As any 11 year old who REALLY wanted Hanson to perform at her birthday party knows, those shindigs could be disappointing. As adults, we suffer from different––if equally buzz-killing––predicaments. Among them: How do you throw a party for yourself that's not going to 1. Trash your home 2. Cost upwards of $1K or 3. Be planted at the same boring bar you go to every weekend?
New Yorkers––with our tiny apartments and high standards for fun––are particularly subject to this conundrum. Luckily, the city also offers a plethora of off-the-path spots to host your birthday. From RVs to photo studios, spas to other people's yards, below are the fruits of this (recently-turned-26-year-old) writers' research. And in case you're curious, she's leaning towards Spa Castle.
Someone Else's Yard: Alas, the LES timeshare garden which rented a patch grass for $100/hour is being turned into condos (gentrification?). But, sites like Airbnb and EventUp are still around to connect those desperate for extra space with those looking to make some cash. It's not always cheap: This 380-square-foot garden in Stuyvesant Heights starts at $277 for every two-hour block. Meanwhile, a picnic in Prospect Park is free, but you might land you a drinking in public ticket ($25). Ah, decisions.
Party Camper/RV: Perhaps the weirdest (if also the coolest?) spot we found in our investigation of alternative party spots is this "Harvey Love Muscle 'The Party RV'," available via Airbnb. Featuring a psychedelic cloud mural and patchwork seats, it just might be worth the $500/night (sober driver included). From what we hear, this is a hippie-friendly rate compared to other party bus enterprises.
Photo Studio/Gallery: If all you want is a white-walled space that's not your white-walled space, lots of photos studios and galleries host events on the side. This studio/galleRY in Bushwick starts at $250/night.
Ginormous Spa: Perfect for anyone still nostalgic for those princess parties you had as a kid, Spa Castle in Queens offers unlimited sauna-ing, steam room-ing, and hanging by the pool in a slightly medieval setting. If you show up with more than ten friends to come, you get ten percent off the $40/person entrance fee.
Gaming: Of all the games old people play at retirement homes, shuffleboard seems like the coolest. This is particularly true when you have your own cabana and court ($50/hour) plus unlimited beer and wine ($20/hour/head) at The Royal Palms in Gowanus.
Hotel Party: OK, so we're betting you can't actually have a rager in one of the rooms of this Rockaway, Queens motel. But, we hear the tavern downstairs is pretty party-friendly, and anyway, you're just a few steps away from the best birthday venue ever: the beach. Rooms from $69/night.
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The Royal Palms, a shuffleboard hall in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of The Royal Palms
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Playland Motel in Rockaway, Queens. Photo courtesy o
New Yorkers––with our tiny apartments and high standards for fun––are particularly subject to this conundrum. Luckily, the city also offers a plethora of off-the-path spots to host your birthday. From RVs to photo studios, spas to other people's yards, below are the fruits of this (recently-turned-26-year-old) writers' research. And in case you're curious, she's leaning towards Spa Castle.
Someone Else's Yard: Alas, the LES timeshare garden which rented a patch grass for $100/hour is being turned into condos (gentrification?). But, sites like Airbnb and EventUp are still around to connect those desperate for extra space with those looking to make some cash. It's not always cheap: This 380-square-foot garden in Stuyvesant Heights starts at $277 for every two-hour block. Meanwhile, a picnic in Prospect Park is free, but you might land you a drinking in public ticket ($25). Ah, decisions.
Party Camper/RV: Perhaps the weirdest (if also the coolest?) spot we found in our investigation of alternative party spots is this "Harvey Love Muscle 'The Party RV'," available via Airbnb. Featuring a psychedelic cloud mural and patchwork seats, it just might be worth the $500/night (sober driver included). From what we hear, this is a hippie-friendly rate compared to other party bus enterprises.
Photo Studio/Gallery: If all you want is a white-walled space that's not your white-walled space, lots of photos studios and galleries host events on the side. This studio/galleRY in Bushwick starts at $250/night.
Ginormous Spa: Perfect for anyone still nostalgic for those princess parties you had as a kid, Spa Castle in Queens offers unlimited sauna-ing, steam room-ing, and hanging by the pool in a slightly medieval setting. If you show up with more than ten friends to come, you get ten percent off the $40/person entrance fee.
Gaming: Of all the games old people play at retirement homes, shuffleboard seems like the coolest. This is particularly true when you have your own cabana and court ($50/hour) plus unlimited beer and wine ($20/hour/head) at The Royal Palms in Gowanus.
Hotel Party: OK, so we're betting you can't actually have a rager in one of the rooms of this Rockaway, Queens motel. But, we hear the tavern downstairs is pretty party-friendly, and anyway, you're just a few steps away from the best birthday venue ever: the beach. Rooms from $69/night.
The Royal Palms, a shuffleboard hall in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of The Royal Palms
Playland Motel in Rockaway, Queens. Photo courtesy o