Save For Later!

You can easily throw a super fun adult birthday party when you use one of these unique ideas, themes, tips, and games. With these fun birthday ideas for adults, you and your friends will have a blast while making the birthday person feel truly special and loved.

birthday parties with adults

Do you have a friend’s milestone birthday that you want to make special? Here are some unique ways to celebrate your friend’s birthday, including creative party themes, outdoor party ideas, fun games, dinner party ideas, and, of course, surprise party ideas.

Fun Birthday Activities For Adults

Games aren’t just for kids—adults can have fun playing games at their birthday party too.

people playing games
  • Trivia Night: Create trivia questions tailored to the birthday person’s interests or general knowledge. Form teams and see who can answer the most questions correctly.
  • Charades with a Twist: Classic charades but with a twist—use themed prompts related to the birthday person or a specific theme, making it more personalized and fun.
  • Cards Against Humanity: This popular card game is known for its humor and can be a great way to get everyone laughing and interacting.
  • Pictionary: Divide guests into teams and have them draw clues for their teammates to guess. It’s a simple yet engaging game that works well in groups.
  • Drinking Games (Beer Pong/Flip Cup): Add a competitive edge to your party with classic drinking games like Beer Pong or Flip Cup. These games are great for breaking the ice and getting the party started.
  • Would You Rather?: A fun and often hilarious game where guests choose between two scenarios. Depending on the questions, it can be light-hearted or lead to deep conversations.
  • Two Truths and a Lie: Each guest shares three statements about themselves—two true and one false. The others must guess which statement is the lie. It’s a great way to learn more about each other.
  • Minute to Win It: Set up a series of quick, competitive challenges that guests must complete within a minute. These can include tasks like stacking cups, balancing objects, or moving items with chopsticks.
  • Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items or challenges for guests to find or complete around the party area. This game can be tailored to fit the party theme and can be played individually or in teams.
  • Poker Night: Set up a poker table and have a tournament. It’s a classic game that can last the entire night, with the winner taking home a prize.
  • Truth or Dare: A classic game with an adult twist. Keep it light and fun, or go for more daring challenges depending on the group’s comfort level.
  • Heads Up!: This mobile game involves one person holding a phone on their forehead displaying a word, while others give clues to help them guess it. It’s fast-paced and perfect for group fun.
  • Name That Tune: Play short clips of songs and have guests guess the title and artist. You can theme it around a specific decade or genre, depending on the crowd.

Places To Host A Suprise Adult Birthday Party

Ok, let’s start brainstorming. Here are a few places that would be fun for everyone to meet for a birthday party. The tricky part is getting the birthday person there without them being suspicious.

  • Luxury Hotel Suite: Rent a spacious hotel suite or penthouse where guests can gather in style, complete with catering and decorations.
  • Beach or Lakeside: A beach or lakeside setting offers a relaxed, scenic backdrop for a surprise party, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.
  • Golf Club: Host the party at a golf club, where guests can enjoy a round of golf followed by drinks and dinner in a sophisticated setting.
  • Roller Skating Rink: Bring out the retro vibes by hosting a fun and nostalgic surprise party at a roller skating rink.
  • Arcade: Plan a lively and interactive party at an arcade, where guests can enjoy classic games and friendly competition.
  • Private Yacht or Boat: Surprise the guest of honor with a party on the water, offering an exclusive and unforgettable experience.
  • Art Gallery or Museum: For a cultured twist, rent out a gallery or museum space for a night surrounded by art and history.
  • Ball Game: Surprise the sports fan with a party at a live ball game, where everyone can cheer on their favorite team while celebrating.
  • Upscale Bowling Alley: Combine fun and nostalgia by hosting the party at a modern bowling alley with a lounge area, food, and drinks.
  • Private Yacht or Boat: Surprise the guest of honor with a party on the water, offering an exclusive and unforgettable experience.
  • Wine Tasting Room: A wine tasting room provides a sophisticated and enjoyable environment, especially for wine lovers.

Fun Adult Birthday Party Themes and Ideas

A fun way to say happy birthday to someone you care about is to throw them a special birthday party. Browse through these unique and fun birthday party ideas for adults to find just the right theme for your friends or loved ones.

Don’t forget to Pin📌 the party for later.

Rent an Airbnb Birthday Party

two people sitting by a pool

How about heading out of town for a surprise birthday weekend? Maybe the mountains or the ocean? Rent an Airbnb large enough for guests to spend the night. Take in the sites of the local area and enjoy exploring new restaurants.

Birthday Dinner At A Restaurant Party

birthday at a restaurant with people celabratingp

Can’t find a party venue in your area? One of the easiest ways to host a surprise birthday party is to reserve a large room at the birthday person’s favorite restaurant. Ask if you can come in before the party starts and decorate. Hang a big banner, tie some helium-filled balloons around and create some fun centerpieces for the tables. Most restaurants don’t mind if you bring in the birthday person’s favorite cake or cupcakes to share with everyone.

Happy Hour Birthday Party

cocktails with grapefruit

A great adult party theme is to throw a birthday happy hour. A friend could be in charge of making the drinks or hire a bartender for the evening. It would also be a lot of fun to hire someone to give a mixology workshop during the party. Find out what the birthday person’s favorite cocktails are, then add some good food, good friends, and you will have everything you need to make an easy-to-do, memorable birthday party.

Cocktail Ideas

Karaoke Birthday Party

lady signing karaoke

Grab the karaoke machine and get the party started! What a fun way to spend an evening with friends celebrating a special friend’s birthday. Grab your favorite Karaoke machine and get your playlist ready. You could make a contest that the birthday person could judge. Award fun prizes like funniest, best, most out of tune, most creative performance, and so on.

For decorations use black and white table decor with accents of piano keys and notes for decorations.

Dress Up Adult Birthday Party

Best Dress Up Party Themes For Adults

Create a birthday party your friends will be talking about for weeks! Choose a fun theme for an adult dress-up party. Check out all these great ideas for dress-up party themes for adults. Throwing an adult dress-up party is a great way to be sure your party is a hit and your friends all have a good time.

1960’s Birthday Party

7 Groovy 60s Party Themes with pictures of hippies

A fun theme for a birthday party is a throwback party centered around the birthday person’s childhood decade. Let them be a kid again. For example, check out these 7 Groovy 60s party themes. This fun 60s party post has everything you need, from decor, music, costumes, and recipes, so you can throw a memorable 1960s party!

Wine and Cheese Birthday Party

wine and cheese

A fun idea would be a cheese and wine tasting party. Wine and cheese are a classic combination, and a casual wine and cheese party is a perfect relaxed birthday party theme. If you’re wondering how to host a wine and cheese party and feeling intimidated by it, don’t worry. While these classic ingredients have long been associated with upscale Total Wine helps make it easy to host a more casual home tasting.

Book Theme Costume Party

alice in wonderland with tea

Pick one of the birthday person’s favorite books and create a party around that.

  • When you send out your invites, ask your guests to dress up as a character from the book.
  • For decorations, print out and blow up covers or pages from the book to use for wall décor, placemats and table decorations.
  • Make food inspired by the book or time period from the book.
  • For activities, play charades or a trivia game about the book.

Luau Birthday Party For Adults

punch table with aloha over it

Grab your pineapples and get your tiki bar ready for a birthday luau party. Think Hawaiian decorations and food and drinks to set the stage for a great party. If you need a detailed how-to, then check out Thrifty Little Mom post How To Host A Luau.

Disco Birthday Dance Party

gold suit guy holding disco ball

Get your groove thing going and set up a disco dance for a birthday party. Everyone will enjoy spinning tunes on a Spotify playlist while dancing the night away. Decorate with glitzy fabrics, and don’t forget the disco ball! Be sure to make your birthday person the disco king or queen. For more decorating and food ideas, visit Planning a 70’s Disco Party.

Outdoor Adult Birthday Party Ideas

A casual adult birthday party idea is to host an outdoor party. It is the perfect way to relax and enjoy a party for that special someone. The dress code is casual. It’s the perfect atmosphere for a friend that does not want to make a big fuss about a 30th birthday or another big number.

Make-ahead birthday BBQ

People outside at dinner table talking

A BBQ is the perfect casual birthday party get-together. Decorate in red and white checkered tablecloths, napkins, and plates, then tie up some red and white helium balloons as accents.

I even have a make-ahead BBQ menu that will make the party super easy on you!

Make Ahead BBQ Menu

Outdoor Movie Night Birthday

movie screen and pillows for adult birthday movie party in the yard

The yard is a great place to host a fun birthday movie night. Find out one of the birthday person’s favorite movies and create a beautiful backyard theater with comfy lounge chairs, big blankets, pillows and plenty of snacks, drinks, and of curse a big birthday cake. For inspiration, check out this Movie In The Back Yard.

Adult Birthday Party In The Park

people at a birthday party picnic

Book a pavilion at a favorite local park. Pack up a large picnic basket with everything you will need for a charcuterie board.

Hot Pepper Birthday Party!

people working in kitchen, jalapeno peppers in jar and canner

Are you looking for a fun DIY activity to do at your friend’s birthday party? Creating fun birthday activities for adults can be challenging. Here is an idea: How about canning some sweet and spicy cowboy candy? Everyone will enjoy taking a jar or two home.

Canned Cowboy Candy is the perfect way to preserve a bunch of jalapenos in an addictive sweet and spicy sauce. Perfect on burgers, Mexican foods, in dips, and pimento cheese spread. Get your friends together, hand out the rubber gloves, and get chopping. For complete instructions, see my post on how to can Cowboy Candy.

Ethnic Birthday Dinner Party Themes

How about hosting a birthday celebration dinner party themed on your friend’s favorite food? Here are some great how-to dinner party ideas.

Greek Birthday Dinner Party

greek dinner dishes and party decor

Hosting a fabulous Greek dinner party will be easy; using these inspirational menu ideas, easy printable decorations, and even a printable fun Greek game, your guest will have a blast playing.

Italian Dinner Birthday Party

Italian Dinner Party

An Italian Dinner Party theme will create a festive memorable dinner party. Learn how to throw an easy dinner party using traditional Italian decor and authentic Italian recipes.

Mexican Birthday Fiesta

mexican dinner party food ideas and dexoarations

How about a taco bar birthday party? Everyone loves Mexican! To help cut the cost, ask your family members or closest friends to bring an item for the Mexican bar. You will provide the meat and drinks.

Inexpensive Party Ideas for Adults

Birthday Color-Themed Party

red ballon, package and cupcake for party

Choose the birthday person’s favorite color and create a theme around it. Party supplies can be simple colored disposable paper products or plain colored dishes. Use a colored tablecloth or a plastic tablecloth from the local dollar store. Use fresh flowers from your yard to match or pick up some inexpensive ones at your local grocery store to decorate the center of your table.

I like to remove the dust jackets from books and use the plain-colored ones as centerpieces with the flowers staggered throughout. Look around your house for any decor that is the color you are using, pull it out, and set up a buffet using these pieces between your serving dishes.


Here is another great tip: pick up some decorations at the dollar store or your local thrift store. Buy a few cans of spray paint and turn everything you bought into your color theme. Do not use spray paint on items with food on them.


Have guests dress up in the color theme for the birthday person’s special day. For the menu, serve items that are your themed color.

Stay-At-Home Birthday Party Ideas

If throwing a party at home is your style, check out these stay-at-home birthday party ideas. They are simple to execute and fun for the birthday person and guests.

Favorites Birthday Party

people at a birthday party having fun

A favorites party is all about the birthday person choosing all their favorite things. Have them choose a menu of all their favorite foods. Keep in mind that it might not make a complete meal, but it’s the focus on their favorites. Have them choose their favorite movie, pop some maple popcorn, and have them sit in their favorite chair. Be sure to decorate their chair in its birthday finest. Let them pick their favorite card game, board game, or video game to play. Oh, and don’t forget to invite all their favorite people.

Backyard Glamping Birthday Party

glamping tent with table for food

Want to get away without leaving home? How about a backyard glamping party. Enjoy an evening under the stars, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows around the fire. String lights, pull out some comfy chairs and set out some small tables. Check out HGTV’s glamping party for more ideas. (photo)

Girls Night Birthday Spa Party

two women with face masks on in robes

A birthday is a great excuse to pamper someone, and the guest will also get to join in. Many local hair or nail salons have employees who will come to your home for a private party. Plan on activities like mud facials, manicures, pedicures, and deep hair conditioning treatments. You could also hire a massage therapist to do simple foot and hand massages for everyone.

Take-Out Birthday Party

take out food for a party

Here is a really easy idea. Have everyone bring their favorite takeout food. Set them all out and let everyone have a sample from each dish brought. It will be fun to try new things and maybe find some new favorites. Just be sure someone picks up the birthday person’s favorite takeout too! (photo)

Poker Night Birthday Party

man playing poker with cards and chips

Suppose you have a friend with a birthday that loves to play poker, then how about a poker birthday party. Get some special craft beer, chips & dip, pretzels, and nuts. Set up your table with snacks nearby and let the chips fall how they may. You could play with real money for the stakes. Just be sure the winners give a portion to the birthday person as a present.

Virtual Birthday Party

lady on zoom call

If you want to have a lot of guests at a birthday party but it’s challenging to get together, how about hosting a virtual party? It’s an excellent way for the birthday person to spend time with friends far and near all at once. Learn how to host a virtual birthday party, including everything from invitations to party games!

More Fun Party Ideas

Save For Later!