Alternatives to the Old School Bachelor Party

18 Offbeat Ways to Celebrate your Special Weekend

Most of us know from stories that we have heard from older friends and relatives, or perhaps from television or movies, that the old style Bachelor Party involved exotic dancers.  Of course, it is highly unlikely that most men had such Bachelor Parties to begin with, but it is the standard cliché. Obviously, such events would not have been as popular in the Jewish community, at least not with the Orthodox or many Conservatives. Anyway, since this is our Simcha Issue, we thought it would be nice to offer some good alternatives for Bachelor Parties. Here are 18 suggestions.

1. Play poker. Perfect for a lean budget. Grill steaks, get some cold beer, good cigars, and play Texas Hold ‘Em. You can tell stories and get in a lot of male bonding.  Even better if toward the end, you let the soon to be groom win, as an additional little wedding gift.  Of course, don’t let him know that you rigged the game…at least not until after the wedding.

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2. Camp. Drinking beer around the campfire, with the stars in the sky, and clear fresh air.  No cell phones. No computers. A nice contrast to the madness of wedding planning.

3. Golf. Perfect if the groom actually likes golf and if the rest of the party can play a little or be content driving the carts.  Although  this is not a traditional night time event, it is still a nice bonding experience that can be memorable, especially if you splurge for a really nice golf course that the man of the hour would not normally play.

4. Wine Tasting. Drinking nice wines with friends can also be a memorable experience. It can give the bachelor a taste of some great wines that would normally be out of his price range.

5. Whiskey Tasting. Like the wine tasting, this could be a great experience and allows everyone to try some new drinks. Beware, Arranging your own private “tasting” at a posh distillery might not be cheap.

6. Take a road trip. Ideally, to someplace fun and quirky, like Graceland or  Savannah. Perhaps to an out of town sporting event.

7. Herd cattle. You can actually book this kind of “working vacation” where you live like cowboys, just like in the film City Slickers, and there were lots of Jews in that movie!

8. Kill each other. Virtually, that is. If your group is into video games, a weekend of Halo, Grand Theft Auto, or Madden could be the perfect, if not a little nerdy, way to relieve stress.

9. Ski. Some of the best bachelor parties incorporate both rugged outdoors and drunken revelry. Skiing fits the bill. A few runs on the slopes, and a few bourbons in the lodge should do the trick..

10. Rent a beach house. When enough guys chip in, renting a house is cheaper than a hotel. 

11. Play paintball. Similar to virtual killing but less embarrassing. Similar to Poker: 1) let the groom’s team win; and  2) do not let the groom know that you’re letting him win.

12. Go white water rafting. Plenty of organizations now offer multi-day, pre-planned, guided rafting trips that require no knowledge, experience, or sobriety.

13. Fish. Maybe. Obviously, this depends on the personality of the groom. Some guys will find it boring—profoundly so—to stare, for hours and hours, at a tranquil sea of water.

14. Taste cigars. Splurge on a swanky cigar lounge and smoke cigars that you would never, ever ordinarily justify buying. If not now, when?

15. Skydive. Most guys want to go skydiving…but never do because of the eye-popping cost. Like cigar tasting, you might as well live it up now.

16. Take in a game. If you can swing it, get box seats. If you can’t, just get really, really drunk. Either way, pony up the cash to get seats you would never usually afford.

17. Rent dirt bikes. Or dune buggies, ATVs, or anything else that provides at least a 13% chance of death. 

18. Feast on Great Dinner. Even if your group has lots of money, sometimes, it is just hard to get away for a weekend or even an entire night. No problem: rent a limo and go for a great dinner. Especially if this is not the kind of lifestyle your groom is used to, this will make him feel like royalty.