Usually to celebrate birthdays, my husband and I like to travel. However, between a baby and a new work schedule for one of us and big end of year responsibilities for the other, that might not have been completely possible for us this year. So I did the next best thing and planned a birthday trip around the world, from home!

When travel isn’t an option, why not bring the world to you? For this birthday celebration, I turned our home into a mini version of something like Epcot, complete with stops in four different countries.

Each destination had its own themed food, cultural activity, or unique experience to make it feel like we were really there. Plus since it was a birthday, every country had a “souvenir”/birthday gift he got to collect along the way.

We had a great time stopping around the house and by the end of the night, we’d “traveled” across multiple countries, enjoyed global flavors, and even picked up a few souvenirs along the way.

Keep reading for the details on what we did, what we ate, and how you can easily recreate this experience for your next celebration or date night!

Where do I start?

Pick a few countries you are excited about! Start with destinations that have foods you love or cultures you want to explore. Then, decide what each “stop” will include. Some of my stops featured food, while others featured an activity, or a small tradition.

Once you have your countries, plan a simple menu and gather any supplies you might need, like decorations or a fun fact about each place. Don’t over complicate it, this is about having fun and making memories!

How do I set up?

To set up, decide how you want to “travel” through your home. You can assign each country to a different room, area, or table. If space is limited, you can rotate themes in one spot. I used the same space for breakfast in Japan as I did for dinner in Mexico. Just switch out the food, decor, or activities as you go.

For each stop, set up small touches that bring the destination to life. This could be as simple as playing music from that country, setting out themed decorations, or printing a fun fact to read before diving in. If you’re doing gifts or souvenirs, have them ready at each stop.

Once everything is prepped, decide on the order of your trip, grab your “passports” , and enjoy the day!

Tell me more

To make the experience even more special, I created a destination flyer that I could text him before each stop. It gave a little background on where we were “traveling” and outlined what we’d be doing while we were there.

I included how to say Happy Birthday and I love you in the country’s language. And since this was his celebration, I tailored the activities and foods towards things he enjoys. That made each stop feel personal.

For each country, I made a flag out of poster board. Not only did it help set the scene, but it also doubled as decoration and tied everything together. Everything else I grabbed off the party aisle. Streamers, balloons, a few hanging pieces,and misc.party decor I thought would match.

Breakfast in Japan

For our Japan stop, I wanted to create a peaceful and immersive experience. I set up a traditional tea ceremony to bring in an authentic cultural touch. To make it feel even more like we were there, we watched a stunning 4K YouTube tour of a Japanese village, taking in the serene landscapes , sounds, and historic streets right from our living room. And of course, no visit to Japan would be complete without food! I made fluffy Japanese-style pancakes—light, airy, and the perfect sweet treat to round out our stop in Japan.

For a souvenir, I gave my husband a Japanese snack box, filled with an assortment of treats we wouldn’t typically find here. There was a little bit of everything from savory snacks to sweet treats, it felt like a mini surprise with each new item we tried.

Midday Safari in South Africa

Next, we traveled to South Africa for a fun safari-themed stop. To set the scene, I decorated with safari-inspired party decor. I got lucky and happened to stumble on a bunch of safari decorations for cheap. We even had one of those fun photo booth drapes where you stick your face through, which was a hit with our little one.

To make it feel even more immersive, we played traditional South African games, which brought out friendly competition and some laughs. And of course, no South African themed stop would be complete without music. We finished with an Amapiano party, embracing South Africa’s vibrant music scene. The energy was contagious, and we all found ourselves dancing along to the lively beats, even the baby joined in on the dance party.

For the souvenir, I gifted him some biltong, a delicious South African dried meat snack, that we could enjoy as we continued the adventure. It was a perfect little taste of South Africa!

Afternoon Tea in Scotland

Scotland was next on our world tour, and I had planned a mix of stone throwing and mini golf in the back yard to pay homage to golf’s Scottish origins. But as luck would have it, the weather didn’t cooperate, and rain kept us in. We quickly adapted by setting up a mini golf course indoors, using household objects to create fun obstacles. Instead of stone throwing, we played one of the souvenirs, a Rumi like card game, centering around golf and spent the rest of the time battling it out for the title of champ!

In addition to the card game souvenir he grabbed a box of English Breakfast tea and a box of baked in Scotland shortbread cookies.

Dinner in Mexico

We were supposed to go to Mexico for lunch, but the baby needed a nap, so our flight got delayed. We finally made it there for dinner, and it was worth the wait. We had carne asada tacos, and enjoyed some refreshing house margaritas.

For the souvenir, I filled a piñata with Mexican candies, plus a bottle of tequila to bring the fiesta home. It was the perfect way to end our birthday trip around the world!