While turning another year older can sometimes feel daunting, these fun birthday bucket list ideas can keep you having fun and enjoying your day. Getting older simply means we are getting wiser.
With every year lived, we experience and do more things than ever before. So put on your party hat and ring in your birthday in style.
Here are 35+ ideas that you add to your birthday bucket list!
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Birthday Bucket List: Celebrating Another Year Around the Sun
1. Buy a special birthday outfit
It is YOUR birthday after all! You should look however you want to look. Feeling fancy? Splurge! Feeling silly? Grab all the colors and patterns and rock them.
2. Take a trip somewhere new
You do not have to go to Bali or halfway around the world to go somewhere new. Maybe you can check off an item on your USA bucket list? Take a road trip or a quick getaway? Or if you are feeling the adventure, go anywhere in the world. Just have fun.
3. Let your friends throw you a birthday party
If someone asks, say YES! Get used to saying “yes” to life and enjoy it. There will only be so many birthdays that our friends are willing to go all out for us. Having someone throw you a birthday party should be a top birthday bucket list item.
4. Get a fun photoshoot done
Nothing commemorates a birthday quite like a photoshoot to remember. You can get dressed up and doing something flirty and sexy. Or, if you are feeling a more humorous approach, do an epic cake smash session.
5. Brunch and day drink with friends
No one will judge you for day drinking during brunch and especially not on your day. So get the crew together and enjoy it.
6. Eat at a restaurant you have had your eye on
You know that Michelin star restaurant in town you have been saving for a special occasion? THIS IS IT! This is your occasion.
7. Have an adult sleepover
This is how you complete items on your best friend bucket list and birthday bucket list at the same time. Invite your friends, having a movie night, fun jammies, get out all the snacks and games, and don’t forget the booze!
8. Pull out the board games
You are never too old for board games. Just make sure to clear the rules with friends because no one likes to sidelined in an extreme game of Monopoly with crazy house rules only your family follows.
9. Dance all night at the club
Heels or not, hit the club and dance the night away. Sometimes all you need is a drink or two and some good music. Bonus: dancing is a great way to spend time with friends and get a workout in. So you can skip the morning workout and spend your time doing something else.
10. Hit the casino
Your birthday is a great day to try your hand at casino luck. Go play $20 on black at the roulette table and see if you can double your money. Just know when to walk away.
11. Spend your day with your special someone
In a relationship? Have a crush? Or just love your friends and family? Make sure to spend your birthday with someone in your life that is special to you. It does not have to be the entire day, but enough to enjoy time together.
12. Breakfast in bed
Whether you have someone to bring it to you and surprise you or not, you deserve breakfast in bed. If you are single and live alone, treat yourself OR you could stay in a hotel and get room service. If you have a significant other, drop hints. Start talking about it about a week in advance, but don’t be suspicious.
13. Spend the day at the spa
You DESERVE to be pampered. You work so hard and have earned a day where someone makes you feel relaxed. Get a full body massage, wrap, scrub, head massage and deep conditioning, nails, anything – just do it for you. Let this be your birthday bucket list treat.
14. Rent a limo or sports car
Looking to ride in style on your birthday? Rent a limo or s sports car to ride around in. Make sure to get a photoshoot too so you can remember all the fun you had.
15. Adopt a pet
One of the best ways to celebrate another year of life is to give. There are so many animals looking for their own forever home. Consider giving back and growing your family by one.
**Please note – do not adopt a pet just to check off a bucket list item. Only take on an animal if you have the time and resources. It is damaging for a dog to get returned and keep starting over.
16. Spend the day at the beach
Salt, sand and sunshine. No better way to enjoy the day than catching a tan and going for a dip.
17. See a concert
Live shows will never lose their luster. Put on a tiara, dress up or down, have some drinks, and jam out. Make this a birthday to remember.
18. Host a themed dinner
Even though it is your birthday, you can still play host and be in full control of the evening. Have you always wanted to throw a murder mystery dinner or Great Gatsby themed evening? This is your time to shine!
19. Get matching onesies with your BFF and wear them everywhere
No matter how old you are, you will never be too old to get a matching onesie with your best friend and spend the day together. And who knows whose day you will brighten with your shenanigans!
20. Do something seasonal
Do you happen to have a fall or winter birthday? Maybe you can find things on your fall bucket list or winter bucket list to check off as well.
21. Spend the day at vineyards
If you live local to vineyards, this will be so easy but if you have to travel, plan in advance. Two great places that have a lot of vineyards are California and Virginia. Make your day extra special and everyone pitch in and get a car service or limo so no one has to be the designated driver and everyone can enjoy the day.
22. Shop till you drop
Can’t think of a better day to put some miles on your bank account than your birthday. Treat yourself! You know as well as we do that you spend your time taking care of others. Well today is your day – make it about you.
23. Binge watch a show you have been wanting to see
You know that show you keep scrolling past on one of those streaming networks you pay monthly for? Today is that day to watch it. Grab all the snacks and drinks and get cozy.
24. Pay off a credit card or bill
This does not sound as exciting as day drinking or spending the day on vacation, but the reward of financial freedom is greater than anything else. Treat yourself to being or becoming debt free.
25. Ditch work for the day
If your birthday bucket list doesn’t include ditching work for the day, you did it wrong. You have to take the day off and spend it doing whatever you want. It is just ONE day – don’t let it slip away by sitting at a desk or whatever for eight or more hours.
26. Treat yourself to a new car
This is a big splurge and one that will take some planning. Highly don’t suggest randomly purchasing a new car on a whim unless you are loaded and have cash to burn. You want to make sure you get what you want AND that you can afford it.
Just buy whatever you have researched and can afford ON your birthday. That makes it more fun.
27. Eat all the cake and sweets
Cake for breakfast? Absolutely. Your birthday shouldn’t be confined to a dinner or a night at a club. Celebrate all day and eat all the sweets!
28. Listen to your favorite artist all day
You know that Cd you own that you have listened to a billion times? Break it out for another spin for the day.
29. Spend the day at an amusement park
One way to revive your youth is riding rides all day at a theme park. You could spend your day at Disney and get dressed up or just hit a smaller park close to home. Either way, it is going to be fun!
30. Go buy alcohol and see if you still get carded
Unless you are turning 21, the fun of being carded now a burden to dig through your wallet and actually find your ID. At least until you are twice the age of legal drinking, then it becomes flattery. See if you can still get carded but don’t be mad if you aren’t – it is still your birthday. Drink that drink and party.
31. Stay overnight in a fancy hotel close to home
What better way to complete a birthday bucket list than treating yourself to an overnight in a fancy local hotel? Often we get carried away with having to be 5,000 miles from home to treat ourselves, but rest assured, a local stay will be just as marvelous. Make sure to let the hotel know it is your birthday – they just may surprise you with something to make it special.
Don’t forget to treat yourself to room service breakfast in bed and get the champagne.
32. Karaoke!
You can go all out and rent a room at a karaoke place for you and your friends or take over a bar. Feeling like you want to stay in? Grab a machine online and do it in the comfort of your home. It will be just as fun.
33. Spend the day with your best friend
No one knows you better than your best friend. Spend that day doing everything or nothing at all together. You could be in Paris eating pastries under the Eiffel Tower, checking off Oahu bucket list items and eating Dole Whip or sitting at home binge watching TV.
Whatever you decide, you will be with your person and it will be amazing.
34. Let your family surprise you with a party
We know you hate surprise parties, but the family won’t be able to throw one often, if ever again. So if you get wind that one is happening, get excited. It means people love you and really want to do something for you. Even if you hate these types of parties, the surprise only lasts for a minute anyway.
35. Go on a bar crawl
Ready to explore old or new to you bars in your area? Have everyone get t-shirts made and everyone select a shelf and bottle number and write it on the t-shirt. Then when you arrive at each bar, order a drink with whatever liquor matches up with your pre-selected number.
36. Take a cooking class
Cooking classes are great even if you are already a culinary genius. You might not be learning something new but you can enjoy the food you cook and recipes that were selected. Grab the friends and/or family and takeover the entire class.
37. Treat yourself!
Just remember to treat yourself! Your birthday bucket list should be all about you in whatever you do. Buy yourself a gift (it doesn’t have to be expensive), take a self care day, eat everything, just treat yourself.
38. Rent a photo booth
Get photos with yourself and everyone you love! Rent a photo booth for a couple hours and get out all the fun accessories. You will never forget how fun this was.
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