These 9 alternative bachelor party ideas are honestly fun for everyone

Traditionally, bachelor parties have been known to be a fun way for the groom’s loved ones to party together before the wedding. When people think of bachelor parties, their mind goes straight to “The Hangover,” a chaotic night in Vegas with strippers, all-nighters, and endless partying. If that’s the marrier’s vibe, awesome! But if you’re looking for bachelor party ideas that doesn’t involve staying up all night trying to track down the missing groom, we’ve got you covered.

Whether your ideal pre-wedding celebration involves spending time in nature or throwing the most epic game night ever, the purpose of a bach, bachelorette, or bachelor party remains the same: to create new memories with the people you love most.

Here are some bachelor party ideas for every type of vibe.

A bachelor party doesn’t have to be all male-identifying folks (in the case of mixed-gender wedding parties, the term “bach party” has been coined). For the purposes of the search engine optimization gods, we’re going to be using the term “bachelor party” a lot. But regardless of how the wedding party identifies (bach party, hen party, stag party, or even fox party for gender-neutral) these bachelor party ideas are perfectly good time for every gender identity!

1. Get into some friendly competition with a paintball bachelor party

Release the playful kid inside of you with a paintball session! Paintball is a great team-building activity for a bachelor party, especially if there are folks who don’t know each other too well. To up the stakes a little, set a prize for the winners and a silly dare for the losing team.

2. Hit the road with your bachelor party

Nothing bonds people together like a cross-country road trip. You can plan your route around your favorite cities or take a themed road trip (like traveling to all of Guy Fieri’s favorite restaurants). If not everyone can join you for the trip, maybe you can drive to them and plan an event in their city.

3. Take your bachelor party on a brewery tour

Nothing brings the crew together like good drinks and good vibes! Visit your favorite local breweries or book a trip to visit the home of your favorite beer. Not a fan of beer? Try a winery tour or a distillery tour instead.

4. Take your bachelor party skydiving

Here’s a bachelor party idea for the thrill-seekers! Cross it off your bucket list and plan a skydiving adventure guided by experts. They usually also offer an option to video-record you while your skydiving. If you choose to buy the videos, you can turn it into a home movie night where you can laugh at each other’s reactions.

5. Host a chill backyard BBQ for your bachelor party

Here’s a more low-key bachelor party idea! Fire up the grill and gather the crew for a chill backyard BBQ. If you don’t have an ideal backyard for this, rent a beach house or an AirBnB. If there are a ton of grill masters in your group, kick off a friendly grilling competition.

6. Plan a scavenger hunt for the bachelor party

This one’s for the puzzle lovers out there. Add an interactive element to your bachelor party with a scavenger hunt. You can throw this in the marrier’s hometown or use it as an excuse to explore a brand new city. The clues can be themed around the marrier’s life, fun facts about their partner, or even the wedding day.

7. Order a Mysterious Package for your bachelor party

Love problem solving, code-cracking, and spooky mysteries? Have everyone in the bachelor party chip in for a Mysterious Package. First, you’ll choose which experience you want (which is essentially choosing the theme). Horror nerds will love seeing themes from Hastur, The Yellow King, Cthulu, and more! Then you’ll receive a literal mysterious package with a whole narrative. There’s even tangible items involved, like bloodstained notes, lost journals, and dirt encrusted artifacts. It’s like if a movie became an interactive game. Here’s how the creators describe it:

Our small but passionate studio of storytellers, puzzle-makers, and game designers stave off the madness within by putting together unique experiences, games, and trinkets that will transport you from mundane reality to an adventure that you can unpack right at your dining room table.

The creators of The Mysterious Package

8. Explore the great outdoors with your bachelor party

Consider yourself the outdoorsy type? There are endless bachelor party ideas for the outdoor adventurer. Explore a National Park and take in the scenic views together. If your bach party is over the summer, beat the heat and hit the water on rental canoes or kayaks. Winter sports more your speed? Book a stay in a mountain location and hit the slopes! Love seeing the leaves change? Consider planning a bachelor party to the Northeastern U.S. in autumn when fall foliage is at its best.

9. Host the ultimate game night for your bachelor party

Introverts, we’ve got the perfect bachelor party idea for you, and it doesn’t involve leaving the house! Get ready for the ultimate game night! Have everyone bring their favorite game (board games, card games, video games, up to you!) and duke it out against each other. Make it an all-nighter with food, snacks, and a full bar for uninterrupted fun.

Ready to plan that bachelor party? 

Whether you’re taking the road trip of a lifetime or going hard at gaming night, remember to keep the marrier’s personality, interests, and preferences in mind. The most important part of any bach party is celebrating the marrier and their happiness.