10 Wonderful Welcome Home Party Ideas (2024)

Searching for unique, thoughtful welcome home party ideas? Whether your friend or loved one is returning from the military, the Peace Corps, a study abroad program, a faraway college, or wherever, a welcome home party is the perfect way to show how much you missed them. Everyone deserves to feel celebrated when they come back from a long trip, as coming home can feel strange and relieving all at once. These welcome home party ideas will help you express your love and make them feel like they never left.

And once you have these party ideas in mind, book the perfect party venue on Peerspace. Hosting a party in a special venue is the perfect way to celebrate a loved one and show them how much you care. Plus, when you book a Peerspace venue, you can rely on the dedication of your venue’s local host. Reach out to them with any questions or requests and they’ll be happy to oblige. Along with our welcome home party ideas below, you’ll see photos of various bookable venues available on Peerspace to better understand what’s out there. Enjoy!

1. Order catering from their favorite local restaurant

After a trip away, people often miss the familiar dishes they love eating at home. So, serve all of the party person’s favorites from a local restaurant or, if home-cooking is what they missed most, make all of their favorite homemade dishes. Food conjures memories, so sometimes, the best way to make someone feel at home is to feed them something comforting and familiar. This would be an especially great idea if they didn’t have access to a specific type of food while away or if they got stuck eating the same three things repeatedly.

Use Peerspace to find and book a local restaurant that offers all of your friend’s favorite food and drink in a stylish and inviting setting. It’s a great way to welcome them back in a way that makes them feel like a celebrity for a day!

2. Serve a special cake

Cakes aren’t just for weddings and birthdays. A cake decorated with the words “Welcome Home” is a must-have for your welcome home party. You can also switch it up and serve a pie, cookie cake, or ice cream cake, as well as cupcakes with individual letters or decorated/customized cookies, based on the party honoree’s preference. Basically, if you can fit words on it, you can serve it!

3. Invite everyone they know and love

If you plan the welcome home party well enough in advance, you may be able to get just about everyone they know and love from their hometown in attendance. Send out invitations at least a couple of months before the party, and send friendly follow-up messages to those who don’t RSVP, letting them know how much their presence at the party would mean to the guest of honor. It might seem simple, but this might be the most important of these welcome home party ideas.

Check out these unforgettable going away party ideas in case another loved one is venturing away from home sometime soon!

4. Make it a welcome back pool party

Everyone loves a good pool party since it’s an excuse to let loose and feel like a kid again. However, not everyone has access to a pool party venue to bring their summery dreams to life. Let Peerspace help connect you to local pool party venues near you available to rent for your loved one’s welcome home party.

For instance, if you live in the Los Angeles area, you can plan an epic party at this Woodland Hills luxury resort in Tarzana, CA. The host invites you to throw an amazing pool party in their backyard, which includes the use of their saltwater pool, a jacuzzi, an outdoor kitchen, and a sound system. Sounds like all the making of a legendary pool party to us, one that you and your welcome home guest of honor will always remember!

5. Ask everyone to dress up

A welcome home party is a big deal, so ask everyone to dress their best for the occasion. Set dress code guidelines on the invitations so that you can be sure everyone gets the memo. If you have pets, consider putting some bow ties or sweaters on them, too! Or, if it fits your loved one’s personality, turn the event into a costume party. You can leave that up to your guests’ interpretation or guide their costume choices with a theme.

6. Welcome them with the perfect playlist

Like food, music connects us to memories. So if you curate the perfect playlist, you can make them feel right at home again. You can also hire a band or musician for some live music through Gigsalad or The Bash to make the occasion extra special if you have the budget. Check out the honoree’s public Spotify playlists, do some social media snooping, or ask their closest friends for ideas of bands, songs, and genres that they love most. Or, think of the music they grew up listening to in the house and play those songs for old time’s sake.

7. Host a toast to the guest of honor

Show them how much you care and how much everyone missed them while away by hosting a toast. Grab some champagne, sparkling cider, or their drink of choice and some lovely flutes or glasses, and on the invitations, ask everyone to prepare to share some words at the party. Public speaking might be nerve-wracking for your more introverted guests, so consider laying out a journal where everyone can write a message to the guest of honor.

Planning your own retirement? Then you need to see these creative retirement party favor ideas to thank your guests for celebrating you!

8. Go all out with the decorations

There isn’t exactly a template for decorating for a welcome home party. At the very least, you can’t forget the “Welcome Home” banner, but you can also decorate your party space with balloons in their favorite colors, flowers, and photos. To make decorating more manageable, consider picking a theme!

For example, if they were abroad, theme the party around that country, or use a patriotic theme when returning from deployment. If you can’t think of anything else, pick a color scheme or movie they like and run with it. Remember, if you find a suitable venue on Peerspace, odds are, you won’t have to decorate at all! That’s a lot less post-party hassle for you to worry about.

For instance, our friends in Austin, TX can book this Instagrammable trendy, chic, bright event space in Holly. It’s the perfect setting when you want to host a welcome back party that’s both cozy and elegant.

A Peerspace renter shared the following helpful review after booking an event here: “The host responded fast and answered any of the questions I had. It was decorated beautifully and we didn’t have to do any extra to the space. It is also very convenient that she has tables and chairs to use and set up.”

9. Make it a surprise

A welcome home party is the perfect event to turn into a surprise party because, unlike a birthday party, the guest of honor is less likely to suspect anything. To make sure everything goes off without a hitch, follow these guidelines: make sure to hide everything, do not leave any internet browsers open that could reveal the secret, make sure everyone involved is sworn to secrecy, have someone distract them while you set up, and come up with an alibi in case they become suspicious.

This welcome home party idea requires the most coordination and effort, but if everyone is on the same page and keeps quiet, the party can truly be a surprise.

Make sure the guest of honor is very, very surprised by secretly leading them to a Peerspace venue like this modern day upscale speakeasy in Villa Park, IL, where their friends and family members will be waiting to celebrate their return! This amazing space boasts tons of style, a billiards table, a bar, and a sound system, taking any gathering to the next level.

10. Take them somewhere they’ve always wanted to go

This may not be one of the best welcome home party ideas five minutes after they get off the plane. However, after they’ve been back home for a couple of weeks, surprise the guest of honor by throwing a welcome home party somewhere they’ve always wanted to go. For example, say you live somewhere snowy and think they would appreciate an escape from a harsh winter. In that case, book a beachside retreat in a beautiful setting! Invite as many of your friends and family that can come along.

This is also the perfect chance to try catering from a new restaurant, book a videographer to capture every exciting moment and enjoy professional cocktails on the premises. These are all things your Peerspace host can assist you with if you booked a Peerspace private party venue for a few hours!

Peerspace brings welcome home party ideas to life

Make your loved ones return home extra special with a welcome home party full of all of their favorite foods, people, pets, music, and things. Nothing shows you care like a big, personalized celebration. These welcome home party ideas will help you give them the recognition they deserve.

Start by booking the perfect event venue rental space on Peerspace and go from there. You’ll find hundreds of venues in your city with indoor and outdoor capabilities and tons of amenities. Ensure to pick a place that has a vibe you think the guest of honor will love. And make sure there’s plenty of space for you and your guests to stretch out and celebrate. Keep in mind that your venue’s host is always happy to help you wrangle everything from entertainment to decorations and more. After a few thoughtful considerations are checked off the list, the rest will take care of itself.

Find unique welcome home party ideas on Peerspace