Plan a Perfect Evening Outdoors at Home
Last updated September 7, 2023
Your home is your best asset when you’re planning a fun evening outdoors. The price is right, and you have all the comforts of home, like a kitchen, at hand.
Inviting friends to an outdoor party gives you more room to move around. Setting the party outside gives young children a place to run around. Plan easy games and activities to get the party started.
Be inspired to entertain in your backyard with a few simple ideas. In this guide, you’ll learn how to use your backyard space to bring the party home.
Table of Contents
Set the Scene
Set the Menu
Set the Program
Make it a Campout
Set the Scene
When you plan your outdoor party, take a walk around your backyard and think about how you can best use your space. Patios and decks are natural entertaining spaces.
Open carports can be cleaned and vehicles moved for a covered, shaded space with outdoor access. (And quick shelter if the forecast calls for rain.)
Planning an outdoor entertaining space is just like creating an indoor space. Just think of the outdoors like a room. You create the “walls,” add furniture and rugs and accessories.
Furnish this backyard room with outdoor rugs anchoring the chairs and tables. Add stylish accessories like garden stools and pillows that pull double duty as extra seating.
Picnic tables are a necessity for backyard entertaining. They're the seating for family gatherings and children’s birthday parties. A picnic table can hold platters of food and still have room for children and adults.
Pick a ready-made picnic table or build one in a weekend. Set up a grown-up table nearby, on a patio or floating deck.
When the sun goes down, bring sparkle to your backyard party with strings of lights draped over your entertaining space. You can vary the type of bulb, like Edison bulbs, and bulb colors, and the length of the strings. Be sure to select weatherproof lights for outdoors.
In warm summer months, set up fans and electric insect zappers to keep the area buzz-free. If the weather is chilly, you can set up patio heaters to warm your guests.
Fire pits are a fun way to warm up the backyard. Look for new smokeless fire pits that eliminate smoke and create an inviting atmosphere. A fire pit can be a gathering place in your backyard. Set chairs around the fire pit for casual conversation.
Set the Menu
Make yourself grill master and your backyard will be the party place for the neighborhood. On your menu, start with burgers and then progress to steaks, barbecued chicken and even grilled vegetables. Everyone loves to eat grilled food outdoors.
Set up your grill station so that everything you need is at hand. Grilling tools and plenty of platters are essential. Better food begins with the best grill tools.
Consider these grill tools for your grilling station:
- Basting brush: Used to marinate and to brush oil and seasoning on meat and vegetables.
- Grill basket: Great option for cooking vegetables.
- Grill brush: Used to clean your grill grates before and after cooking.
- Grilling stone: Cook small pizzas and other foods while keeping your grill clean.
- Meat thermometer: Gauge the internal temperature of meat like pork and chicken.
- Spatula: Ideal for flipping burgers and vegetables.
- Tongs: Great for picking up chicken, pork and ribs.
Put pots of fragrant herbs near your grill and outside food prep area. Mint, basil, cilantro, rosemary and thyme add flavor to your food and make nice garnishes, too.
Icy, refreshing drinks are a must at your backyard party. Coolers are convenient. If you entertain often, invest in a wheeled patio cooler. Look for coolers with handy bottle openers and lower shelves for storage.
Dessert under the stars is classic and easy: s’mores at the fire pit. On a nearby table, set out the fixings for s’mores: marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate bars, and long metal skewers.
Set the Program
Bring everyone into your yard for a fun evening under the stars. Set up a backyard projector, spread blankets and enjoy your own version of a drive-in movie.
Create games stations throughout your yard. Try these outdoor games:
- Badminton
- Bocce ball
- Corn hole
- Croquet
- Disc Golf
- Frisbee
- Horseshoes
- Ladder golf
- Tether ball
- Tumble tower
Tip: On hot summer nights, keep mosquitoes at bay when you set up a mosquito repellent stationfilled with citronella candles and bug sprays.
Make it a Campout
Bring the adventure of camping to your own backyard. Pitch tents in a clear, flat area in your yard. Set up a campsite with folding chairs. Build a campfire and roast hot dogs. If you have camping gear like a camp stove, pull it out and make a meal outdoors. Or, fire up the grill, if it’s nearby.
Planning meals for your backyard campout is convenient steps away from your kitchen.
Light up your backyard campsite with outdoor lanterns and flashlights, or Tiki torches and string lights.
Check out How to Plan a Backyard Camping Adventure for inspiring games ideas.
Hosting a backyard party is even easier when you have the right supplies. When you need the right grill or patio furniture, download The Home Depot Mobile App and select the supplies you need for outdoor entertaining. We deliver online orders and where you need them.
