I don’t know about anyone else, but I love birthday parties. The whole thing is just such a lovely concept; a group of people coming together to do something fun to celebrate the fact that their friend, family member or other half exists. However, it can sometimes be hard to decide what you want to do with your day, especially at university away from your usual crowd, so, without further ado, here are some party ideas you can try. Whether you’re someone who likes to stay up and dance the night away in a club or someone who prefers something more lowkey with some close friends, there’s something here for you!
Clubbing
Starting off with the most obvious option: a night club. There are two main clubs in Bangor. Cube is a place that accommodates everyone with a variety of different themed floors. You can pick a room with the kind of music you like such as R&B, Pop or some cheesy hits and dance to your heart’s content. Academi is a bit smaller with less variety but if you’re a fan of Disney, ABBA and some old school 80’s party hits then you’re in the right place. There are also plenty of pubs for you to choose from if you want to have a drink and get a bit merry, but prefer to hear what your friends are saying and be a bit more chilled out with your alcohol consumption. If your birthday happens to land on a Monday then you’re in luck with the Pound a Pint at The Harp!
Day Trip
If you’re not so much a stay-out-all-night kind of person, then instead you could plan a day trip out. North Wales is a beautiful place with plenty of amazing and interesting places less than an hour away that are easily accessible by train or bus if you don’t have access to a car. Places like Caernarfon and Conwy both boast amazing castles you can tour around and they are the best places to go crab fishing. A little something for the marine biology students there. A trip to Conwy is also never complete without a visit to the smallest house in Great Britain which resides on the quayside. Another place you could visit is Llandudno. A lovely Victorian seaside town with a pier, arcades and plenty of shops if you fancy treating yourself. You could finish the day off with an ice cream. I would personally recommend the Looking Glass ice cream parlour. Their menu includes your standard ice cream cones to waffles, banana splits and brownies with your choice of ice cream, sauces and toppings. You’ll also find that Alice in Wonderland is a running theme in Llandudno. Try and find all the statues of the characters dotted around the town!
A Meal
Bangor is home to quite a wide variety of restaurants and cafes for a meal out with family and friends. Some popular places are the Clio Lounge, which is a bit expensive but has lovely food and a lot of vegetarian and vegan options. WoodFiredShack pizza place is one of the nicest pizza places I’ve been too. Again, it has lots of different options for everyone and is quite frankly delicious! The Jasmine Chinese restaurant is another one that serves good food and is usually very quiet so a good place to go last minute if you forget to make a reservation somewhere. Of course, this list would not be complete without mentioning good old trustworthy Wetherspoon’s. However, Wetherspoon’s is constantly busy so if you’re planning on going there then try and get there early to ensure you get a table.
Movie Night
A nice cheap option for you next. Just grab a laptop, iPad or a TV if you have one, some snacks and your friends and spend a relaxing evening unwinding to your favourite films. There are plenty of takeaways around Bangor that you can order pizza or a Chinese from. Round up your comfiest pillows and cosiest blankets and kick back and relax.
House Party
This next option is another fairly cheap one. If you’re a bit low on funds or don’t fancy joining the crowds in the club then why not stay in and have a house party? Get a takeaway or have your guests all pitch in for some party food and whack out the drinking games. I find this option is always nice if you don’t want to spend too much money on drinks or getting into places. It’s also a good environment to have fun with your friends instead of losing them in crowds of people.
Caernarfon Play Centre
This next suggestion is a rather specific one but seeing as you have decided to come to university in Bangor then you may as well take advantage of one specific thing it has to offer: The Caernarfon Play Centre, which is exactly what it sounds. A play centre in Caernarfon. But the unique thing about it is that it does birthday parties for all ages. If you can find a group of roughly 20 people, (although it probably doesn’t matter if that number is slightly lower or goes down before the day of the party) then you can spend a few hours in the play centre releasing your inner child. The packages they offer include a few hours in the play area with food served before you go in. One alcoholic drink is also offered with the meal but there’s nothing stopping you from having a few pre-drinks before you arrive. This is the most expensive suggestion on this list considering you would also have to hire a minibus to transport all your guests there but it is a fantastic way to spend a birthday if you are so inclined.
These are just a few options available to you and with some more research, you can uncover all sorts of places and ideas for your special day. But whatever you decide to do, I hope your birthday is filled with laughter and fun!
