Milestone Birthday Trip Ideas
Another spin around the sun? ☀️ Nothing says “happy birthday” quite like an exciting getaway. If it’s a milestone birthday, that’s all the more reason to tick a special place off your bucket list. From solo wellness birthday getaways to multi-generational gatherings at world-class resorts, and nightlife-packed trips with your inner circle, we’ve got you covered with the best birthday trip ideas. 🎁
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Today, we asked our local photographers to help us pull this list of the best places for a birthday celebration trip, organized by the ages they suit best. 🎂
Jump in
- Orlando, Florida | 6th Birthday
- Oahu, Hawaii | 13th Birthday
- Paris, France | 15th or 16th Birthday
- Rome, Italy | 18th Birthday
- Cancun, Mexico | 21st Birthday
- Tokyo, Japan | 30th Birthday
- Cusco, Peru | 40th Birthday
- Copenhagen, Denmark | 50th Birthday
- Barcelona, Spain | 60th Birthday
- Cape Town, South Africa | 70th Birthday
- Aruba, The Caribbean | 80th Birthday
Photo: Flytographer in Brussels. Tianna captures memories in Belgium with a birthday photoshoot.
1. Orlando, Florida | 6th Birthday
For a grown-up, a trip to Orlando feels magical; for a soon-to-be six-year-old, it feels real. 🏰 With theme parks such as Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld, plus an incredible range of kid-oriented resorts, Orlando ticks all the boxes and is a fantastic birthday trip idea for kids. The city is one of the easiest destinations to reach for a long weekend, and even if you’re coming from a little farther away, it still makes for a fantastic 6th milestone birthday trip idea. 👌
More to explore: Craving California birthday trip ideas? Disneyland Park in Anaheim is ideal for a long weekend from Los Angeles or San Diego. It offers the same magic, but with a bonus dose of vintage charm as this is the original park that started it all. ✨
Photo: Naomi in Orlando for Flytographer. Benita and family capture memories in Orlando with a family photoshoot.
2. Oahu, Hawaii | 13th Birthday
As tweens edge toward their teens, they’re independent enough to want variety. With Honolulu’s city buzz on one side and wild nature on the other, Hawaii’s Oahu island hits the sweet spot. There are short but satisfying hikes with views that feel earned and brag-worthy, beach days filled with snorkelling and surfing, and dynamic cultural moments, from colourful street art to luaus with fire performers. The vibrant island of Oahu is one of our favourite birthday trip ideas. 🏄♀️
Fly tip: Tweens thrive on social time, so this is ideal “bring-a-friend” territory. Book a beachfront Airbnb with bunk beds and the entire trip feels like a weeklong sleepover. 👍🛏️
More to explore: With surf lessons, waterfall hikes, and plenty of sunshine, Guanacaste Province in Costa Rica delivers a similar mix, but with a wilder, more adventurous edge.
Photo: Enzo in Honolulu for Flytographer. Lexie and family capture memories on Oahu with a family photoshoot.
Photo: Doug in Paris for Flytographer. Lindsey and family capture memories in Paris with a Quinceañera photoshoot.
4. Rome, Italy | 18th Birthday
For trips with friends, family escapes, and even solo journeys, there’s nothing like turning the page in Rome, especially when adulthood comes. No matter how old you turn, the Eternal City will always make you feel young. With ancient history everywhere you look, from the Colosseum to the Roman Forum, the backdrop is one of endless inspiration. Indulging in a little gluttony is hardly a sin here: from neighbourhood trattorias to gelato stops, exploring the food scene is a must. 🍝 Just don’t forget to make your birthday wish at the Trevi Fountain.
More to explore: Across the Atlantic, Miami, Florida, is practically made for birthday bashes with friends, with poolside lounging, long brunches, spa days, and chartered boats cruising out to sea. So many birthday trip ideas to choose from! 🦩
Photo: Roberta in Rome for Flytographer. Erica and friend capture memories in Italy with a birthday photoshoot.
5. Cancun, Mexico | 21st Birthday
Turning 21 calls for a birthday vacation with sunshine, culture, and serious nightlife. It calls for Cancun. 🌴 With stylish hotels, ancient history just down the coast, and buzzing beach clubs, Cancun is built for celebrating with friends, flip-flops firmly on. Start kayaking in brilliant turquoise waters, then mix in a Riviera Maya day trip or a round of cenote hopping. When the big night arrives, set sail on a sunset catamaran boat tour, cocktails in hand, then head straight into the city’s high-voltage nightlife. In Cancun, the fun rarely stops at just one thing. 🎉
More to explore: Las Vegas brings the same celebratory spirit in a completely different setting, swapping beaches for casinos and sun-soaked days for neon-lit nights on the Strip. 🎰
Photo: Claudia in Cancun for Flytographer. Shannon captures memories in Cancun with a birthday photoshoot.
6. Tokyo, Japan | 30th Birthday
As you step into your thirties, intention replaces impulse. That’s why Tokyo makes a standout milestone birthday trip. 🗼Rich in contrast, with hyper-modern city life sitting alongside ancient temples, Tokyo is all about purposeful travel, and is just fantastic for a solo trip. Treat yourself to wellness moments in the city’s onsens and bathhouses, then wander neighbourhoods to observe rituals rooted in care and precision, and of course, savour every bite of the food scene. 🍣 You’ll quickly find that a trip like this becomes, almost inevitably, a journey of reflection as much as exploration.
More to explore: Looking for something more budget-friendly? Savannah is filled with Southern charm and a playful energy that works for any kind of getaway, especially a girls’ trip. 💅
Photo: Kyo in Tokyo for Flytographer. Amanda and partner capture memories in Tokyo with a couples photoshoot.
7. Cusco, Peru | 40th Birthday
The big four zero pairs well with layered experiences. 4️⃣0️⃣ With its plazas, historic hotels, and deep sense of history, Cusco gives you exactly that. In the city, colonial landmarks offer grandeur and perspective, while pre-Inca and Inca sites enrich the experience. If you have more time to spare, you can make the trip to Machu Picchu — one of the New Seven Wonders of the World — and round out the experience with a view you’ll never forget. 😍
More to explore: The Algarve in Portugal is another of our favourite birthday trip ideas for a 40th birthday, offering a gentle pace of life and the pleasure of simple things done beautifully well.
Photo: Livushé in Cusco for Flytographer. Ashleah captures memories in Cusco with a solo adventure photoshoot.
8. Copenhagen, Denmark | 50th Birthday
Around 50, life becomes a little less about indulgence and more about awe. Copenhagen, a city where unique experiences are shaped by care and balance, is just the perfect place for this celebration. The city is all about quality over excess. You’ll notice this mindset everywhere, from the restrained palette of the great food to the raw materials and clean lines of the architecture, and in the fashion that values form and longevity. Here is a city that doesn’t ask you to do more. Instead, it invites you to do less, and better. 💎
More to explore: Prefer a little indulgence as you turn 50? Head to Marrakesh, where world-class restaurants meet lavish riad stays and grand hotels. It’s one of our favourite birthday trip ideas for those who crave culture. 🇲🇦
Photo: Reannan in Copenhagen for Flytographer. Brittany and family capture memories in Denmark with a family photoshoot.
9. Barcelona, Spain | 60th Birthday
Barcelona is often linked to youth, but it’s also great for those entering life’s golden years. With its parks, plazas, and concert halls, you’ll always have something to do, and wherever you look, architecture becomes your companion. Gaudí’s La Sagrada Família, for instance, is as moving as it gets. Its interior invites reflection, regardless of belief. Besides, with more than a century in the making, the church feels like a proof that becoming yourself is a long game — and a rewarding one. 🙌
Fly tip: From Bracelona, you can stretch the fun a little further with a road trip through southern Spain, where short drives link picturesque villages, coastal stretches, and long, leisurely lunches.
More to explore: Reykjavik is compact yet brimming with things to see and do. Trust us, soaking in its geothermal wonders will make you feel more alive than ever! 🧖
Photo: Ramon and Sonia in Barcelona for Flytographer. Jena and partner capture memories in Spain with a couples photoshoot.
10. Cape Town, South Africa | 70th Birthday
Cape Town boasts not just incredible scenery, but also a rich mix of cultures and a history that feels present. No wonder it’s one of the best places to visit this year. 🇿🇦 Here’s one of the few cities in the world where nature and urban life blend truly seamlessly. You can wander the V&A Waterfront and hear choral music with a hypnotic pull, explore the colourful and photogenic Bo-Kaap, and just as easily escape into Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, one of the best in the world.
Just an hour from downtown, the Cape Winelands offer world-class wine tasting in classic wine country style. Staying for a night or two at one of the wineries is a wonderful way to celebrate, especially at Babylonstoren, founded over 300 years ago. 🍇
More to explore: Edinburgh, Scotland, feels like an open-air museum, filled with architectural grandeur and vibrant neighbourhoods. Another reminder that things get better with age? A good old Scotch. 🥃
Photo: Nadine in Cape Town for Flytographer. Mary Claire and partner capture memories in South Africa with a couples photoshoot.
11. Aruba, The Caribbean | 80th Birthday
Eighty years young calls for ease, warmth, and joy. Aruba has it all. A favourite cruise stop that’s even better if you stay longer, the island pairs beachfront resorts perfect for the entire family with swimmable beaches ideal for gentle floating, light snorkelling, or simply sitting back and taking in the view. 🏝️ In Oranjestad, the capital, pastel facades, marina views, and small museums add cultural texture, and a slow boardwalk stroll at golden hour feels like the ideal close to a great day, or many. 🌅
More to explore: An Alaska cruise to Anchorage is another elegant option where much of the grandeur unfolds right from the deck, with glaciers, forests, and open water passing by, and all without demanding effort. 🏔️
Photo: Steven in Aruba for Flytographer. Lori and family capture memories in Aruba with a multigenerationalfamily photoshoot.
Capturing birthday memories
They say adulting is choosing a birthday trip over a birthday party. We agree — and we think birthday getaway is really about deepening your connection to yourself and the people you bring along, no matter where you decide to celebrate.
Wherever you go, with our local Flytographers in over 350 locations worldwide, we’re there to capture the memories that will outlast the candles. 🎈
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“Rachael not only exceeded our expectations with our photos but she made the whole experience one to remember. It was a little chilly at sunrise and we were a little sleepy but she made it such a fun and memorable experience. She was lovely to work with and we will cherish these photos of our two year anniversary trip to Paris from Canada. We can’t wait to bring our kids one day and have her capture us all!”
Hannah
Sacré Coeur & Montmartre
“CLAUDIO AND BARBARA WERE AMAZING!! Could not speak more highly of them, Barbara was great at communicating throughout my whole booking process and Claudio was the one who took our pictures he was so calm even though my plans got changed last minute due to weather. He made me feel so calm despite of that and made our proposal perfect! He took us to the best places in Positano and I am so excited to see these pictures.”
Oriana
Positano Village
“We had an enjoyable time doing the shoot with Daniel. Daniel was friendly, and great to work with. The shots were spontaneous, and not too posey. Daniel was very patient with my cheeky eight year old, and I think my son had a lot of fun too. We love the end results!”
Kin Hoi
Shibuya
