The bachelor trip has evolved. What used to be a single night of questionable decisions in the nearest city has become a full-blown travel experience, often spanning three to five days in a destination chosen specifically for the occasion. The stakes are higher, the logistics are more complex, and the pressure to deliver something memorable is real.

I have helped plan (and attended) more bachelor trips than I can count, ranging from a $500-per-person weekend in Austin to a $4,000-per-person week in Ibiza. The best ones had three things in common: a destination that matched the groom's personality, a mix of planned activities and spontaneous freedom, and a best man who handled logistics without becoming a tyrant.

Here is everything you need to know to plan a bachelor trip that people will talk about for years, for the right reasons.

Choosing the Right Destination

The destination should reflect the groom, not the best man's fantasy. Ask yourself: what does the groom actually enjoy? If he is a foodie who hates clubs, Vegas is wrong no matter how "classic" it seems. If he loves outdoor adventure, a beach party town will leave him bored.

Top 10 Bachelor Trip Destinations

#### 1. Las Vegas, USA

Best for: The classic bachelor party experience. Nightlife, pool parties, shows, gambling, steakhouses.

Budget: $1,500-4,000 per person for a long weekend (3-4 nights). A VIP table at a nightclub alone can cost $2,000-5,000 for the group, so set expectations early.

Why it works: Vegas is engineered for this. The infrastructure exists. Hotels offer group rates, restaurants handle large parties, and there is genuinely something for every taste beyond the Strip. Red Rock Canyon is 30 minutes away for anyone who needs fresh air.

Watch out for: Overspending. Vegas is designed to separate you from your money. Set a gambling budget per person and stick to it.

#### 2. Austin, Texas, USA

Best for: Live music lovers, craft beer enthusiasts, BBQ obsessives, and groups that want a party without pretension.

Budget: $800-2,000 per person for a long weekend. Significantly cheaper than Vegas, especially for food and drinks.

Why it works: Sixth Street delivers nightlife. Franklin BBQ delivers brisket. Barton Springs delivers a hangover cure. The vibe is laid-back, welcoming, and unpretentious. Great for groups where not everyone is a hardcore partier.

#### 3. Cartagena, Colombia

Best for: Groups wanting an international experience without breaking the bank. Beautiful old city, beaches, boat trips, and nightlife.

Budget: $1,200-2,500 per person for 4-5 days. Your money goes far here. A private boat for the day with drinks costs $60-100 per person.

Why it works: The walled old city is stunning. The Rosario Islands are paradise. The nightlife in Getsemani is vibrant and affordable. And the food, from ceviche to arepas, is exceptional.

Watch out for: Safety awareness. Stick to established tourist areas at night. Do not flash expensive watches or phones.

#### 4. Budapest, Hungary

Best for: European adventure on a budget. Thermal baths, ruin bars, incredible food, and a nightlife scene that rivals Berlin.

Budget: $1,000-2,500 per person for 4-5 days (excluding transatlantic flights). Once you are there, Budapest is remarkably affordable.

Why it works: The ruin bar scene is unlike anything else in Europe. Szimpla Kert alone is worth the trip. The thermal baths are a perfect daytime activity (and hangover cure). The Danube river views are spectacular.

#### 5. Queenstown, New Zealand

Best for: The adventure-oriented groom. Bungee jumping, skydiving, jet boating, hiking, and wine tasting.

Budget: $2,500-5,000 per person for 5-7 days. Not cheap, but the experiences are once-in-a-lifetime.

Why it works: If the groom gets more excited about jumping off a bridge than sitting in a VIP booth, Queenstown is paradise. It is also stunningly beautiful and has a surprisingly good bar and restaurant scene for a small town.

#### 6. Lisbon, Portugal

Best for: Groups that want culture, food, nightlife, and beaches without the price tag of Western European capitals.

Budget: $1,200-2,800 per person for 4-5 days. Wine is $3 a glass. Dinner for four at a good restaurant is $80.

Why it works: Lisbon has it all. The Alfama neighborhood for culture and history. Bairro Alto for nightlife. Cascais or Comporta for beach days. Pasteis de nata for breakfast. LX Factory for afternoon browsing. And the people are incredibly welcoming.

#### 7. Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

Best for: Golf-focused bachelor trips with pool parties and steakhouse dinners.

Budget: $1,200-3,000 per person for a long weekend. Golf green fees range from $50 to $300+ depending on the course.

Why it works: World-class golf courses, resort pool scenes, excellent Southwestern dining, and Old Town Scottsdale for nightlife. The weather is nearly guaranteed sunny (avoid July-August when it is dangerously hot).

#### 8. Montreal, Canada

Best for: Food-obsessed groups, European vibes without crossing the Atlantic, and a legendary nightlife scene.

Budget: $800-2,000 per person for a long weekend. Reasonable for a major city, especially with the exchange rate favoring USD.

Why it works: Montreal's food scene punches way above its weight. The nightlife runs late (bars close at 3 AM). The city is walkable, bilingual, and has a cosmopolitan energy. Plus, the legal drinking age is 18, which does not matter for a bachelor party but speaks to the city's relaxed attitude.

#### 9. Ibiza, Spain

Best for: Groups that want world-class electronic music, beach clubs, and a party scene that is difficult to replicate anywhere else.

Budget: $2,500-6,000+ per person for 4-5 days. Ibiza can be eye-wateringly expensive. Club entry alone is $50-80. Drinks inside are $20+.

Why it works: If the groom is into dance music, there is no substitute. The clubs (Pacha, Amnesia, Hi, DC10) are legendary. The beach clubs (Blue Marlin, Nikki Beach) are beautiful. And the island itself, beyond the parties, is gorgeous.

Watch out for: Budget shock. Ibiza separates budget travelers from their money with ruthless efficiency. Set clear expectations.

#### 10. Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Best for: Country music fans, bourbon lovers, and groups that want a party without overthinking logistics.

Budget: $800-1,800 per person for a long weekend. Broadway honky-tonks have no cover charge. Drinks are cheap.

Why it works: Broadway is a bachelor party factory. Live music in every bar, all day and all night, with no cover. Hot chicken is a food group. The rooftop bar scene is excellent. And it is an easy, cheap flight from most US cities.

The Planning Timeline

4-6 Months Before: Lock in the Basics

Confirm the guest list. The best man should consult with the groom about who to invite. Keep it to people the groom genuinely wants there. Quality over quantity.
Collect deposits. $200-500 per person, non-refundable after a set date. This filters out the uncommitted.
Book flights and accommodation. Airbnb houses or hotel room blocks. For groups of 8+, a large rental house is almost always cheaper and more fun than individual hotel rooms.
Set the budget framework. Send a clear breakdown: "Here is what the trip will cost. Accommodation is $X per person. Flights are on you. We will have a group fund of $Y per person for shared activities and group dinners."

2-3 Months Before: Plan Activities

Book any activities that require reservations. Restaurants, tours, boat rentals, golf tee times, adventure sports.
Create a rough daily schedule. Not hour-by-hour. Just: "Friday afternoon arrival, Friday night dinner and bars. Saturday daytime activity, Saturday night big night out. Sunday brunch and departure."
Assign responsibilities. One person handles the restaurant reservation. Another arranges the airport transfer. Another manages the group fund. The best man oversees but should not do everything alone.

2-4 Weeks Before: Finalize Details

Send the itinerary. One clear document with dates, times, addresses, confirmation numbers, and what to pack.
Confirm headcount. Last chance for anyone to drop out before the non-refundable window closes.
Set up Splitwise or Tricount. Shared expenses should be tracked from the moment the first person pays for an airport Uber.

1 Week Before: Communication

Create the group chat (if it does not already exist).
Share essential info: Accommodation address, check-in instructions, emergency contacts, the daily schedule.
Remind everyone about the budget. "Bring $X in cash for the group fund. We are using Splitwise for everything else."

Budgeting for Different Income Levels

This is the hardest part of bachelor trip planning, and the part most best men handle poorly. Your group will almost certainly include people with different incomes. The investment banker and the teacher. The software engineer and the graduate student. Everyone wants to celebrate the groom, but not everyone can drop $3,000 on a weekend.

Strategies That Work

Tiered accommodation. Book a rental house with a mix of room types. The master suite costs more per night. The shared room costs less. Let people choose their tier.

Separate "required" and "optional" costs. Required: accommodation, group dinners, the main activity (boat trip, golf round, whatever the centerpiece is). Optional: VIP upgrades, bottle service, extra activities, gambling money. Make the required costs accessible to the lowest budget in the group. Let the higher earners opt into the upgrades.

The groom does not pay. This is tradition for good reason. Split the groom's share of accommodation and group activities among everyone else. But be realistic about what this means for each person's total cost. If covering the groom adds $200 to everyone's bill, say so upfront.

Be transparent about total costs. Nobody should arrive at a bachelor trip and discover it costs $1,000 more than they expected. Send a complete budget breakdown before collecting deposits.

Activities Beyond Bars: Daytime Ideas That Actually Work

The best bachelor trips balance nightlife with genuinely fun daytime activities. Hangovers hit harder in your 30s, and a full day of recovery before going out again wastes valuable trip time.

Active Options

Water sports: Jet ski rentals, deep-sea fishing, snorkeling, surfing lessons, kayaking
Adventure sports: Go-karting, paintball, ATV riding, zip-lining, skydiving
Golf: A morning round at a quality course is a bachelor trip staple for a reason
Hiking: A moderate morning hike followed by a big lunch is perfect pacing
Sports events: Time the trip to coincide with a local game (NFL, soccer, baseball)

Chill Options

Cooking class: Learn to make the local cuisine. Surprisingly fun, even for people who never cook
Brewery or distillery tour: Daytime drinking with educational cover
Pool day: Rent a house with a pool. Buy supplies. Do nothing. Sometimes the best activity is no activity
Spa or thermal baths: Budapest's thermal baths and Scottsdale's resort spas are legendary hangover cures
Food tour: A guided walking food tour is a great way to explore a new city

Unique Options

Poker tournament: Buy a cheap set and host a tournament at the rental house
Roast session: A structured opportunity for the group to lovingly (or not) roast the groom before his wedding
Video montage screening: Compile clips and photos from the group's friendship history, screen it on the last night

Logistics: The Stuff Nobody Wants to Handle but Somebody Must

Transportation

Airport transfers: Pre-book a van or SUV. Do not rely on eight people finding separate Ubers. Someone will land late, someone's phone will die, and the chaos begins.

Getting around the destination: Rent one or two large vehicles if the destination requires driving. Designate sober drivers on a rotation, or budget for rideshares. Never assume "we will figure it out."

Accommodation

Rental houses beat hotels for groups of 6+. They are cheaper per person, you have communal space for hanging out, a kitchen for breakfast and pregaming, and nobody gets noise complaints from a hotel hallway.

Location matters more than luxury. A mediocre house in a walkable neighborhood beats a gorgeous house 30 minutes from everything. You will barely be in the house. Prioritize proximity to the action.

Book a house with enough bathrooms. The golden ratio is one bathroom for every three people. Eight guys and one bathroom is a logistical catastrophe every morning.

Responsible Planning

A quick section on something important. Bachelor trips have a reputation for excess, and sometimes that reputation is earned. A few guidelines:

Know your group's limits. If someone does not drink, do not pressure them. If someone needs to tap out early, let them. The point is for everyone to have fun, and fun looks different for different people.
Pace the drinking. Eat substantial meals before big nights out. Hydrate. Nobody remembers the night they blacked out, so what is the point?
Budget for tips. You are a large, loud group. Tip generously at bars and restaurants. 20% minimum. 25% if you are being rowdy. This is non-negotiable.
Respect the destination. You are guests in someone's city or country. Be loud at appropriate times and respectful always. Trashing an Airbnb or harassing locals is not a bachelor party tradition worth preserving.

Handling the Unexpected

Things will go wrong. Someone will miss a flight. Someone will lose their wallet. Someone will eat something that disagrees with them violently. The best man's job is not to prevent these things (impossible) but to handle them calmly when they happen.

Keep a small emergency fund. An extra $200-300 in the group kitty covers most unexpected expenses.

Have backup plans for key activities. If the boat trip gets canceled due to weather, what is plan B? If the restaurant loses the reservation, what is the backup spot?

Stay flexible. The rigidly planned bachelor trip crumbles at the first disruption. The loosely planned one adapts and turns the disruption into a story. "Remember when the boat broke down and we ended up at that random beach bar?" That is the stuff memories are made of.

The Final Word

The best bachelor trip is not the most expensive one, the most exotic one, or the most Instagram-worthy one. It is the one where the groom feels celebrated by the people who matter most to him. Everything else, the destination, the activities, the nightlife, is set dressing for that core purpose.

Plan with that in mind, and you will deliver something worth remembering.

Planning the Ultimate Bachelor Trip: Destinations, Activities, and Logistics