Fun Places To Go For Your Birthday In NYC on Your 30th Birthday

Looking for the perfect birthday activities in NYC? We’ve got your 30th Birthday Activities covered! With our list of fantastic outdoor activities that will keep you busy on your big day, we know whatever you choose will be a blast. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or just looking for something to do with friends, there’s something on this list for everyone. Whether it’s floating down the Hudson on a hot tub tour or attending a Yankees game, these are some of the most memorable ways to spend your thirtieth birthday in New York City!

Have an Alfresco Food Crawl

A great way to explore the food scene is by having an Alfresco Food Crawl, where you bike or walk around tasting bites from all sorts of eateries in one neighborhood! It’s a wonderful way to see parts of town that are off-the-beaten-path, and you’re sure to have a tasty time with friends on your thirtieth birthday! A few for the books are the ones in Manhattan’s Chinatown and Little Italy. The food is legendary, and you can’t go wrong with either of these two areas.

Plan a Poolside Soiree

Not all birthday activities have to involve moving about, and you can still have a blast with your closest friends at home by hosting an outdoor pool party. If you don’t have a backyard pool to throw the soiree, you can head down with some friends to the glass-bottomed pool at The Beach at Dream Downtown. There you can smash fare like pork belly carnitas with salsa verde and chicharrones washed down with some large-format cocktails.

Throw a Hot Tub Party

If you’re looking for some more privacy, throwing a hot tub party is the way to go. That said, why not book a Hot Tub Tour on the Hudson River so your friends don’t have to worry about making too much noise or spilling drinks on someone’s carpet? Sea the City’s Hot Tub Tour is 90 minutes of the most luxurious time you can spend, and the tour includes the rental of up to 2 tubs and up to 20 people. Therefore, join us as we travel down the Hudson, letting you and your birthday guests bask in the glory of the Manhattan skyline as we head towards Liberty Island. In addition, the boat circles the iconic Statue of Liberty before heading back home. 

Attend a Sports Event

While there are tons of high-end sports clubs, expensive NYC sports events can get pricey. So instead, why not check out a more low-key sporting event? This can make a great birthday idea for men. A few to check out include the Yankees or Mets at their respective stadiums, where the roar of the crowd awaits you! While premium seats for MLB games can be on the pricey side, you can still get good seats for around $5 to $20. Plus, there really are no bad seats in the house. 

Go Out of Town 

Going out of town for your birthday weekend is an option, too, as there is an endless number of beautiful places to stay around New York State. If you have a set of wheels, or some friends with cars, renting out an Airbnb in the Catskills or Adirondacks for your birthday weekend is something everyone can enjoy. Mountains are definitely preferable to city life on most days, so it’s easy to imagine why this would be such a draw for a memorable birthday celebration. 

Have a Staycation

When your heart says, “go out of town” for your 30th celebration, but your wallet says, “absolutely not!” why not plan a staycation? You can start with brunch at one of the many trendy restaurants in New York City and enjoy bottomless French toast and mimosas while catching up on what everyone has been doing since you last saw them! Afterward, spend your day shopping along Fifth Avenue and finish up with a night in a NYC hotel like the Gansevoort in the Meat Packing District or the DoubleTree in Manhattan.

Host a Picnic or BBQ

If you’re looking for a more casual option, consider hosting your birthday celebration at home with friends and family. You can plan the menu and everyone will be able to contribute something homemade (or even shop-bought if that’s what you prefer). You can also do the same thing outdoors at one of the Big Apple’s gorgeous parks. Many like Baretto State Park in the Bronx even have BBQ grills if someone in the party wants to fire one up and cook some charcoal-grilled hamburgers and NYC-style hotdogs with all the toppings. 

Have an Adult Slumber Party

You can really spice things up and let your inner child come out to play by having an adult slumber party! This will be especially fun if it’s in NYC because there are so many hotels available. One 30th birthday theme to try includes champagne and macaron sweets on a glass tower. Alternatively, The American Museum of Natural History features Night at the Museum Sleepovers for adults only. Once you and your friends are tucked in, you can sleep and dream of the ocean blue while lying under their massive whale display.

Smile for the Camera!

Since you’ll never turn 30 again, make sure you commemorate the occasion with some great photos. Of course, nothing will make you feel like a birthday star more than hiring your own paparazzi to snap pics. You can hire a professional photographer for top-notch celebrity-style pics or go with a shutterbug on Craigslist to take some low-key photos. Then, share them on social media and tag yourself in every photo! Of course, you and your friends can just whip out your phones and take some group selfies yourself for some playful Snapchat birthday filters later. 

Go All Out

For 30th birthday ideas, why not go all out? Rent a limo or party bus for the evening so that everyone is together as they travel around New York City. In addition, you can take a custom trolley tour, and companies like NYC Trolley Tours let you tweak your party to play your birthday songs, display your décor, and allow your drinks, food and party decorations. All aboard!

Above All, Have Fun

This is your year, so go ahead and take advantage of everything you’ve been saving up for over the years by throwing yourself a fun and epic birthday party! If you’d like to know more about unique birthday ideas, including fun times on the water, check out this blog post for more NYC Adult and Teen Birthday Party Ideas & 21st birthday restaurant recommendations.