40th Birthday ideas for women
BY A PROFESSIONAL PARTY PLANNER
Turning 40 is a big deal. Some women embrace it, while others would prefer to ignore it. And not every woman wants a traditional 40th birthday party celebration with a party at home.
So pause for a minute and consider which category the woman in question falls into—then plan the type of 40th birthday celebration accordingly. If she’s feeling sensitive about turning 40, the last thing you want to do is plan a huge surprise party with lots of family and friends.
Instead, she might prefer to get a smaller group of 5-10 friends together for some sort of group activity. Just going out for dinner doesn’t feel special enough for a 40th birthday, so make it something out of the ordinary or a bit adventurous.
My approach to buying someone a birthday gift is always to choose something that they wouldn’t ordinarily buy themselves—so that it feels like more of a treat or a luxury. I recommend taking the same approach when choosing how to celebrate their birthday. Organize something they’ll enjoy, but is not something they do often (or have ever done before!). This will create unique memories associated with their 40th birthday.
So check out some of the more creative and unusual group activities and experiences below that lend themselves to 40th birthday celebrations for women.
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i’m matt james
professional event producer
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LOOKING FOR 40TH BIRTHDAY PARTY IDEAS?
While this page deals with creative and unusual 40th birthday ideas for women, based around group activities and experiences, you can also check out my main page of 40th birthday party ideas (for women and men!) which contains lots of creative ideas for throwing a party at home—including party themes, countdown ideas, invitations, food & drink, decorations, gifts, and ways to include memories, surprises, and thoughtful ideas to make them feel special on the day.
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40th birthday ideas for women
group activities
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fun & Games
For fun-loving big kids, there are lots of theatrical and immersive group experiences, games, and challenges which would make for a truely unique and memorable 40th birthday activity. ‘Doing stuff’ together as a part of a group—rather than just standing around drinking and making small talk—always raises everyone’s spirits. It allows people to bond with each other over a shared experience and generally ensures that they all ‘let go’ and get stuck in.
Some of the 40th birthday ideas for women in the fun & games category, that are suitable for groups, include:
Unfortunately, not all activities are available in every city, but to check availability in your area and to book places, click on the link above, then change the city / state in search box at the top to enter your chosen area.
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food & drink
So many 40th birthday celebrations just fall back on the same old boring idea of booking a table a fancy restaurant for a group dinner. Snore! Instead, if the birthday girl is a foodie, get a group of friends together to try something a little more creative—something you wouldn’t just do any night of the week. Believe me, you’re guests will thank you. No one gets that excited by yet another big birthday dinner (at that restaurant you just went to last week). Plus, a lot of these experiences allow for more socializing, so your guests are not just stuck at a dinner table chatting to the same two people all evening!
Some of the 40th birthday ideas for women in the food & drink category, that are suitable for groups, include:
Unfortunately, not all activities are available in every city, but to check availability in your area and to book places, click on the link above, then change the city / state in search box at the top to enter your chosen area.
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OUTDOOR & ADRENALINE
These outdoor and adrenaline activities are a great way to induldge in something completely different. No one is going to roll their eyes and think ‘urgh, not again’ with one of these group activities.
Some of the 40th birthday ideas for women in the outdoor & adrenaline category, that are suitable for groups, include:
Unfortunately, not all activities are available in every city, but to check availability in your area and to book places, click on the link above, then change the city / state in search box at the top to enter your chosen area.
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tOURS
Tours are a great way to keep a group entertained; as you move from stop to stop, everyone is constantly stimulated by new things to see, taste, or learn about. Often, these tours operate in your own town, but they’re the type of activities that local residents just never get around to trying—so a birthday celebration is a great excuse.
Some of the 40th birthday ideas for women in the tours category, that are suitable for groups, include:
Unfortunately, not all activities are available in every city, but to check availability in your area and to book places, click on the link above, then change the city / state in search box at the top to enter your chosen area.
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LEARN & DISCOVERY
The learn & discovering category is all about trying something that you’ve never done before—and probably wouldn’t have if someone hadn’t organised it for you! Some of these are pretty ‘out there’ unique experiences, while others offer an introduction to a hobby or activity the birthday girl might have expressed an interest in—but never actually gotten around to doing. So make it happen for them!
Some of the 40th birthday ideas for women in the learn & discovery category, that are suitable for groups, include:
Unfortunately, not all activities are available in every city, but to check availability in your area and to book places, click on the link above, then change the city / state in search box at the top to enter your chosen area.
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drive
OK so not all of the driving activities will appeal to all women, but I’ve left this category in because I’m sure there are still quite of few that might be into these sorts of experiences.
Some of the 40th birthday ideas for women in the drive category, that are suitable for groups, include:
Unfortunately, not all activities are available in every city, but to check availability in your area and to book places, click on the link above, then change the city / state in search box at the top to enter your chosen area.
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fly
The fly category offers a more gentle experience for groups to see and explore, plus they’re often combined with other things such as wine tastings, jeep tours, and dining. If you are holding a more traditional group dinner at a restaurant, why not start off by taking everyone for champagne in a hot air balloon or helicopter beforehand—it’s any easy way to make the occasion more special and memorable.
Some of the 40th birthday ideas for women in the fly category, that are suitable for groups, include:
Unfortunately, not all activities are available in every city, but to check availability in your area and to book places, click on the link above, then change the city / state in search box at the top to enter your chosen area.
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water
Fortunately, water activities range from the extreme and immersive (cage diving with great white sharks) to the more leisurely and relaxed (lobster and beer sail), so there’s something for pretty much everyone.
Some of the 40th birthday ideas for women in the water category, that are suitable for groups, include:
Unfortunately, not all activities are available in every city, but to check availability in your area and to book places, click on the link above, then change the city / state in search box at the top to enter your chosen area.
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more 40th birthday party ideas
Check out my other page of 40th Birthday Ideas for women (and men!) for more tips and suggestions including party themes, countdown ideas, invitations, food & drink, decorations, gifts, and ways to include memories, surprises, and thoughtful ideas to make them feel special on the day.
