Guide to Celebrating a Bachelor Party in New York City
Our Bachelor Party guide provides ideas on how and where to host the bachelor party for the groom in New York City
Las Vegas, NV is hands-down the best place in the world to throw a bachelor party, but if you cannot afford the time or money to travel there then New York City, with its endless strip clubs, bars, lounges and restaurants is great second-best that will make the bachelor party memorable.
A bachelor party (or Stag Party, as it’s known in Europe) is a pre-wedding tradition in which the groom, his groomsmen, and best friends gather in honor of the groom to celebrate the end of his single days and take part in behavior the bride may not approve of. The stereotypical bachelor party often centers around watching women strip, consuming large amounts of alcohol, and partying until dawn. Let’s face it, as far as the bachelor party is concerned, men are basically pigs and the bachelor party is a conspiracy against all women. Now that we have established these basic facts, let’s examine the keys to success to a great bachelor party in New York City.
Keys To A Successful Bachelor Party in New York City
Meterosexual bridegrooms may protest that they don’t want to get too crazy at their bachelor party, but deep down, all guys are really looking for a night of debauchery. This doesn’t necessarily mean that any sex acts actually transpire, but it’s very important that the night feels like it has no barriers and that anything could happen. There are five main ingredients for a good bachelor party in New York City and it’s up to the best man to deliver a night to remember, but not to discuss afterwards, other than through a knowing smile.
1 – Location
A suite in a hotel that is bachelor party friendly is ideal. A private room in an understanding bar or apartment are also great bets.
2 – Live Entertainment
Quality female entertainment is a must. Having different entertainers arrive at different times satisfies the caveman in all men. The choice of entertainers is key and it runs the gamut from titillating to hard core. It’s up to the Best Man to gauge the expectations of the group and try to exceed them without shocking. It’s also up to the best man to ensure that no family or friends of the bride are invited to the main event. This is the biggest bachelor party mood killer and will wreck it.
3 – Alcohol
An open bar with top shelf liquors is really where it’s at. If the party is in a hotel suite, then the best man should make sure it never runs out of booze. There are delis and 24-hour corner stores all over New York City that can be raided for early hour alcoholic sustenance if it runs out, but bear in mind their prices are 10 times higher than a liquor store.
4 – Video Entertainment
It’s a great tip to have adult DVD movies playing continuously on a LCD projector that keeps the night of debauchery going between sets. The AVA Award winners are a great place to figure out what movies to get. Beg, borrow, or steal a projector and use the wall or a bed sheet for the screen. If you left it too late, get the DVD’s at the stores around Port Authority at 42nd and 8th Avenue.
5 – A Good Cover Story
The bachelor must have a good cover story so that the secrets of the bachelor party never leak out. The party provides a great forum for male bonding, something that women are not allowed to know about – they can have their own party and keep their own secrets.
New York City Hotel Suites That Are Bachelor Party Friendly
Very few New York City hotels welcome bachelor parties. This Bachelor Party hotel guide lists the New York City hotels that will not just accommodate a bachelor party but provide amenities to make it a roaring success.
M&M PROPERTIES
(212-585-2371)
M&M properties owns “Eat Drink and be Merry,” a party management company that has access to 10 quality bar party rooms around New York City. Prices start at $85.00 per head. They can also arrange transportation, strippers, food, and open bar. Their most popular product is the Wicked Pub Crawl where you travel in a limo (pre-loaded with strippers) between their bars around New York City. This party management service removes a lot of the planning and headaches from the shoulders of the Best Man, something they are usually more-than-willing give up.
CENTERFOLD STRIPS
(1-877-427-8747)
There are many entertainment companies in NYC that supply mediocre dancers, so it’s a welcome relief to find a national company (which is already in numerous US cities and has plans to franchise) that is professional and reliable and also provides a quality product.
Good Cover Stories and Warm Up Locations
Every best man should provide an “official” cover story for the men who attend the Bachelor party. This will provide them with a semi-innocuous story they can share with the enemy during the mission debriefing, commonly know as the other-half grilling them afterwards about their BP antics. In most cases the cover story actually happens, but in reality it should feature as the under-card and never the main event. Some good cover stories and warm up locations are listed below:
Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex
(Pier 62, 23rd Street & the Hudson River, 212-336-6777)
If the bachelor is a sports nut, blow off some steam with him before the big day at Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex. Popular group activities at Chelsea Piers include bowling, batting cages, golf at a driving range and indoor rock climbing with a variety of skill levels. Chelsea Piers has facilities for numerous team sports, such as a sand volleyball court, basketball courts, indoor soccer, dodgeball, and flag football. There are also games like full swing golf simulators, jousting with foam-padded poles, and big glove boxing.
Westside Rifle & Pistol Range
(20 West 20th Street, 212-929-7287)
Another manly bachelor party possibility is shooting guns at Westside Rifle & Pistol Range in the Flatiron District. An instructor conducts a safety class before the group is able to fire rounds. A variety of firearms are available, with different makes and models of rifles and pistols. The venue is small yet comfortable, with a 50-foot depth of range, so no American Sniper wannabees should apply. Mostly handguns with a couple of shotguns that you could hit a barn door with. But its manly stuff!
Bowlmor Lanes
(110 University Place, 212-255-8188)
Get competitive with the bachelor at Bowlmor Lanes in Greenwich Village, a stylish adult bowling alley with food, a sports bar, big screen video walls and sound system, and DJ. Different party packages are available, such as The King Pin, which includes two hours unlimited bowling, two hours of open bar, two appetizers and two sandwich or pizza selections, as well as shoe rentals. There aren’t many bowling venues in New York City so get there early because lanes fill up quick
Truman’s Gentleman Groomers
(120 East 56th Street, 212-759-5015)
While a day at the spa may not be the ideal bachelor party locale that immediately comes to mind, Truman’s Gentleman Groomers will put guys at ease with complimentary beer, sports on flat screen TVs, and its dark wood interior. It’s guaranteed the groom and groomsmen will be feeling rejuvenated after a day here, whether they’re forgetting about the noisy city outside or recuperating from last night’s antics. Services include a haircut and style, hot lather shave, beard trim, manicure, pedicure, massage, hair removal, and shoe shine. A scotch or beer tasting can also be booked for your party at the bar on the spa’s lower level. The staff there are also easy on the eyes.
Velvet Cigar Lounge
(80 East 7th Street, 212-533-5582)
For the cigar aficionados, Velvet Cigar Lounge is a great laid back spot in the East Village to relax before or after the mayhem. This lounge is an ideal spot for smoking a variety of fine handmade cigars to unwind. An experienced cigar roller can entertain your private bachelor party and hand roll cigars on the spot all while educating the groom and groomsmen on all aspects of the process. Regarded as a New York City hidden gem, Velvet Cigar Lounge features cozy furniture and a state-of-the-art ventilation system.
Pacha Nightclub
(618 West 46th Street, 212-209-7500)
If the groom and his groomsmen prefer clubbing, a wild guys night out at Pacha Nightclub in Hell’s Kitchen is the perfect location for a bachelor party to take place or to meet girls to bring back to a hotel suite where the real party begins. Get on the guest list ahead of time to skip the line and receive free admission if you arrive before midnight. Bachelor party table packages allow private parties to be hosted in a private VIP area, receive a complimentary bottle of vodka, shots on arrival, and a 10 percent discount on the bill. There are four floors at Pacha, each with a different kind of music playing, from techno to hip hop.
NEW YORK STRIP CLUBS
Only the most laziest best man will consider a New York strip club a good place for the main bachelor party. New York strip clubs are extremely expensive and have so many rules that will make the bachelor party feel constricting. Often the participants come away feeling ripped off. The New York City strip clubs are, however, an excellent cover story or a great warm up location – just go early and leave early. Resist the urge to get drunk, as you will leave $500 lighter. Save the money for the strippers in the hotel suite, that’s where the real bachelor party begins.
Rick’s Cabaret & Steakhouse
(50 West 33rd Street, 212-372-0850)
Strippers and steaks – popular with the Howard Stern crew, Rick’s Cabaret & Steakhouse is a national chain of adult entertainment clubs that are less cabaret and more strip club. The New York City location near the Empire State Building has three floors and three stages, private VIP suites on the top floor, plasma TVs, endless alcohol, and a steakhouse menu with a juicy 32-ounce double cut New York strip steak. Treat the groom to lunch or dinner.
Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club New York City
(641 West 51st Street, 212-247-2460)
For the classic guys night out bachelor party at a strip club, visit Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club in Hell’s Kitchen for exotic entertainment and cocktails. The Hustler Club has two floors with a full bar, several performance stages, balconies, about 60 dancers out at a time. VIP fantasy suites are also available to treat the groom to private lap dances. There are also Hustler Club locations throughout the country, as well as France, Australia, and England.