Decorate with a theme that matches your favorite tunes.
• Have a Sleepover. Invite your friends for a night of playing games, doing makeovers, and binge watching a favorite show. Go to bed super late and sleep in the next morning. Don’t forget snacks and drinks, and, of course, ice cream and cake.
• Rent a Food Truck or Hire a Chef. If food is your thing, consider the fun of having a food truck park in your driveway for the evening. If high-end meals are your thing, hire a private chef to cook your favorite meal for you and a select group of friends.
• Host Your Own Wine Tasting. You do not need to visit a winery. Get the same experience at home by serving cheese, crackers, and other snacks to go with bottles of wine your friends bring.
• Host a Themed Party. Choose a theme – the hippies of the 60’s, or a 70’s disco party – and build your food, decorations, and music around it. Encourage guests to dress to match your theme.
• Sing Karaoke. Search for a local karaoke bar or rent a karaoke machine. There are also karaoke apps you can download. Belt out your favorite songs with your best friends to create lasting memories.
• Play Video, Board, or Card Games. Dig out your favorite games from when you were a kid, or choose some new ones like Apples to Apples and Cards against Humanity. If your group is large, divide into teams and switch places trying the various games and seeing which team gets the most wins.

Whether you are feeling social and energetic or just wish to lounge in a comfortable chair and enjoy your birthday alone, spend time indulging yourself — it’s your day after all!

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Susan majored in English with a double minor in Humanities and Business at Arizona State University and earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Liberty University. She taught grades four through twelve in both public and private schools. Subjects included English, U.S. and world history and geography, math, earth and physical science, Bible, information technologies, and creative writing.

Susan has been freelance writing for over ten years, during which time she has written and edited books, newspaper articles, biographies, book reviews, guidelines, neighborhood descriptions for realtors, Power Point presentations, resumes, and numerous other projects.

25 Fun Things to Do on Your Birthday

Whether you’re birthday royalty and enjoy reigning your special day with lavish events or you’re someone who prefers more modest celebrations , there are plenty of fun things to do on your birthday . From ice cream socials and group trips to adrenaline-filled adventures, there’s something for everyone when it comes to celebrating another rotation around the sun.

To have the best birthday ever, make your party a celebration of your personality. Here are some fun things to do on your birthday from laid-back hangouts to high-intensity activities.

25 Fun Grown-Up Things to Do on Your Birthday

Party planning can be a lot of work. You have to coordinate with caterers, secure a venue, choose a theme, and set-up decorations. If you’re looking for fun ways to celebrate your birthday without the planning headache, these options will inspire your easy-going celebration.

We’ve also included a handful of our favorite matching online invitations . All our designs are easy to customize, so you can transform the template design into your own personal invite. Change the colors, layout, fonts, and birthday invitation wording to make any of our online birthday invitations feel uniquely yours.

Here’s a list of things you can do to celebrate your adult birthday with family members and friends.

1. Get Silly and Sing Karaoke

Design: Claudia Owen

Matching invite: Karaoke Night Invitation

There’s nothing more fun than belting out your favorite tunes with your best friends . Invite a few of your closest friends and sing karaoke into the late hours of the night. You’ll find yourself in fits of laughter, reminiscing on old songs that bring back great memories. Look for karaoke bars in your town or plan to have the sing-along right in your own home. You can buy or rent a karaoke machine or download a karaoke app such as Karafun .

2. Relax and Unwind with a Spa Day

Take some time for self-care and have a pampering spa day with your besties. Make an appointment at your favorite salon to get a new haircut, have your nails done, or get a refreshing facial. You can also invite an aesthetician to your home and have the spa day in your garden or living room. Keep things simple and offer easy refreshments like cucumber water or wine spritzers .

3. Face Your Fears and Go Skydiving

Start your birthday year with a bang by skydiving . The rush of adrenaline will make you feel alive and the beauty of the world from above is unparalleled. Plus, overcoming your fears can help you face your new age with confidence and an adventurous spirit.

4. Take a Leap of Faith with Bungee Jumping

If you’re not ready to jump out of a plane and want something with a little less height, try bungee jumping instead. Get a few friends together and leap into a beautiful gorge or canyon. You’ll be thrilled by the rush of free-falling, and taking that jump could inspire you to take a leap and try new things all year.

5. Play It Up with a Trip to an Amusement Park

Take it back to the good old days when you and your friends would roam the theme parks in search of adventure and screaming fun. Head to Disneyland for fun times with old friends like Minnie and Donald Duck, or go to Harry Potter World to partake in a little magic.

If you want something more adrenaline-inducing, check out Six Flags or another amusement park that features huge roller coasters to scare your socks off. If your birthday happens to be in the summertime, try a water park to cool off.

6. Plan a Game Night

Design: TM Stationery

Matching invite: Game Night Invitation

Scoop up all your favorite board games and host a game night filled with laughter. Choose from brain-boosting games like trivia to laugh-out-loud options like Cards Against Humanity. You can even set up some of your favorite video games from Crash Bandicoot to Super Smash Bros. Feel like going out, but still want to play games? Head to an arcade (or better yet, an arcade bar) where you can indulge in classics like pinball or have a lot of fun and get competitive with arcade basketball or team laser tag .

7. Go to the Beach

Sometimes, the best parties are about keeping things simple. Grab your beach bag, skateboard, volleyball, and sunscreen and head down to the boardwalk or your favorite strip of sand. Pack a few beverages and some snacks and lounge in the sunshine with your favorite people. You can make a beach day as active or relaxing as you want. Bring along games, toys, and floaties if you’re feeling energetic or just lounge in a comfortable chair and enjoy a relaxing summer day with your favorite book .

8. Feel Fancy with Wine Tasting

Get dressed to the nines and celebrate your birthday with a day of wine tasting . In Napa Valley, you can hop on a wine train to check out a few different wineries. In other wine-growing regions — including the Finger Lakes region of New York and the Columbia Valley in Washington State — you can ride bikes to different wineries or choose just one and hang out on the patio for an afternoon of sipping bubbly and sweet grapes.

Don’t live near a winery? Buy a few different bottles of wine and host a tasting in your backyard instead. If wine isn’t your thing, do a tasting of tequila, whiskey, or beer.

9. Have a Sleepover

Remember how fun it was when you were a kid and had pajama parties with friends? Grown-up sleepovers are even better. Invite your closest friends over for a night of fun activities like doing makeovers, binge-watching movies, playing poker, and eating birthday cake . Stock up on snacks and drinks and ask your friends for a list of their favorite movies that you can watch into the early morning hours.

10. Dream Big and Go Window Shopping

When you want to go on a shopping spree but don’t really want to spend a ton of money, window shopping is a great way to celebrate your birthday. Head to your favorite shopping street and peruse the storefronts for unique finds. Instead of picking out lots of things, buy yourself one special piece that you absolutely love.

11. Go for a Hike

Venture into the great outdoors with a birthday hike or camping trip. Pack a small slice of cake or a few chocolates in your bag to enjoy at the top as you celebrate your special day . Spending time in nature can be restorative, and you can disconnect from the stress and chaos of the world.

12. Take a Trip

Design: Signature Greenvelope

Get together with your loved ones and take a vacation to an exotic locale or a staycation in a local hot spot. Choose a destination from your bucket list or head to one of your favorite spots for a birthday celebration .

Splurge on a getaway to somewhere far away as a great reward for working hard or reaching a certain age, or plan an amazing road trip across the country. Alternatively, you can book a local wellness retreat or an adventure trip like horseback riding or river rafting . Keep in mind that vacations require a lot of planning, so you may want to work with a travel agent if you’re looking for an adventure without hassle.

13. Host an Ice Cream Social

Brighten up your next birthday with an ice cream social featuring colorful sprinkles, sweet fudge, and all the refreshing ice cream you could want. You can choose your favorite ice cream flavors or make it a birthday theme and serve banana splits or have an ice cream sundae bar. Whatever you choose, an ice cream social is a great way to enjoy the sweeter things in life on your birthday.

14. Feed Your Inner Foodie with a Restaurant Tasting

If food is your thing, plan a birthday outing where you can try food from different restaurants. Plan stops at your favorite restaurants or schedule meals at places you’ve been dying to try. You can make it an all-day event by eating at different spots for breakfast, lunch, and dinner or keep things simple by opting for a long brunch .

15. Do Community Service

Want to skip the usual birthday plans and give back instead? Volunteer at a local charity or participate in a fundraising fun-run instead of hosting a birthday party . You can spend time serving meals at a local soup kitchen, clean up the beaches, or volunteer at a local animal shelter . Either way, you’ll have a happy birthday knowing you made a difference in someone’s life.

16. Visit an Escape Room

Design: Becky Nimoy Stationery

If you love a challenge, a visit to an escape room is a fun way to spend your birthday. Round up some friends or family members and find a themed escape room experience to book, then see if you can beat the clock to escape the room in time.

17. Enjoy a Comedy Show

Looking for a way to laugh about turning another year older? Find out where your best local comedy club is and make a reservation for its next show. Sit back with a glass of your favorite drink and enjoy an evening of comedy and laughs.

18. Take a Class

For a great way to spend your birthday alone or with loved ones , take a class. This could be a fitness class , a cooking class , a craft class, or anything that you’ve always wanted to try out. This birthday activity is not only a fun way to celebrate the day, but you could walk away with some new skills or an exciting new hobby.

19. Have a Dance Party

Design: Owl and Toad

If you love to dance and want to plan a party, a dance or disco party is where it’s at. Invite your loved ones over for an amazing night of music, dancing, and singing. Celebrating solo? Have your own dance party at home and sing and dance along without a care in the world.

20. Visit a Drive-In Movie Theater

There’s something special about a drive-in movie theater experience. If you’re looking for an interesting thing to do on your birthday, this is one of our favorites. Find out when they’re next showing a film you’re excited about, then roll up and enjoy the movie.

21. Visit a Food Truck

Celebrating your big day doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re a foodie, enjoying lunch or dinner from one of the best food trucks in your hometown can be a perfect memory. Dine at one of your favorites, or make plans to head to a nearby city to visit a food truck with rave reviews.

22. Go Glamping

If you’re in need of a birthday idea that feels more luxurious or for a big milestone birthday, go glamping ! Gather some of your favorite people and spend the weekend enjoying nature in more sophisticated surroundings. Pair this with some s’mores over a campfire, a dip in the hot tub, or a scenic hike to create a weekend of relaxation or activity.

23. Play Mini Golf

Design: Jen Montgomery

Matching invite: Preppy Par-tee Invitation

Ever wondered who’s the best in your friend group at mini golf ? Now’s your chance to find out. Book some time at your nearest mini golf course and challenge everyone to get their best scores, or take things casually and celebrate with a drink and dinner afterward.

24. Go Ice Skating

Most of us don’t get to go ice skating nearly enough. If you enjoy being out on the rink , your birthday is a wonderful excuse to skate. Show off your moves to your closest friends , or ask your loved ones to join you for a relaxed skate followed by birthday cake .

25. Go for a Hot Air Balloon Ride

For an extra special birthday treat , take to the skies on a hot air balloon ride. This is a luxury experience that can’t be beat, as you get to experience the scenery from an entirely new view. Add a champagne toast or picnic lunch and you have a lovely way to spend your birthday.

Get the Party Started with Beautiful Invitations

Sending digital invitations saves time and money without sacrificing beauty and style on your birthday. You don’t have to pay for postage or run down to the post office to mail your invites. With just a few clicks, you can send relevant party information without leaving your house.

You can easily track all of the RSVPs and match the invitation to your party theme. Best of all, we have full party suites, so after the fun is done, you can send matching thank you notes for any birthday gifts you receive. Browse our full collection of adult birthday party invitations to find your ideal match.