How to Plan a Bar Crawl With Your Friends
Believe us... a bar crawl can be EPIC. Why hunker down in a single bar or pub when you can experience the very best of what your city has to offer?
But bar crawls don’t just happen. They are a planned event with your friends. They take a bit of foresight and a touch of inspiration. And above all else, they require some knowledge of the town that lies before you.
So, what’s the best way to get started when planning a bar crawl? Here are some key tips to consider when learning how to plan a pub crawl with your close friends.
Plan a Theme
No, your bar crawl doesn’t need a theme. But wouldn’t it be nice if it felt a little better than just some random wayward event? Remember, you’re learning how to plan a bar crawl, not how to just go out with your friends!
There are loads of themes to consider. Here are just a few to spark some inspiration:
- Diviest Dive Bar Crawl (keeping things intentionally trashy)
- Bingo Crawl (complete with a bingo card for each crawler)
- Pride Crawl (hitting up venues that celebrate love in all its forms)
- And so many others.
But the best bar crawl themes celebrate the biggest holidays of the year – St. Patty’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Halloween!
If you really want to go all out, plan to give out trinkets, accessories, or even outfits that align with the theme. This way, everyone who sees you and your buds on the crawl will know exactly what you’re up to.
Map it Out
Before you take a single step on your bar crawl, it’s important to nose around in a map of your city. Why? Because no one wants to hit the crawl, only to find the final destination is going to be a slog to get to.
Plan a pub crawl with Google Maps, Apple Maps, or another mapping service and we promise you’ll thank us later. Just be sure to choose a route that is far enough to justify itself but convenient enough that everyone in your party can finish it with ease.
You should also consider adding some distance between each bar along the route. This way, it won’t feel like you’re just going door-to-door if you’re planning to hit up a bar-dense neighborhood.
Let the Bars Know You’re Coming
You always get a reservation at a restaurant for a large dinner party, right? So why shouldn’t the same be true when planning a pub crawl?
Letting the bar know you’re coming well before you depart means they won’t be surprised when a dozen thirsty friends roll up. It’ll also let you know if any of the bars can’t accommodate you due to something like a private event. After all, there’s nothing worse than rolling up on a spot just to be disappointed.
Don’t Hang Too Long
A proper bar crawl is about hitting the town. Any more than one drink per location is not really in the spirit of the event. So, pinkies up and empties down as you (kindly) urge your friends to move along.
Plan the Capture
What good is a fun night out if you don’t have the pics to prove it? Plan to snag some photos and videos of the happenings as they play out. You could even post them to social media with a custom hashtag so everyone can remember how you planned the best bar crawl ever.
Make It for a Good Cause
Fun times are one thing. But fun times that make the world a better place? Ah, chef’s kiss!
If you want your bar crawl to be something your buddies are proud of, consider crawling in honor of a charity or fundraiser. You can promote your intentions well in advance of the crawl. This will help you drum up support on social media so others, even if they can’t crawl with you, can donate.
Then, on the evening of the crawl, you’ll all have a goal and a mission statement: “Tonight, we’re crawling for **_**!”
Leave it to the Experts
Let’s face it: not everyone is cut out to plan their own pub crawl. After all, how to plan a pub crawl comes down to a fairly involved setup.
If you’re more the “roll out the carpet for me” type, there’s good news. Bar Crawl LIVE! has tons of pre-planned bar crawl events happening all the time. And likely right in your own backyard.
We host classic events like our St. Patrick’s Day crawls to events celebrating pride, Halloween, and more.
If you’re thirsty for great drinks, hankering for a slice of your city’s nightlife, and hungry to meet fun-loving people like you, this is it. We have a bar crawl event that you’ll never forget.