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Catherine Ryan Gregory
Catherine Gregory is a freelance writer. Read More
Plan an Alternative Bachelor or Bachelorette Party in Portland
Whether your ideal pre-wedding festivities include late-night dancing and beer drinking or candle-making classes and scavenger hunts, Portland can provide.
Catherine Ryan Gregory
Catherine Gregory is a freelance writer. Read More
If you want slot machines and showgirls, head to Vegas. Drive-thru daiquiris? Find them in New Orleans. For a unique, alternative bachelor or bachelorette party, try Portland. Here, quirky activities and fun spins on traditional outings will make your pre-wedding shenanigans truly unforgettable, and anything but run-of-the-mill. Read on to plan your perfect bachelor bash or bachelorette party in Portland.
Adventure Time
Scavenger Hunt
See Portland landmarks like Powell’s City of Books and Pioneer Courthouse Square on a scavenger hunt by Urban Adventure Quest. Your team will traipse around downtown, following hints on your phone and completing fun group challenges. (Bonus: You can drop your new trivia knowledge on the bride’s mom if you need to share some G-rated details.)
Escape Rooms
How well do you know the wedding party? Find out at Escape Games PDX, which offers six different escape scenarios (including the Rose-City-themed Portlandia room), or in one of Escapism Portland’s six immersive adventures. Get locked in with your crew and work together to solve puzzles and make your escape in 60 minutes or less. After this, the wedding will be easy!
Adrenaline Rush
Portland is a mecca for outdoor adventures — but if the weather doesn’t cooperate, or you feel like trying something new, bring the blood-pumping action inside at iFLY, an indoor wind tunnel and sky diving park. An instructor will teach you everything you need to know to experience weightlessness without jumping out of a plane.
Will Work for Beer
Beer on a Boat
See Portland’s many bridges from a different perspective — one experienced while drinking beer on a pedal-powered boat. Groups of up to 14 can sip local beer, wine and cider while floating (and pedaling) on the Willamette River on a 90-minute BrewBarge cruise. (Heads up: BrewBarge only provides the boat and plastic cups, so be sure to bring your own drinks, snacks and high-energy party playlists.) If you’d like to bring your own picnic supplies aboard, you can be the pilot of your own private boat tour with a rented electric Duffy boat from Portland Electric Boat Company (no experience necessary!).
Beer on a Bike
Know Before You Go
Pro tip: Scout out a route beforehand to hit the bars and breweries on your must-drink list; most groups stop at two or three, depending on how fast you drink — and bike.
Forget about beer crawls; Trolley Pub Portland makes the journey throughout Portland’s brewery district as much fun as the destinations. You’ll have to work between brews — pedaling the many-seated contraption is harder than it looks — but it’s a hilarious way to break the ice between guests who don’t already know each other.
Brew, Boat and Bike Tours
Find fun new ways to explore Portland, often with a little help from a local expert.
Portland Beer Tours
Explore “Beervana” with the help of local expert tour guides on these Portland beer tours.
Portland Boat Tours
See Portland and the region from the water on boat tours that traverse sights on the Willamette and Columbia rivers.
Portland Bike Tours
Bike tours let you see Portland like a local, rolling through neighborhoods along this cycling-friendly city’s many bike paths, trails and lanes.
Putt It Out
Black Light Miniature Golf
With its Day-Glo skeletons and treasure chests, miniature golf at downtown’s Glowing Greens inspires selfies and pirate puns galore. A pirate statue marks the entrance to the 13-hole, underground course, ideal for bachelors, bachelorettes or both. Open until 9 p.m. on weekends, Glowing Greens is a perfect pre-game activity or alcohol-free alternative to clubbing.
More Golf Options
Hone your group’s competitive edge at Topgolf Hillsboro, located 15 miles (24 km) west of downtown Portland. Experienced golfers and total newbies alike will enjoy taking some swings at this futuristic driving range with 102 climate-controlled bays and multiple bars and lounges. East of Portland, McMenamins Edgefield offers a full campus of fun, including multiple bars, a restaurant, a spa, a movie theater and more — including two golf courses. Choose from 9 or 20 holes on the pitch-and-putt style courses, which boast Columbia River views and handy bar access.
Get Your Dance On
Old Town Crawl
If you’re looking to spend the whole night in one walkable neighborhood, Old Town Chinatown is the place to be. It offers a high concentration of dance clubs, all within walking distance of one another: At Dixie Tavern, servers dance on the bar in between slinging drinks. The famous drag shows at Darcelle XV combine comedy, cabaret and lots of sequins. Just off the neighborhood’s western edge, the club Stag PDX is a bachelor bash favorite.
Stepping Out in the Central Eastside
On the other side of the Willamette River, the Central Eastside offers more great places to get down. A popular event space and music venue, Holocene is also a two-level nightclub. Check their calendar for upcoming DJ sets and dance nights, including bimonthly parties Candi Pop (where you’ll indulge in “bubblegum pop” guilty pleasures) and Dance Yourself Clean (which highlights independent electronic music). The nearby Coffin Club (formerly the Lovecraft Bar) is a horror-themed bar that helps keep Portland weird. Bring your group and boogie down to goth, industrial and darkwave.
Out on the Town
Find even more options for celebrating your betrothed bestie late into the night.
Dance Clubs
Portland may be best known for its indie music, but with a wide variety of dance clubs, the city has a rhythm that’ll get just about anyone moving.
Portland Karaoke Bars and Nights
Choose from private suites, pop-up events, tiki drinks and Chinese food as you select your ideal Portland karaoke venue from among the city’s top spots.
Celebrating the Dive Bars of Portland
Local dive bars are a part of the culture in Portland. We take you inside some of the city’s best-loved, dimly lit dives — from Reel M Inn and its famous fried chicken to century-old legends like Kelly’s Olympian.
Make Something
Candle Creation
Planning a wedding can be stressful. Give the members of your wedding party something special and unique to pamper themselves. At Yo Soy Candle / The Candle Creation Bar, your group can participate in “a mindful candle-making class experience” and take your creations home with you.
Make Your Own Party Favor
Forget the cheesy bach party favors no one will ever use again. Instead, make your own leather koozie, clutch or luggage tag at DIY Bar while sipping beer, cider, wine or kombucha. The bar has all the tools and materials you’ll need to make a whole menu of projects that embody the Portland vibe. Everyone in the group can choose a project for themselves, which range in difficulty from anyone-can-do-it to expert-crafters only.
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