Birthday celebrations are always pretty special, but there are certain years when getting older means so much more. Milestone birthdays, like when you turn 16 or celebrate the big 3-0, are even more meaningful because they usually signify a big change or step in life. Turning 21 is definitely one of those major birthdays, and we've got a bunch of ideas for celebrating to make it a day to remember forever.
Most of the time, when you think of your 21st birthday, you think of drinking-related fun or alcohol-themed activities. That said, there are many more ways to celebrate turning 21 than hanging out at a bar or making delicious birthday cocktails with friends. While those are great birthday party ideas, our roundup of the best 21st birthday party ideas shows that you don't need to involve alcohol to have a good time. Whether you want to keep it lowkey and pamper yourself with at-home spa gifts and host a small game night or prefer to treat yourself to stylish heels and go out with your best friends, there's something for every kind of person — even those who don't like celebrating their birthday in the first place. If you're the person planning the 21st birthday bash, remember to write something extra special in their birthday card, make them their favorite dessert, and pick up an epic 21st birthday gift that they'll treasure for years to come — after all, you only turn 21 once.
Traditional Ideas
Go on a bar crawl
Now that you're finally of age to enjoy some drinks at the local watering holes, it's time to enjoy experiencing them. And why hit up one bar when you can make your way to a few of the local hotspots for a cocktail or beer? Although there are no hard-and-fast rules on how to do this right, it's best to map out which bars you want to hit ahead of time to make your bar crawl a true success.
Sing karaoke
What's better than belting out (often off-key) your favorite hits with your friends? Nothing! Find a karaoke bar and spend the night singing your heart out to current hits as well as songs from your childhood — because let's face it, you still remember those lyrics better than any lesson you learned back in elementary school. Let the birthday girl cue up the song list for the night, or have the group choose which songs everyone else has to sing.
Go to a concert
It's one thing to listen to your favorite songs on your phone, but it's another to see your favorite musicians and bands perform them live. Splurge on tickets for your birthday and take a friend or partner and finally get to see your favorite performers in person.
Have a sleepover
Why did sleepovers stop being a thing as we got older? They were so much fun! Don't just have a bunch of friends spend the night. Plan a night full of all the things you used to do at slumber parties growing up. Set up a DIY mani-pedi station with stacks of old teen magazines for reading, pick up some snacks from Costco, do makeovers, share stories from when you were younger, stay up late watching movies, have a dance party — do whatever you want! That said, be warned you probably won't be getting too much sleep.
Throw a house party
There's something quite classic about a house party. It's a fairly simple idea (at least out of the ones on this list) that's still lots of fun for everyone. You're more than welcome to prep for it on your own, but a good way to cut down on work is to create your own party crew among your friends and delegate who is in charge of drinks. dips, decor and more. Don't forget a killer playlist and games to keep you giggling all night long.
Have a girls' night out (or in)
Technically, you could do anything on this list for a girls' night out, or you could just go to a local bar, grab a few rounds and catch up with your best gals. You can also do the same right at home for a more casual affair, sipping wine in cozy clothes and slippers, face masks and undereye patches are optional. The choice is up to you!
Travel Ideas
Hit up a theme park
Rollercoasters, Ferris wheels and funnel cake, oh my! Who doesn't want to enjoy a day riding the Tilt-a-Whirl, winning the top prizes at game booths and eating sweet and savory treats? Spend the day taking photos with your friend and riding coasters that make your stomach drop with a nostalgic day that makes you fondly remember all the fun trips to theme parks you got to enjoy when you were younger.
Take a road trip
Pack up the car and get going. You've always talked about doing a road trip, and now you've finally got your chance. Make a special playlist, grab the snacks and get ready for a road trip full of giggles, off-key karaoke and lots of memories while taking in the sights with your besties.
Go camping (or glamping)
Get out and enjoy some fresh air with a camping trip and some outdoor activities. Spend the days hiking and swimming and the nights sleeping under the stars among the fireflies. And if getting down and dirty with nature isn't really you, there's always the more elevated version called "glamping," where amenities like air conditioning, internet, electricity and modern-day accommodations are available that make "roughing it" a bit easier.
Rent an Airbnb for the weekend
Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery. Rent an Airbnb for the weekend with friends in a place the group has always wanted to go, or simply stay in your own city as a staycation and chill by yourself or with a partner. It doesn't have to be an extravagant, out-of-this-world cool Airbnb, either. Simply getting a few days away in another house makes it a much more exciting endeavor.
Hit up a music festival
Looking to listen to more than one artist? A music festival is the perfect opportunity! Since music festivals have multiple performances occurring back-to-back over the course of a few days, you'll get the chance to see a bunch of your favorite musicians (even if you only go for one day!). With so many music festivals, both big and small, you're bound to find one within reasonable travel distance.
Unique Ideas
Do one thing that scares you
Milestone birthdays are the perfect opportunity to do things that get your heart racing. Whether that's pushing yourself to go sky-diving or simply going to get your driver's license, use your big 2-1 to do something that challenges you and takes you outside of your comfort zone.
Hire a private chef
If you and your friends don't consider yourself skilled enough to make a meal yourselves, you could always hire a private chef to whip up the delicious meal of your dreams. Just keep in mind that a private chef can start on average around $100, so be prepared and budget accordingly.
Try an escape room
Think you and your friends can solve a series of puzzles to get out of a locked room? Well, now you have the chance to prove it. Pick from a variety of themed rooms, from an underwater submarine adventure to a haunted mansion or bank heist, and work together to see how fast you can get out. Those with a competitive streak beware!
Host a field day
Remember how exciting Field Day was? Getting divided into teams and competing against one another through obstacle courses and physical challenges to get points? We do — and we want a chance to redeem ourselves. Set up your own backyard version, complete with old favorites like relay races and tug-of-war, as well as some 21+ drinking games like flip cup and beer pong. Make sure you have a few prizes for the winning team.
Host a murder mystery dinner
An excuse to dress up in costume and play a game? Count us in! Murder mystery dinners and parties allow all your guests to take on the persona of another person for the night and add an element of mystery by staging a murder — where every attendee but the victim is the suspect. With the help of a murder mystery game kit from Amazon, you get everything you need to stage a crime of your own. Your quest? Use clues, courtesy of the kit, and interact with other partygoers to learn more in hopes of being the one to solve the murder and identify the killer.
Play laser tag
It was fun to play in middle school and it seems it's even more fun to play it now. Divide your friends into teams and watch how quickly the competition heats up.
Go on a food tour
We've covered a bar crawl, but what about a food crawl? Maybe you know of a place that makes the most amazing dumplings, or your friend can't stop raving about this small cafe that does decadent desserts. Plan a food tour to local hotspots and favorites you and your friends love so you can indulge in all your cravings. Use the food tour as a chance to try a bunch of new restaurants or as an opportunity to revisit your favorites.
Set up a scavenger hunt
An opportunity for some fun competition that will also let you see which of your friends and loved ones truly know you best. Find scavenger hunt ideas and create a scavenger hunt personalized to you, with clues that lead participants to places where memorable milestones happened or that refer to your favorite things.
Have a throwback party
Birthdays can be about looking ahead at another new year, or they can be a chance to throw it back. Whether you want to pay homage to the popular styles, music and trends from the year you were born, or simply refer back to a time when you were younger growing up (like the 2000s), a throwback party is a chance to dress up and reminisce about the earlier years (even if you were too young to remember them all)!
Make a bucket list (and do everything on it)
Birthdays are the perfect push to encourage you to do new things. Make a list of things you want to do and see how many you can check off your list before your birthday is over or that you want to accomplish before your next birthday. Some examples of things you could include on your list? Reach out to someone you haven't talked to in a while, sign up for a class you've always wanted to take and try a new food — you can even add a few of these party ideas onto your list for a bit more fun.
At-Home Ideas
Host a dinner party
Gather your friends and host a dinner party, complete with multiple courses, light bites and cocktails. Set the table nicely with dishes, table clothes, candles, flowers and more that all complement one another so it really makes it special. If you want to make it a little more manageable, make it a potluck dinner party where everyone brings a dish to share so that the cooking doesn't fall on one person.
Have a staycation
No need to take a trip or rent a house or hotel room somewhere else, when you can create the ultimate oasis right at home. In fact, make it so none of your activities or plans involve leaving the house at all. Shop for your favorite snacks and drinks ahead of time, and plan your ideal staycation itinerary, which can be anything from spending a day by the pool or a weekend where the only thing you plan to do is binge-watch movies with your partner. The best part is? There really are no rules on how to have a "proper" staycation, so the fun is left entirely up to you!
Host or attend a trivia night
This one could go two ways depending on which sounds more appealing. You and a bunch of friends could attend a local trivia night and show off your competitive side while enjoying a few drinks, or you could create your own trivia night with questions about the birthday boy or girl. Honestly, both options sound like a blast!
Have an adult tea party
There was something so fun as a kid playing dress up and serving tea and imaginary sandwiches with our dolls, why not attempt a more modern take on it? Request that guests come dressed to the nines in their fanciest clothes for tea, and serve finger foods, like small sandwiches and petit fours, as well as other treats. You can always host a tea party at home or see if a local cafe or hotel offers tea time.
Plan a game night
And speaking of games, if cards aren't your forte, there are a bunch of board games to go around that are fun to play with a big group of people. Break out classics like Uno, Clue, Chutes and Ladders and Connect Four and set up a tournament where small teams play against one another for prizes.
Have a bonfire
There's something about the smell of a bonfire that we just love, and it's even better when you have the ingredients for s'mores and a good playlist thrown into the mix. Although you can certainly host a bonfire any time of the year, for fall birthdays it's the perfect way to appreciate the increasing chill in the air while getting to snuggle up in blankets surrounded by crisp falling leaves.
Host a movie night
As much as we love going to the movie theater, we love being able to curl up in a cozy pair of sweatpants or our pajamas to watch something at home — and who could blame us? Cue up your favorite romantic movies (or psychological thrillers, if that's more your vibe) and have your friends bring their favorite snacks and refreshments to share. Popcorn to be provided, of course.
Plan a pool party
Take advantage of a summer birthday and throw a pool party to end all pool parties, with floats, food fresh off the grill and a whole lot of fun. Cue up the perfect poolside playlist, grab a bunch of inflatables from a dollar store and add a special touch like a taco bar or a snow cone station and beat the heat with some backyard fun.
Host a BYOC (bring your own cocktail) party
If you were a cocktail, what would you be? Now, you can finally answer that question, and so can your friend! Have all the guests bring a cocktail that best represents them, enough so that they can make everyone at the party that cocktail to try themselves. It's a great way to see what creative concoctions everyone comes up with, plus try a few new drinks to see what you like now that you're officially able to order any of them when you go out.
Invite friends over for a roast
Have a group of friends and family that simply can't resist making jokes on other people's behalf? Well now, it's your time to shine (or, be the butt of the joke). After reminding everyone that there's a fine line between roasting and simply being mean, have your guests write their five or 10 best roasts and see which of them absolutely nails it.
Fun Ideas for Going Out
Make reservations for bottomless brunch
There's nothing quite like a bottomless brunch to celebrate another year around the sun. Indulge in bagels, brioche french toast, eggs, home fries and more alongside specialty mimosas that just keep coming. Many brunch places offer a flat price for unlimited mimosas or bellinis, so take advantage of the deal and raise a glass with your friends. Went out the night before? Nothing helps you wind down after a night out than a hearty breakfast with your friends.
Enjoy a spa day
You don't have to go out and drink to enjoy your 21st birthday. Spend your special day relaxing at the local spa. Get massages, facials and other skin treatments while enjoying amenities like the sauna, hot tub or pools many spas have. Take a few friends to enjoy the experience with you or go solo and make it the ultimate pampering treatment for one.
Go to a winery
Depending on the time of year, a winery can be a lovely outdoor adventure with stunning views to take in while you sip and savor wine. Take in the sun and fresh air while enjoying local vinos from the area.
Attend a booze cruise
Although more of an option for late spring and summer birthdays, a booze cruise is a great way to enjoy the lovely scenery and a few drinks, often for a lower cost or flat fee, as well as food and music. Usually starting anywhere from 90 minutes to longer, some booze cruises have themes or special times that they set sail, like sunset, so you can watch the sky turn shades of red, orange and pink while you sip on something refreshing.
Rent a party bus
It's not the destination, it's the journey. That certainly holds true if there's a party bus involved. Although a bit expensive with most party buses costing around $300 to $400 per hour on average, they give you an opportunity to keep the party going wherever you are, plus the added benefit of a designated driver so that everyone can partake in the festivities if they want. Plus, often you can bring your own drinks and food to enjoy. Some party buses offer hop-on hop-off services, so you can choose where and when you go to certain places or add additional stops to the ride.
Go on a shopping spree
If there's any day to splurge on yourself, it's your birthday! Go on a shopping spree, hit up your favorite stores and pick up some products that have been on your wishlist for quite a while. Just consider it buying some birthday gifts for yourself!
Go to a sporting event
We all know those people who'd do anything for their sports teams, so it's not surprising they'd want to spend their 21st sipping on a frosty beer in the stands watching their favorite football team score a touchdown or their favorite player hit a home run. Get the celebration started even before the players hit the field by throwing a birthday tailgate, and gear up for the game with drinks, music and food in the parking lot of the stadium before heading in to enjoy the real action.
Try a mixology class
Now that you're officially legal, it might be time you learn how to make a proper cocktail. Mixology classes are a fun way to learn how to make classic cocktails that look and taste like they came from a high-level bartender since they're usually hosted by a master mixologist. Some even come right to your home to teach you, and gift you your own bartending kit with the essentials so you can recreate what you've learned.
Hit the casinos
On your birthday, it's a sure thing that you're feeling pretty lucky, so why not try your hand at some classic casino games? Get all dressed up and hit the town for dinner before heading to the nearest casino to see if you can put that luck to the test.
Annie O’Sullivan (she/her) covers holiday, gift guide, travel, and lifestyle content at Good Housekeeping. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and previously reported for Runner’s World, NBC New York/NY 4 and Woman’s Day. Annie also has experience writing entertainment news and celebrity-focused content.
