So the magical time finally rolls around, and you are planning a retirement party for yourself, a friend or family member, or a colleague. You are probably excited to start planning, but if you’ve never organized one before, you might also be feeling a bit overwhelmed.
With so many things to think of for the party, it’s easy to feel like this. Fortunately, if you break the whole party down into more minor elements and tackle them one by one, it becomes a whole lot easier.
The first part you need to start with is picking the perfect venue. This might also be one of the trickiest parts of the whole planning process. Fortunately, armed with our tips you’ll quickly be on your way to planning a great party, almost stress-free.
Before we dive into the options for venues, you need to think of a few things in advance. These things will help you narrow down your search for venues.
Start with the following tips:
- What does your budget look like? Do you have an ample budget so you can consider any type of venue? Or do you need to plan the party on a tight budget? If it’s the latter you probably want to consider one of the free venues we’ll be listing later on in the article.
- How many people are you planning on inviting? Next to your budget, this will be the biggest determining factor in choosing a venue.
- What kind of party atmosphere do you want to have? Do you prefer something more lowkey like a picnic, or do you want something extravagant?
- What would the retiree like if you are planning the party for someone else? After all, they are the honorary guest, so you don’t want to throw the biggest and loudest party if you know they would prefer something more unassuming.
- Will you be serving food, and if so, do you have a caterer? Food is a good way to dictate whether you would prefer to host the party at a restaurant where they can take care of the food.
Whether you are planning on a budget or you simply prefer something a bit more lowkey, then one of the following free venues could be perfect for you:
The beach
If you are lucky enough to live somewhere close to the beach, it can be the ideal spot to have a no-frills easy-going party.
Especially if you are planning it at around sunset, sharing drinks with the honorary guest just feels like the most memorable way to celebrate the end of decades of hard work.
The park
Like the beach, the park is an ideal place to celebrate a retirement party without anything extravagant.
It offers slightly more flexibility than the beach as it could be a bit easier to decorate the spot. For example, hanging those popular little flags on a string between the trees can quickly add a festive feeling to an area.
Campsite
You probably don’t think of a campsite as a potential venue for a retirement party, but it could be exactly what you are looking for. It’s usually also set in nature and offers a bit more amenities than a park.
Lake
Setting up a picnic or bbq next to a lake as a retirement venue is ideal for those retirees that appreciate nature and something calmer.
Also those retirees that prefer conversation and connection over lights and loud music will truly appreciate this venue as an option.
Garden
Why go look for a venue when you or one of your colleagues (or maybe the retiree) has a garden? A garden is the most straightforward venue as it’s nice and outside, easy to decorate, and close to amenities such as a bathroom.
Home
Depending on the season in which you have the party, hosting it outside in a garden might not be feasible or desirable. Why then not simply host the party at someone’s home? It could be your home or maybe one of your colleagues or even one that belongs to a friend of the retiree.
You do, however, want to make sure that the house will fit all the party guests, and if you host it at someone else’s home, you don’t want to leave them with the mess the next day. So consider organizing and paying for cleaning services up front to take care of the mess the day after the party.
Sports field
A wide open, green space – perfect venue. If you don’t have a park close by, why not opt for the local sports field?
The office
Why not help the retiree close an epic chapter by celebrating it in the place where their working journey started? Of course, they most likely didn’t start their career in that exact office, but that doesn’t take away any symbolic and sentimental value.
The local church
Whether or not the soon-to-be retiree is a church-goer or not, churches often have little buildings that you can rent out for a meager fee. However, if the honorary guest of the party is a member of the congregation, there is a small chance that you could use the venue for free.
Local businesses
For the following options, there might be a small fee attached or you’d simply pay for making use of the venue’s services or amenities as you would on any other day.
Restaurant
Having a retirement party at a restaurant is always a great idea. You don’t have to organize any catering, and you already know what to expect more or less.
Depending on the size of the group you definitely want to discuss it with the restaurant before so you can be assured of enough space. Depending on your budget, it’s always advisable to discuss menu and beverage details upfront, so you aren’t left with a bill that is completely out of budget.
Bar or lounge
If you are looking for something that’s a bit more active than a sit-down dinner, but with a similar ambiance, consider a bar or lounge.
Throwing a party at a location like this allows the guests more flexibility to move around and interact with each other. The bar might also allow some options for dancing. As with the restaurant, you want to make a reservation upfront.
Rooftop bar
If you are already considering hosting the party at a bar, why not go all out and opt for a rooftop bar? Every single guest will absolutely love the view, and this will add a nice little extra touch to the party.
If you live in a big city where rooftop bars are plentiful, you can Google guides detailing the top rooftop bars in the area to help you with your search.
Gallery
Throwing a retirement party at a gallery is definitely something for the retiree that enjoys the finer things in life. It simply oozes elegance.
Don’t forget to organize a glass of equally unforgettable champagne to toast to their retirement over speeches.
Museum
Similar to a retirement party at a gallery, having it at a museum is equally elegant. Many museums can be rented, or at least a part of it, making for a memorable send-off to celebrate the retiree’s new chapter.
Dance club
This is the perfect venue for the retiree that loves to have a good time. Some dance clubs offer plenty of theme nights like the 70s or 80s. It would be absolutely unforgettable if you could plan the party, so it coincides with the themed night of the decade they started working.
Ice skating rink
This may seem like a pretty unusual venue to include in the list. But if this is a venue the retiree actually frequents, then it’s a wonderful way to pay homage to their life and their unique interests.
Just make sure there’s adequate space to have a drink and to relax that’s not on the ice. It’s unlikely that every single party guest will enjoy actually being on the ice.
Bowling alley
Throwing a retirement party at the bowling alley is perfect if the retiree has a competitive streak. If so, I’m sure they would be ready to take on the boss in a final challenge.
Boat or yacht
Again, if you are lucky enough to live close to a body of water, then a retirement party on a boat or yacht is a pretty epic venue for a party.
Depending on the size of the boat or yacht, it’s recommended that you get guests to rsvp well ahead of time so you don’t end up with too many people and, in the process, compromise safety regulations.
Theme park
Throwing a final bash at a theme park is a great way for everyone to get in touch with their inner child again.
After decades of hard work and constant responsibilities, this is maybe just the venue to signal the start of a new chapter that has ample time for play and having fun.
Hotel or resort
Opting for a hotel or resort as a party venue is always a good idea. The staff already has experience with hosting events, and everything you may need is on hand.
Having it here will offer you a lot of flexibility in terms of food and drink options. There might also be space for dancing if you want to offer that option to party guests.
Retirement parties can be held in hotel lobby areas, bars, suites, or even the penthouse. It all depends on your budget and party wishes. But a lot is possible in hotels. You can also offer your guests that need to travel far a room at the hotel.
Golf Club
Regardless of whether or not the soon-to-be retiree plays golf or not, the gold club as a party venue could just be what you are looking for.
Almost every golf club has a clubhouse complete with a bar and a kitchen. So renting out this space to throw your party offers you everything you could possibly need for a party.
It’s ideal for parties that need a bit more space for attendees to have a good time and enjoy a drink vs. if you had it at a restaurant or gallery.
Ranch
Somewhat similar to a golf club, a ranch as venue location has all the basic amenities you need, and it’s also more informal than a winery or a restaurant.
If you know party guests might be a bit loud and want to party without disturbing other people, then renting out an entire area such as a space on a ranch is ideal. Ranches as venue locations have been growing in popularity, so you might be able to find out that really specialize in hosting similar celebrations.
Theather or cinema
If the party’s honorary guest loves visiting the theater or cinema, this is the party venue for them. If you are planning a party with only a handful of guests, you can consider turning it into a weekend where you travel to another city to watch a production.
Alternatively, combine the visit to the cinema or theater with dinner and drinks before or after the showing.
Banquet hall
There are plenty of banquet halls that are specifically designed to host all kinds of parties and events. Picking such a venue will make party planning completely stress-free.
These types of venues usually also offer catering as part of the package, so you can simply have one contact person sort out all your party needs. However, if you want to do the catering yourself or have someone else cater the party, this is usually also an option just make sure to find that out well in advance.
Winery or brewery
If the retiree appreciates fine wine or locally brewed beer, then you probably don’t even want to look any further for a venue. These venues offer plenty of opportunities to host a party.
Quite often, they also offer catering or allow outside catering to be done. Hosting the party at a winery or brewery will enable you to have the flexibility to decide if you only want to do drinks and snacks or if you want to include a full meal.