In London there are so many choices, so it can get rather confusing and hard to make a decision for the ultimate birthday celebration. Luckily we have you covered, below are the top 5 things to do in our opinion for a birthday.
The good thing about this list is you could even combine 2-3 of these options to make a truly epic celebration.
1. Bottomless Brunch
What I love about this one is it can be the start of the day. A meeting point for you and friends to get some food in as well as start drinking. Most will start around 11:30 to 1pm or you can do later sittings if you don’t want to peak too early.
I can honestly say I have done many bottomless brunches in London and everyone has been really good. What I think makes it most enjoyable is to also have an activity along with it so my 2 main recommendations are:
Flight Club
I actually went here for my birthday at the Bloomsbury branch, but they have a total of 4 branches in London (Islington, Shoreditch, Victoria). The package was a bottle of Prosecco each and then bottomless pizza plus 1 hour of darts. If you are booking on a weekday then it’ll be a little cheaper from £35 but if on a weekend from £40, you also have to book a min of 6 tickets also on a weekend.
The experience itself is great for anyone, if you’ve played darts before or not. The games are set up to be fun and literally anyone could win unless you are going with a pro. It’s best to be in a group and split up into teams of two, which the system will do for you. So can be paired with different people each game.
What I do love about this place is they have a camera mounted above the dartboard and when winning throws are made, it’s captured. They are shown at the time so you can see everyones reactions. Plus they are sent normally to the lead bookers email address so they can be re-lived again and again.
Ballie Ballerson
This one I was roped into at the last minute and hadn’t heard of it. Located in Shoreditch, this place was far better than I was expecting.One thing that made it good is we managed to get seating. Unfortunately on the cheaper tickets this isn’t included so it’s first come first served or you can be stood up the whole time. You can pay more to get seating if not fully booked out in that area.
Tickets start from £30 and if you are last minute and they aren’t that full will do a buy 1 get one free on tickets. As with Flight Club it’s pizza on the menu and for drinks it’s normally just a few options that are cocktails – when I was there it was Porn Star Martini, Prosecco. Unfortunately they didn’t have beers on offer.
So being a big kid it is fun to go in the ball pool, take some pictures and throw some balls at each other. Just make sure you don’t eat too much or drink too much as it might make an appearance. Certainly something different. Also there was a DJ that cranked out a lot of tunes and the atmosphere was super friendly and fun.
2. Rooftop Bar(s)
A very obvious choice but with so many options, let’s narrow it down and reasons why. These are my 3 recommendations:
Frank’s Cafe (Peckham)
This is my favourite rooftop bar in London, it doesn’t sound sexy as it is a disused car park but I just like the casual vibes and the views it provides of London. Only opens in May through to September so hopefully your celebrations fall within this. Also to note it got voted in 2023 the best rooftop bar in Europe, so it’s certainly doing something right.
Sky Garden
Located in the Financial district of London and at the top of the Walkie Talkie building. There are a few options to visit Sky Garden. Either you can get a FREE ticket during the day to go see the views and decide if you want a drink or not up there, or you can go in the evening as a guest where they have music and food options. I would recommend the evening and making a reservation as the atmosphere is certainly different.
If you go during the day it’s normally pretty busy and full of tourists trying to get amazing pictures or content. The views are stunning. I wouldn’t go for the garden as that element is pretty disappointing.
The Shard
Now there are plenty of options here as you have many restaurants and bars. You can also go for ‘A View from The Shard’. I personally would recommend a package with either a set menu with drinks or even a set breakfast if again you want to start early. As unfortunately it’s not the cheapest place but it is a special day / celebration so push the boat out.
As the tallest building in London currently you are guaranteed great views from most of the floors. Certainly an iconic building and great to say you went to The Shard on your birthday.
3. AIRE Ancient Baths
So I know people like to pamper themselves when it’s a birthday and this one falls well and truly into that category. Now this place isn’t cheap with most treatments being a few hundred pounds per person but it is someone’s birthday so splash out. Maybe it’s one you hold back for a big celebration i.e. 30, 40, 50 etc.
There are other options and certainly not at this price point so feel free to look around but this is the ultimate one to do.
4. River Cruise on the Thames
The Thames is the main river that flows through London and you can see plenty of iconic sights on the banks. This can be enjoyed with a nice meal and drinks flowing. The best time to do this would be as sunset is about to hit so you get the best of both worlds.
There are a few companies that offer this experience starting from about £45. Most last between 1.5 and 3 hours. I would say do your research to make sure you get the best possible deal and timing plus book in advance.
5. Broadway
Now this is a great option and certainly if you are a tourist a must do in London. Go to the theatre. There are lots of choices out there. For first timers I would recommend The Lion King, great production and easy to follow. If you want to laugh, I would say the Book of Mormon. But if you want a true music experience ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ the Bob Morley Musical.
There are also a lot of restaurants in and around the Soho area that have special offers / set menu for theatre goers especially during weekdays.
Other Options
So there is my top 5 list of things to do for a birthday in London.
Other things I would recommend is a Premier League football game. Only problem is tickets can be hard to come by. A pub crawl, design your own in a part of London or stopping at a different one at different tube stops. Camden Market, if you are a foodie there are lots of options here for you. Crazy golf, plenty of venues in London, would recommend Puttshack.