17 Fun And Different Birthday Ideas If You're Really Not Into Parties

The games can be anything — board games, drinking games, old-school Nintendo video games, regular old party games, or even a murder mystery game you found on an app. Yes, this does involve some party planning, but doesn't it feel that much more rewarding when you know you're guaranteed to have a good time?

You can do a solo trip to a big time park like Disneyland, or gather a group of pals and go to a local amusement park. And if your birthday happens to fall on or around a holiday like Halloween, even more reason to go and check out the seasonal decorations and events going on.

I personally love using my $30 birthday voucher at Benihana every year, but there are literally so many places where you can get free food on your birthday.

Some really awesome places like Sephora, World Market, Old Navy and CVS all do it up for birthday people.

"I took the day off and spent the entire day performing random acts of kindness. Specifically, one for every year I have been alive. I smiled all day long, laughed a ton at the priceless reactions and absolutely burst into tears at how heartfelt one of the thank yous was. Best. Birthday. Ever."

—Fish-x-5, Reddit

Being in nature is truly transformative, y'all! If you're at all able, celebrate your most recent trip around the sun by hiking, visiting a city park, going to the zoo, or literally anything that gets your serotonin levels high.

You can do this even — or especially! — if you don't have a dog. And if you're not a dog person, you can swap in any favorite pet.

It's a lot harder than it sounds to plan out your perfect day by the minute. There are so many slots for good food, chill hangs, and strolls through your favorite neighborhoods that it can get overwhelming. But if you're thoughtful about what you put on there, you might just get close to making your ideal day into a reality.

"Last year I had a cereal party. I bought a bunch of cereal and milk and plastic bowls and we all hung out and played games and got drunk. It was maybe my best birthday ever. I also had a lot of fun combining different cereal flavors!"

—JenniTheGhost, Reddit

It can be great to see the influx of happy birthday calls, texts, and social media messages, but it can also be stressful and anxiety-inducing. What if you heard from that family member? What if not as many people reached out as you expected? Is your ~feelin' yourself~ selfie getting a lot of likes? Let all of those digital worries pass for a while by turning off or putting away your phone and just living in the moment for a little.

Whether it's brands of frozen pizza, beer, or ice cream, get a sampling of the most popular brands and do a blind test to see which one really reigns supreme.

Maybe that place is Paris, but maybe it's the cute historic town center just an hour from your home. It doesn't have to be an extravagant one for it to be special; it being for your birthday is what makes it noteworthy.

IDK about you, but I think not having to worry about washing your sheets or towels is a pretty great birthday present to yourself.

It's your birthday, so you don't even have to share it if you don't want to!

*or any other foodstuff that can get real fancy.

Going to concerts alone is a surprisingly fun activity, but you can also put it out there to your friends that you're going — who knows, maybe you'll end up with a fun concert crew.

Queue up all of your faves on streaming (or buy them — it is your birthday, after all) and bask in the glow of the films that have really made an impression on you. Plus, some theaters show older movies, so check your local cinemas to see if one of your favorites happens to be playing!

It's your day, and no one can stop you from practicing a little bit of self-love. Write down literally anything you can think of, like your best accomplishments, most positive traits, or things you'd brag about yourself all the time if it was socially acceptable.