Unique Bachelor Party Ideas

Finding the Best Bachelor Party for Your Groom

There are only a few weeks left before your friend’s wedding, and before you start pulling on your suits and straightening your ties, you have to engage in a classic pre-wedding tradition — the bachelor party. You know it’ll be a fun-filled night of getting together with the whole groomsman squad and celebrating the groom’s last days of being single.

But what exactly does that entail? If you find yourself in charge of drawing up the itinerary for the night, you may not know where to start. What makes for a memorable bachelor party in NYC?

The answer all depends on the nature of the groom. His personality and the things he enjoys doing will make all the difference in what he considers a successful bachelor party. To help you figure out the best choice for your group, here’s an overview of some unique bachelor party ideas for six different types of grooms.

1. The Outdoorsman

The outdoorsman groom isn’t one to enjoy getting stuck inside a building. He likes to do things out under the sky, probably working up a sweat in the process. For his bachelor party, you’ll want to pick something that fits with those interests. In particular, aim for something that involves a lot of physical exertion or contact with the natural world.

Nature Activities

One option you have for satisfying the outdoorsman’s needs is to delve into nature. Maybe find some woods upstate and go on a hike, or go fishing at a lake. If the groom is into game hunting, get some hunting rifles and find a spot that allows that. Alternatively, you can pack a tent and go on a camping trip. Or, if you’re feeling daring, you can even opt for some light rock climbing.

Surfing and Skiing

If the woods aren’t your outdoorsman’s aesthetic, maybe he’d prefer to ride over the water — be it liquid or solid. Surfing and skiing provide two different environments for a similar experience, letting you skim over the surface of the land or ocean with snow or sea spray surrounding you. Water rafting is another option, one that’s typically a bit rougher.

Sports

Maybe your outdoorsman isn’t a nature guy so much as someone who needs to get out and move around. In that case, you can stay right in NYC and play some sports. Soccer, football and Ultimate Frisbee are just a few options in a long list of games to occupy his special night. It can be a casual game among friends, or you can seek out an intramural league to compete in for the occasion — though the latter might come with a longer-term commitment as well.

2. The Low-Key One

Not every groom wants to go wild or make an adventure out of his bachelor party. Some guys prefer to take things slowly and breathe easily, even on the most special occasions. If that sounds like your man of the hour, you don’t want to try throwing him a rager or spending exorbitantly. Instead, suggest something lighter and more laid-back.

Game Night

Depending on how low-key the groom is, he may not even want to leave the house. But that doesn’t have to be an obstacle to you having fun. You can get all the guys to come over to his place for a game night. Those games can be anything from Rummy and Risk to Mario Kart and Madden, as long as there’s plenty of laughter.

Beach Trip

If the groom is willing to go out, one option is to stop by the beach. This option has an outdoorsman bent, but you won’t have everyone out surfing the waves. Instead, plan for some walks on the beach, basking in the setting sun and picking up shells from the shore. In the end, though, part of the experience is that you don’t plan any specific events — just head out onto the sand and hang out.

Steakhouse Dinner

Some grooms are men of simple tastes — literally. If you look at a lot of bachelor parties, you’ll see that beneath all the bells and whistles, the foundation of the event comes down to the food and drink. For your event, you can strip away all the excess and go out to a steakhouse for dinner.

Museum Visit

If your groom isn’t a man of simple taste, he may be one of high taste. If so, you can opt for a classy — but still laid-back — event and visit a museum. It may be touristy, but there’s plenty to enjoy in the Met. Or, if the Met’s not your friend’s thing, you can try any of the other museums throughout NYC.

3. The Spectator

In many ways, the spectator is an offshoot of the low-key groom. He embodies the mentality we all share that drives us to turn on the TV or head to the movie theater. In essence, he’s the kind of man who likes to sit back and enjoy some entertainment. There’s nothing wrong with that, especially since there’s no shortage of entertainers in NYC.

There’s one caveat to be aware of, though. The spectator may represent a specific type of person, but that person can look a lot different depending on his unique interests. If you identify your friend as fitting into this category, you still have to look at his interests to know what to plan for.

Broadway Show

It might seem as touristy as visiting the Met, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy yourself at a Broadway production. Most shows are too expensive to attend on a whim, but a bachelor party is a night to splurge. If your spectator groom appreciates musical theatre, consider getting tickets to a showing of the latest Broadway sensation.

Music Festival

Is your spectator into music? If he is, an excellent option to consider is taking him to a music festival. It will feature a festive environment suitable for a bachelor party, but without the need for him to actively do anything beyond enjoying the concerts. From Governors Ball to SummerStage, you can find no shortage of festivals put on annually in NYC.

Comedy Club

Even if you’re not sure what your friend’s specific interests are, you can probably still tell if he’s someone who loves to laugh. Check the TV shows he watches — are they predominantly comedies? If so, there’s a good chance he’ll enjoy a visit to a comedy club. If you can, shoot for one where you know one of the groom’s favorite stand-ups will be performing.

Sporting Event

A sports-loving spectator probably spends a lot of time at home on the couch watching NBA or college football games on his TV. But for his bachelor party, you have the opportunity to give him something far more exciting than that. Plan well in advance to get tickets to a game featuring his favorite sports team. Aim for the best seats you can, so he gets the full experience.

4. The Risk-Taker

In stark contrast to the low-key guy and the spectator, the risk-taker is all about seeking thrills and danger. You’ll need to find a brave group of friends to accompany this groom to his bachelor party, as it could end up throwing everyone for a loop before the night is over. If you’re in charge of coming up with an idea for it, you have a few different options.

Road Trip

A planned road trip might not sound like it’s all that risky, but make no mistake — a risk-taker probably won’t have any interest in it unless it’s spontaneous. For this kind of groom, you’ll have to hop into a car and take off down the road. Don’t book a hotel room, don’t use a GPS and don’t plan for any particular destination. Let the path take you wherever it chooses.

Skydiving

Skydiving in or near NYC is another activity bound to appeal to many risk-takers, as long as they aren’t afraid of heights. When done the right way, it’s perfectly safe, but the feeling of free-falling through the air still conveys a sense of imminent danger that will have your risk-taker whooping with exhilaration.

Gambling

There’s more than one kind of risk in the world. If the groom isn’t interested in throwing himself from a plane or driving off into the unknown, he may take pleasure from putting his money on the line. Playing some poker or stopping by a casino might scratch that itch. If you can afford it, you may even want to catch a flight to Vegas for the full experience. Either way, lay out a budget for how much you’re willing to spend, then stick to it.

Bucket List

No one can tell you what to do for this option — it all depends on the groom! If he has a list of things he’s always wanted to do, see how many of them you can knock out in one night. While other bachelors are waking up the next morning and regretting their choices from the night before, yours will get to look back with pride on what he accomplished.

5. The Boozer

Don’t let the connotation fool you — the boozer isn’t someone habitually drinking away their sorrows in the corner of a bar. This type of groom is nothing more or less than a guy who likes to party while drinking alcohol. In essence, he’s a man ideally suited for the type of event most people associate with the term “bachelor party.” Keeping that in mind, you still have a few options for how that party manifests.

Club Party

The stereotypical bachelor party has just about everything you’re likely to see crop up in a bachelor party stock photo or TV show depiction. Loud music? Check. Dancing partygoers? Check. Lots of alcohol? Check. It’s not what you want to drag your unwitting low-key or outdoorsman friend into, but for most boozer grooms, it’s perfect.

Yacht Rental

Is a club not going big enough or hard enough for your boozer? Fair enough. If you can afford it, you can always rent a yacht and move the party there. You’ll get to have most of the same elements — music, partiers, alcohol — but on a boat. Make sure you don’t let anyone fall overboard.

Cigar Bar

They may not be the majority, but some boozers aren’t about partying as much as possible. Some guys would rather lounge around in comfy chairs with a glass of Scotch in hand, laughing with their friends. Especially if your groom is someone who likes to smoke now and again, an NYC cigar bar may be just the right environment. All the alcohol and laughter you want — no dancing required.

6. The Casual One

As the final groom type on our list, it’s fitting that the casual one is all about balance. Nature, relaxation, entertainment, risk and alcohol are all fair game, but not to the point of excess. If casual guys have a motto, it’s likely “everything in moderation.” For this laid-back kind of groom, a bachelor party should be about having fun. Nothing more, nothing less. Just find something enjoyable, and do that thing. So when coming up with ideas, you’ll want to gravitate toward activities near the middle of the road.

Karaoke

One straightforward option for your laid-back groom is to visit a karaoke restaurant or bar. It’s not necessarily dripping with originality, but a casual guy won’t care. It’s simple, it’s fun — and that’s enough. There’s food and drink to keep everyone satisfied, and plenty of laughter to go around as each person shows off their singing chops — or lack thereof.

Scavenger Hunt

This option is a bit unorthodox, but it’s not unheard of. If your groom is a bit on the adventurous side, but still wants to keep things casual, a scavenger hunt will hit all the right beats. You can set the scale to whatever you want — the quest can lead around the groom’s apartment, or the entirety of Manhattan. Either way, if you go this route, you’ll need to do some planning in advance.

Paintball

Like karaoke, paintball isn’t necessarily an uncommon thing to do, but it’s still a lot of fun for anyone who likes shooting at their friends. If that sounds like something that would interest your casual groom, put it on your shortlist of unique bachelor party ideas. Of course, it’s also incredibly messy, so if that’s a problem for anyone, opt for laser tag instead.

Escape Room

In recent years, escape rooms have popped up all over the U.S. after first gaining popularity in Asia and Europe. Typically, your group gets locked in a room, and have to solve a series of puzzles and brainteasers to make it out in under an hour. The mental challenge is something many people find exhilarating.

Axe Throwing

At first glance, it might seem like we’ve listed this option under the wrong type of groom. Axe throwing? Surely that’s for the outdoorsman or the risk-taker. As it happens, axe throwing is rapidly catching on as an in-demand recreational activity across the United States, after originating in Canada.

If you’re looking for an axe-throwing venue in Manhattan, come by Live Axe. We offer several axe-throwing cages where you can compete with your friends and unleash your inner Viking, all within a perfectly safe environment. To set up a bachelor party experience your groom will never forget, book a reservation today!