11 Thrilling 30th Birthday Party Ideas (2024)

Anytime you celebrate ushering in a new decade, you’ll likely want to plan something more special than the other years. Birthdays are the perfect excuse to gather the people you care about most and cheers to another trip around the sun, especially milestones like the Dirty Thirty. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best 30th birthday party ideas to help you brainstorm what you want to do for your next shindig. This list covers all kinds of personalities and interests, from classy tea parties to glamping trips in a National Park. Start planning your fun event today.

Exciting and Fun 30th Birthday Party Ideas

Here are eleven ideas to help get your creative juices flowing about the 30th birthday party you’re planning. Whether you’re celebrating your own birthday or planning for a friend, this list covers a range of budgets and complexity. Not everyone likes to go big for birthdays, but everyone deserves a celebration.

1. Book a Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunt

If you are celebrating a milestone birthday, there’s nothing more fun than getting your loved ones out to explore together. Book a scavenger hunt adventure with Let’s Roam, where you can try a competitive hunt throughout your city. It’s all app-based, so you don’t need supplies other than your phone. You’ll have great memories and maybe a few new favorite spots you didn’t know about before.

2. Throw a themed party.

Do you want to throw a fun birthday bash? Consider incorporating a 30th birthday party theme. Themes can be done as a DIY project, or you can outsource planning and decorations depending on how much you want to spend and how involved you want to be. Here are a few fun theme ideas to get your brainstorming started.

Have a 13 going on 30 flirty, thirty and thriving event.

You’re missing out if you haven’t seen the adorable Jennifer Garner movie 13 Going On 30. It’s like the classic Tom Hanks movie Big, where a young teenager wishes to be an adult, and then magic happens. The main characters wake up as adults and have to navigate the world. It is a little relatable sometimes. Use this as your inspiration. Bring in birthday balloons and fun party games that would have been fun for teenagers, and enjoy the nostalgia.

Usher out the 20s with a Great Gatsby soiree.

Turning 30 is the perfect opportunity to utilize a Great Gatsby theme. You’re celebrating the end of the roaring 20s of your life when you turn 30, so why not throw a party with this favorite theme? Set up a martini bar and play some jazzy tunes in the background. Ask guests to come dressed in flapper dresses and dapper suits that would fit in the 1920s. Don’t forget to serve some snacks introduced in the 20s, like Oreos and Jello.

Have a pajama party.

Adults don’t often get invited to a slumber party. Tell your friends to bring their pajamas and favorite pillow and join you for an old-fashioned slumber party. Pick out a few nostalgic movies, whether you love romcoms or horror movies. Stock up on snacks and get cozy. Play fun games, like Truth-or-Dare, and stay up way too late. Just remember to stock up on morning essentials, like coffee and pastries, like a responsible adult.

Go retro with a decades party.

Invite people to dress up for a throwback thirtieth birthday party. You can choose the decade in which you were born or pick one you love the vibes of. The 1980s are popular thanks to the neon colors and crazy hairstyles. Decide which music and games you want to play from that same decade and stay on theme.

Incorporate favorite TV shows or movies in your shindig.

When parents plan birthday parties for their children, they often use a favorite movie or TV show to plan the party. Why not borrow that same idea for 30-year-olds? Whether it’s Top Gun or Pretty in Pink, you can get creative with DIY party decor and fun, themed games that guests will love. Other popular choices for 30-year-olds are Friends, Seinfeld, Sex and the City, Yellowstone, The West Wing, and anything similar to those.

3. Play some board games.

Looking for a low-key birthday party? Consider hosting a game night for your friends. Board games are always a classic activity for a party. Choose quiet, strategy, or loud party games depending on your desired atmosphere and energy. Pick teams and play fun, yell-out-loud games like Catch Phrase, Charades, or Monikers.

Video games can be another fun group activity if you pick a game that can handle the number of guests you have. MarioKart or other racing games are short enough that you can trade off controllers and keep everyone in the mix. Murder Mystery games are available to play at home now, and you can set it all up ahead of time and give everyone a character. Games come in every variety, so pick a few options that the birthday boy or girl will love the most and get competitive.

4. Sing your heart out at karaoke.

Want to plan an event where everyone will laugh and have a great time? Karaoke is the ultimate party activity. Gather your close friends and find a spot in town that offers karaoke. Some venues rent out private rooms so you can keep your talents hidden from the general public. Other bars and taverns might host weekly karaoke nights where you’ll have to gather the courage to sing in front of a group. It’s easier when your friends are there to cheer you on. If the honored birthday guest loves music, this is the perfect way to usher in a new year and conquer something a little uncomfortable for some but fun at the same time.

5. Volunteer with your loved ones.

Do you want to do something different for a birthday celebration this year? Consider telling your friends to skip the birthday gifts and come and volunteer with you instead. Pick a local charity that has volunteer options for groups. You can pack lunches, serve meals, clean up parks, or even sort donations. It’s a great way to gather your favorite people in one place and do something good together. Plan a lunch or happy hour afterward to celebrate the good work you’ve all done.

6. Bake your own birthday cake for a tea party.

Tea parties might seem like child’s play, but having afternoon tea is a very sophisticated activity. Gather your friends for champagne and tea. You can set out all the ingredients to make a cake or decorate cupcakes. Serve these desserts alongside little sandwiches and finger foods for the perfect tea setup. Decorate your table with flowers, tea-light candles, and small bits of confetti. It’s a fun way to pay homage to the tea parties we had as kids but to make it a grown-up and fun event.

7. Host a birthday brunch.

Late nights and midnight pizzas give way to coffee and brunch dates as you age. Celebrate the beginnings of a new decade with a brunch birthday celebration. Most restaurants that offer brunch will allow you to make a reservation for a larger group. Plan a weekend get-together to enjoy mimosas, bloody marys, and a menu of breakfast and lunch foods. By having it at a restaurant, you won’t have a big clean up to do afterward with dishes and things, and you can carry on the celebration into the afternoon with the group.

8. See if you can solve an escape room.

Do you love a puzzle? Escape rooms are giant puzzles you interact with to figure out how to solve them. Bring your friends along and see if you can figure out how to escape within your allotted time. If you have a large group, you can split up and compete against each other. Many escape rooms are set up with fun themes, so you can try more than one and not have the same experience.

If you have friends spread out across a large geography, virtual escape room options allow you to solve puzzles online as a group no matter where you’re joining for. The virtual tool lets you video chat while working together to play the game. It’s an incredible way to bring friends together.

9. Organize a fun grown-up dinner party.

Sharing a table with close friends and family is a wonderful experience for anyone. Organize a dinner party to celebrate a 30th birthday. Take time planning and putting together a menu. Send out fun and fancy invitations where you can lay out a dress code. Pick a color scheme and coordinate your napkins, placemats, and centerpieces.

When it comes to the day of the party, prep the food so you can just do the final bits close to dinner time. Put a nice playlist together to play in the background. Have some co*cktails and mocktails ready when guests arrive. You can even set up a fun photo booth with an Instax so people can bring home some memories. Enjoy some good food with good friends with this classic birthday party idea.

10. Book a tour somewhere local.

You don’t have to leave town to create a memorable experience with your nearest and dearest. Each city has its own special flavor, and you can take advantage of exploring your own backyard by booking a local tour. Wine tasting and brewery tours are fun options for having a few drinks from different places. Let’s Roam scavenger hunts are great for exploring new places in unique ways. Try a ghost tour or an art walk to find hidden gems in your own city.

Think about fun ways to get around as well. Pedal pubs or traveling taps are large bicycles with seats and pedals for a dozen people and come with a designated driver that does the steering. It’s a fun way to get around and get a little bit of a workout in as well. Some cities have boats that operate similarly.

11. Take a trip with your best friends.

Friend vacations are an epic way to celebrate a birthday. It’s an excuse for everyone to pack a bag and spend a little time away from the daily grind. These trips take more planning than your typical party and usually cost a bit more, but if your group is down to travel, consider these ideas to help jump-start your planning.

Glamping near a National Park

Under Canvas is a company that offers glamping setups near some of the nation’s most popular national parks. Gather your group and rent a few canvas tents equipped with everything you need to enjoy the great outdoors while staying insanely comfortable. During the days, you can explore hiking trails and watch for wildlife. Spend your evenings roasting marshmallows and maybe even making a s’mores birthday cake.

Hit the casinos and clubs in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is a popular destination for people looking to party and celebrate. With many casinos, clubs, and world-class restaurants, you can have an epic weekend with your friends. If you aren’t a fan of gambling, the Las Vegas Strip offers countless other attractions, like pool parties and incredible shows. Just a warning that you might leave more exhausted than you came.

Enjoy History and Entertainment in New Orleans

NOLA is a popular destination for Mardi Gras, but it’s fun any time of the year. Bourbon Street is a cheap and fun place to party with friends, but you can do much more than just drink. The culinary scene there is legendary, and there are great walking tours and history for the group to experience together.

Follow Your Favorite Sports Team

Do you have Fenway Park on your bucket list? Or maybe you’re more of a Dallas Cowboys fan. Choose a sports team or event you’ve been dreaming about and invite your friends. It’s a fun way to explore a new city. The sporting event can be the main event of your trip, but you can plan other things around it and enjoy the quality time spend with your friends in a new place. It could become a fun tradition, and you could take an annual trip to explore different places.

Take a Beach Vacation

Everyone can find something they enjoy at the beach. From water sports to lounging and relaxing, the beach is a fantastic destination that will make all your partygoers happy (especially if it’s planned during cold weather at home.) Look at popular beach destinations and try and rent a vacation house bigger enough to fit all your friends. Share meals together and explore the region. A beach trip is a great way to bring everyone together.

Final Thoughts on 30th Birthday Party Ideas

When planning a 30th birthday party for yourself or someone you love, you don’t have to go too crazy. Just organize something that brings good people together and share some kind of food or experience together. Whether you choose something from our list or come up with a different idea, it’s all about celebrating the moments in life, so make sure to enjoy it.

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