22 Best Bachelor Party Ideas

groomsmen holding beers — Photo by Gretchen Gause

Traditionally planned by the best man or several of the groomsmen, the bachelor party is the ultimate celebration of the groom-to-be. The guest list will vary depending on the group, but this pre-wedding celebration will typically be attended by members of the wedding party and any other close family members and friends. While some grooms choose to plan—or at least take part in the planning—of their own bachelor party, it's important for the key wedding party members to determine how involved the man of the hour wants to be before beginning to organize the details.

One important factor to consider? When the bachelor party will be held. While this will vary from person to person, most would agree that the best time to host a bachelor party is one to three months before the wedding. Historically, the bachelor bash took place the night before the wedding but it's since fallen out of popularity since no one wants to be hungover at their own ceremony and reception.

After you've figured out the timing, location, and guest list for the bachelor party, it's time to start thinking about activities. Whether you’re meeting in person or planning a virtual gathering, the mission should always be having a grand old time. Read on for our list of 22 fun-filled bachelor party ideas for the groom’s biggest party before the big day.

When to Have Your Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties

01 of 22

Get a Cameo from the Groom’s Favorite Celebrity

Render the groom speechless by having Chuck Norris, Bret Hitman Hart, The Hoff, or any of his favorite celebrities make a special guest appearance at the festivities via Cameo. Purchase your personalized video greeting straight from the stars a few days in advance and play the video during your big night out.

02 of 22

Pick a Theme

Bachelor party planning should center around what the groom likes. Select a theme according to what he rants and raves about—whether that’s a film, artist, era, trend, or place.

03 of 22

Sip Tequila (the Right Way)

According to Audrey Formisano, a Tequila Sommelier at Marriott Puerto Vallarta (one of the world’s only resorts with a proprietary brand of tequila), “When you’re trying out a new tequila, you need to experience the color, the smell, and really taste the different flavors; all of your senses come together to savor it." She adds that once you learn the art of sipping tequila like the locals do and pair it with food, people tend to see things differently. “The floral, herbal, smoky flavors begin to pop." Organize a tasting of Mexico’s signature spirit and say “salud!”

04 of 22

Set Challenges While Watching a Movie

Grab your best friends for a movie night with a twist. Set challenges like drinking each time Samuel L. Jackson utters a profane word or whenever a certain character appears on-screen. Who knew watching a movie could start such a party?!

05 of 22

Try an Unusual Activity Combo

Pasta and opera? Boozy drag queen bingo? Van Gogh find yourself? Airbnb Online Experiences are led by expert hosts from all over the world and are perfect for private groups, just like yours. Other unique offerings include the history of the toilet, fall in laugh, and a spooky plague walk through Prague.

06 of 22

Map Out a Personalized Bar Crawl

Find places on streets with the groom’s name, bars and restaurants he likes, and locations with emotional ties for an utterly personalized bar crawl with his name on it. Trust us, this won't be your typical bar crawl!

07 of 22

Get Your Spa On

Spa days aren’t only for bachelorettes. Put the “man” in “mani pedi” and pamper yourself with all the massages and treatments you deserve.

08 of 22

Crowdsource a Playlist

Create a collaborative playlist on Spotify with each groomsman contributing a song that reminds them of a great memory with the groom. You can groove to the playlist on the big day and use the tracks as conversation starters.

09 of 22

Play a Game Meant for Liars

Find out how good you are at snooping out fibs with Brilliant or BS. This hilarious trivia card game requires four to six players (including one all-seeing judge) tackling questions ranging from sports to entertainment. You’ll get points for correct answers and successful lying but you garner the most points (and praise!) for identifying each round’s liar and truth-teller. Get your poker faces ready.

10 of 22

Have a Virtual Charity Poker Tournament

On the topic of poker, up to 250 guests can play for a good cause courtesy of Poker 501. Players at each table can connect directly with audio and video, interacting just as you would during a live game—no second screen or third-party app needed. More than half of the proceeds from each game go to Chance For Life to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. Poker 501 is a social play poker platform for entertainment purposes only so, though you can’t win real money, there’s real fun to be had.

11 of 22

Send the Groom Surprises Before the Event

Wedding planning can be stressful. Let the groom know you’ve got his back with thoughtful gifts along the way like a case of his favorite beer or a cocktail-making kit sent to his home. As Jimmy Buffet said, “If life gives you limes, make margaritas."

12 of 22

Hire a Virtual Chef or Sommelier

Step up your food game with a cooking or mixology class from Hungry or Cozymeal, which has pop culture-inspired classes led by renowned culinary professionals so you can recreate dishes from movies and TV shows like The Mandalorian, The Office, or Crazy Rich Asians. For all the wine lovers, The Supper Share is a concierge service that connects people with sommeliers, chefs, and bartenders for their virtual happy hours. It was founded in March 2020 to help food and beverage professionals find new opportunities to share their expertise and talent. The sommelier runs the show on Zoom and will guide you through wine tasting sets that you order before your event.

13 of 22

Zarandeado at Home

Take yourself to Mexico with a zarandeado experience which is “a 500-year-old method for grilling fish over hot coals in a wood-fired oven”. According to Monica Gonzalez, the Director of Sales and Marketing at Conrad Punta de Mita, you can recreate their hotel’s sea-to-table, sand-in-your-toes beach barbecue in your backyard or on a beach near your home. “All you need is fresh fish marinated in a blend of tomato, guajillo chiles and exotic spices, a charcoal grill, great company, and a bucket of ice-cold beers—Mexican, of course.”

14 of 22

Climb to New Heights

Make like “Free Solo” and take your best buds climbing. If you don’t live close to actual rocks, move things indoors. Climbing is rising in popularity and will even debut at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Data from the non-profit Outdoor Foundation found that about 5 million Americans now participate in sport climbing.

15 of 22

Hop on an Open-Air Party Bus

Raise the roof with a spirited trip around town. The party bus is a bachelor party staple and lets you couple sightseeing with drinking and dancing, and it’s the ultimate “transportainment.”

16 of 22

Plan an At-Home Field Day

The groom’s days of “playing the field” are over, so kick off the celebration with an at-home field day. Think homemade obstacle courses, an egg toss or spoon race, dizzy bat, toilet paper dodge ball, or a sock slide challenge. Want to take it up a notch? Task everyone with creating the best field day outfit and treat the winner to a special prize. Be warned that this may spark a sense of nostalgia and remind you just how much you’ve grown up.

17 of 22

Go Camping

Take to the great outdoors or someone’s backyard to become one with nature. Bring sleeping gear, food supplies, and your crew.

18 of 22

Hire Quad Bikes

Take your bachelor party off-road and drink in scenic views by renting out ATVs. Whether you call it four wheeling, ATV riding, or quad biking, sign up for a day out with the wind in your hair and your team by your side.

19 of 22

Host a Talent Show

Everybody wants their 15 minutes of fame, right? Grant their wishes with a talent show where each attendant showcases their smoothest skills all in the name of entertainment.

20 of 22

Create a Custom Quiz or Board Game

Have all party guests play a game created in the groom’s honor with bespoke inside jokes and memories. If you’d rather not do the legwork of devising the game from scratch, have a company like The Bundle Game do it for you. To increase the stakes, prepare snazzy prizes for the winners.

21 of 22

Run a Virtual 5K

Bachelor parties don’t have to be synonymous with debauchery and mayhem. You’ll certainly deserve all those drinks and savory treats, however, after completing a race together. Pick a time for everyone to start, take selfies along the way and check in within a group chat when you finish.

22 of 22

Sing Your Hearts Out

Karaoke, anyone? Nothing bonds friends more than belting out hits together with reckless abandon. A social singing app like Smule will help get the party started virtually if you can’t meet in person. You can also use Watch2gether to stream videos at the same playback rate to ensure no one trails two verses behind. Leave your inhibitions at the door and break out the Queen, Rolling Stones, and Thin Lizzy. The boys are back in town.

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