How to Plan an Amazing Race Party for Adults

"The Amazing Race," a reality television game show airing on CBS, sends teams to exotic locations around the globe to complete tasks that require strength, intelligence, logic and endurance in an attempt to win a million dollars. Capture the daring competitive element of the show in a single evening by throwing a DIY "Amazing Race" party that's part scavenger hunt and part obstacle course. Incorporate aspects of international travel, foreign cuisine and culturally-inspired tasks.

Send out invitations detailing the theme of the party, including instructions to wear comfortable clothes and running shoes to participate in the DIY "Amazing Race." Instruct guests to form teams of at least two, but no more than five, members and RSVP with their team roster so that you can get an appropriate head count to prepare for the competition. Advise guests without a team to send notice early so that you can make arrangements to place them on a team.

Decorate each DIY "Amazing Race" location with photographs, souvenirs and the appropriate flag from a different international location. Select countries that pair well with the specific tasks set at each location, such as Ethiopia for a water-carrying task and Transylvania for a task set in a graveyard. Station a checkpoint volunteer at each location to ensure the supplies are ready, the tasks are completed correctly and to pass out the next sealed clue envelopes to the teams.

Create a series of riddles and clues that will lead guests to a series of destinations around the city, including several private homes and a few public locations. Incorporate hints to the task that must be completed at the upcoming location into the appropriate clues for guests to discuss.

Ensure that all team members have arrived at the starting location by checking the team roster. Hand out the first clue containing their first destination to each of the teams, advising them not to open the envelopes until instructed to do so.

Set up a strength or endurance test at the first private home location in which teams must carry 5-gallon buckets of water to fill up a wading pool. Give the volunteer a copy of the team rosters to ensure that all teams have completed the checkpoint before shutting the checkpoint down and heading to the finish line destination.

Direct teams to a public cemetery for the second clue with instructions to find the date of death for a specific person buried in the graveyard. Station the checkpoint volunteer at the entrance gate to hand out tracing paper and charcoal for the teams to make a rubbing of the appropriate headstone to complete their task. Ask the checkpoint volunteer to hand out the next sealed clue envelope to the teams after checking the rubbings to ensure they've located the correct grave marker.

Display a selection of exotic food from a variety of international locations, such as chicken feet, liver or octopus sushi. Place the corresponding miniature flag into the dishes to denote which country they are from. Instruct each team to select one team member to eat one unusual dish. Instruct the checkpoint volunteer to ensure the team member has swallowed the food before distributing the final sealed clue envelope to the teams.

Set up a buffet of snack foods and beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, at the final, finish line destination for checkpoint volunteers and competitors to munch on. Make note of which team arrives at the finish line destination first. Award the grand prize to the winning team once all the teams have crossed the finish line.