Planning your baby shower or sprinkle can be time-consuming, especially finding the best venue.
I’ll run you through the best places for your special occasion so that you can find the perfect venue for your baby shower for your new baby.
In addition to finding the best baby shower venues near you, you need to ask yourself a few questions like:
- Who is hosting?
- How big is the guest list?
- What kind of shower do you want?
Finding Your Host
Just like with bridal showers, it is not common for the expecting mother to host her baby shower. Usually, your close friends, mother, mother-in-law, or family members will host the baby shower for you.
Theme Or Vibe
Maybe you have always dreamed of a safari-themed baby shower (like I did) or a quaint brunch with mimosas and a few of your closest friends.
Whatever you have envisioned, it is smart to communicate this with your host so that you can pick the best baby shower venue for the event that you have in mind.
Maybe you want something more low-key, like games, hor oeuvres, and a diaper raffle at your host’s house.
Once you have a vision, you and your host can assemble your guest list and find the best baby shower venues in your area.
Guest List
Come up with the guest list beforehand to find a venue that is big (or small) enough for your event.
Remember the type of baby shower you want when creating your guest list. If you want a more intimate setting, you should aim for no more than 20 people on the guest list.
Once you have your guest list, it is time to start looking for your event space!
Best Free Baby Shower Venues
- Your Host’s House: This is a great option if your host’s house is spacious enough to accommodate everyone on your guest list. A home is perfect for a baby shower because it will feel familiar and cozy.
- A Friend’s House: If your host’s house isn’t the right fit for your baby shower venue, consider asking a friend to host who has a little more room. This is the route that I chose!
- A Park: A park is a good place for a small group. You can have a picnic on blankets or at picnic tables. Most parks have charcoal grills that you can use free of charge for cooking. Others have gazebos and small pavilions that you can use as well. Just make sure to check whether the pavilions need to be rented.
- The Beach: If you live near the ocean, the beach is an awesome free venue for a baby shower.
- Panera Bread Community Meeting Room: Some Panera Bread locations have a community meeting room you can reserve for your event for free. Plus, Panera caters! Not all Panera Bread locations have community meeting rooms; each manager sets the capacity and rules (decorations, music, etc.). Call your local Panera Bread locations to see if a community room is available for your baby shower venue.
- A Virtual Baby Shower: You don’t have to live in a global pandemic to consider having a virtual baby shower. A virtual baby shower is a great free option if you live far away from your friends and family or if your friends and family are scattered across the country/world. You can buy an inexpensive backdrop or decorate a backdrop behind you and have your guests show up virtually in themed attire.
Best Cheap Baby Shower Venues
- A Park Pavillion: Picnic tables and grassy areas are free at public parks, but many have pavilions or gazebos that you can rent for a small fee. They book quickly in the summer, so make sure to reserve early. A pavilion can be decorated, and most have large brick walls that are the perfect backdrop for a selfie or photo book station. Ask whether the pavilion has restrooms, electricity, capacity restrictions, charcoal or gas grills, and picnic tables.
- Private Rooms at a Restaurant: Most restaurants have private dining rooms that you can use for free, provided you have a certain number of guests. There is an expectation that you will purchase food from them. Find out if you must spend a minimum amount of money at the restaurant. You will save money because you don’t have to pay for the event space on top of the food. Bonus: if you can dine at your favorite restaurant, you will satisfy some of your pregnancy food cravings?!
- Community Center: Whether it’s your town hall, municipal center, or local historic landmark, most cities have a community center available for rent at a small price. Although affordable, they are usually very plain and require a lot of creativity to decorate.
- Fire Hall: Your local fire department might have a fire hall event space available for rent at a low cost. Fire halls are typically no-frills but usually have private kitchens and restrooms. If you have help, you can cut costs by catering your food on the spot.
- Church Hall: Like a fire hall, church halls have restrooms and private kitchens. They book quickly on the weekends for weddings and baptisms. Plan if you want to rent out your church hall.
- Chain Hotel Meeting Space: Major hotels like Holiday Inn or Hampton Inn have private meeting spaces that are very affordable to rent. Another bonus? Most provide water, tea, and coffee. They can accommodate small, medium, and large social events. You can check what other amenities will be available to your guests, like using the pool or outdoor spaces.
Best Indoor Baby Shower Venues
- Tea Room: What’s classier than high tea for a gathering? Tea rooms are smaller and perfect for an intimate shower with close family and friends. Most are accustomed to hosting baby and bridal showers. They will often help with decorating, table linens, centerpieces, etc. Some have small menus with finger sandwiches and light pastries. They may even cut and serve cake if asked.
- Country Clubs: Often, on golf courses, they offer a unique space for your baby shower. They have large spaces for weddings and smaller spaces (private rooms, patios, gazebos, etc.) for baby showers. The downside is that you must be a member to rent the space or pay a premium to rent it.
- Tasting Room: Whether it’s a brewery, vineyard, chocolatier, bakery, or other specialty food shop, there is likely a small business in your area with a private tasting room. Are you craving sweets this pregnancy? Check for local bakeries or chocolate factories. Are you craving meats and cheeses? Find a local cheese shop for a tasting of cheeses and charcuterie.
- Your Favorite Restaurant (Indoors): You could host your baby shower at your favorite restaurant (regardless if they have a private room). Some will open early to host private events or reserve a large table during regular business hours. Some restaurants can handle large crowds without notice. Still, by calling in advance, they can give your group the best service and potentially offer extras like decorations, centerpieces, and serving your cake.
- Independent Banquet Hall: The sole goal of a banquet hall is to provide quality customer service for events and gatherings. They specialize in events of all types. Many offer catering, rooms of various sizes, linens, lighting, decorations, music, and cake available. They are a one-stop-shop!
- The Spa: A day spa would be the setting for the baby shower of my dreams ?. The spa might have a private gathering space, or even one closed to the public, for your event. Treat yourself to some relaxation with your friends and close family members. Make sure to mention that you are pregnant when booking the space to be sure they offer prenatal services.
Best Baby Shower Venues Outdoors
- Rental Companies: A tent rental company allows you to have your baby shower at any outdoor venue, rain or shine! Take your shower to the park, beach, garden, family home, or any other place you can imagine. Make sure to check if you need a permit for a tent. Rental companies rent tables, chairs, linens, dishes, decorations, lighting, heating, and restrooms.
- Botanical Gardens and Arboretums: A beautiful setting for a baby shower. They might have private rooms, patios, or gazebos. They may even let you set up tables in the middle of the garden!
- Amusement Park: Do you have a theme park near you? They have indoor and outdoor spaces for gatherings of all sizes. They will also provide food, music, and even entertainment. Remember that you will be restricted by which rides (if any) you can do while pregnant.
- Clubhouse: A local pool or golf course might have a clubhouse for rent. You get the benefits of an outdoor venue, with the convenience of indoor restrooms and possibly a private kitchen or concession stand. A club house is usually adjacent to a pool or golf course that would be included and accessible for guests. This would be a great low-key venue for you and your guests for an afternoon baby shower.
- Your Favorite Restaurant (Outdoors): Does your favorite restaurant have an outdoor patio, fire pit, or other space? See if you can reserve it for your gathering! An evening smores baby shower around a fire pit would be a huge hit with your guests and one that they wouldn’t forget!
Best Large Baby Shower Venues
- School Gym: Hosting a large gathering? You might need to rent a space with many square feet to accommodate your guest list. School gyms are inexpensive and huge! What’s more, there are likely restrooms inside the gym for your guests or nearby. School gyms are so big and empty that you should consider hiring a rental company to provide lighting and decorations to make the space feel more special for your baby shower.
- Hotel Even Room: Large hotels, especially those in the downtown areas of your city, will have large, extravagant event spaces. Are you looking for an extravagant baby shower? Rent a gorgeous hotel venue and make it a weekend getaway by renting a hotel room for an overnight stay.
- Rec Center: Your local YMCA or rec center likely has a large indoor gathering space available for rent in the evenings and on the weekends. Like a school gym, these spaces are so big and bare that they are difficult to decorate. Consider renting decorations and lighting (or even a company to do this for you) to make a big open space feel more quaint for your baby shower.
- Ball Room: Crystal chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows? What could be a more elegant baby shower venue for your guests? Sometimes found in prestigious hotels, sometimes at country clubs, or sometimes at independent banquet halls, ball rooms are a perfect choice if you have a large crowd. Most ballrooms have everything you need for your baby shower, including tables, linens, decorations, catering, and more. All you have to do is show up!
- Conference Center: A conference center offers plenty of room for a large crowd. Some conference centers are elaborate, and the rooms are very appealing, while others are plainer. If you need a big space and are working on a budget, visit a few conference centers around you to see which one best matches your baby shower style.
Unique Baby Shower Venues
- Time Share/ Air Bnb/ VRBO Rental: Whether you are planning a getaway or something local, you are sure to find unique houses, villas, penthouses, and more for rent online. You can find a unique place that fits whatever style and theme you are planning for your shower. Are you thinking of an afternoon brunch by the pool? Find a quaint house with a beautiful outdoor pool area. Want a more sophisticated evening soiree? Book a downtown penthouse with amazing views of the city.
- Brewery: Breweries have event spaces that are trendy and unique. Think rustic woods and metals. They offer casual outdoor areas perfect for baby shower games and opening presents. Breweries are great for new parents hosting a co-ed baby shower. While you can’t partake in the beer drinking, your guests will thank you for hosting a baby shower at a brewery!
- Vineyard: Like a brewery, vineyards have unique event spaces for your baby shower venue. While breweries tend to be more modern and rustic, vineyards are classic and elegant. Don’t forget to bring your sparkling cider to enjoy while your guests sip on their favorite local wines.
- Art Studio: Think paint-and-sip studios or pottery or ceramic studios. A baby shower at an art studio focuses more on the experience and less on the food and decorations. Your guests will go home with a baby shower favor they will always remember, and the pressure is off of you to arrange catering, flowers, and decorations.
- A Boat: Live near the water? Charter a boat for the day. Whether it is a catamaran or a yacht, you can find boats to accommodate just about any group size. You can also look for boats with amenities like bathrooms and kitchens for convenience for your guests. Want something a little more laid back? Take a boat out for a picnic-style lunch for a few hours in the early afternoon.
Pro Tip: Now that your venue is picked, it’s time to start thinking about baby shower games and party favors!
