Seven Activities to Plan For Your Birthday When You Want to Do More Than Just Dinner or Drinks

In partnership with

Birthdays come around so fast, don't they? It is incredibly tough to try to figure what to do every single year. Dinner? Old as the tale of time. Drinks at a bar? Done to death. So, what else does your city have to offer in the way of birthday celebrations? Turns out there are loads of ways to have a whale of a time on your special day, from the luxurious and creative to the thrill-seeking and downright spooky. Plus, with Suncorp's Platinum Credit Card*, you can earn extra points for every dollar you spend on the celebration of your existence — from the decadent birthday cake (you deserve it) to the candles on top.

Read on to discover some of the absolute best group activities you can plan in Sydney (and beyond) and bookmark this for when your next trip around the sun rolls around. Planning your next birthday — sans the stock standard dinner or drinks — will be a total breeze.

Paesanella Cheese.

TAKE A CHEESY ROAD TRIP

If you and your best mates are ready and raring to go on a classic long weekend road trip, you might want to consider the fabulously tailored Great Aussie Cheese Trail. Created by agri-tourism gurus McIntosh & Bowman, this trip (conveniently preset in Google Maps) will lead you on heavenly car trip throughout New South Wales from cheese farm to cheese farm. You'll get to try the stunning buffalo mozzarella at Paesanella in Marrickville, the mouthwatering goats cheese varieties at Jannei in Lidsdale and all sorts of cow milk yoghurt, kefir and mountain cheese at Marrook Farm in Elands.

Be warned, this trip isn't for the casual cheese fan. If you follow the full route, you'll be visiting 15 different dairy farms and clock just under 18 hours of driving — so make sure you only invite your most cultured, cheese fanatical friends.

HEAD UPWARDS ON A CLIMBING ADVENTURE

If you're more into adrenaline-inducing, action-filled group activities, Skypeak Adventures is a great choice for your birthday bash. Between the treetop swings, barrel runs and bungee leaps, hanging out (literally) with your mates while clipped to an aerial adventure park will definitely get your blood pumping. You get to pick the aerial crossings you want to do, so you can choose a challenging route — which features monkey bars, slacklines, and balance beams — or the 'just for fun' option, which is much more relaxed.

Skypeak also has party packages so you don't have to worry about anything — the crew will provide the food and drink for a 'suspended picnic' and they'll also let you choose the playlist while you all clamber around high up in the air.

Destination NSW

GO GLAMPING ON COCKATOO ISLAND

Spending a night or two in a luxurious tent with your nearest and dearest and waking up to gorgeous harbour views sounds just like an activity you'd want to save for a special occasion. On Cockatoo Island, you can book yourself (and your crew) into a huge lush tent right on the waterfront, so you can take in the beautiful views of Sydney from dusk 'til dawn.

The deluxe package includes all amenities, including a pre-erected tent and bedding, plus deck lounges for sunset gazing. All you need to bring is the goods for an opulent island birthday picnic or a good ol' fashioned barbie — and don't forget to throw in some marshmallows to toast over the fire pit. Cockatoo Island has a bunch of interesting tours to go on while you're there, too. If you're amped for a night of being spooked, we recommend checking out the 90-minute haunted history night tour.

Kitti Gould

LEARN A WEIRD NEW SKILL AT WORK-SHOP

If you'd prefer to spend your birthday learning something new rather than deleting brain cells with booze, then Work-Shop is definitely for you. This innovative space is all about community, craft and learning some niche new skills — like how to make your own natural skincare, perfume, cheese or sourdough bread. You could also become an expert in serial killers, tantric sex or Japanese shibori dyeing, or learn the basics of hula hooping, indoor plants or taxidermy. There are endless options, so have a browse through its list of available classes and book you and your friends in. You'll have a fun and unique birthday and take some new knowledge home with you. Win, win.

HAVE A STARGAZING BUSH SLEEPOVER IN A BUBBLE

Less than three hours drive from Sydney is one of the most incredible getaway spots our sunburned country has to offer — camping in a see-through bubble tent, overlooking the second biggest canyon in the world. Bubbletent Australia is the way to go if you'd like to spend your birthday with your partner or best friend, stargazing and soaking in the beautiful scenery of the gorgeous Capertee Valley.

This is not the camping you experienced as a kid — this is the OTT bush experience of your dreams. The bubble tents each feature a lush queen-size bed and a separate bathroom, plus they're stocked with lavish amenities including a fridge, wireless speakers, iPad and a gas burner, so you can cook up an evening feast while staring blissfully at the brilliant night sky.

REVISIT YOUR CHILDHOOD AT AN ARCADE

Remember the kid at school that always had the best birthday parties? Well at Archie Bros Cirque Electriq, that kid can now be you. Yep, you can have the childhood party of your dreams, complete with dodgem cars, arcade games, bowling, laser tag, cinematic gaming and virtual reality experiences. Archie Bros even has birthday packages, so you can invite a huge group of friends and enjoy everything this crazy arcade has to offer, complete with food and drink packages so you can keep your energy up to fit in even more activities. The menu here is exactly what you craved on your childhood birthdays too — sugary, colourful and way OTT (including the cocktails).

CHANNEL YOUR INNER VIKING AND THROW SOME AXES

For those who enjoy the added element of an adrenaline rush on their birthday, look no further than this: axe throwing. Maniax offers group sessions so you and your mates can receive one-on-one coaching and target practice to get your axe-wielding skills up to scratch. Then, the games begin. You'll all take part in a wild tournament to see who among you is the king or queen of the mighty axe. This is a bonding exercise like no other, so be prepared for you and your mates to get really competitive, but also wildly supportive when you eventually hit your first bullseye.

Seize the day, make your everyday moments count and get rewarded all the while with Suncorp.

*Issued by Citigroup Pty Limited ABN 88 004 325 080 AFSL No. 238098 Australian credit licence 238098.

Top Image: Cole Bennets.