You did it — you survived your 20s! Over the past decade, you’ve loved, you’ve lost, and you’ve probably burnt a dinner or two along the way. But, most importantly, you learned a lot about yourself and how you want your life to be, which we think warrants a celebration.
If the fact that you’re turning 30 has left you feeling a little overwhelmed, take the guesswork out of celebrating and embrace this momentous milestone with something from our list of 30th birthday ideas.
30th birthday ideas
- Go wine tasting at a local vineyard or at home. Or try a virtual wine tasting, which you can find hosted by wine experts or vineyards.
- Backyard picnic with friends. Want to keep things more low-key? Ring in your birthday while reconnecting with good friends who helped you survive your 20s.
- Camping. Or, since you’re now 30 and probably don’t want to sleep on the floor anymore, glamping.
- Watch a movie in your backyard. Consider a drive-in movie or watch party through a streaming service.
- Tour a brewery. Skip the bottling and packaging altogether, and enjoy your beer straight from the source.
- Go on a road trip. If there’s a place you’ve always wanted to visit, do it now for your milestone birthday.
- Get a haircut or dye your hair. Now’s a great time to usher in the new decade with a new look.
- Go skydiving. Today is the day you finally check this extreme activity off your bucket list.
- Take a mixology class: Your taste in adult beverages has evolved, so why not learn to make classy mixed drinks yourself?
- Paintballing. Not thrilled about turning 30? This is the perfect place to take out some aggression.
- Try your luck. Even if you don’t typically play the lottery, consider buying 30 lottery cards and see if you hit the jackpot.
- Try an escape room or scavenger hunt. If you like solving riddles and have a sense of adventure, these outings are right up your alley.
- Join the tattoo club. Come on, you know you’ve always wanted one.
- Ice cream party. All we’re saying is, there are 31 flavors of Baskin-Robbins ice cream (meaning there’s one left over for good luck).
- Rock climbing. If you’re not ready to scale real rocks on your own, you can always go to an indoor climbing wall.
- Horseback riding. What’s a more picturesque way to enter your thirties than this?
- Trampoline park. You may be turning 30, but you can still act like a kid every once in awhile!
- Put together a “Turning 30” playlist. Make a compilation of the most popular song from each year you’ve been alive and listen to the playlist straight through.
- Shopping spree. “Thirties you” deserves a new wardrobe!
- Dine at an expensive restaurant. Or, treat yourself to the most expensive thing from your favorite restaurant.
- Participate in a race. If running isn’t your thing, find a shorter, more casual race to sign up for.
- Go bungee jumping. Along with skydiving, this is another adrenaline-packed activity to cross off your bucket list this year.
- Host a theme party. Halloween isn’t the only time it’s fun to dress up.
- Take off work. No matter what you end up doing, it’ll be more fun than sitting at work!
- Treat yourself. Cookies, flowers, drinks — whatever it is, you deserve it!
- Have a spa day: A little pampering never hurt anybody. Get a massage, mani/pedi, facial, whatever puts you in a relaxed mood.
- Psychic reading. Whether you truly believe in them or not, palm readings are a fun way to see into your future!
- Take to the sky. Why does it seem like people have gotten really into hot air balloon rides recently?
- Dollar store spree. Spend $30 at your local dollar store and find fun ways to use your presents throughout the day.
- Be thankful. Take a minute to appreciate all the people who made you the person you are today by telling 30 people in your life “Thank you!“
