48 Fun 21^st birthday ideas to remember forever.

21^st Birthday party ideas of absolutely every kind.

For a complete list of 21^st birthday party ideas, you need options with and without drinks.

Yes, it’s symbolic that in the U.S., 21 is the legal drinking age. As a result, 21 has become an even bigger milestone birthday than turning 20.

Whether drinks are on the menu or not for the birthday VIP, though, this is an occasion to remember. Your birthday star might be stoked to get a beer for the first time or might be happier celebrating the milestone at home.

Turning 21 does have other legal implications, too, each of which can be fun to work into the celebration. At 21, you can also get a pilot’s license. 21 is also the magic number you want to reach in blackjack, a game you can now play at any casino. We’re currently living in the 21^st century, too, so turning 21 really is a big deal.

How you celebrate depends on the 21^st birthday party ideas that hit the right notes for you. Peruse this list and get ready to make fun party announcements, cheeky flyers, and keepsake invitations to hand out.

21^st birthday gift ideas — from gag gifts to heartfelt mementos.

To celebrate a 21^st birthday, some quality liquor might be a fine gesture for some, but it isn’t the only option. The gifts depend on the birthday VIP and on the people giving the gifts, too.

For 21^st birthday gift ideas that cover all your bases, use this list. It has gag gifts, symbolism stemming from the number 21, and, yes, some quality liquor.

Guitar lessons.

The standard electric guitar typically has 21 frets, so if your birthday star has an interest in guitar, give the gift of some guitar lessons.

A three-week countdown calendar.

Three weeks is exactly 21 days, and you can make your own three-week calendar countdown to the big day. Include a memory or words of encouragement on each day in the calendar.

Wine or whiskey aged 21 years.

If you are going to gift a fine wine or bottle of something, why not pick a bottle aged 21 years?

21 memorable moments scrapbook.

There are some 21^st birthday ideas girls will love, like this “memorable moments scrapbook.” Collect 21 memories (of your own or with the help of friends and family) and put them into a keepsake for the birthday star.

21^st birthday card ideas.

Make your own card with a list of what a 21-year-old can do listed out on the front, and a cheeky message inside, like, “congratulations, people will finally take you seriously now.”

21^st birthday recipe book.

Make your own “21^st birthday recipe book” with 21 recipes for custom cocktails.

21 video messages.

Collect 21 video messages from friends and family, then share them in a blast of Instagram stories or compile them into a single video reel.

Custom timeline banner for 21 years.

Make a timeline banner that shows off what the birthday VIP has lived through. Use milestones for the birthday VIP’s life, from pop culture, or both.

21^st birthday party ideas for every kind of fun.

From 21^st birthday theme ideas to the perfect 21^st birthday cake, a 21^st birthday party is a big deal. Plan it right, and memories will be made that everyone can treasure.

Peruse these 21^st birthday party ideas to find the idea that hits home or that inspires a spin-off of your own. Don’t forget to make the posters, banners, invitations, and announcements for the party — it’s all easy in Adobe Express, no experience required.

21^st Amendment.

The 21^st Amendment in the U.S. repealed the prohibition, meaning people could drink legally again. It provides a metaphor, now, with 21 being the legal drinking age. You could throw a 21^st birthday party with a vintage theme from the 1930s when the 21^st Amendment was passed.

21 clues scavenger hunt.

Challenge your friends to find specific items at your place that symbolize different things from the 21 years you’ve lived.

Time for that fancy wine pairing.

If you like wine, perhaps it’s time to get that fancy wine and cheese party going since you’re finally of drinking age. Set this up at home or book it at a nice restaurant.

21-themed décor galore.

Host a 21^st birthday party with as many “21” decorations as you can find. Yes, it’s corny, but if you go over the top it turns into a hilarious scene. Hang “21” banners, get 21-themed napkins and straws, and see what other 21-themed décor you find at the party store.

21 stories bonfire.

Have people over for a “21 stories bonfire” where you sit around a firepit and tell stories. The idea is that friends or family come up with 21 stories about the birthday star.

21^st birthday cake ideas.

21^st birthday cake ideas can lean into the liquor, too. A delicious rum cake could be a symbolic selection for this birthday, as could one imbued with a chocolatey liqueur.

21^st hour dance party.

Turn on the music for a dance party. This is the kind of thing that will feel sneakily more tiring as you age, so you might as well have fun with it now.

21 candles dessert buffet.

Instead of a big birthday cake, set up a dessert buffet with 21 candles spread out among the selection.

21^st birthday photoshoot ideas to commemorate the moment.

21^st birthday photoshoot ideas include tricks to get better photos at the birthday party plus whole themes for shoots devoted to the milestone moment. It’s not every day that someone turns 21, so capture it with one of these ideas to make a true treasure-trove of keepsakes (and wildly popular Instagram posts).

21^st birthday decorations as a backdrop.

If you go over-the-top with the 21^st birthday decorations, you can use that birthday décor as a backdrop for photos. Use your favorite 21^st birthday shirt ideas as an added gag, for example one that says “sip, sip, hooray.”

Polaroid pictures.

Few things say “I’m making memories tonight” more than a series of Polaroid pictures. Get a photoshoot in with a real Polaroid camera and see how the pictures turn out without the filters and editing.

“Pop the bubbly” photos.

Hold a “pop the bubbly” shoot where the birthday star is captured opening a bottle of champagne. If you time it right, you get the cork or the bubbles (or both) in flight, not to mention the birthday star’s focused (or fearful) face.

Roaring 20s costume theme.

Turning 21 is an occasion that pairs well with a “Roaring 20s” theme. Have friends come in costume, put on some old jazz, and make it the perfect party of photo-ops.

“Through the years” collage photoshoot.

Set up a photoshoot with 21 photos or pieces of memorabilia that represent the birthday star’s life. Sit the star down with the items scattered around and take a series of photos.

Elegant portraits.

Turning 21 feels like “leveling up” to many young adults. Take this up a notch with an elegant portrait session. Get dressed up, and it becomes a symbolic celebration of newfound independence and refinement.

“Then and now” photo project.

Pick favorite photos of the birthday star from childhood and adolescence and take on the task of recreating those poses and outfits.

21 dance moves.

Take a 21-frame photoshoot that captures 21 dance moves the birthday star has. Share them all in a social media post as a single moving GIF or make a riotous photo collage to put up at the big birthday party.

21st birthday trip ideas to go somewhere great.

As a new 21-year-old, it’s not just legal drinking you can tap into. You can also rent cars, go to all casinos, and get a pilot’s license. Between the lines, that says “travel.”

For fun 21st birthday ideas that weave off the beaten path, these trips become treasured memories. Ask yourself which friends or family members would most like to accompany you on any of these adventures.

Trip to a fancy casino.

21 is the age you can have a drink at the casino, and it’s also the number you try to reach in a game of blackjack. Why not make a party of going to a casino to celebrate the occasion?

Malibu’s 21 miles of coastline.

The city of Malibu in Los Angeles County has 21 miles of stunning coastline. See how much of it you can explore on a birthday getaway.

Brewery tour.

Turn a 21^st birthday party into a crawl of local breweries to see what you learn about the local market.

Visit wine country.

Book a trip to wine country for an extended 21^st birthday trip. Admire the fields of grapes and savor the extraordinary variety of wines.

Party bus rental.

For some reason, it’s fun to party on a bus. Book a party bus for a 21^st birthday party and everyone will be sure to have a good time.

Legal adulthood in Singapore.

There are other parts of the world where 21 is the mark of adulthood, too. For example, you could tour Singapore, where 21 makes you a legal adult.

Staycation with all the right people.

A staycation can be a great way to usher in 21, too. Take the day off from work or classes, book a massage with friends, and consider doing touristy things around the city you’ve never done before. (For a novel thrill, you can stop somewhere for a beer in between.)

21 national wildlife refuges of Oregon.

The state of Oregon is home to 21 national wildlife refuges, plus almost as many natural forests. Make a trip to The Beaver State for some hiking.

Unique 21^st birthday ideas to shake things up properly.

You don’t necessarily need a shaker to shake things up. In fact, some of the most unique 21st birthday ideas have nothing to do with drinking at all. Instead, these birthday celebrations offer fresh ideas to make the upcoming commemoration something really special.

You’ll have the most unusual photos to share of some of these atypical events, too, so have fun sharing them in social media posts during and after.

21^st-century gold.

We’re living in the 21^st century, and if you’re turning 21, you were born in the 21^st century. That makes this a birthday worth celebrating as big as any golden birthday. Dress completely in gold and have your friends do the same.

The 21^st tarot card.

The 21^st tarot card is called “The World,” and it’s a symbol of fulfillment and new beginnings. That’s apt for a 21^st birthday, so set up some tarot readings for a surprising 21^st birthday bash.

Host a friendly roast.

Host a friendly birthday roast where friends put the birthday VIP on the spot. By the end, everyone will be laughing, screaming, or crying (but still from laughter). See how many stories come out by the end of the night.

Find the best bottomless brunch.

Find the best bottomless brunch in town and book it for a group of close friends. Bottomless brunches typically have adult beverages included, so that can be party of the birthday party if you choose.

Extreme sports for the win.

There’s no better time than the present to start crossing bucket list items off, especially once you’re 21 and no longer need a parental waiver for anything. Could bungee jumping or skydiving be the way to usher in 21?

Sign up for a sip and paint.

Sign up for a sip and paint class to learn how to paint while sipping wine.

Discover the dive bar.

Instead of heading to a hip club, check out a local dive bar as the initial gesture of turning 21.

Run a half marathon (21K).

Run a half-marathon (just over 21 kilometers) as a way to usher in the new era.

Funny 21^st birthday ideas to bring the year in with laughs.

Some cute 21^st birthday ideas are so funny that they leave us in tears. It’s the funny 21^st birthday ideas, in fact, that tend to be the most memorable.

Passing time with friends or family at a 21^st birthday party is already special, but laughing together is the icing on the 21^st birthday cake. The funny ideas below range from “cringe-worthy” to stand-up-quality gags.

The 21 score in Badminton.

The 21-point system in Badminton gives as good an excuse as any to hit the court for a 21^st birthday.

21 second challenges.

Play a series of party games that people have only 21 seconds to complete, like stacking cups or running with a ping-pong ball on a spoon.

21 years of cringe.

Invite people over ready with photos of the birthday star from every stage of his or her 21 years. Hang all the photos together and call it the wall of “cringe,” reveling in the stories and memories that each photo inspires.

The nostalgia of 21.

A throwback party could include tournaments of Pac-Man, Dance Dance Revolution, and other games at the local arcade. Add a pitcher of beer to the mix and the night will meander on.

21 forgotten friends.

Reach out to 21 people you haven’t talked to in a while but want to reconnect with. Invite them all to your 21st birthday party, and whoever shows up will determine the chemistry for the event.

“21 things we love about you.”

Ask friends to share a total of 21 things they love about the birthday star in timely stories on Instagram.

Not too old for a slumber party.

21 isn’t too old for a slumber party. Have your best friends over — and don’t skimp on the pizza.

Fun facts about 21.

State clearly in your 21^st birthday invitation that people can only come to your party if they can tell you something about the number 21. For example, did you know that a 21-sided shape is called an icosikaihenagon?

How to commemorate 21 through every medium.

It really is a big deal when someone turns 21. To make the most of the excitement, consider these added ways you can prepare for a 21^st birthday party:

• Make fun announcements once the 21^st birthday party theme is set.
• Make clever invitations to intrigue people.
• Put cheeky jokes on posters and banners to hang at the party.
• Put a funny photo or story on a flyer to razz the birthday star on the big day.
• Write a letter to tuck into the birthday card you make.
• Make your own calendar countdown to the birthday party.
• Post plenty of posts on Instagram on the big day.
• Take all the photos from the official birthday party and turn them into a collage keepsake.

Exercise: The first-draft bucket list.

People turning 21 don’t typically have “kicking the bucket” on their minds, but crossing this threshold of adulthood means that nothing on their bucket list requires a parental waiver anymore.

Therefore, it’s a convenient time to put together a bucket list.

Doing this is even more fun with friends. Drum up ideas for one another and write out the bucket lists with every activity you dream of doing, then mark it up with the ones you plan to cross off this year.

Adobe Express can help.

Adobe Express has templates and customization tools to put your favorite 21st birthday ideas to work. If you want to use these 21st birthday ideas in cards, letters, posters, banners, collages, flyers, invitations, or other creative projects, Adobe Express makes it as simple as picking a template and personalizing it, or making your own idea with easy-to-use tools. Whatever message you want to transmit, Adobe Express brings it to life, no experience required.

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