The 8 best U.S. cities for bachelor/bachelorette parties

Planning your bachelorette or bachelor party can be one of the most fun aspects of your wedding. When else can you get together with all your best friends and party like you're still in college? There are plenty of destinations across the U.S. that have fun activities perfect for your last weekend of freedom. Whether you want to party the night away or just relax with your closest friends, here are several locations that both guys and gals will love.

Bachelorette Destinations

Learn how to cook Lowcountry cuisine at The Mansion hotel.

If you're looking for good food: Savannah, Georgia
Savannah knows how to party--but they also know how to eat. This coastal city brings in tons of fresh seafood every day for their signature Lowcountry cuisine. Think shrimp and grits, crab cakes, and Savannah red rice. We might also mention that the city allows open containers, so you can wander the streets with a daiquiri in hand. Stay along the riverfront at the Bohemian Hotel, part of the Kessler Collection, and enjoy tapas and cocktails on the rooftop overlooking the Savannah River. The Mansion on Forsyth Park has a rooted history and offers cooking classes, a fun activity to do with the girls. Sign up for the Southern Savannah Style or Lowcountry classes to get a taste of the region.

Tootsies, a famous honky tonk in Nashville.

If you want to dance to the music: Nashville, Tennessee
Get your honky tonk on in Nashville. Spend any weekend in this Tennessee city and you're likely to see groups of boa-clad, tiara-wearing girls tromping up and down Broadway. It isn't called NashVegas for nothing! This is a popular destination that's good for a party, but is much cheaper than heading out West. There are plenty of hotels to stay at in the area, but simplify things by using a website like bachweekend.com, where they can arrange your entire trip (including hotels, parties, pedal tours, and even hangover kits) for a set per-person price.

The Omni Grove Park Inn Spa in Asheville.

If you want to unwin(e)d: Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville's Omni Grove Park Inn has one of the best and most beautiful spas in the nation. The 43,000-square-foot subterranean spa features cavernous rock walls, arches, and tunnels. You could spend all day enjoying the 20 different water features, including mineral pools, therapeutic waterfalls, and a lap pool with fiber optic stars and underwater music, but definitely make time for a skin care or body treatment. While you're in Asheville, you also can visit the famed Biltmore Estate and get some inspiration for your own home's decor. While you're there, visit the estate's historic winery. Tastings are complimentary, or you can book a specialty wine experience, like a candlelight winery tour or a red wine and chocolate tasting.

South Beach in Miami

If you want to lie on the beach:Miami, Florida
Sometimes you just need to plant yourself in the sand with a good book (or a tropical cocktail) and not move for hours. Miami, with its white sand, crystal clear waters, and picturesque palm trees, is the perfect place to do just that. But it's not just beautiful scenery that this city offers, Miami also has a great nightlife scene for the perfect combo of big city and beach town. If you want the typical Miami experience, stay and party along South Beach--or SoBe as the locals call it--just be prepared to pay higher prices for everything (club entry, drinks, food). Another cool area of Miami is Wynwood--its colorful murals make the best Instagram photo spots for you and your girlfriends. Not too far from Wynwood is Key Biscayne, a beautiful beach that's always less crowded than SoBe.

Bachelor Destinations

The Las Vegas Strip.

If you're a high roller: Las Vegas, Nevada
It's no secret that Las Vegas is one of the most popular destinations for bachelor parties. All-you-can-eat buffets, huge clubs, packed casinos--what more could a guy want? If you're down to party, select a hotel on The Strip that also has a club in it--hotel guests normally get free entry to their hotel's club. If you plan to spend all night at the tables, drinks often are free to active casino players. There are other activities, as well, outside of partying. You can purchase a driving experience for the groom, where he can speed around a racetrack in a Lamborghini, Ferrari, or Porsche for several laps. For more thrills, head to Fremont Street, and fly over the crowd, super-hero style, on the 11-story "Zoomline."

La Barbecue

If you're into beer and barbecue: Austin, Texas
Bros, beer, and barbecue--you'll have all three if you spend your weekend in this Texas town. With nearly 30 breweries and brewpubs in the city, you'll have plenty of options to wet your whistle and explore a number of beer styles. Several have sizable beer gardens, including Last Stand Brewing Company, The ABGB, and St. Elmo Brewing Company, where you can take advantage of the nice weather and enjoy offerings from food trucks. The city also is known for its 'cue, and the famed Franklin Barbecue is totally worth standing in line for. If you don't make it there, La Barbecue and Micklethwait Craft Meats also are great options.

Folly Beach Pier.

If you want to go fishing: Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is a hub for fishing in the South, and it's a pretty cool city to boot. There are several different fishing charters that will take you inshore, offshore, saltwater, or fly fishing--including The Reel Deal Charters and Charleston Fishing Company. You'll catch anything from red drum to flounder to black seabass and even sharks. Outside of fishing, you can visit the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum for a history lesson or spend time on Folly Beach or Isle of Palms. The city also has great restaurants serving Lowcountry cuisine (make sure to try She Crab Soup) and several nice rooftop bars (including Pavilion Bar and The Rooftop Bar at Vendue) with panoramic views of the city.

Bourbon Street.

If you want to get jazzed: New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans knows how to party like no other Southern city. It doesn't come with the high price tag of Vegas, and it has some of the best food to fuel you for a night on Bourbon Street. You can't go to New Orleans and not hear jazz music though, so take your night out to one of the city's famous jazz bars, like The Spotted Cat Music Club or Maison. Make sure to enjoy some of New Orleans' signature drinks, including a Sazerac at The Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel, a Vieux Carre at Hotel Monteleone, a Hurricane at Pat O'Briens, and a Hand Grenade at Tropical Isle--after all, no bachelor party would be complete without the infamous drink!

For the Jet-setters

Consider these destinations if your group is willing to go the exta mile.

For the guys:
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico: great fishing, beaches, and nightlife
Costa Rica: adrenaline pumping activities in lush jungles

For the girls:
Eleuthera, Bahamas: stunning white (and pink) sand beaches on a secluded Bahamian island
Tulum, Mexico: offers high-end, boutique hotels and an incredible food scene

This story appears in Birmingham magazine's 2018 Winter/Spring Weddings issue. Subscribe today!

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