Bar Crawl Bliss: Your City Guide to Events & Deals

How to Choose the Best Bar Crawl: A Buyer’s Guide

For Halloween, some friends visiting from out of town wanted to join a bar crawl promising a long list of bars, waived cover charges, and all-night drink specials. It sounded like a great deal, but it turned out to be a complete fiasco.

What is a Bar Crawl?

According to nightlife marketing expert C. Nez Byrd, “A bar crawl or pub crawl is an organized event where guests visit multiple bars in succession to drink, meet new people, and explore the local area.”

Unfortunately, our experience was far from ideal:

• All the bars were at capacity with long lines.
• None of the bars had cover charges anyway.
• The drink specials weren’t exclusive and were available to the general public.

[Image of a long line outside Coyote Ugly Saloon on Halloween weekend. Caption: Long Line to Coyote Ugly Saloon Halloween weekend – Photo By C Nez Byrd – How To Choose The Best Bar Crawl – Always The VIP Bar Crawl Bliss: Your City Guide to Events & Deals]

We wasted over $200 on useless wristbands and a map, and ended up abandoning the crawl for a favorite bar where we enjoyed the rest of the night. I later discovered the bar crawl was organized by a relatively new company (Barcrawlerz, just 2 years old based on its domain age), which likely explained the disappointing experience.

This experience highlighted the importance of research when planning a night out – it can be the difference between a fantastic evening and a total flop.

This guide will show you How To Find and Choose The Best Bar Crawl Events & Deals In Any City with a step-by-step process to compare prices, evaluate offers, identify reputable organizers, and avoid scams that could ruin your night.

---

Determine if a Bar Crawl Is Worth It

Before diving into research, consider if a bar crawl is right for you. This should be a group decision or based on the planner’s preference, ensuring everyone is aligned with the investment and experience.

Bar crawls are generally worthwhile for tourists unfamiliar with a city, wanting to explore nightlife, find local bars, meet people, or connect with fellow travelers. They can also be great icebreakers for meeting singles.

There are two main types of bar crawls:

• Guided Tours: Led by a host.
• Self-Guided Tours: You navigate on your own.

Bar crawls typically cost between $20-$30, varying with included benefits and the season. Guided crawls often offer the value of a local expert at a price lower than a traditional tour.

However, if you’re familiar with the local nightlife, a bar crawl might not be worth it. Remember, it’s essentially a pre-planned bar hop. If you can easily create your own, you’ll likely be disappointed.

If you’re unsure, a good rule of thumb: “If the tickets are cheap, and you don’t have anything else planned, just give it a try!”

---

Search For Bar Crawls Online

While recommendations from friends are helpful, they’re often limited to specific areas. The best way to find bar crawls is online.

You can find options through:

• Online Search Engines: (Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc.)
• Event Discovery Websites: (AllEvents, Eventbrite, etc.)
• Local Deal & Coupon Websites: (Groupon)

Before searching, know the city or neighborhoods you’re interested in. You don’t want to spend time researching only to find the crawl is in an undesirable location.

Use these search queries:

• “bar crawl + destination city”
• “pub crawl + destination city”

Be specific! Adding a neighborhood to your query will yield more relevant results. Event discovery and coupon websites often have advanced search filters to narrow your options.

---

Compare Bar Crawl Offers

You’ll likely find many bar crawls. They’re often similar, but rarely identical. Compare offers from different organizers to find the best one.

You’re paying for a service, so determine if the features meet your needs and justify the cost. Paid bar crawls typically offer:

• A host for a guided tour
• A detailed itinerary/map
• Drink specials
• Competitive ticket pricing
• Guaranteed access to each bar

Evaluating these offers is crucial, especially for self-guided tours. You don’t want to pay for a map you could create yourself.

Avoid crawls with few tangible benefits. Be wary of seemingly identical crawls – it might be one organizer marketing the same event under different names.

[Image of a Bar Crawl Comparison Chart Template. Caption: The Bar Crawl Comparison Chart Template How To Choose The Best Bar Crawl Always The VIP Bar Crawl Bliss: Your City Guide to Events & Deals]

Use a comparison chart (like the one above) to organize your findings.

---

Compare A Crawl Guest to A Walk-in Guest

Once you’ve chosen a potential crawl, confirm it offers unique benefits you couldn’t get on your own. Compare pricing and offers for crawl guests versus walk-in guests.

A “walk-in guest” is someone who arrives without a reservation, ticket, or guest list.

First, find the list of bars included in the crawl (usually in the event description or on the organizer’s website).

Then, research each bar online:

• Search Engines (Google)
• Bar Websites (found on Google Maps)
• Review Websites (Yelp)

Answer these questions for each bar:

• Is there a cover charge for general admission?
• If so, how much?
• What drink and food specials are available?
• Is it more expensive to buy a bar crawl ticket than to be a walk-in?

This is also a good time to check the bar’s atmosphere, crowd, and dress code. Most crawls visit casual bars, so expect a relaxed environment.

This comparison will reveal if the crawl offers true value and benefits you couldn’t get independently.

[Image of a Bar Crawl guest Vs Walk in guest Comparison Chart Template. Caption: The Bar Crawl guest Vs Walk-in guest Comparison Chart Template How To Choose The Best Bar Crawl Always The VIP Bar Crawl Bliss: Your City Guide to Events & Deals]

Use a comparison chart (like the one above) to organize your findings.

---

Buy Tickets From A Reputable Source

When you’ve found the best crawl, buy tickets from a reputable source.

Stick to trusted ticketing websites (Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, Groupon, etc.). Avoid poorly designed websites, those without secure connections, brands with poor reviews, or recently formed companies.

Research unfamiliar companies on review sites like BBB, Trustpilot, or Yelp. Search online for “[bar crawl name] + reviews” or “[organizer name] + reviews.”

If there are no reviews, proceed with caution. You could be falling for a scam where organizers sell tickets for crawls the bars aren’t involved in.

Learn More About Fake Ticket Scams.

Purchasing from a legitimate source protects your personal and payment information and provides recourse if the crawl doesn’t deliver as promised.

---

Read The Fine Print

Before purchasing, read the fine print – instructions for participants and terms & conditions. Reputable organizers provide detailed information.

Look for these details:

• Services provided by the host (for guided tours)
• Check-in process (time and location)
• Policy for late arrivals
• Return policy if the crawl doesn’t deliver
• Organizer contact information

Detailed information indicates a well-organized event. Lack of detail can be a red flag for scams where organizers abandon the event after taking the money.

Learn More About Abandoned Bar Crawl Scams.

Choosing a reputable, established organizer with clear terms of service is crucial.

---

Following these guidelines will help you make informed decisions and avoid disappointment.

If you found this article helpful, please share it! For more nightlife recommendations, check out the rest of my website or connect with me on Instagram.

Cheers, and enjoy your bar hop!