Mountain Hiking

Mountain hiking is a great way to see the country and can be as challenging as you want, depending on the terrain, skill level and distance of the hike you choose. Many hiking clubs will be happy to provide a guide or have prearranged hikes you can join in with. You can also follow set routes without the assistance of a hiking club, just make sure you have a good knowledge of the route and find out how well it’s signposted.

Hiking Tips

Know the terrain – ask local hikers about it, Google it, study maps.
Check your gear – wear suitable clothing for the terrain and weather conditions.

Hiking boots are essential. Bring plenty of drinking fluids and snacks. You may wish to bring a map and compass or GPS. Depending on where you are hiking, a warm hat, scarf and gloves might be required as you reach higher altitudes. Bring a warm top, and emergency survival sack (a large bag you can climb into that helps keep you warm). These will be invaluable in the event of an accident that forces one or more members to overnight on the mountain (this does happen, particularly to novice hikers).

Notify someone of your departure and route – Tell them where and when you’re starting the hike, the expected duration for the hike and where you plan to finish up. Also give them an idea of the route you intend to take. Leave a hardcopy of this information at your accommodation and/or with a friend.

Leave no trace – In accordance of the hiking code, leave no sign of your passing on the route. Close every gate you open, don’t litter, and try to leave the hiking route just as you found it.

When your bachelor party have completed the hike, get cleaned up, go for a meal and have a few drinks. You have the satisfaction of completing the hike and have the bachelor night activities to look forward to.

Who wants a hangover and sick stomach just as you’re about to leap from an aeroplane a couple of thousand feet above ground? Not me anyway and certainly not the parachute guy you’re harnessed to.

So before you hit the bars and clubs take a moment to consider the following extreme and action activities for you stag bachelor weekend:

Go Extreme Sports:

If you guys are up for a little heart in mouth try skydiving or bungee jumping. The later may be the easiest to do, as it won’t take hours of preparation. Just weight in, get strapped and jump. If you do have a little more time and it’s something you really want to do before you die, then do the parachute jump.

Go Action Man:

For those with the killer instinct paintball is for you. This is a terrific way let off some steam and discover who’s up for a real challenge. Remember, take no prisoners, ‘cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war’!

If you ‘feel the need, the need for speed’, then other options include quad biking, dune buggying or go-karting. No bachelor party is complete without some burning rubber!

Now you’re ready to hit the bars and show off your new scars to the ladies.

Think about it; do you really want to have to hail taxis all day and night for a big group of intoxicated guys out to paint the town red? It’s not like the limo hire cost will ‘break the bank’, and what’s the alternative, drive yourself? Yeah, that would really be a lot of fun.

Limos hire does not have to be that expensive, there are loads of great deals if you ring around a few companies and just think of the convenience!

Three other benefits to hiring a limo and getting chauffeured around New York for your bachelor party is:

1. you can keep drinking between bars
2. women are attracted to anything that steps in or out of a limo – fact (even nerds)
3. everyone will think you and your posse are ‘fly’ and you’ll be treated like kings wherever you go (okay, not 100% guaranteed)

Limousine Hire Makes Sense

So go hire a bachelor party limo from one of the New York limousine services. You’ll get a driver who ‘knows the deal’, will be perfectly turned out in uniform and will pick you up and drive you around to all the hottest bars and clubs in New York City.

Most bachelor party limousines are equipped with entertainment and many have a complimentary bar (ask if this is provided before hiring). If you can even hire an enormous limousine for a bachelor party on wheels with room for dancing and other party activities – use your imagination.

Ready to roll? Enjoy your New York bachelor party with limo style!

Not One But Two Parties

Now for the bad news, you actually have to plan two bachelor parties. I know, madness, but stick with me. You see the tradition of bachelor parties started way back in the Roman times, the father of the bride to be, his sons, and male relatives and friends used to throw a party for the future son-in-law. A big feast would be put on and I guess there were no strippers (but who knows?).

I’d Be Worried

This tradition continues to a certain extent right up to modern times. Now I don’t know about you, but the father-in-law to be probably won’t see the funny side of the best man booking a stripper to do an oiled-up lap dance for the guy who’s to marry his daughter. If he does I’d be worried.

The FAKE Bachelor Party

The thing to do is to arrange a nice civilised stag party for the father-in-law and his crowd to attend. Add a little mischief just to give him the feeling that this is the real deal. Send him packing believing that you’re a great bunch of guys and you know he’s off your scent.

The REAL Bachelor Party

Now the work really begins. It’s time to book the strippers, the limo, the trip to Vegas, the strippers, the clubs, the paint ball, the quad bikes, the strippers, the food, and the strippers…

Potentially one of the biggest problems you face on your Stag Bachelor Party Night is the dreaded doorman.

These guys can sense a stag party a mile away and when a group of alcohol fuelled, testosterone packed guys stumble up to the club, chances are someone’s going to be refused admission by the burly, humourless gatekeeper.

(Actually they tend to refuse just one or two people in the group, knowing that the rest won’t leave a comrade behind. A-holes!)

What to do? Well you can try the next club and use different tactics. Like breaking into small groups and trying to gain entry one or two at a time. The problem with this is someone is bound to be refused admission; either just because the odds naturally stacked against the group’s success or the doorman has seen through your clever ruse. Either way, you don’t want to have paid your entry fee only to leave again because your buddy was shut out. Too risky.

The answer is simple, and with a little forward planning (by you, the best man), you can guarantee your entry to the coolest clubs and impress your friends and gain the appreciation of the hottest women in the club.

Bachelor Party Club VIP’s

Call the club in advance and tell them you want to reserve a table with bottle service. Pre-order a bottle of medium priced champagne or something like that. Confirm your names will be on the VIP list and that’s it. If the first club refuses to take a bunch of guys, just ring the next one on your list until you get one to accept you.

This way you’ll get to skip the queue outside the club, you’re guranteed entry, your buddies will identify you as ‘THE MAN’, you’re a VIP which will naturally draw the attention of fun loving women who also fancy themselves as being VIP material and want to USE you to achieve that status.

You’re in like Flynn!

You probably kept your mouth shut and didn’t mention that the bride to be is more like Frankenstein’s bride (only not as friendly/good looking/clever…) and that you know he’s making the biggest mistake of his live. Burying the truth deep down inside is what best friends do after all.

Well like it or not, your pal is a ‘goner’ and it’s now fallen to you to make his last days of freedom something he weeps over when he finally comes to his senses.

Planning a stag bachelor party is not brain surgery (lucky for you, huh?), but just to point you in the right direction here’s a simple check list of six tips to get you started. Use it as a framework to nail your own nasty embellishments to.

1. Pick a bachelor party destination – Vegas, Miami, New York, Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Amsterdam…
2. Kick off with – golfing, go-karting, paintball, fishing…
3. Time to refuel – dinner at a steakhouse or sports bar (have a few drinks?)
4. Ensure entrance into hot spots – register your group on a guest list or reserve a table with bottle service at trendy clubs
5. Hire a limo for the night (this will draw women ‘like moths to the flame’)
6. And of course – strip club?…

Don’t forget the cameras, but remember, ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’. Now go make your best pals stag bachelor party the best darn time of his soon to be sorry life; – your rock!