Top birthday ideas in London to celebrate your big day

What better time to bellow your favourite anthems surrounded by similarly uninhibited friends than on your birthday? London’s best karaoke bars provide the perfect spaces for hairbrush heroes and air-guitar maestros to realise their pop-star dreams, whether you're in a swanky room at Lucky Voice or trying to hit the high notes in a corner of Bloomsbury Lanes. Cue up your tune and step up to the mic at one of these joints that make embarrassing yourself in public fun and festive. 

From swanky skyscrapers to casual warehouse hangouts and hidden pub terraces, London has a real crush on a rooftop bar. To enjoy a natural high, we are blessed with all kinds of rooftops which offer a winning combination of incredible city views and perfect drinks that will give any bday celebrations some extra wow factor. You’ll find these sky-high establishments in all pockets of the city, from Frank’s in Peckham to The Nest in Fitzrovia, Hackney’s Netil360 to Wimbledon’s The Loft. If you'd rather something a little more grounded, then have a look at London's best beer gardens. 

There are few things more satisfying than letting loose that perfect bowl, watching it spin down the lane and clatter down the skittles for a perfect strike. Whether you’re a bumpers-up, gutter-shooting, ramp-using no-hope or a foot-sweeping, self-styled tenpin pro, there’s a lot of satisfaction to be had in lumping a heavy, three-holed ball down a laminated lane. We all know and love Rowans, but if that’s booked up, try taking on the pins at Hollywood Bowl, All Star Lanes, or one of London’s many other strike-tastic alleys.

If you’re lucky enough to have your birthday fall in a time when London’s weather is nice enough to sit outside for hours, you need to capitalise on it. Pack up a basket of delicious nibbles and suitably festive drinks and head to one of the city’s finest parks and green spaces. Primrose Hill is always a winner – how could you lose with that view? – while the often-overlooked Holland Park is stunningly picturesque.

There are few things greater in life than gathering up your mates and heading to the park to grill up a feast under the sizzling summer sun. Most of London’s lush green spaces are reserved for picnics only, but there are some major parks and local gardens where you’re officially allowed to fire up the BBQ. Get the birthday bangers cooking in the scenic Waterlow Park or secret suntrap Cantelowes Gardens. 

In the capital, you can find cocktails for every taste and mood, with everything from fancy hotel spots to down-and-dirty speakeasies and party palaces to secret basements. Visit Dukes for a Martini you’ll never forget or Bar Termini for a Negroni as good as they come. Fancy something a little more experimental? Try Lyaness, who’ve created several new ingredients for their concoctions, or Swift, who serve up a dazzling Sgroppino – a Prosecco cocktail filled with lemon sorbet.

There’s nothing better than shutting out the rest of the world and transporting yourself into another place, time and life via the magic of cinema – even on your special day. Gather your friends, check out the listings at one of London’s arthouses, multiplexes, luxe cinemas or cult spots, grab some popcorn and settle in for a cinematic special. For cheap trips to the movies, think PeckhamPlex or Genesis, or get classy at Screen On The Green.

Birthdays don’t have to be about getting turbo-charged on booze or stuffing your face with the city’s finest cuisine before staying out til dawn. They can be simple and wholesome, too, and going for a lovely stroll in some of London’s prettiest parts is a more than fitting way to celebrate the passing of another year. Try out the Parkland Walk – the capital’s longest Local Nature Reserve – or The Jubilee Greenway, which takes you through some unmissable views from Constitution Hill to Little Venice, for your fresh air fix.

Afternoon tea. Yes, it's twee, but there is something quite fun about working your way through what's essentially dessert tapas, especially when you’re at one of London’s top hotels or restaurants. What better excuse than marking the day you were born to tuck into tiny finger sandwiches and dainty sweet treats? That’s right, there isn’t one, so book yourself in for a sugary sesh at swanky Fortnum & Mason, the Parisian-style Pavyllon, or one of the city's many other tea-serving spots. 

As a general rule, all good things on birthdays should be endless, which is why bottomless brunch is the perfect choice of revelry for your day in the spotlight. OK, so the platters of food and bottles of bubbly and trays of cocktails aren’t actually infinite in supply, but the typical 90-minute time limit gives you plenty of time to get your money’s worth and get in extremely high spirits. Check out Mr Bao’s offerings for a Taiwanese twist on brunch, or go for a classic like Double Standard.