21st Birthday Party Ideas: 21 Tips from 420-Friendly Denver, CO

21 Ways to Ring in Adulthood Where Weed Is Legal

by Travis Crane

21st birthdays aren’t just a celebration of being able to drink and (in some lucky states) buy cannabis legally. They’re a rite of passage into full-blown adulthood and all the real-life responsibilities that come with it. If your clock is about to strike 21, check out these cannabis-inspired 21st birthday party ideas to try out before real adulthood sets in.

Here in 420-friendly Denver, cannabis-sparked activities are highly suited for a 21st birthday. From casinos to bars to cannabis dispensaries and 420 tours, this comprehensive list of 21st birthday party ideas is sure to have something you haven’t thought of.

Take a Weed Vacation to Colorado

To take full advantage of your newfound 21ness, the first step is to get yourself somewhere with recreationally legal cannabis. Hint: pick Colorado. This will expand the options tremendously. For example, some people don’t like alcohol, like, at all. I get it, I’m one of those people every once in a while, and I know my fair share of friends who stay away. Celebrating your 21st doesn’t need to be all about getting drunk when you can take a full-blown weed vacation to Colorado! 420-friendly lodging, exclusive deals, and awesome adventures await.

Go Dispensary Hopping

Not everyone wants to get shit-faced on their 21st to the point that they don’t even remember how great a time they had. With recreational cannabis legal in Colorado, Denver is an incredible place to explore all the different dispensaries and crazy goodies they serve up. With more dispensaries than McDonald’s or Starbucks (combined), you can walk out the door of one dispensary right into the door of another without even turning the block. Test out some new strains, try some tasty new edibles, and dabble in concentrates so you can try dabbing for the first time.

Go Bar Hopping

If you have really nice friends that like you enough to blow a good chunk of change, do a bar hop. While some places offer wristbands and such for tour guide led crawls through Denver, these aren’t necessary at all if you have a good group of friends and you know your way around. Remember all those bars that looked so cool when you drove by last week, but you were only 20? Well, now you can go to them all and pick out which will become your go-to.

Melt onto the Table of a Cannabis Massage

If you thought a regular massage was good, you need to try a cannabis massage. Infused oils and ointments used during the process help relax muscles in a way far superior to traditional methods, giving way to a euphoric experience of relaxation and comfort. Munch on some incredible edibles before you go for the maximum relief experience. (Warning: You may want to fall asleep on the table for a couple hours).

Take a Cannabis Tour of Denver

What better way to get to see the best that the Denver cannabis scene has to offer than to take a cannabis tour? If you’ve never seen a cannabis tour menu before, take a look at the options – from boarding a party bus to the best greenhouses and dispensaries, combining craft beer and best buds, or learning all about concentrates. All are good ways to follow the green-brick road in Denver.

Get Your Hands Sticky with a Weed Cooking Class

Have you ever had your joint rolling skills tested on the spot? Have you ever wondered how hard it is to roll your own sushi? Did you ever think you could possibly learn to do both at the same time? I sure as hell know I didn’t, but damn I wish I had. Learn to roll some awesome sushi, and transfer those skills to the rolling tray where you can learn to roll the perfect cone. If sushi isn’t your style, you can take a trip to a cooking school to take a full in-depth cannabis cooking class. Dig in!

Throw a Raging House Party

Save that money you would otherwise spend out at the bar and have a get-together at home. With multiple cannabis delivery services and no shortage of liquor stores, pick up that cheap vodka and order an ounce. Make some tasty jungle juice to go with your joints and have a baller night in. Just lock up your valuables and make sure your roommates are okay with your 21st birthday party ideas.

Get Into Character with a Costume Party

Make that house party even better by adding costumes to the mix. Dress as your favorite celebrities, movie characters, and superheroes to bump up the laugh factor once you all get a little more “lit”.

Get Highly Competitive with Weed Party Games

If you’ve been practicing your beer pong skills, level up with a party game Olympics. Conjure up your own 21st birthday party ideas for weed games, or try out popular games like the Wheel of Weed or Taxi. Really any drinking game can be turned into a smoking game.

Bartending Class

Have you always wanted to know what it’s like to stand behind the bar dealing out drinks to dozens of thirsty customers? Learn to make some awesome cocktails you can transfer to your home bar setup to keep the party going after the class is over and impress all your friends with that one drink you learned to make really well until they get sick of it.

A post shared by Bockers & Pony Hampers (@bockersandpony) on Aug 12, 2017 at 12:22am PDT

21st Birthday Party Bonfire

This may be difficult in the city, but where I come from (Middle of Nowheresville, Pennsylvania) there’s nothing like celebrating a birthday with a giant roaring fire in the background. Especially with the weather starting to cool down, a nice fire with friends and family is always a great 21st birthday party ideas or go-to for any birthday occasion.

24-Hour Rager

If you’ve made it this far you might be thinking, “wow a lot of these are pretty low-tempo for 21st birthday party ideas. I just want to party hard.” In that case, give the 24-hour party a shot. Wake up at midnight on your birthday with a shot, and keep the party going until its midnight again. Personally, I think you might need to be superhuman to do this one without passing out (or dying), so maybe start with 12 hours and see how you feel (hint: it will be drunk).

Weed Goodie Boxes

Want to get yourself a great present you don’t necessarily feel like asking your parents for? Order yourself a cannabis goodie box to be delivered on the day of your birthday! The goodie boxes can come with anything from pipes to bongs to munchies and movies, which means it’s sure to come with something you’ll enjoy. Order it a month ahead and forget about it a week later for the ultimate surprise.

A post shared by cannpix (@cannpix) on May 9, 2017 at 4:31pm PDT

Smokeapalooza

A personal favorite of mine, the Smokeapalooza, is the ultimate smoke session for those that are looking for the highest of 21st birthday party ideas. Hit up those cannabis delivery services or check out your local dispensary and pick up the biggest quantity of cannabis your heart desires. Put the pile between you and all your friends and proceed to smoke through the whole thing. If you’ve ever heard of a green-out, this is how you get there.

Night on the Town

If you don’t want to sit inside or hang out at the bar, go for a night on the town! Pick a place for a pre-dinner drink and appetizer before venturing to the next place for a nice dinner with friends or that special someone. After you have a good meal check out some of the awesome clubs and bars in Denver to maximize party potential.

Birthday Hiking

It’s Colorado. There are more mountains in the state than most others, and more hiking trails than most people even know exist. Get a group of friends to tag along and trek through the wilderness. Just don’t get eaten by whatever is out there.

Road Trippin’

One of the perks of being in Denver is that you’re kind of close to everything. Maybe not New York City, but Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Red Rocks, even California is just a road trip away. It is your 21st after all, why not go all out and do something once-in-a-lifetime?

Museums

There’s just something about walking through museums that makes me feel more sophisticated, like I actually care about gaining more knowledge and I’m not just there to look at the cool pictures and statues. You can feel that way too! Eat an edible or smoke some cannabis before you go to get the full immersive effect.

21 Tallies

Similar to the 24-hour rager (but a little less dangerous) is the coveted 21 Tallies. This is when the lucky birthday girl/boy gets to take a shot or drink for every year they have been walking on the great green earth. Considering that is a hell of a lot of alcohol, definitely pace yourself on this one and make sure your friends keep an eye on you when you inevitably go off on your own drunk escapade like Bilbo in The Hobbit. Do it while you’re young — your body will not be quite as forgiving for your 30th birthday party.