30th celebration ideas - not a party

[EsJay]

Im not sure where to post this, so ive just gone to general chatter, it doesnt fit holiday celebrations really?

Hi All, im currently organising my 30th celebrations and i'm going to have a low key family celebration, some nibblies and a cake with my mum, nan, aunties etc etc but i really want to do something different, fun and exciting with a small group of my nearest and dearest friends. Everything i do is with my family and my kids i really just want an afternoon/night where its just me and the girls, doing something fun that we'll all remember fondly.
I am after any ideas you might have, things you or someone you know have done, just to give me a few different things to consider. I live near the hunter valley vineyards, and dont really want to travel to sydney to do a harbour cruise or anything (which would be lovely if i was closer).
I've discussed with a few friends how much they are willing to spend and we've decided to cap it at $120pp with nothing else to pay except maybe some drinks where needed. We've also decided to stick to a single day/night thing, not having to stay overnight or anything as a few of us have kids.
So far we have come up with (or taken from people we know) the following:
-hire a stretch hummer and go to a pole dancing studio for an hour lesson then get the hummer to stop at a couple of pubs for a drink on the way back
-hire the hummer/or a karaoke mini bus and go on a wine tasting arvo at the vineyards (but we did this for my hens day so im not so keen on this)
-hire the hummer/karaoke bus and do a mini pub crawl or take us to and from the nearest themed restaurant (kind of like dracaulas on the gold coast just in a much smaller town)

Any ideas you have are welcome, thanks in advance

And no i wont be pregnant by then, i am organising well in advance for babysitting/cost reasons

[FabFiona]

I did a bus tour and winery lunch through the Yarra Valley. It was tops.

ETA Sorry just read your post again. Perhaps a spa day?

[Beach Mama]

High tea at a nice hotel?

[Beautiful Disaster]

I'm that horrible age too this year and at this point I'm having a party but with all that is going in with my mum I'm not sure that will happen

I like the hummer pole dancing idea.

[Mother Goose]

Day spa! A lot of places do packages for "girls days".

Or salsa classes?

A cooking class?

A painting class? (a friend had a life model class for her Hens night)

For my 30th we went away for 5 days to visit my bestie and we all went out to a nice restaurant for dinner - in a bit over parties. Although I had toyed with a cruise on the Yarra with a few friends.

[Mak]

Hire a chef to come to you?

[feeb]

Day spa (massages, facials etc)
High Tea
Hire out Gold class if you have enough to fill a theatre which i think is 20 people
Cupcake decorating course
Cooking class
Painting class
Belly dancing class

[HotI]

a mate had a life drawing class that was heaps of fun. In melb, but there might be one closer.

[myturn]

paintball?
laser force?
bowling (i did it with DH at Crown in Melb for his 40th and it was loads of fun! and adult bowling alley with drinks and a nice atmosphere!)
day/afternoon scrapbooking (if you know people who have that stuff - I did it for a friends hens night and it was lots of fun too! with pizza's and photos with the "hen" (birthday girl in your case!) and a fav recipe to share.
you can also check red balloon - they would have heaps of ideas!!
dolphin watching or fishing...
make up a scavenger hunt and send small groups of girls off to find things on the list - that has been heaps of fun with girls at hens I've been too as well (and other events!) Then come back and laugh about the antics - take lots of pics /footage of everyone doing silly things!
Theatre restaurant - that can be a blast!


hoping I've thought of a couple of other different things to consider - I know they are not girly - but it could be a chance to do something you'd never do any other time!

so.... how about a hot air balloon, or sky diving!! (hmmm....probably ore expensive than that though :-)!)

have fun - whatever you decide!!

[EsJay]

oh im liking the life drawing class, and the day spa idea, there are a few of them out the vineyards. but the life drawing class is really something different and fun hey. thanks ladies.

MG im a bit over parties too, thats why i want to organise something different, but i cant go away as such as i will still be bfing and i wont want to leave bub with anyone while shes only a couple of months old. But am happy to do a day or night and leave her with mum or DH with some EBM.
Kylz, maybe the party will be a nice occasion for your family to get together and enjoy something happy and positive?

[EsJay]

myturn i have since i posted earlier considered paintball ive never done it and it sounds like fun, i think ill add that to the list.
id love the hot air balloon, not sure id get my friends up in one though lol

[Beautiful Disaster]

Kylz, maybe the party will be a nice occasion for your family to get together and enjoy something happy and positive?

I hope so Jen

[Little Chicken]

A friend of mine did an amazing race game for a hen's night. The whole thing with clues, and challenges, all done in a pub. Huge success apparantly.