Are you looking for unique and memorable things to do for a 60th birthday celebration in the UK? A milestone as momentous as 60 deserves a big celebration, but finding something different to do or somewhere special to stay can seem an overwhelming task. Be inspired by our best 60th birthday party ideas for both men and women, covering venues, entertainment, decor, activities and more, designed to bring big groups and families together to mark a wonderful milestone.
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Take a Virgin Balloon Flight over the Lake District
Glide peacefully over the rolling hills, fells, and lakes of the beautiful Lake District National Park on a memorable Virgin Balloon Flight. You’ll launch close to the majestic expanse of Lake Windermere before the wind takes you on a unique adventure, drifting over breathtaking scenery high above the national park. Enjoy this special experience on a solo trip while your family await your landing to whisk you away for more 60th birthday celebrations, or book together and share the experience. Discover more of the beautiful Lake District during your stay with our ultimate guide.
Feel the thrill with a tandem skydive above Cornwall
Whether it’s something you’ve always wanted to do or your impending milestone birthday has inspired you to challenge yourself, a 60th birthday celebration is a perfect time to tick off this bucket list thing to do! You will feel more alive than ever after you jump from up to 13,000 feet and travel at 120mph strapped to the tandem Instructor. You will be buzzing from the adrenaline as you join your crowd of spectators on the ground, eager to re-live the experience as you tell them all about it. Head to Cornwall for unbeatable coastal views and arrange your 60th birthday experience with UK Sky Diving Adventures in Perranporth. Plan a 60th birthday holiday in Cornwall with our guide to the best group activities.
Take on the Cryptology Escape Rooms in Nottingham
If you’re looking for something different to do as part of your 60th birthday celebrations, why not try out an escape room? If the birthday boy or girl loves a challenge and a bit of fun, head to Cryptology Escape Rooms in Nottinghamshire for a thrilling live experience. You will be locked away in a room and challenged to solve puzzles, tackle clues and find a way out as part of a team! Escape rooms originated in Japan and have grown in popularity around the world, testing wits, patience and ability. You could even set one up at home and personalise it to the guest of honour; you could create 60 mysterious puzzles or set the narrative around their life.
Watch a West End show outside of London
Watching a West End show outside of the Big Smoke can be just as fun! We know many people prefer to travel to quieter destinations rather than England’s capital city to celebrate 60 with a fabulous show, but where do you go instead? Head to Manchester’s Palace Theatre, Bristol Hippodrome, Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre, and the Edinburgh Playhouse for the West End experience. Team a show with a few nights away and dinner and drinks before you go for the perfect West End experience. Why not throw your own movie night in one of our large holiday homes with a cinema room as another great idea to celebrate a 60th birthday!
Climb a mountain in Wales
If you're looking for something different to do on your 60th birthday, why not tick something else off your bucket list! If you’ve always wanted to climb a mountain, you could celebrate your impending 60th birthday with your head in the clouds! Wales’ Mount Snowdon is a fantastic choice. While it does offer up a challenge, the Llanberis Path is manageable for all ages and abilities. Taking approximately 7 hours to walk the 9 miles there and back, you’ll be guaranteed to experience some of North Wales’ most incredible vistas, enjoy a sense of achievement and make memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you set off with the whole family or leave most of them back at the holiday home, you won’t forget how you celebrate your 60th in a hurry! If climbing a mountain isn’t enough action for one holiday in Wales, see our guide to the best extreme activities.
Take a yoga or wellness retreat in Hampshire
Selfcare at its finest, slow down for a few days and whisk a group of your closest friends and family away on a relaxing retreat amidst beautiful Hampshire countryside. Life is busy, so it’s important to take a few days out around your 60th birthday to reflect and enjoy some time for you! At Rivers Edge Cottage (sleeps 8) near Winchester, you can modify your stay to be the retreat you desire with yoga classes, spa treatments and art workshops available to book within the grounds. There’s also a private swimming pool for a touch of luxe. Kick back and relax at this fabulous rural sanctuary and celebrate 60 feeling ultra-chilled. We’ve written about nine large holiday homes in peaceful destinations that would be perfect for a yoga retreat.
Set up your own yoga retreat at:
Throw a typically British garden party
Picture this; the sun is shining, the children are playing on the swings, the BBQ sizzles away, and the Pimms is poured, all while the guest of honour sits back and soaks up their big birthday surrounded by family and friends. While it’s a simple 60th birthday party idea, it’s perfect for a multi-generational group. If you don’t have room at home to host, book somewhere that does and marvel in the splendour of a five-star luxury holiday let in the British countryside. We’ve picked out some fabulous country houses perfect for a 60th birthday garden party but take a look at our garden party ideas to help you plan what to do for a 60th birthday.
Arrange a ‘Hidden Speakeasy’ soiree
What could feel more exclusive and alluring than whisking your guests off to this impressive castle on a private 400-acre estate? Overlooking the beautiful woodland and deer, you’ll feel like lord of the manor at Fasque as you sip cocktails in the lounge bar and play snooker in the Billiard room. With roaring open fires, several grand reception rooms, and plenty of luxurious bedrooms to sleep your guests, it makes quite the setting for your secret 60th birthday party. Speakeasies came about during the Prohibition era in the USA as secret drinking spots, extremely exclusive, stylish, and illegal. Dapper up your dinner party with ambiguous handshakes, finger wave curls, jazz and teacups concealing gin. Check out our guide to party planning for all the top tips to celebrate a 60th birthday with a party.
Bring the family together on a holiday in the UK
It might sound simple but for many 60 year olds, it’s probably exactly how they want to spend their 60th birthday – surrounded by all the generations of their family. At 60, your family is likely to have grown in size, and you may even be a grandparent. Whether you’re organising your own birthday or your parents’, our family cottages have everything and more you could want to entertain all the ages, needs and desires of a multi-generational group. Think hot tubs, games rooms, swimming pools, play areas, and all kinds of other on-site activities that little and big ones will love!
Three of our favourite family-friendly houses:
More ideas to celebrate a 60th birthday
- Get creative and set up a thrilling Set up a murder mystery night
- Like to keep active? You could run a half marathon in a different part of the UK
- Organise a pamper party with the girls and enjoy some well-deserved relaxation
- Throw a themed dinner party - you could even hire a private chef to take the pressure off
- Don your smartest attire and enjoy a sophisticated day at the races
- Live like a lord or lady and hire a Scottish castle
- Take cookery class and learn to make cuisine from around the world
- Go wine, gin or beer tasting at one of the UK's fabulous artisan establishments
- Take high tea somewhere fancy like a country house
- Go to a festival or an event you’ve never been to before
Party planning resources for a 60th birthday
How to plan a party
All the top tricks and ideas on how to plan a milestone birthday party - and all other kinds of events too!
Our favourite party houses
A spotlight on some of our most impressive houses perfect for big celebrations with friends and family.
Start planning a memorable 60th birthday party
We hope you have been inspired by these 60th birthday party ideas! However you choose to celebrate turning 60, it’s who you have by your side that will make the occasion extra special. Take a look at our full collection of large houses in the UK to find somewhere that ticks all the right boxes for your 60th birthday celebration.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.