• Throw a party your friends will remember.party image by Tammy Mobley from Fotolia.com
  
  If your close friend, brother or significant other has a milestone birthday coming up, plan to celebrate it with something a little more exciting than just another dinner party. Pamper the birthday boy and show him that he's still young enough to enjoy a great party. Or, if it's your birthday you're celebrating, throw a party that all your friends will enjoy and want to emulate when their own birthdays come around.
  
  

Casino Party

• You can host a casino theme party at your house, apartment or bachelor pad. If your budget allows, rent roulette wheels and felt-top poker tables from a party supply store or simply gather card tables and cover them in green craft felt to create a more inexpensive casino feel. Designate different tables for different games, such as poker, black jack and craps. Have poker chips on hand and prizes for the guest with the most chips at the end of the night. Ask guests to come dressed in formal attire. Serving champagne creates a festive atmosphere.
  
  

Pub Crawl

• For an all-out, all-night bash, organize a classic pub crawl. Consult your friends to compile a list of the best bars and pubs in your hometown, preferably within walking distance of each other. Designate one pub, preferably near the beginning of the crawl, for dinner. Don't forget, too, to select plenty of designated drivers ahead of time. For added excitement, have party guests compete in a pub crawl scavenger hunt. Divide the party into small teams or pairs, giving each team a list of items to collect during the crawl. Items might include tangibles, such as take-out menus, bottle caps or cocktail umbrellas, or intangibles and actions, such as, "a photograph of a team member bull's eye in darts." The first team to complete its list wins a prize.
  
  

Brewery Tour

• Take your party on the road and visit a nearby brewery for a tour and tasting. Craft microbreweries can be found all over the United States. You could visit Stone Brewing in California, Rogue Ales in Oregon, Flying Dog Brewery in Maryland, Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware or Brooklyn Brewery or Brewery Ommegang in New York. Visit a particular brewery's web site or contact the brewery by phone to inquire about group tours and rates. If you can't find a brewery near you, then host a microbrewed beer tasting at your home.