Planning the BEST Vegas bachelor party
Being asked to be a best man is a great honor. One of my personal highlights of 2026 so far has been to stand with my friend and brother on his big day as well as support him and his fiancé in all things leading up to it.
I was most looking forward to planning the bachelor party. We discussed several ideas of doing something local or a destination, but ultimately, it’s a party that you only get to have once and we’re older, wiser, and more financially stable now than we were back in college. We chose Vegas. It’s only a short flight from California and lots of possibilities. We also chose a holiday weekend to give us extra time. The world was indeed our oyster.
Objectives
- Do activities we wouldn’t normally do when we go to Vegas
- Stay out of the casinos as much as possible
- Don’t be cheap, but save money where we can
- We’re all grown men now — everyone should get their own bed to sleep
- Don’t go overboard with the planning: one daytime activity and one nighttime activity per day, all optional
- Throw a great party and also enjoy it
There were 12 people total invited. The first thing I did was get a headcount, see what days people could come and what events they would do, and get an idea of what their budget would be. Once we had the plan in place, I felt it was important to communicate to everyone exactly what we were doing and what it costs. I even wrote a 2-page Google Doc with the agenda and Vegas tips. Everyone paid in advance — it was great.
Where to Stay
We considered both Airbnb and hotel rooms. Airbnb has the advantage of everyone being together — laid back, house-party atmosphere, definitely a vibe. The problem is getting out to activities isn’t always easy since you’d have to Uber everywhere. We also went in winter, so any advantage of a private pool didn’t exist.
Hotels have the advantage of being right on the strip or downtown. Easy to walk somewhere, take the monorail, or get picked up. You also don’t have to worry about cleaning up before you leave.
Hotels have another big advantage: loyalty programs and credit card benefits. I go to Vegas a few times a year and get deep discounts and comped rooms at both MGM and Caesars properties through their apps. I introduced my friend to this a few trips back and he gets discounts now too. The Chase Sapphire Reserve also has MGM as one of its “The Edit” properties, where you get $250 back in statement credit when you book through Chase Travel.
I booked 4 rooms with 2 queens each, my friend booked a suite for himself, and other guys booked their own rooms. In all, this worked much better than an Airbnb and came out to about the same price.
What We Did
Saturday: Adrenaline Mountain (Main Event)
Most of us had never been to a shooting range. After some research, I found Adrenaline Mountain — they had a bachelor party combo that included a shooting range (choose 6 different guns) plus ATV rides, and the ATVs were fast. They also pick you up at your hotel on the strip, and the driver on the way back may even stop at a famous old bar for a quick drink.
This was the most expensive event at $400/person not including tip. I also paid for everyone to have insurance, which added a bit more — unexpected, but probably worth it at those speeds. This was the anchor event for the whole trip, so Saturday was the right day for it.
Saturday Night: Turn’t Up Tours
It’s Vegas, so we wanted to do a nightclub night. But do you try to get on a guest list (hard to pull off with a group of guys unless you arrive super early), get bottle service, or something else?
Our group is a bounce-around type, so I’m glad I found Turn’t Up Tours. Here’s how it works: you meet your host at the first bar, hang out for 45 minutes to an hour, then regroup and board a bus with other groups where drinks are provided (vodka or tequila). You hit 3 nightclubs total, and at the last one they drop you off to find your own way back. Only $99/person not including tip — a great deal and a really fun way to spend the night.
Important: follow the dress code. No ripped jeans, no sneakers, collared shirts.
Thursday: Arrival Day
Some of us arrived Thursday night, some Friday. Thursday was arrival day — got dinner, walked the strip, casually gambled.
Friday Morning: The Welcome Sign + Pinball Hall of Fame
About half the group had arrived by Friday morning. We walked from MGM down to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, stopping for cheap breakfast/lunch on the way. The line to take a photo was surprisingly long when we got there, but some guy offered to jump us to the front for $10 — well worth it. Quick photo, no waiting.
Just nearby is the Pinball Hall of Fame. We spent maybe an hour there and it was a lot of fun.
Friday Afternoon: Atomic Golf Happy Hour
We originally considered 18 holes of golf off-strip, but not everyone in the group golfs and it’s not cheap. Top Golf was on the list too, but it’s wildly expensive for what it is.
We ended up at Atomic Golf during happy hour — all you can eat and drink for around $50/person not including tip. We stayed about 2 hours. Totally worth it even for the non-golfers.
Friday Night
We did something that was only $40/person, included a ride, entry, and 2 drink tickets, plus tip. I’m not saying what it was. 😏
Sunday: Area 15
Most of us had never been to Area 15. Pretty cool overall — the highlight for me was the John Wick Experience. Love those movies. I went a little overboard in the gift shop buying markers and coins I definitely didn’t need. Oh well.
We got the Experience Pass Level 3. One piece of advice: get there early. You can’t book reservations in advance with that pass.
Sunday Night: Downtown
The last night. We went downtown, got a final group dinner, and gambled at some of the downtown casinos. A great way to cap off the trip.
Monday: Final Breakfast and Fly Home
Final breakfast, check out, and fly home at a reasonable time. I like getting home early on the last day — leaves the rest of the day to recover, do laundry, grocery shop, and cook dinner.
A Few Extra Tips
- The food courts at MGM (and likely other properties) have breakfast options — they’re not listed in the menus online, but they exist. Didn’t know that going in.
- Communicate everything upfront. A 2-page Google Doc with the full agenda and costs meant no surprises, and having everyone pay in advance made logistics smooth.
In all, it was such a great honor to plan this. I hope everyone had a blast.
Oh and one more thing… ICED!!!
