Birthday picnic ideas for adults: friends drinking and eating at a garden

Not everyone wants an over-the-top birthday party — sometimes less is more. If you (or the guest of honor) is looking for a relaxed way to celebrate another year around the sun, consider hosting a birthday picnic. Whether you’re planning a party for your own birthday or a loved one, we have all the birthday picnic ideas for adults you could ever need.

11 of the Best Birthday Picnic Ideas for Adults

There’s no time like the present to start planning an incredible birthday picnic party. Here are some of our favorite party ideas to help you kick off the party planning process with plenty of inspiration.

1. Choose a Stunning Location

Birthday picnic ideas for adults: friends having a picnic

When we think of picnics, we think of good times surrounded by the great outdoors. If you crave fresh air and scenic views for your birthday picnic party, try heading to a local park or mountain hiking area. Want to make a splash? Host a beach picnic where you can take a dip in the water afterward. 

Your own backyard is also a great place for an outdoor picnic — and gives you more flexibility around catering and decor. If the weather isn’t cooperating, you could host an indoor picnic and make it feel more like a birthday brunch or cozy slumber party. 

2. Add a Party Theme

Even if you don’t want a big party, choosing a theme for your special occasion is fun as it ties everything together. One of our favorite birthday picnic ideas for adults is to choose a picnic theme that you can carry through the whole event.

Decide on a birthday party theme you love — like tropical, boho, rustic, fairytale, retro, rainbow, or gothic — and plan your picnic decor, menu, and activities around it. This can give you space to get creative with your party decorations, playlists, and outdoor party games.

3. Send Themed Birthday Party Invitations

Birthday picnic ideas for adults: The Perfect Picnic Invitation

Design: Becky Nimoy Stationery

For a picnic-themed party, you can’t go wrong with coordinating birthday party invitations. It’s a fun way to let your guests know what they can expect, and helps you set the right atmosphere from the start.

Here at Greenvelope, we have a vast collection of birthday party invitations that you can tweak and style to match your birthday picnic perfectly. Choose your favorite design, then make it your own by changing the layout, fonts, and colors.

Add your details for a custom digital invitation in no time at all. There’s a birthday party invite out there to match any picnic style — including this gorgeous Perfect Picnic invite, which would work perfectly for a potluck-style party. 

4. Decorate with Nature

We’re surrounded by the beauty of nature, and if you’re hosting a picnic outside, why not use some of it as decor? This is a perfect picnic decor idea that brings in eco-loving vibes.

Take inspiration from the season and fill a vase with fresh flowers, or use petals as “confetti” around your picnic area. If you’re hosting at home, use natural textiles and wood to create a centerpiece for a picnic table or make DIY burlap bunting to hang around the picnic area.

5. Have Fun with Finger-Friendly Foods

People having a picnic at a beach

At a picnic party, food plays a starring role. This is a great chance to show off your skills or to order delicious treats for the whole group to enjoy. Plus, artfully presented food can make your aesthetic picnic dreams come true.

There are so many tasty picnic food ideas out there for any type of gathering. For a delicious birthday picnic party, try classics like finger food, potato salad, charcuterie, mini sandwiches, quiches, watermelon, and berries. You could also serve a BBQ or grilled food option if you’re hosting a backyard party or order pizza from your favorite takeout place.

6. Use Your Best Tableware and Glassware

A great way to make your birthday picnic feel more luxurious and grown-up is to use glassware and high-quality plates and cutlery. While this isn’t the easiest option if you’re transporting all your picnicware from one place to another, it’s a fun idea if you’re hosting at home or don’t mind carrying a little extra with you.

Set up your favorite tableware on the picnic table (or picnic blanket) with glasses, napkins, and cutlery to match. Have a cake knife nearby for a birthday cake (or just opt for cupcakes) and enjoy dining together at your sophisticated take on a birthday picnic.

7. Try a Picnic Under the Stars

Starlight Cinema Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

Picnics are typically a lunch or afternoon affair, but break with tradition and host a birthday picnic in the evening. For a fun twist on birthday picnic ideas for adults, gather your friends and your picnic basket and send them an invite — like this Starlight Cinema invitation — to meet under the moonlight to watch the stars.

This is a wonderful idea for a summer picnic when evenings are warmer and you can stay out longer to enjoy the view. Pack plenty of supplies, picnic blankets, mugs of cocoa, and relax while you stargaze.

8. Bring the Music with You

You don’t need much to create an atmosphere at the perfect picnic spot, but having some music helps create the right vibe. Set the tone for the celebration with the help of a carefully curated playlist.

If you’re planning a backyard picnic, set up a speaker system and enjoy dancing away to your favorite songs. For somewhere more remote or where others are close by, try asking a friend to play a few songs on the acoustic guitar or play soft music on a portable speaker.

9. Create a Cozy Seating Area

Picnic blankets are the go-to for casual get-togethers, but they’re not always the most comfortable. Level-up the guest experience by swapping the blanket for something more substantial.

Gather large outdoor cushions and scatter them around, or make use of any outdoor seating if possible. Add cozy blankets, smaller cushions, and foldaway chairs to create a seating area that’s a little more comfortable for your outdoor party.

10. Go All-In on Traditional Picnic Parties

Classic Gingham Invitation

Design: Erika Firm

Sticking with tradition is one of the most fool-proof birthday picnic ideas for adults. Create a vintage feel and live out your dream day by the water, in the park, or in your backyard.

Embrace all things gingham with patterned tablecloths, napkins, and a classic gingham party invite. Use a traditional picnic basket to bring along your plates, cutlery, and glasses, and serve a menu of traditional picnic food like potato salad, pasta salad, and mini desserts.

11. Pretend You’re Kids Again

Being an adult doesn’t mean you can’t act like kids every once in a while. Recreate your childhood dreams or turn back the clock for a day and plan a birthday picnic that your younger self would have loved.

Celebrate your special day like it’s a summer party and play relay races, listen to hits from your childhood, and decorate with bright color schemes. Host a pool party and lounge around on inflatables, or grab an ice-cream after your picnic. Live like a kid for the day and reminisce about all the things you loved before the world of adulting.

Host an Incredible Get-Together with These Birthday Picnic Ideas for Adults

There’s something lovely about having a birthday picnic — you can make it sophisticated and stylish, rustic and minimalist, or bright and wild. Getting together with friends, relaxing on a picnic blanket, and enjoying some delicious food will always be a great way to celebrate turning a year older.

Once you’ve settled on your favorite picnic party ideas to plan the perfect day, use our birthday picnic party invitations to let your friends and family members know all about it. Customize the design, add your event details, and let your guests know there’s a stylish picnic coming up soon!