As the best man, the groom's old buddy, and his lifelong pal, this is your one chance to throw him the bash of a lifetime—so if you're wondering where to begin, here are some bachelor party ideas to get you started on planning a night he'll never forget.
Standard Bachelor Party at the Strip Club
Inevitably, at least one person in the group will insist that it's not really a bachelor party unless naked women are involved, but don't let his voice be the deciding factor. Talk to the groom and see how he feels about it. If he doesn't want strippers, don't force them on him. It won't be any fun if the groom hates it, or it ends up causing a rift between the couple.
If strippers are a must, you can choose to have dancers come to you or to go out to a strip bar. Hiring an exotic dancer to come to you, at a hotel or a friend's home, means you'll get more undivided attention, and less overhead costs (no coat check, overpriced drinks, or cover charge). On the other hand, a strip club will ensure that you won't have to wait around for the dancers to show and you'll get the camaraderie and energy of a club setting.
Something for the Sports Fans
For an athletic group of guys, organize your own sports tournament. You could print up custom tee-shirts or order personalized hats and other gear. And, of course, a thirst-quenching after-party is a must for any tournament. Some good organized sports ideas for bachelor parties include:
Basketball
Baseball
Football
Volleyball
Soccer
Golf
If you're more sports-watchers than sports players, rent a party bus get the gang to chip in on tickets for everyone to see a local game. Make it more fun by tailgating, organizing a post-game pub crawl, and/or getting the stadium to put the groom's name up on the scoreboard.
Classy First-Rate Steak Dinner
Plan a road trip and hit one of the country's best steakhouses, such as Morton's, Ruth's Chris, Peter Luger (New York), Delmonico (Las Vegas), or Boa (Los Angeles), and be prepared to eat large portions of premium beef. Afterward, take a limo to a whiskey and cigar bar where you can relax and swap war stories (aka advice from the married guys in the group). Or follow up the meal with a legendary poker party.
Las Vegas
An increasingly popular option is to get all of the groomsmen to splurge on a weekend trip together. And where better to go than the city whose motto is "what happens here, stays here." From gambling to floor shows to super-sized strip bars and even legalized prostitution (in designated brothels), Las Vegas is a grown man's playground. Some nightclubs can be notoriously difficult to get into, so be sure to dress your best (meaning no jeans or sneakers) and brave the bouncer's velvet rope. Alternatively, you can hire party planners like LV Bachelor Party who will get you into all the hot clubs with no waiting. They can also arrange packages that include gentlemen's clubs, dinners, limousine service, and more.
Tips for a successful Vegas bachelor party:
Take limos: If you're planning on hitting a couple of different spots, and you've got at least six or seven guys, it's not only more fun but also cheaper to rent a limo rather than taking cabs.
Leave the cameras at home: While you know nothing bad happened, that picture of the groom's face in a stripper's cleavage may make the bride think otherwise. Some strip clubs even ban cell phones and force partygoers to check their phone for a steep fee.
Set (and stick to) a budget: Otherwise, you may end up gambling away your life savings or giving it all to a beautiful dancer. Vegas has a way of convincing you that you don't really need your money.
If Las Vegas is a bit out of your reach, consider an Atlantic City getaway. Or, have a weekend of decadence closer to home. There won't be legalized gambling, but bill it as a Hollywood weekend where the groom is the star, and be sure to have plenty of champagne, limousines, spa treatments, dinner at fine restaurants, and flirting with pretty girls.
The Great Outdoors
Picture it: surviving in the woods, hanging out with your bros, and attempting some potentially death-defying feats, all while drinking lots of beer. Rather than going the "been there, done that" route of a strip club bachelor party, test the groom's limits in a different way with outdoor activities like camping, climbing, and hiking, whitewater rafting, wakeboarding, dirt biking, parasailing, skydiving, hang gliding, bungee jumping, skiing, snowboarding, hunting, and fishing. At the end of a jam-packed day, sit around the bonfire and share embarrassing stories about the groom's ex-girlfriends and college adventures.
Co-ed Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties
The groom's not looking to do anything he wouldn’t do in front of his fiancee, the bride's got some good-looking friends, and you're just hoping the maid of honor will help you with the planning. Whether it's just a blowout house party or an evening of debauchery, a co-ed bachelor party can be a great solution. This is also a great solution for the increasing number of couples who don't have a bridal party and thus must either forgo the rite of passage or have to plan it themselves.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure the groom is front and center in your planning. While you want everyone to have a good time, he's the one who really matters. If he's a low-key kind of guy, maybe a night of drinking is not the best idea. Also, keep in mind that there's no reason you can't do a combination of these bachelor party ideas—perhaps a golf tournament during the day, followed by a steak and cigar party that evening. Pick a few different activities and keep everyone happy.