Adult Birthday Celebrations in San Antonio – 10 Fun Ideas!

By Sara Branstetter | July 21, 2023

You’re looking for that perfect place to gather with friends in San Antonio and celebrate a birthday, but you also happen to be an adult – what do you do? You DON’T do Main Event, Incredible Pizza, or any of the other countless kid’s places that require some kind of seizure warning for all the sounds and flashing lights and will be rife with loud little people. Nope, that’s not going to cut it. You need to do something more adult-friendly, and I have put together a list of 10 ideas for adult birthday celebrations that will avoid the overstimulation of Chuck E. Cheese, but not skimp on any of the fun.

Where Can Adults Celebrate Birthdays in San Antonio?

Adults Birthday Celebrations

Live Music and Dancing

Photo Credit: Facebook Gruene Hall

San Antonio and the surrounding areas have some great venues for live music and dancing, some of which even play host to internationally recognized artists and bands. Gruene Hall is such a venue, and also happens to be the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas. They offer live music and country dancing every single night of the week.

For another country option, check out the popular Helotes joint, Floore’s Country Store which also has a barbecue café and bar on property. Other venue faves include Jazz, TX at the Pearl and Paper Tiger in Tobin Hill.

Topgolf

Whether you’re a complete golf novice or a pro just stepping off the PGA tour, Topgolf offers a fun way to drive a few balls while enjoying delicious food and drinks from the full-service bar – all from your climate-controlled, individual-hitting bay. Each bay accommodates up to 6 people and, along with party packages for large groups, can be reserved in advance online.

Bowl and Barrel

Photo Credit: Facebook Bowl and Barrel

You may be an adult, but trust me, you haven’t outgrown bowling, especially the way Bowl and Barrel does it. Bowl and Barrel is an “upscale bowling alley” with a full-service restaurant and European-style beer hall. Everything is clean and tastefully decorated, and the food, while pub grub, is decidedly on point. This means you can enjoy the whole bowling experience, but without the stuffiness and questionable cleanliness of your typical bowling alley.

Be sure to reserve your lane(s) online in advance. Kids are allowed to come, but after 7pm, they must be accompanied by an adult.

Craft Beer Brewery

A great place for adult birthday celebrations is definitely a craft beer brewery. Breweries typically offer great, casual locations to join with friends, nosh on some food, and sip on delicious local, craft brews from talented brewmasters.

While still young-ish on the craft brew scene, SA has made leaps and bounds in this arena in the last decade or so and now has quite a few local breweries that are worth a visit. A few of our favorites include Künstler Brewing, Dos Sirenos Brewing, and Weathered Souls Brewing Co. But you don’t have to stop there, check out our post on local craft breweries for a complete list of the best.

River Barges

Photo Credit: Facebook Go Rio Cruises

Yes, it’s touristy. Yes, it’s a tad kitschy. But it is also so dang fun. Taking a Go Rio river cruise through downtown is one the best adult birthday celebrations you can have that is quintessentially San Antonio.

Guests can choose from a variety of different cruise options. There are narrated river cruises that offer a more tour-like experience of San Antonio’s downtown area and include information on the history and architecture of the city. There are also river shuttles that ferry guests to different points along the river.

But if it’s a celebration you’re after, your best bet is to hire a private charter or dinner cruise. Picture it - you and up to 40 of your closest friends, floating through downtown, sipping on cocktails, enjoying the sites and sounds of the city. That’s about as good as it gets!

Fun Bars

Photo Credit: Facebook Be Kind & Rewind

This one is totally obvious. Hitting up a bar with friends is a great way to celebrate, and San Antonio isn’t short on options for this. Whether you’re in the mood for wild, classy, quiet, funky, or divey, you can find something that will fit your tastes, and make for a great night out.

If fun/funky/wild is your game, check out San Antonio’s newest bar Be Kind & Rewind. This bar takes celebrating the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s to the next level with music, décor, and drink. I mean, what Gen X’er could turn down a drink called the Risky Business?

A few of our other bar-hopping favorites are Elsewhere Texas for a friendly, laid-back bar, the Esquire Tavern for an old-fashioned, local-style bar, Sternewirth for a classy/upscale experience, and the Moon’s Daughters for fantastic rooftop city views.

Escape Room

Photo Credit: Facebook Extreme Escape

If you’re trying to celebrate with a group that is more interested in action than in relaxation, check out an escape room. These hour-or-so long experiences make for constant entertainment and group cooperation. San Antonio has a gazillion escape room options so just do some googling and find one that is close to you, or you can check out the Escape the Room San Antonio, Komnata Quest Escape Room, or Extreme Escape Colonnade.

Hit Up a Restaurant

Obvious option #2. Though obvious doesn’t mean “not ideal” in this case. A restaurant is an absolute, hands down, excellent option for an adult birthday celebration as you have everything at your fingertips – food, drink, and service. Just add company and you’ve got a party!

You’ve got the what, now you need the where. While the number one thing to consider in this is where does the individual being celebrated want to go, a close second is making sure that the location can accommodate a lot of people. Not all restaurants are created equal here given certain space constraints so it’s best to find one that accepts reservations and can seat large groups. You can see our suggestions for restaurants that offer great group dining, but a few quick favorites are Dough Pizzeria Napoletana, Maverick Texas Brasserie, and La Fonda on Main.

Hopscotch

This one is kind of a twofer when it comes to adult birthday celebrations. Hopscotch is primarily an immersive art installation featuring more than 40 local, national, and international artists and their work. Guests can interact with and immerse themselves in each of the exhibits and displays, making for some really fabulous instagrammable memories.

In addition to the art, Hopscotch also has a full-service bar for drinks and a patio to enjoy food from local vendors. This means that your group celebration at Hopscotch will include food/drink and entertainment, all in one, really unique location.

Wine Tour

It may come as a bit of a surprise that San Antonio actually has a decent wine tour. I know this is shocking considering the fact that there isn’t a single vineyard around here, not to mention a distinct lack of rain, but it’s true, nonetheless. San Antonio Wine Tours offers an all-inclusive wine tasting experience for groups that includes private chauffeured transportation as well as tastings. Upgrades to a party bus or limo are available for groups looking to kick it up a notch.

And of course, there’s always Fredericksburg. Just a quick hour up the road from SA is small town in the Texas hill country that is known for its wine and vineyards. With more than 60 wineries and tasting rooms within the vicinity of the town, partygoers can easily find a tour or package that will suit their needs.