The Last 72 Hours: Bachelor Party New York City
July 24, 2018
Written by Ariel Guterman
T-Minus 72 Hours (10AM Arrival in the Big Apple)
Take an Uber XL (larger than a taxi, more comfortable, and also lets you skip the taxi line) from John F. Kennedy Airport to the Carlton Hotel in Midtown East and check into one of the coolest hotel rooms in NYC, the Speakeasy Suite (depending on the size of your party, you may want to book additional hotel rooms—even a suite won’t hold 10 people). Even with all of the hip luxury hotels in the city, we can assure you that this is the only suite with a private poker room and whiskey bar hidden behind a secret door in the bookcase. Prepare to feel downright gangster.
T-Minus 70 Hours (12PM BBQ)
One of the greatest things about New York City is you’re never far from an amazing meal. After settling into your suite (and maybe making a whiskey toast to the groom), take a quick walk to Blue Smoke for some great BBQ. At this place, bacon isn’t reserved for breakfast. Get a side order of Hickory Smoked Beef Bacon to go with your meal.
T-Minus 68 Hours (2PM Chelsea Piers)
Take advantage of the daytime with a trip to Chelsea Piers. You have plenty of activity options including golf at the driving range, rock climbing, and a variety of sports. You can also go to Bowlmor for bowling (duh) or if you’re feeling young at heart, a round or two of laser tag.
T-Minus 64 Hours (6PM Dinner on the Ground)
Before your night out, enjoy some incredible pizza at Goodfella’s in Gramercy. We’ll make the not-so-bold statement (because it’s been backed up by a ridiculous number of foodie awards) that this place serves New York’s best pizza. Try the Smokin Goodfella. You won’t be disappointed.
T-Minus 62 Hours (8PM Drinks on the Roof)
In a city of skyscrapers, the best views are from the top. You’re going on a rooftop bar crawl! We’ve made sure you’ll never have to walk more than 11 minutes/ 0.6 miles between bars, but to get to them all, try to cap your time for each at an hour. Remember, as with all bar crawls, it’s much more important to have fun than get to every bar. These are all excellent rooftop bars with incredible views of NYC, but if you’re loving the vibe and want to stick around longer at a particular place you can always trim one or two from the list. Also, make reservations whenever possible (it is NYC after all- it’s much better to have them and not need them to not have them at all) and dress smart.
T-Minus 46 hours (12PM Brunch)
Rise and shine! A trip to New York is simply incomplete without a proper bottomless mimosa brunch. Lucky for you, Agave in the West Village offers an entree plus two hours of bottomless mimosas, wine, or traditional margaritas for $27. Agave is known for prime Mexican food, but breakfast classics are also great here. Our suggestion? The Hand Hacked Three Beef Hash with pastrami, roast beef, and corn beef served with poached eggs.
T-Minus 43 hours (3PM Cigar Heaven)
Take it easy with a trip to the Nat Townhouse (Nat Sherman’s flagship store) on 42nd St. Get any cigar-related questions answered by experts in 3-piece suits and choose a souvenir so you can reminisce about your amazing bachelor weekend at a later date. Also, be sure to ask to see the Johnson Club Room. Even for nonsmokers, this NYC landmark is really cool.
T-Minus 40 hours (6PM Pre-show Dinner)
You can check another famous NY landmark off your list and chow down on some seriously great seafood at Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant is located on the lower level of, as you may have guessed, Grand Central Station. Have your pick from 30 different selections of raw oysters in addition to the simple and delicious seafood menu. If you saved room for dessert, try the homemade Cannoli Cream Tart with Oreo Cookie Crust.
T-Minus 38 hours (8PM Showtime)
You hit the booze pretty hard last night, so it’s possible that you don’t really feel like doing another bar hop at the moment. Instead, head to one of NYC’s many concert venues (Radio City Music Hall, the Bowery Ballroom, and Beacon Theater top our list), hit up Broadway (The Book of Mormon is absolutely hilarious), or catch a game at Madison Square Garden (depending on your group’s interests).
T-Minus 24 hours (10AM Food Tour)
Instead of traditional breakfast, go on a “Foods of New York” tour. We suggest the Chelsea Market Food & Cultural Walking Tour, which includes stops and tastings throughout Chelsea Market and the Meatpacking District. We promise this will be one of the most satisfying history lessons you’ve ever had. After the tour, if the weather is nice, enjoy the High Line and maybe take some group photos.
T-Minus 21 hours (1PM Museum of Sex)
This bachelor party favorite is just a few blocks from where you are now, so it’s only logical you go check it out. In addition to their permanent collection, the museum hosts various sex related exhibitions. Don’t skip the gift shop- it’s the holy grail of gag gifts. Or you could go to the Museum of Mathematics next door. Super hard decision, but we’ll leave it up to you.
T-Minus 19 hours (3PM Shake Shack)
Shake Shack in Madison Square Park is another NY staple you shouldn’t miss. Don’t be put off by the line. It moves quickly and you’ll forget about the wait once you’re digging into your delicious cheeseburger. And (in case you didn’t figure this out from the name of the place) get a shake.
T-Minus 15 hours (7PM Buddakan)
Return to Chelsea Market for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Buddakan.
The restaurant itself is stunning, and it has the food to match. The dishes are unique, expertly prepared, and incredibly flavorful. Definitely try the Lobster Fried Rice and Mongolian Lamb Chops. For dessert, the Crying Chocolate is a favorite.
T-Minus 13 hours (9PM Brooklyn Night Bazaar)
Manhattan isn’t the only place in New York. Take a short trip out to Brooklyn to get a taste of NY’s diverse local art scene. The Night Bazaar features live music, food and wine, a beer garden, black-light mini golf, Ping-Pong, and a ton of art.
T-Minus 10 hours (12AM Gentlemen’s Club)
The bachelor party isn’t over yet. Your trip concludes on the Upper East Side at the city’s classiest strip-club, Sapphire New York. This one tops our list for the attractive crowd (usually about 40% straight women, believe it or not), great DJ’s, a luxe atmosphere, hot strippers, celebrity clientele, and also the fact that they once turned away Justin Bieber (management called him “more trouble than he’s worth”). Book a Bachelor Party package (like Goose & Jack) in advance, and you’ll be set up with bottle service, a VIP host just for your table, and limo transportation. The groom will most definitely enjoy the remainder of his last 72 hours.