Party the Night Away: 23 Unique Birthday Ideas for Adults
You’ve had quite a few birthday celebrations over the years, so how do you make the next one stand out? What you need is a unique birthday idea for adults — something different from the usual bar crawl, house party, or dinner party.
If you’re looking for creative ideas, you’re in the right place. Explore some of our most-loved unique birthday party themes for adults, along with some matching invites and party inspiration.
23 Unique Birthday Ideas for Adults
There’s the perfect party theme for any moment, and these unique birthday ideas for adults are some of our favorites. We’ve brought together inspiration for every taste and personality, whether you want a relaxed vibe, an elegant soirée, or a quirky celebration.
For some of these unique birthday ideas for adults, we’ve also included a suggested invitation design. At Greenvelope, we have a huge collection of digital invitations that you can customize, so any template can be turned into a bespoke-feel invitation for your special day.
1. Karaoke Party
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Matching invite: Karaoke Party! Invitation
Round up your close friends and ask them to spend the evening with you singing your hearts out. Create your own karaoke experience at home or head to a bar with a karaoke night.
2. Board Game Night
For a low-key get-together, invite everyone over for a board game night. Pick up some classics, or try out a recent board game release instead. For a livelier event, add in some party games, like charades, Pictionary, or Name That Tune.
3. Ice Cream Social
An ice cream event is a unique birthday idea for adults and kids alike. It’s one of the best birthday ideas for someone that loves ice cream or desserts. Go to your favorite ice cream parlour, or create your own DIY ice cream bar at home with different flavors, toppings, sauces, and sprinkles.
4. Escape Room
Design: Becky Nimoy Stationery
Matching invite: Mystery Escape Room Invitation
An escape room experience is a great way to celebrate a birthday with friends. Whether you go for a horror-themed room, something historical, or a futuristic experience, it’s a fun test of your problem-solving skills.
5. Birthday Brunch
You don’t have to go with an evening event for your birthday celebration. Brunch is a perfect time of day to gather loved ones for a light breakfast or lunch, and you can then follow your meal with an afternoon activity if you want to.
6. Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts aren’t just for kids! Create your own hunt around your home or the event venue, and ask guests to scout out specific objects or clues, then return back to a designated point to collect a prize.
7. Spa Day Experience
Design: Jen Montgomery
Matching invite: Manis & Mimosas Invitation
Recreate the spa atmosphere at home for a luxurious way to celebrate turning another year older. Invite a professional along to provide facials, manicures, pedicures, and massages, or just chill with your friends and a face mask for a relaxed birthday activity.
8. Cooking Class
If you love to cook, then a professional cooking class is a wonderful way to celebrate. This unique birthday idea for adults allows you to learn a new dish, experiment with a new cuisine, or perfect your cooking skills.
9. Horror Movie Night
For a scary adult party theme, host a horror movie night. Queue up one or more of your go-to horror flicks, and continue the theme with a horror trivia quiz, themed party food, and matching party favors.
10. Wine Tasting Experience
Maybe cooking isn’t your thing, but wine is — in that case, enjoy a wine tasting experience. Book spaces at a local event, or bring the wine expert to you for a tasting party hosted in the comfy surroundings of your home.
11. Pastel Pool Party
Design: Ana Sharpe Design
Matching invite: Fun Pool Floats Invitation
Turn a regular pool party into a more special day with a cute pastel theme. This adult birthday party idea is ideal if you have a pool (or know someone that does) and want an aesthetic way to spend the day with loved ones.
12. Backyard Camping
Turn your backyard into a campsite, or take a few tents out to a scenic spot for a night or two. Light a bonfire, make s’mores, have a BBQ, and spend time outdoors to create lasting memories for your next birthday.
13. Brewery Tour
Invite your friends to join you for a brewery tour to find out where your favorite drinks come from. After the tour, sample some of the brewery’s creations, and follow it up with delicious appetizers or a full meal.
14. Costume Party
For a really fun vibe, host a costume party! Keep the theme open, or go with something more specific — like superheroes, movie-inspired, historical figures, or horror. You could even host a friendly competition to see who can come up with the best costume idea.
15. Video Game Night
Design: Tennie & Co
Matching invite: Game On Neon Invitation
This is an ideal casual birthday celebration idea. Invite your favorite people over for a night of video games. Ask everyone to bring a console with them and play some team games, or enjoy a few couch co-op games instead. Add in plenty of snacks and themed party favors for your guests to take home.
16. Kayaking
If the birthday person of honor loves outdoor sports, plan a kayaking experience for a small group of close friends. Being out on the river is always a good time, and it’s even better when it’s in celebration of a special moment.
17. Music Festival
Can’t make it to a festival this year? Stage your own at home! We love this unique birthday idea for adults for a milestone celebration — like a 30th birthday or 40th birthday. Create a stage, queue up the live music performances, lay out plenty of drinks and snacks, and enjoy a memorable birthday with your loved ones.
18. Retro Disco Party
Ask your favorite people to join you out on the dance floor and get your groove on to some disco beats. Put together the perfect playlist for a retro ambiance or hire an amazing DJ, and ask people to come along dressed in fun themed outfits.
19. Sleepover Party
Design: Holly Whitcomb
Matching invite: Slumber Squad Invitation
Who says you can’t have a sleepover as a grown up? Invite a handful of your closest friends over for a night of movies, pampering, party games, and pizza. This is a fun way to reconnect with friends and truly relax.
20. 1920s-Themed Soirée
This unique birthday idea for adults is ideal if you’re a big Great Gatsby fan. Take it back to the 1920s with art deco styling, party invitations, and appetizers. Encourage your guests to dress up for the event in their glitziest attire for an elegant evening of celebration.
21. Axe Throwing
Looking for something more active? Book an axe throwing experience. Afterward, you can head to the bar for a few drinks, or go back to your house for takeout and a game night.
22. Murder Mystery Party
Design: Jen Montgomery
Matching invite: Murder Mystery Invitation
A murder mystery party is a fun way to immerse yourself in imagination for a few hours. There are so many themes to choose from, so you can place yourselves in a specific decade, in the future, or even in another world entirely.
23. Alice in Wonderland Tea Party
Take your tea party to the next level by adding an Alice in Wonderland theme. This is perfect if you want a theme that will let you get really creative with your party decor, menu, and birthday cake.
Find Your Perfect Unique Birthday Party Idea
The perfect birthday party is filled with friends, laughter, and memorable moments. Create the ideal atmosphere for all those things with one of the above unique birthday ideas for adults.
Start the party off early with adult birthday invitations from Greenvelope. With so many designs to choose from and plenty of customization options, you can create invites that are a dream match for your celebration.
