Destination Birthday Party Location Ideas: Celebrate With a Getaway

Destination birthday parties have become very popular, especially for milestone birthdays like 30th, 40th and 50th.  For a destination party, guests typically pay their own travel, rather than giving a gift.  Guests spend a festive birthday vacation together for an intimate and unforgettable celebration.

Budget and location figure prominently in searching for a destination birthday party location.  In the midwest and eastern United States, long weekend trips to the Caribbean are popular.  There are direct flights, minimal time change if any, and a great selection of hotels and resorts that are perfect for this type of event. Popular options include the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands.

Similarly, Mexico is a wonderful destination where the scenery is beautiful and accommodations often run less than in the United States.  Whether you’re looking for relaxation on the beach, or experiencing fascinating cultures, Mexico offers anything you could want.  Check out places like Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Merida and Mexico City, all of which have direct flights from the United States.

Las Vegas, Nevada has always been a destination party hotspot, and offers lots of great deals on flights and hotels.  However, if it’s been visited by most of your guests, or they aren’t interested in gambling, there are plenty of other options.

What about renting a fabulous house in a gorgeous location for the week or weekend?  Arrange for a luxurious home with maid service and a chef and enough bedrooms for all of your guests.  With lots of room to spread out, you can enjoy eachother’s company in a laid back environment.

Finally, as they say, “getting there is half the fun.”  Another low-stress option is a long weekend or weeklong cruise.  Guests enjoy the amenities of the boat, stopping at a few destinations.  It’s a hassle free, all-in-one option where you can often negotiate a group discount for your party.

Another lovely and reasonably priced option are off-season destinations.  For example, ski resorts offer beautiful landscapes and reduced rates during the summer months.  Look into places like Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Beaver Creek, Colorado, or Taos, New Mexico for stunning scenery, better deals and fewer crowds than you’d find during ski season.

Celebrities Celebrate 50th Birthday With Simon Cowell

You’d expect nothing less from this celebrity-filled 50th birthday party that took place this weekend for Simon Cowell.  Maybe there are a few ideas you’d like to replicate for a 50th birthday!

In case you couldn’t make it, you missed seeing Naomi Campbell, Ozzy Osbourne, David Hasselhoff, Kate Moss and Ryan Seacrist.

As guests entered, there was a 60ft projection of Cowell’s image.

“The Cowell-fest didn’t end there; the Daily Mail reports that waiters wore Simon Cowell masks, specially-designed wallpaper featured Simon’s face and even the food featured his initials.

Guests were treated to a distinctly retro meal of alphabet spaghetti – spelling out Simon, naturally – and Shepherd’s Pie where the mash was piped into ‘S’ and ‘C’. Only the fishfingers escaped unscathed.

But it seems all the guests had a great time, with many calling it a night past 3am.”

Stars come out for Simon Cowell’s 50th Birthday

Birthday Gifts: Ideas From the 50 States

We found this really fun list of gifts that are organized by state, showcasing some of the best items each has to offer.   As a birthday gift idea, consider a state where the person is from, and perhaps doesn’t live anymore.   Find a signature gift showcasing that state.  For example, in honor of Motown’s 50th anniversary, all of the Hitsville U.S.A. songs are being released as a box set.  That’s sure to be a birthday gift hit!

You can also give a gift of a product that is truly local and difficult to find outside of that region. For example, this article suggests St. Louis’ Fitz’s Root Beer.  Many local favorites ship nationally and internationally for exactly this reason.

For the person who misses New York:

“Zabar’s is quintessentially New York; give attendees the New York Goodies box, that includes cinnamon rugelach, black and white cookies, a chocolate babka, and other treats in a signature Zabar’s box. $65; www.zabars.com”

For those yearning for Oklahoma:

“Pecans are big business in Oklahoma; give a 16-ounce jar of pecan praline honey butter from long-time pecan farmers, the Bryant family. $6.95; www.enjoypecans.com”

All-American Gift Guide.

50th Birthday Party Car, Nascar Auto Lover Theme

Another fun birthday theme (and one we’re frankly, pretty unfamiliar with) is having an automobile-related birthday.  This would be a fabulous concept for a milestone birthday such as a fiftieth.  It could involve renting a specialty automobile for a weekend, car-themed gifts such as subscriptions or collectibles, a trip to the racetrack, racecar driving lessons,  or another activity for the 50-year old car lover.

For additional inspiration, check out this sweet 1959 Porsche cake for the car-loving, 50 year old Porsche owner.

SweetThings: 50th Birthday Party: 1959 Porsche Cake.