17 Fun-Filled 31st Birthday Ideas for 2025

Your 31st birthday may seem like an afterthought to the grand celebration that kicks off entering your thirties the year before. However, this first birthday in an important decade doesn’t have to be uneventful or boring. While the internet is filled with 30th birthday party ideas, there are also many ways to set this important span of years into motion.

Wondering how you can celebrate my birthday uniquely? We’ve rounded up some fun ideas that are perfect for this decade, when many people are making huge life changes like new careers, new jobs, marriages and other milestones. They range from luxurious experiences to low-key celebrations. 

They include indoor birthday party ideas and outdoor adventures, as well as great birthday trip ideas.  Whether they offer trips down memory lane, new skill acquisition or ultimate relaxation, one of them is perfect for your celebration.

Jump to Section

• Top 31st Birthday Ideas
• 31st Birthday Ideas for Her
• 31st Birthday Ideas for Him
• 31st Birthday Ideas FAQs

Top 31st Birthday Ideas

1. Take A Candle-Making Class

Candle-making workshops not only allow you to learn about the history and methods of making candles but also allow you to create your own candles hands-on that you can take home with you as a product of the class. 

You will learn about various waxes, scent-blending, wicks and the best containers or molds to use. You can find candle-making classes everywhere, including candle making classes in Atlanta, Dallas and Portland

2. Learn to Make Handmade Pottery

Pottery classes are a great way to learn a new creative skill while creating functional and beautiful objects for your home or to give as gifts. Most offer access to materials, techniques and equipment like pottery wheels and kilns as part of the class experience.

Find pottery classes in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco that make fun and interactive 31st birthday ideas. 

3. Cooking Classes

One of the best ways to learn new dishes and up your kitchen skills is by taking a cooking class. Learn everything from how to make scrumptious desserts to the perfect sushi roll. Find a cooking class near you, including cooking classes in Boca Raton, Napa and Raleigh.

4. Dinner and a Show

Pair a night out at a favorite restaurant with some entertainment for a fun 31st birthday idea. You can opt for a concert, a staged play or a film. This classic combo can be dressed up or down.

For a fancier night out, splurge on a multi-course dinner and the main event or for a low-key celebration, hit up an old-school diner and an afternoon matinee. 

5. Visit an Arcade

For a fun 31st birthday idea that seeps in childhood nostalgia, visit your local arcade, which can allow you hours of fun playing your favorite games, classic pinball, skeeball or indoor mini-putt. Combine game play with classic childhood favorite foods like corn dogs, nachos and giant slices of pizza. 

6. Retro Party

Another way to capture the spirit of the younger you, host a party based on a previous decade, whether you were alive for it or not. Queue up some ‘80s hits and have a dance party or watch classic ‘90s films all day. 

Or, theme your party around a fun decade like the Roaring Twenties, the 1960’s or the Disco era with decade-specific birthday party activities. Set up a photo booth as a fun 30th birthday photoshoot idea.

31st Birthday Ideas for Her

7. Custom Scent-Making

Learn about the perfume industry's history and origins while creating a completely custom scent at a perfume workshop. You’ll learn to mix multiple scents and get to take a bottle or vial home with you afterward.

8. Art Journal Workshop

Art journaling, whether you are writing or making art, is a great way to encourage creativity and contemplation important in this dynamic decade as an adult. 

Take a workshop offered by a local craft store or community center or host a journaling party at home complete with supplies, music and yummy birthday party snack ideas.

9. Spa Retreat

Your thirties can be a decade of change and new challenges, making this the perfect time to pamper yourself and recharge. Spend a weekend at a spa where they offer massages, manicures/pedicures, hair care, yoga and relaxation. 

For a lower-cost alternative, host a girls’  night with all the supplies for pampering at hand. A weekend away from the everyday can be a great 31st birthday idea for your wife.  

10. Star Reading

At the beginning of this important decade, you may be looking for some guidance from the astrological world. Have a professional consultation with an expert and spend some time setting new goals and planning out the year to come. 

11. Glamping Trip

While not everyone is born for roughing it in the woods, glamping offers a happy medium between traditional tent camping and staying in a cabin, with finer luxuries like running water, comfy beds and other amenities.

Spend a weekend out under the stars away from the stresses of everyday life as a perfect 31st birthday gift for her. 

31st Birthday Ideas for Him

12. Style Consultation

A great 31st birthday gift for him is a session with a style consultant, who can help him look his best in fashion at a time when many men begin to make lifestyle changes in their early 30s. 

It may be as simple as finding the right fits and colors that flatter him or creating a style overhaul for a new job or career path. 

13. Brewery or Distillery Tour

Many breweries and distilleries offer facility tours that can be a fun activity for a group outing. Some operations also allow you to sample during tastings and/or take classes where you learn about aspects of brewing or distilling in depth. These tours make a great 31st birthday gift for your husband

14. Improv Classes

Improv classes can be a valuable way to learn comic timing, listening skills and public speaking. They can also be a lot of fun to participate in. 

Enroll in a one-time session at a theater school or comedy club or take multi-week classes that allow you to dig deeper and work with others in the class for an extended period. 

15. Sports Tickets

If your celebrant is a sports fan, spring for an afternoon or evening with their favorite team, be it in the stands at a baseball game, tailgating at a football game or watching a hockey match. For a luxe experience, many stadiums allow premium box rentals with catered food and drinks for large or small groups.  

16. Escape Room

Gather your friends and have them solve puzzles, riddles and other games at a themed escape room for a fun night out and raucous 31st birthday idea. This makes a great activity for a larger group or you can make new friends with strangers as a smaller group. 

17. Fishing Trip

Plan a fishing trip as a fun and adventure-laden 31st birthday idea. Visit a local park with a well-stocked lake or rent a coastal fishing cruise for larger catches.

For a weekend celebration, try a hiking trip and fishing expedition combo or combine fishing with activities like mountain biking or river rafting. 

31st Birthday Ideas FAQs

What Do 31-Year-Olds Do for Their Birthday?

At the start of your thirties, you are setting the pace for what the next decade will look like, so it's a great time to indulge in gifts that point to the past and nostalgia, like arcade outings and retro parties. 

Or, conversely, to make plans that celebrate new interests and skills you would like to develop through classes and cultural events.

What Special Things Can I Do for Myself on My Birthday?

Birthdays can be hectic with jobs and other obligations, making this birthday a great chance for more indulgent gifts, whether that means a physical item like new jewelry or a coveted clothing item or for more experiential gifts that are about relaxation and recreation.
These 31st birthday ideas will have this new decade off to a great start, to be followed by many more. For even more great birthday ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!