4 Bachelor Party Ideas That Aren’t Vegas

Alright fellas, it’s no secret that Las Vegas is numero uno on many people’s bachelor party list. If it’s gaming and late-night-clubbing that you want, there’s no better city in America. However, great last-minute experiences exist outside of Vegas, especially if your group is into activities that have nothing to do with rolling dice and popping bottles. So today we’re coming to you with tips on how to plan a unique bachelor party.

Sports Fans

First, book that flight to your group’s favorite sports team (if it’s not your hometown), and then figure out the rest, like hotels, tickets, and food and drinks. If you’re traveling outside of playoffs and spring training, you shouldn’t have trouble finding tickets, especially with apps like StubHub, where tickets are within easy access , or Gametime, which delivers last-minute sports tickets straight to your phone. To dial it up a notch, try asking for a behind-the-scenes tour, or even book a party on gameday, such as surprising the groom with a suite at a baseball stadium.

Visit: Boston, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle

Drink Connoisseurs

Leave keg stands for alumni reunions. Tours are the way to go. Try a craft brewery tour in San Diego inside a 1973 Swiss military safari jeeps, a wine tour of Sonoma by bicycle, a craft beer tour of Portland by the 15-person BrewCycle, or a New York City craft cocktail tour. Many places also have their own self-guided map, such as the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Surprise everybody on the way with a carry-on cocktail kit.

Visit: Denver, Louisville, New York City, Portland, San Diego

Outdoorsmen

The best thing about the great outdoors when planning a last-minute bachelor trip is the flexibility Mother Nature offers. Find a place with the quickest accessibility to outdoor activities, which won’t require a lot of connecting flights or driving. Take these outdoor itineraries as inspiration:

• Outdoor adventure abounds just outside of your hotel room in Denver, from kayaking the rapids of downtown Denver’s Confluence Park, to more than 80 miles of bicycle trails, to world-class outdoor experiences that are just beyond Denver’s city limits. Rent a car and hit the road for any number of Vail ski resorts, or head to one of Colorado’s many 14,000-foot peaks (14ers) that you can summit (there are 53 all total).
• California coastline road trip: If you have more time, make it into a road trip. Fly into San Francisco, rent a car to drive through Big Sur down the California coast, and fly back out of Los Angeles or San Diego (or Tijuana…we won’t tell).
• Reno: Combine urban with adventure, and hit the slopes (get a free lift pass with a same-day airline ticket!) or kayak at the whitewater park or climb the tallest rock climbing wall in the world.
• Austin: ATXcursions can plan a private river tubing excursion for your group. Just BYOB, and they’ll supply the cooler.

Surprise the groom with some new outdoor gear, or just something classic, like a steel flask filled with his favorite booze.

Visit: Austin, Los Angeles, Reno

Music Lovers

Let the good times roll. Look for music festivals, which means a built-in music itinerary. You have your pick, from Coachella in Palm Springs, to The Governors Ball in New York City, to Austin City Limits in Texas, to Lollapalooza in Chicago. Otherwise, surprise the groom with concert tickets. If it’s last-minute, Gametime (mentioned above), do concert tickets in addition to sports tickets. If your favorite band isn’t playing, simply book a flight to any number of great music cities, such as Nashville, Seattle, Detroit or New Orleans, where you won’t have any problem finding great live shows in music venues around the city.

Visit: Austin, Chicago, Nashville, New York City, Palm Springs, Seattle