How to Host a Destination Birthday Party | Dan’s 40th at Semiahmoo Resort

This past weekend, we celebrated my husband turning the big 4-0. I had a fun party idea for him but he refused (he’s crazy, right??) and asked if we could celebrate with a destination party at his favorite place, Semiahmoo Resort.  We’d never really gotten away with friends {without kids} so everyone was excited for an overnight date getaway.

On our way to Semiahmoo, we made a pit stop at Rocket Donuts in Fairhaven. If you haven’t heard of Rocket Donuts, they’re unreal. I’ve never seen anything like them. Can you believe this?

With a destination party, the key is having an itinerary so your guests know what to expect. Harper Gray created these cute blue watercolor postcards we put in each couple’s room as they arrived, along with drinks on ice, and donuts!

Dan was thrilled to find his birthday celebration on Semiahmoo’s weekend event list. So fun!

We checked into our waterfront suite on the beach with a fireplace and I thought to myself, this is the life.  I’m never leaving.

The hotel was beyond thoughtful and had a framed photo of us from our first trip to Semiahmoo waiting in our room, along with a bunch of other yummy treats!

We wanted our guests to have a surprise upon arrival as well so I packed each couple a welcome bag.  If you’re planning a destination party, I think it’s is a nice gesture so your guests have everything they need (and may not think to bring) for their time away.

*Instead of a basket, find a great bag to put goodies in.  We always need an extra bag when we’re checking out of hotels (which seems weird because we somehow got it all there with the bags we came with).  I found these simple totes from Gentry’s Closet and had each monogrammed.  They’ll make a great market tote down the road, compared to a basket that you’d end up tossing.

*Fill the bags with snacks and drinks so your guests don’t go hungry.  We filled our guests bags with some of our favorite snacks like KuKuRuZa Gourmet S’mores Popcorn, Ghiradelli Chocolate, Original New York Seltzers and Smart Water.

*A cozy blanket is nice in case people are cold and a candle is fun to burn in your room.  I looked high and low for candles and throws that looked “manly” since it was Dan’s birthday.  Low and behold, Walmart had blue plaid throws for $2.88!!  Insane.  I also found selfie sticks at the W for $4.98.  It’s like free, I tell ya.

*To capture the fun of the weekend, throw in a disposable camera or better yet, a Fujifilm Instax Mini for instant gratification.  We absolutely love ours and thought our friends should have one too!

It’s nice to have an activity or plan when your guests arrive so they aren’t wondering what to do until the next meal.  I made up a “Semiahmoo Scavenger Hunt” (with the help of Harper Gray) with items that needed to be documented with a camera around the resort.  The couples grabbed their phones and selfie sticks and literally took off running!

Scavenger hunts can easily be personalized for any party destination! It’s a great way for guests to physically see the resort property and amenities, as well as learn their way around.  We asked our guests to use #danis40 in their Instagram posts so everyone could see what each other was doing.  It was so funny!

After the hunt, we enjoyed a great dinner at Packers Lounge.  We all ate so much we were still full at breakfast the next day.

We watched an absolutely gorgeous beach sunset as our {extremely talented photographer} friend Ryan snapped photos of each couple.

After dinner we stuffed ourselves with dessert and then headed out for s’mores on the beach.  There is nothing like a warm fire combined with the crisp fall air and the ocean right next to you.  I could have sat there all night!

The next morning we met for breakfast at Pierside Kitchen (which is absolutely darling, right on the water).  The resort had a special table set for us with Dan’s favorite breakfast pastries waiting for each guest.

After breakfast the ladies headed to The Spa and the guys decided to forgo golfing and watch the Seahawks game in the resort’s gigantic theater room.

We had such a fun time and loved introducing our friends to one of our favorite getaways.  We’re already planning the next escape to Semiahmoo Resort, with kids next time!

 

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