8 30th Birthday Trip Ideas to Start Your Thirties Right

Is your 30th birthday on the horizon? For many, that 3-0 milestone is kind of a big deal, but what exactly do you do to celebrate? If you need some 30th birthday trip ideas, we’ve got you covered!

There are SO many options: all-inclusive resorts, spa treatments, natural hot springs, horseback riding, pristine beaches, water sports, wine tours, big city bar hopping, we could go on for ages. But if you want a celebration that’s as unique as you are, why not create a whole trip out of it?

In this post, we’ve got a load of activity and trip ideas to make a big entrance into your 30’s.

What to do on your 30th birthday

There are thousands of ways to celebrate your 30th birthday, but this list is meant to inspire, not frighten you. Even if you’ve never traveled, you’ve most likely experienced a lot and have much more to learn.

For your 30th, why not make a splash and start crossing off those bucket list plans! If you’re not sure what you want that birthday treat to be just yet, we’ve got some ideas for activities that can make a big statement going into the next decade of life.

• Skydiving: How many people can say they’ve fallen from the sky — on purpose? Face your fears and get extreme with skydiving. You can literally fall into your 30’s. 😉
• Hiking: Free your mind and challenge your body as you revel in the earth’s beauty. 
• Dancing: Set your emotions and body free by signing up for a dance class or series.
• Glamping: Experience the great outdoors in style. 
• Sunbathing: Get a boost in Vitamin D to add to your beautiful, beach glow.
• Island-hopping: Pick an archipelago and go. Great beaches, mai tai’s, and piña coladas here you come!
• Fine dining: Treat yourself to a date with delicious food at one of those high-end restaurants you usually avoid because of the price. Cause you’re worth it.
• Live music: Dance the night away at one of your favorite jazz bars, rock, or hip-hop showcases.

5 EPIC 30th Birthday Trip Ideas

OK, a single activity is cool and all, but if you want that extra celebration this year, it’s time for a birthday trip! You’re thirty, flirty, and thriving after all — it’s time to make the most of it.

1. Hut to Hut Hiking in Slovenia

If hiking high into the mountain tops and meandering through valleys and streams is your kind of party, hut-to-hut hiking in Slovenia is an ideal trip for you. You’ll see some of the most stunning views in Eastern Europe. You’ll spend your days exploring Slovenia’s holy shit-level landscapes and your nights lodging in rustic cabins and huts.

This trip is the perfect opportunity to appreciate the earth’s (and your own) natural beauty. Trek through the forests, up mountains, wander through the Soča Valley, and raft down the Soča River. Go wine tasting, sample fresh produce from orchards and groves, and breathe in the earthy goodness of the lavender and herb farms. The next time someone mentions Tuscany or the Alps, you can tell them all about your surreal trip to Slovenia.

2. Trek the Inca Trail in Peru

You only turn 30 once so why not celebrate with a once-in-a-lifetime experience? Sure your quads and core muscles may scream from the intense workout, but that’s a small price to pay for the bragging rights of trekking to Machu Picchu, a World Heritage Site. The iconic trail is as life-altering and beautiful as it is challenging.

This trip includes expert local guides, deluxe camping, access to showers and toilets, a team of porters, and delectable meals. All you have to do is bring your camera, reliable hiking boots, and plenty of sunscreens!

3. Ride a Camel and See Petra in Jordan

Over eight days and seven nights, you’ll experience trekking through canyons and caves, swimming in pristine blue waters, hiking the ancient trail to Petra, floating (and mudding) in the Dead Sea, and preparing delicious cuisine. At night, you’ll glamp in the comfort of Bedouin camps, eco-lodges, and raised tents.

You’ll want for nothing with this glamorous experience. The itinerary, accommodations, meals, camel rides, and everything in between have been prepared with you in mind — wouldn’t you say it’s time to treat yourself to something nice?

4. Take a Beach Vacation in Belize

Is this a dream? Nope! That’s just you spending the most blissful time basking in the ambiance of beautiful Belize!

During this 5-day, 4-night trip you’ll be spoiled for choice as you swim, snorkel, surf, and kayak in the Caribbean Sea and zipline over a jungle through the Bocawina National Park. You’ll even learn to rappel down a waterfall and wander around ancient Mayan ruins.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, you’ll end your excursion with glamping on a remote island as the ocean waves serenade you. Sunny beaches, revitalized spirit, and tan included.

Stay a little while longer after your trip and for more fun things to do in Belize on a budget 🤙

5. Whale and Dolphin Watch in São Miguel

Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve are cool but there are so many hidden gems when it comes to Portugal. For example, the Azores are an archipelago that lies to the west of mainland Portugal and is as affordable and amazing as it gets. Likened to the beauty of Costa Rica and Bali, each island has enough outdoor activities for even the most adventurous explorers.

You can go scuba diving, mountain-climbing, or whale watching. After, enjoy as much wine, pineapples, and cheese as your stomach can handle (you deserve it!). The largest of the 9 islands, São Miguel, is a luscious, lake-filled paradise with an array of activities to dive into including kayaking, swimming, cycling, fishing, and hiking. While you’re there, you just might happen upon a volcano or two.

3 30th Birthday Weekend Destinations

If you don’t have time for a full week’s adventure, you can still get big adventure in a small amount of time with a weekend getaway. Plus, these shorter celebration ideas will be easier to talk for friends into doing with you.

1. Road Trip in Utah

Home to five national parks, Utah’s beautiful scenery makes for the ultimate road trip. Navigating through canyons, deserts, and mountains can be a freeing experience, especially with a great guide to show you all the best places. Bring the girls along for this birthday celebration, but leave the planning to Explorer Chick to discover all that Utah has to offer.

For a long weekend, we don’t recommend trying to hit everything (do that as a big trip!). Instead, spend your time exploring a couple hotspots that are close together like Zion and Bryce Canyon or Arches and Canyonlands.

2. Plan your perfect getaway to Las Vegas

Start your birthday off with the most unpredictable Las Vegas trip. As they say, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” and same goes for the Explorer Chick Vegas trips 😉. You’ll get the glam and glitz of the city, then let your badass flag fly proving you can look good on the dance floor and get dirty in the outdoors.

3. Challenge Yourself Backpacking the Grand Canyon

Seeing the Grand Canyon for your 30th is a great bucket list plan, but why not take it one step further with an epic backpacking expedition below the rim? Four days and three nights, this backpacking trip offers big challenge and big reward. You’ll get amazing views of the Colorado river and get real intimate with the curves and switchbacks of the canyon.

Plus, the spectacular scenery makes the perfect backdrop for Instagram photos.

Is 30 Years Old a Milestone?

For many years, the 30th birthday was widely known as the time you were expected to settle down and focus on long-term goals— whether that meant forging a career, partying less, getting married, or having children —according to societal norms.

Nowadays, the big 3-0 has diversified — you don’t have to follow the norms! Instead, make this year about discovery and achieving your goals, big and small. Turning 30 continues to be a milestone birthday, and you should feel empowered to celebrate it in the way you see fit. Why not add in some self-care and a trip?

Other Milestone Birthdays

Life doesn’t stop after your 30th birthday. In fact, many may tell you the best years of your life are still be to come! While celebrating your birth (because you’re awesome) at any time is the right move, the consensus is that most milestones are celebrated with each decade. Whether it’s your 40th or 50th birthday, all the way to your 100th (or 110th if you’re lucky), celebrate all you’ve done and everything you still want to do.