The Ultimate Las Vegas Bachelor Party Guide

So you’ve been tasked with planning your friend’s bachelor weekend in Vegas. Where do you stay? Where do you drink? What do you do when you’re not drinking? These are the essential questions and we’re here with the essential answers with this guide to a Las Vegas bachelor weekend.

WHERE TO STAY

First things first, decide which end of the Vegas Strip you want to stay in. Consider where you’ll be spending most of your days and nights when choosing. The South Strip has recently upgraded its hotel options with the addition of the Delano, adjacent the Mandalay Bay, but with other hotels that include the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. However, the highest concentration of hotels (and many of the top hotels, restaurants, and things to do) can be found mid-Strip, such as the Bellagio, Venetian, Caesar’s Palace, and the CityCenter hotels, which includes the Aria and Cosmopolitan.

WHERE TO EAT

If you want it, you can find it on the Las Vegas Strip. If you want good sushi, there’s Nobu at Caesar’s Palace or Blue Ribbon at the Cosmopolitan. For Mexican, there’s Javier’s at Aria or Diablo’s Cantina at the Monte Carlo. For Italian, there’s Scarpetta at the Cosmopolitan or FiAMMA at the MGM Grand. I do recommend making reservations for at least one nice dinner, such as one of the hottest new restaurants on the Strip, Giada, or a steak restaurant like CUT at The Palazzo or The Capital Grille. When the munchies hit, or on the way back to your hotel from the bars, grab a burger at Shake Shack or pizza from Secret Pizza at the Cosmopolitan.

WHERE TO DAYCLUB

It’s not just any city, after all, that you can day party like you can in Vegas. The day parties, or rather, “dayclubs,” are one of the many reasons that Vegas stands out as a bachelor weekend destination. Encore Beach Club, located at the Wynn, is a three-tiered pool complex that often features world-renowned deejays. Bare Pool Lounge at the Mirage is lined with cabanas and features a see-through, infinity-edged pool and Liquid Pool & Lounge at Aria features cabanas with their own flat-screen TVs and gaming consoles. If nothing else, don’t leave without visiting Mandalay Bay’s Moorea Beach Club, which includes a “toptional beach”.

WHERE TO DRINK

While you’ll be getting handed drinks just about anywhere and everywhere on the Vegas Strip, there are some standouts if you want more than just a well drink. 1923 Bourbon Bar is a modern-day speakeasy and burlesque bar by model and showgirl Holly Madison, which is fitting for a bachelor weekend. If for no other reason than just a drink, go to Mandalay Bay at sunset to the Foundation Room, perched atop the hotel tower and with the best bar view in the city. Head to The Chandelier at the Cosmopolitan for some of the best cocktails in the city and balance that with a short cab ride to Double Down Saloon, one of Vegas’ diviest bars (make sure to order the “Ass Juice”).

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT DRINKING

What’s great about Las Vegas is that when you need a break from the Strip, there are a ton of activities that you can only do in Vegas, which double as a great last adrenaline-pumping hoorah with the groom. This includes being able to fly an actual plane with Sky Combat Ace, where guests are handed over the controls of an aerobatic plane to perform maneuvers like loops and barrel rolls. Other great bachelor weekend activities include Dig This, where guests get to drive heavy machinery in an “adult sandbox” and numerous outfitters that allow you to drive exotic cars. For a more soft adventure, there’s nearby Red Rock Canyon, home to some of the best hiking and rock climbing in Southern Nevada.

WHERE TO GO OUT

No matter what your bar or nightclub personality, there’s one for you in Vegas. For the staple nightclub with pumping electronic music and lots of dancing, you have your pick of clubs like Hakkasan, Marquee, XS and Tao. For the same type of vibe but a smaller venue and the best view of the Bellagio Fountains, then go to Hyde. If a more local, offbeat vibe is what you’re after, think about Downtown Las Vegas for places like Gold Spike, which has adult-sized versions of your favorite childhood games (plus cornhole and beer pong), Commonwealth for craft cocktails (and a secret speakeasy, The Laundry Room) and Atomic Liquor Store and Bar for a great dive bar.

Of course, we’d be remiss not to mention strip clubs. They run the gamut in Vegas from classic establishments like Cheetah’s and Crazy Horse III to the largest strip club in the world, Sapphire, to Spearmint Rhino, which is considered to have some of more higher quality “entertainers.” Whether day-clubbing, nightclubbing, or strip-clubbing, make sure you bring plenty of cash, you’re going to need it, between the cover, drinks, and everything in between.