50th birthday ideas

[50thBirthdayGirl]

I have had an utterly rubbish decade! Mainly health related but also relationship and family crap too.

I will be turning 50 soon and I would like to start as I mean to go on - celebrating and living life to its fullest and...happy and doing what I enjoy.

I would love some ideas as the usual afternoon tea and spa days aren’t really my thing.

What I love:

Stand up Comedy (observational, sarcastic but inoffensive/mainstream stuff)

Music - mainly 80’s but also some 90’s and newer stuff, pop, rock, soul, jazz... usual suspects

Theatre and cinema - huge film fan, love opera and musicals and just a good show generally, love high brow drama too but also open to more avant garde ideas too even interactive experiences

Bars and clubs - I’m kinda over the paying a fortune for watered down drinks and not being able to get a seat thing! But I’m open to suggestions of more chilled places.

Reading - (favourite authors sadly no longer with us)

Travel (not great with flying but can manage a standard flight but wouldn’t be up for helicopters, hang gliding etc) LOVE sailing and anything sea related, love driving, mostly enjoy train travel even coaches at a push

Food - I’m veggie but apart from that I’ll eat anything pretty much!

Drink - not a big drinker but can appreciate a good cocktail or wine mainly a red wine drinker but like champagne on occasion too, not really into craft ale type things

Visiting off the beaten track tourist attractions - love a good niche museum or guided tour as long as it’s not a rip off. I like seeing/experiencing things in a location that even most locals aren’t aware of. Hidden treasures.

History - fascinated by history especially social history

I have a few ideas in mind of ways to celebrate and places to go both in Uk and elsewhere (assuming we can travel next year)

But I know mn can be GREAT for throwing up new ideas for this kinda thing.

I want to make it special, single now but I will likely be dragging along a friend or 2, my adult Dd or even my mum depending what ideas come up and who I think would enjoy them most, might do different things with different people like a week or a month of events (budget dependent)

I don’t want to say what my ideas are or even what the budget is yet, as I want to brainstorm it at this stage plus the thread could provide ideas for people with a greater budget than me.

The above list is not exhaustive so don’t let it limit you

Bumping this again as would love some ideas please, hoping I get some replies this time

If you've never been to the Edinburgh Festival, make a plan for next August then you'll see all the stand up you could ever want plus music and theatre.

Sign up to get the Fringe programme as soon as it's available and then plan an intense few days. Also check out the official Festival programme.

If you plan far enough in advance you could probably get yourself a really nice Air BnB in the centre of town.

Great bars and restaurants in Edinburgh too.

For books and reading, the Chelthenham Literature Festival always has a good programme. Or what about Hay?

Didn't want to let your post go un answered, it's a great problem to have!

If travelling is an option next year I think a city break somewhere beautiful would tick a lot of boxes, especially to somewhere you could see a concert or show?

Then something at home- could you hire a house somewhere here and ask friends to join you for a weekend away?

I'm going 50 this year so I know what you mean about living life to the fullest.
My suggestion would be Naples. It is seeped in history, has loads of out of the ordinary museums. You could drive along the amalfi coast. Visit Pompeii. You could even stay on a boat in the bay.
Naples is the city that lives life to the fullest. I have been twice and would love to go again.

Let’s Rock 80s festival

let’s Rock kent

In Maidstone, visit nearby Leeds castle also (for history)

Trip on Orient Express (or similar steam trains)

Great rail holidays

London - theatre, bars, quirky stuff

Hay on wye literacy festival

Glynebourne

Wexford opera festival in Ireland
Wexford opera

Amazing - I'm just about to suggest a festival, too. Edinburgh's a great idea, but Dublin might provide Beckett and Cork or surroundings might have a great classical music offering.

Pushing the boat out a little - too late for this year, but next, how about Aix en Provence? (Don't mind me, in the corner, dying of envy if you go.) The most stupendous music, opera, etc festival. It's on now actually. Perfect venue for your sailing adventures as well.

There. Done!

Edinburgh and literature festivals - good calls! I have friends and family in those places too so I can catch up with them

Yes I’ve done city breaks before would need to be somewhere really good

Hiring a house might be a possibility, would need to carefully consider where as friends and family are spread across the Uk and the world

Thanks for the Naples recommendation, I’ve been to Italy but not Naples yet

Let’s rock is a possibility plus I have friends in London/south east

Orient express I’ll look into I don’t think I have anyone who would want to go with though

Not hugely into opera but I’m not ruling anything out

I have always wanted to visit Ireland but somehow never got around to it, so will check out events over there too so I could time a visit well

Apols (was only going by your OP statement that you 'love opera')!

Anyhow - music (all kinds but mostly orchestral / choral), drink (distillery tours!) sea - definitely off the beaten track, but with a wonderful friendly atmosphere - St Magnus Festival in Orkney. It's really special - over the Summer solstice you leave the last concert of the evening (maybe at the cathedral) after midnight, and it's still light.

Was going to suggest something opera-related too but am now all confused as to whether you love it or are not that into it 😂

Gah! That’s meant to say opera festivals - I love a proper opera but I’ve tried festivals and found them a bit disjointing

If you love opera - Verona for one of the open air performances.