You can easily throw a super fun adult birthday party using these best adult birthday party ideas, themes, tips, and games. With these fun birthday ideas for adults, you and your friends will have a blast and make the birthday person feel special and loved.
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Do you have a friend with a milestone birthday that you want to make special? Here you will find some unique ways to celebrate your friend's birthday, everything from creative party themes, outdoor party ideas, fun games, dinner party ideas, and of course, surprise party ideas.
❓FAQ
A grown-up birthday party is all about hanging out with adult friends and celebrating someone special. It's time everyone can relax, enjoy some drinks, fun games, and great conversation. Oh, and don't forget the cake!
Having fun at an adult birthday party takes a bit of preplanning, and thinking through what the guest as a whole would enjoy. Maybe just a night of drinks and conversation is all you need. Or why not throw some competitive games in the mix? Everyone will have fun and enjoy spending time together. Of course, one of the best ways to enjoy a party is to center it around a great themed meal.
A unique way to celebrate an adult birthday is to create a party around a fun theme for the decorations, food, and activities. This also makes it easier to prepare for the party and more memorable for your guests.
📖 Free party planner
If you want to make it easy on yourself to host birthday parties then download my free printable party planner. All the pages will help you easily get organized so you can throw a great party. There is even a free printable banner you can use for your birthday party. Here are all the great pages you will get.
- Brainstorming and party details sheet
- Guestlist
- Menu
- Decorations
- Entertainment
- Day of the party schedule
- Count down to-do checklist
- Party space grid planner sheet
- Free printable banner with letters
Surprise birthday party ideas
A fun way to say happy birthday to someone you care about is to throw them a surprise party. Pulling it off as a surprise to the birthday celebrant can be kind of tricky, but it's tons of fun, and everyone will talk about it until next year's party.
Rent an Airbnb
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.
Restaurant party
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.
Places to host a surprise party
Here are a few more places that would be a fun place for everyone to meet for a surprise birthday party. The tricky part is, getting the birthday person there without them being suspicious.
- Bowling alley
- Escape room
- Ball game
- Bar
- Golf club
- Roller skating rink
- Arcade bar
Creative party themes for adults
Happy hour party
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 party
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 birthday party
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
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. They have everything you need from decor, music, and costumes to recipes so you can throw a memorable 1960s party!
Wine and cheese party
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 costume party
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 party
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
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 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
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
Healthy backyard birthday party ideas for adults
Create a fun and easy outdoor brunch party with these healthy backyard dinner party ideas. Eating plant-based has never tasted so good! All recipes are vegan, low in sugar, and high in flavor.
String up some lights, have some citronella candles burning and be sure to have some music playing to set the birthday party mood. You could play bocce ball, croquet, or cornhole.
Outdoor movie night
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.
Party in the park
Book a pavilion at a favorite local park. Pack up a large picnic basket with everything you will need for a charcuterie board. Use one of these healthy charcuterie board ideas, tips, shopping lists, and styling guides to help you make a beautiful board serve at your picnic. Don't forget the wine.
Hot Pepper Party!
Are you looking for a fun DIY activity to do at your friend's birthday party? Creating fun irthday activities for adults can be challenging. Here is an idea, how about canning some sweet & 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
How about hosting a birthday celebration dinner party with the theme of your friend's favorite type of food? Here are some great how-to dinner parties.
Greek birthday dinner
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
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
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.
- Appetizer: Best Mexican Appetizers For A Party
- Desserts: Favorite Mexican Desserts
- Tips: How Much Taco Meat For a Party
- Party Ideas: 50 Mexican Party Ideas and Recipes
Inexpensive party ideas for adults
Birthday color themed 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 take the dust jacket off books and use the plain colored ones as a centerpiece with the flowers staggered throughout. Look around your house for any decore that is the color you are using. , pull it out, and set up a buffet using these pieces between your serving dish.
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. Just do not use spray paint on items that will have 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 more your style, then check out these stay-at-home birthday party ideas. They are simple to execute and fun for the birthday person and guests.
Birthday favorites party
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 and decorate their chair in its birthday finest. If they prefer, let them pick their favorite card game, board games, or video games to play. Oh, and don't forget to invite all their favorite people.
Glamping party
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)
Spa party
A birthday is a great excuse to pamper someone, and the guest will get to join in as well. 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.
Birthday take out 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 party
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. (photo)
Virtual birthday party
If you want to have many 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 one time. Learn how to host a virtual birthday party, everything from invitations to party games!
Party games for adults
Are you looking for the best adult party board games for your next game night? You and your friends are going to have a fantastic time playing one of these top-rated 2021 best adult party board games.
Keep in mind you don't need a lot of items to play fun adult birthday party games. Check out these Hilarious Adult Party Games for ideas and inspiration to get the party started.
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