There’s a lot of ground to cover in New England — 71,987 square miles of it, in fact. The area consists of six entire states. If you were to walk from New Haven, Connecticut, to Saint Francis in the tippy-top of Maine, it would take you seven days. (However, we don’t particularly recommend you do that for a bachelor’s party.)
With such a broad region, it can quickly become ultra-overwhelming trying to work out where to go and what to do for a bachelor party in New England. Instead of having fun during the planning process, you’re tearing your hair out, trying to decide between going crazy in Connecticut or off the hook in New Hampshire.
Don’t sweat it, though.
New England may have bachelor party destinations aplenty, but we’ve narrowed it down to a few ideal ideas that the groom-to-be will love.
Let’s get into it.
Maine has a lot to offer a bachelor party, starting with some of the best white water rafting in the Northeast. Try one of the many hair-raising rafting routes provided by Northern Outdoors. While there, get lost in the wilderness and camp out at Katahdin Adventure Base Camp.
For some good old-fashioned seaside fun, hit up Old Orchard Beach. Palace Playland has all the rides and rollercoasters you could ever want, or ride the flumes at Funtown Splashtown waterpark.
Portland is another popular Maine destination, with the Old Port area offering a plethora of bars. If walking seems like too much effort, save your legs by taking a Brews Cruise and touring the bars by bus.
A trip to Maine is incomplete without sampling the New England clam chowder and lobster rolls. And why stop there? The state is renowned for its delicious seafood, so take your pick from any number of restaurants.
Groom crews in Vermont are there for two things: craft beers and outdoor adventure!
The state ranks first for the number of breweries per capita, so you won’t struggle to find somewhere to down a few beers. If you time it right, you can catch the huge Vermont Brewers Festival in Burlington. Any time of year, though, you can hit up one of the many brewery trails.
If your crew is there for the warm, sunny season, get your swim shorts out and settle in for the day — on an inflatable tube from Vermont River Tubing. You’ll explore the White River without walking a step, as you sip your beer from your very comfortable seat.
Can’t catch the summer river tubing, why not try snow tubing instead? Smugglers’ Notch Vermont Tubing has day and nighttime tubing, and for those who are serious about powder, Mount Snow is a ski resort catering to all abilities.
For the ultimate bachelor party getaway, head straight to Adventure Suites in North Conway. Featuring themed suites, plus a saloon and spa, you can party your hearts out in one spot. If you do want to venture out, we recommend Moat Mountain Brewery and Smokehouse.
OSG Paintball in Barnstead offers several paintball arenas, plus onsite food, and it’s only 15 minutes from Lake Winnipesaukee. For the adrenaline junkies, rent a dirt bike from HighLand Mountain and go off-road exploring.
Of course, the only place to be in Massachusetts is the mighty Boston. This bustling city is home to some of the best bachelor party ideas and is easy to reach, thanks to the huge airport in East Boston.
Boston is one of the best sports cities in the world, so head to the famous Fenway Park to cheer on the Red Sox. When you’re done, Bleacher Bar will happily supply you with craft beers and delicious food.
A bachelor party in Boston isn’t complete without heading out on a Secret Food Tour, or how about treading the freedom trail and taking in the Boston skyline as you move from bar to bar?
A stone’s throw from the Boston waterfront, VERSUS is a retro-modern arcade brimming with just about any arcade game you can think of. Then, round off your Boston bachelor party by paying Lucky’s Lounge a visit, by Boston Harbor, for amazing food and cocktails.
Over in Lakeville, the lure of a fast car is hard to resist. Catch a race at Lime Rock Park; they even have a craft beer Grand Prix!
As you travel the state, follow the CT Spirits Trail. Perfect for fans of the hard stuff, the trail will take you on a journey visiting all the distilleries around Connecticut. (You might want to hire a driver for this activity!)
For everything under one roof, check out Mohegan Sun Resort. It’s got a casino, pools, a spa, golfing, and the mouthwatering Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse.
Finally, for water sports fans, the Lamoille River offers canoeing and kayaking aplenty.
The smallest state in the U.S. has a lot to offer, including more seaside action than you can shake a fishing rod at.
First things first, get yourselves on the water with Snappa Charters. Choose from fishing tours, whale watching, champagne cruises, and more. For a more energetic experience, check out Rhody Surf School — It’s gnarly!
Back on dry land, head over to The Axe Bar, where you can chug down beer and chuck a few axes. Rather conveniently, R1 Indoor Karting is located in the very same building, so when you’re done hurling lumps of metal around, you can race the rest of the day away.
For the sophisticated bachelor’s party, we recommend ending the day at Hill & Harbor Cigar Lounge, for fine liquor and cigars.
A bachelor party symbolizes the last days of single life before the groom-to-be gets married, and is a time to celebrate the upcoming nuptials.
You should budget around $350 for a one-day bachelor party. Two-day affairs tend to cost around $550, while destination bachelor parties cost $1,000 upwards.
Historically, the bachelor party was held the night before the wedding, but since bachelor parties tend to be drunken affairs, this often causes problems on the wedding day. Nowadays, bachelor parties are commonly held several weeks before the actual wedding date.
The only time you would invite someone to the bachelor party and not the wedding would be if you were having an extremely intimate or family-only wedding. Otherwise, it is considered impolite to invite someone to the bachelor party but not the wedding.
You don’t bring gifts to a bachelor party. However, it is common to bring something for everyone to share — a bottle of liquor, for example.
The key to choosing successful bachelor party ideas in New England is to pick a state and stick to it. That way, you’ll spend your time enjoying yourselves rather than rushing to get to the next destination.
The hard part will be choosing exactly which state to head to!
If New England doesn’t float your boat, there are plenty of other awesome U.S. locations to choose for a groom crew getaway, or perhaps you prefer something a little off the beaten track?
At The Groom Club, we’re brimming with bachelor party ideas, so be sure to check out all our bachelor party articles to help you plan the event to end all events!
