Top 10 Best Bachelor Party Activities In Phoenix / Scottsdale [Updated 2023]
Headed to Phoenix / Scottsdale for a bachelor party soon? On top of dinners and nightclubs, you’ll need to plan afternoon and early-evening group activities for the bachelor and his group that are fun and memorable, while still giving you the most value for your money spent.
The Arizona that most out-of-town visitors know is the one of extreme summer temperature, expansive scrublands, colorful rock formations, and an abundance of outdoor activities. It’s also known as a warm-weather haven for snowbirds, i.e. seasonal residents and visitors who during the winter escape the colder climates of their hometowns for the Desert Southwest’s supremely pleasant October-to-March calendar stretch. In fact, many Arizonians themselves are transplants to the state who once upon a time visited from parts of the U.S. further north – or their parents / grandparents / great-grandparents did – and decided they loved it here so much that they didn’t want to leave.
The fabulous weather – and in the few months when it’s not fabulous, they’ve got air-conditioners and heaters! – combined with the relatively low cost of living has drawn 7.3 million residents to Arizona, 4.8 million of which live in the metro area of Phoenix which is the state’s capitol and largest city. A modern and bustling mid-size American metropolis, Phoenix – along with Scottsdale, its ritzy neighborhood that rivals LA’s Beverly Hills and Miami’s Brickell – draws year-round tourist traffic due to its plethora of culinary delights and entertainment options of the indoor and outdoor variety. Along with drawing the snowbirds flying south for the winter, the warm weather long ago cemented Phoenix / Scottsdale as a perennial destination for college and university Spring Break trips; more recently it has evolved into a popular destination for bachelor and bachelorette parties, many of whom are returning to the desert after initially experiencing its charms and wild party scenes as college students.
Here, in order of our highly experienced customer service staff’s preferences, is our Discotech Top 10 list of best and most entertaining bachelor party activities that your classy group of gents would do well to line up during your wild weekend in Phoenix / Scottsdale.
1) Take Your Horse to the Old Town Road – Nightclubs
- Venue (Location): Varies by price and music type (click here for recommendations)
- Cost Per Person: Free (certain guest lists); $10-100 (discounted guest lists & presale tickets); $200 and up (VIP tables)
- Time Length of Activity: 4-5 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 9:30PM-11:00PM (avoid long lines and waits)
Seems predictable, but sorry not sorry gents: the activity of nightclubbing HAS to be #1 and #1A on any Phoenix / Scottsdale bachelor party list. Why, you say? The Old Town entertainment district in Scottsdale is a legendary American party epicenter that epitomizes Wild West debauchery; with the exceptions of Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Miami you just can’t really get such high-quality versions of this revelry anywhere else in America. And on top of that, Phoenix / Scottsdale nightlife has got three YUUUUGE advantages over those other cities:
- Nearly all the best clubs in the Phoenix / Scottsdale are in walking distance from each other, so bar or club crawling – either planned or impromptu – is easy to pull off.
- Clubbing here is 5x-10x cheaper due to no covers, lower drink prices, and VIP lower table prices.
- Places open earlier – some open during the day and stay open until 2am – and get packed earlier, so your dollars and the bachelor’s fun will both stretch longer into the night.
2) Play Ball! – Professional Baseball Games
- Venue (Location): Cactus League Stadiums (Feb / March / October); Chase Field (April thru September)
- Cost Per Person: $15 and up
- Time Length of Activity: 3-4 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 1 hour before scheduled game time (so you can pregame tailgate plus be in your seat for the National Anthem)
You haven’t lived until you’ve sprawled out under the Arizona sun with a cold brewski in hand at an afternoon or early evening baseball game. For five weeks every spring, Phoenix / Scottsdale hosts Major League Baseball Spring Training, where sun-drenched fans get to watch professional superstar athletes up-close-and-personal as they tune up for the start of their regular season in April. If you can line up your bachelor party during this time, it’s the most happening time of the year in Arizona. You get to rub the beautiful weather and one of the best day-drinking scenes in America in the world’s chapped winter faces, with bonus points if you snap photos and post them to social media so your friends freezing at home under 2 feet of snow can hate you cuz they ain’t you. If you can’t come in February or March, you’ll miss Spring Training but you can still catch MLB action at Chase Field, the downtown Phoenix home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Whether you’re a longtime resident or a bachelor party tourist, a die-hard baseball aficionado or someone who doesn’t know an RBI from an ERA, baseball is a deep source of pride for Arizona and a quintessential part of the true local experience.
3) Get Wet! – Pool Parties
- Venue (Location): Varies by price and music type (click here for recommendations)
- Cost Per Person: Free (certain guest lists); $5-100 (discounted guest lists & presale tickets); $200 and up (VIP loungers, daybeds, & cabanas)
- Time Length of Activity: 4-5 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 11:30AM-1:30PM (avoid long lines and waits)
Pool parties are a legendary daytime activity that epitomizes the sumptuously debaucherous desert oasis feel of Scottsdale, and the ones here are arguably second-best only to those of Las Vegas. At least one of these day parties on your bachelor weekend agenda is a must; even for guys who don’t like nightclubs, the eye candy, sunshine, cool plunges to beat the heat (and did we mention eye candy?) make it worth it. For any bachelor party larger than four 4-5 gents, it’s a no-brainer to book a cabana or daybed with bottle service in order to maximize the fun; for a smaller stag-do or one that wants variety, we suggest purchasing presale tickets. Find one of the hottest events going on that weekend using our Discotech app, and go see one of your favorite DJs or performing artists. For a Saturday day party, Maya Dayclub and Wet Deck are the best party scenes especially if money ain’t a thang: between the killer music lineups, badass surroundings, and (did we mention) eye candy, these two venues are head-and-shoulders above the rest if your bachelor is into nothing but the best.
4) Get to the CHOPPAAHH!!! – Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour
- Venue (Location): Southwest Tours
- Cost Per Person: $165
- Time To Set Aside: 13 hours (leaves in morning, returns at ~8:00PM)
- Best Time of Day to Go: leaving at sunrise is your only option
OK, so you and the bachelor know every word from every Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie and apply quotes from them to everything from coffee runs to yard work. Now is your chance to overuse your favorite quote, grab your aviator shades, and take to the blue skies for the Grandest (pun intended) aerial adventure possible. Your birds-eye tour of the Grand Canyon departs from the Deer Valley airport in Northern Phoenix then passes over the Red Rock formations of Sedona, the Painted Desert, and the Navajo Indian Reservation before touching down at the south rim of the Grand Canyon 7,000 ft above sea level. A professional tour guide then takes you to the best scenic overlooks inside the Grand Canyon National Park while educating you on facts about the geology, flora, fauna, and history of one of the largest, most well-known, and most colorful landmark treasures in all of America. (We mean the Canyon, not The Terminator / Kindergarten Cop.)
5) Drive for Show, Putt for Dough – Golf / TopGolf
- Venue (Location): TopGolf (Phoenix – Talking Stick Resort)
- Cost Per Person: $30.00 and up per hour (bay rental; does not include club rental or buckets of balls)
- Time To Set Aside: 3-4 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 5:00PM-9:00PM (twilight skies offer majestic backdrop for watching balls take flight)
The aforementioned incredible weather throughout most of the year makes Phoenix / Scottsdale a prime destination for grabbing the sticks and hitting the links. If the bachelor in your group fancies himself more “Tiger Woods” than “Tiger King” then there are plenty of wonderful golf courses around town with different levels of challenge and volume/formality to whet his appetite for gripping and ripping. Whether or not your crew hits the actual links in the daytime, you’ll want to find your way to TopGolf in the late afternoon. Now operating in 50 US cities, TopGolf is interactive video game golf come to life: a high-tech driving range facing a 240-yard outfield with dartboard-like targets of varying distances in the ground. Players hit golf balls into the wild blue yonder with the goal of landing them at the center of these targets, which are marked by flags to resemble golf greens. The balls contain computer microchips that track each shot’s distance and accuracy, and players score points for proximity which are displayed on a high-definition interactive video touchscreen in the comfort of their air-conditioned luxury bay. All the while, food and beverages are served to golfers tableside (or is it teeside?) by peppy, buxom waitresses. And if some in the big bachelor group want to wander, the facility has a full-service restaurant and three bars, pool tables, shuffleboard, Xbox games, cornhole and more.
6) Set ‘Em Up, Knock ‘Em Down – Bowling
- Venue (Location): Skylanes (Old Town Scottsdale)
- Cost Per Person: $10 ($60.00 per lane per hour, up to 6 guests per lane; shoe rental included)
- Time To Set Aside: 1-2 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 4:00PM-9:00PM (Happy Hour from 5-6pm, plus young / hip / lively crowd starts here before heading to the Old Town nightclubs)
Located in walking distance from the Old Town Scottsdale club circuit, Skylanes is an ultra-hip upscale bowling alley with a kitchen serving bar food classics. Skylanes successfully transplanted the nostalgic 50s/60s retro swagger into a modern venue – with swanky chesterfield sofas, boutique decor, accommodating wait staff, full-bodied craft beers and cocktails. That being said, Skylanes is anything but your grandfather’s bowling alley: the scene caters to Scottsdale’s younger 21-and-over crowd, pampering each guest with personalized lane service in an exquisite and inviting atmosphere that is perfect for pregaming before hitting the dance clubs. It also offers guests unique VIP lounges and bottle service, giving the venue the feel of a swanky singles lounge and putting a unique spin (pun intended) on bowling as you’ve come to know it.
7) Get Lost, Take A Hike – Outdoor Hiking
- Venue (Location): Camelback Mountain (Phoenix)
- Cost Per Person: Free to enter (free / paid parking near trail entrances)
- Time To Set Aside: 4 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 4:00PM-8:00PM (avoid brutal midday heat, plus sunset skies are more colorful)
Got some gym rats and health nuts in the bachelor party demanding to break a healthy sweat at some point in the weekend? Located just twenty minutes from Downtown Phoenix, Camelback Mountain – yes, it is indeed shaped like two humps or two lovely lady lumps, whichever you prefer – is worth the short commute and offers a variety of challenging hiking trails, and world-class climbing. We know you’re all about the picturesque views though, and Camelback is the perfect half-day trip for nature/photography lovers and Instagram influencers alike. If you’re lucky, you might even see some wild rabbits and other critters while you’re out on those trails getting your exercise on and sweating out the night before… or preemptively burning calories for the night to come. Oh, you meant a different kind of beautiful views? Camelback has those too: it’s a not-so-secret outdoor workout hotspot for the impossibly fit ASU and U of Arizona co-eds and local women who tend bars, serve cocktails, or otherwise drive the Phoenix nightlife economy on the basis of their stunning good looks.
8) Hold ‘Em or Fold ‘Em – Poker Lessons
- Venue (Location): Poker Room @ Talking Stick Resort & Casino
- Cost Per Person: ~$10/hour to tip dealer, plus $100-200 poker chips buy-in
- Time To Set Aside: 2-3 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 2:00PM-6:00PM (less crowded plus good post-lunch activity)
For a bachelor party group that enjoys partaking in games of chance – or just doesn’t want to venture outdoors into the searing midday desert heat – a group game of poker could be what the doctor ordered. It’s common Arizonian locals knowledge that Talking Stick Casino is one of the best Native American casinos in America and has arguably the best poker room in the state. At over 5,000 square feet and featuring 47 high-quality tables and 16 pristine flat-screen TVs for live sports viewing, the Talking Stick poker room has ample space to cordon off a private table plus card dealer for the bachelor and his rounders. Drinks and food may be ordered while playing cards, and for a modest gratuity you can enlist a staff member – or one of the poker pros that hang out here – to teach the novices in your group the basics of classic game like Texas Hold ‘Em or an exotic format like Pot-Limit Omaha. Added bonus: when the cards run dry for any of the fish in your group, you’re just a few steps away from a much needed release from the cards: a cool dip in Talking Stick’s upscale and upbeat Release Pool.
9) Ride ‘Em Cowboy – Rodeo / Bull Riding
- Venue (Location): Buffalo Chip Saloon & Steakhouse (Cave Creek, AZ – 45-minutes north of Scottsdale)
- Cost Per Person: Free to enter (Dinner / drinks optional)
- Time To Set Aside: 3 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 6:00PM-10:00PM on Fridays (dinner plus live bull-riding shows)
Is your bachelor a good ol’ country boy? Deep in the heart of Tex… – ahem, Arizona – is a rodeo-themed gem of a drinking post that draws country lovers from all over the Four Corners region. A renowned steakhouse and a cowpoke watering hole voted “Best Country Bar in Phoenix” by the Phoenix New Times in 2019, Buffalo Chip is a sprawling open-air backyard barbecue scene featuring a DJ booth blasting country favorites and big screen TVs lining multiple bars. However, its crown jewel – or is it its shiny, oversized belt buckle? – is its live bullriding pen, which on Fridays showcases rodeo activities and bull rides by local cowboys and ranch hands… and even ballsy tourists looking for the ultimate 8-second (or less) thrill. Get on up, squeeze tight, pull the bull rope, and lean back for the greatest ride of your life… getting bucked will never feel so good, especially if you’ve already had a few shots at the bar to work up that liquid cowboy courage. Giddy up!
10) Kick Up Desert Dust – Dune Buggies
- Venue: Arizona Outdoor Fun (greater Phoenix)
- Cost Per Person: $75
- Time To Set Aside: 4-5 hours
- Best Time of Day to Go: 9:00AM-12:00PM (to ensure you return early enough to rest, shower, and grab a bite before going out)
If the bachelor party is looking for less chill and more thrill, then there are a handful of daytime activities that require participants to sign a Death or Dismemberment waiver. Dune buggies and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are one of these unforgettable heart-pounding experiences: you careen through the Sonoran Desert in one-person or two-person dune buggies, holding onto your camera phone with one hand and holding on for dear life with the other. You can do a leisurely tour through the desert, or true adrenaline junkies can opt for a bumpier, twistier, more adrenaline-filled course – including a gun-firing session at. a desert shooting range – to get your blood flowing, and sweating out the toxins from last night. Because the answer to “But did you die?” in reference to any bachelor party trip should always be “Almost!”
Bonus Activity: Strip Clubs
- Venue (Location): Varies
- Cost Per Person: $20 cover charge (lap dance / champagne room prices vary)
- Time To Set Aside: Umm… zero hours. None of you were ever here, right?
- Best Time of Day to Go: Anytime
For 99% of bachelor parties, a late-night strip club trip is a standard item on the agenda. Scottsdale is one of the better cities in America for gentlemen’s clubs, not only for variety of young “talent” but for low costs of drinks and dances. When it comes to quality of women, Skin Cabaret is the #1 choice as much in daytime as it is at night; it’s also close to Old Town Scottsdale so the best choice after you’ve struck out at the nightclubs. If you are willing to hoof it further, route the herd to Bourbon Street near Phoenix Airport for a classier, roomier, more upscale experience that’s the tried-and-true way to put the cherry on top of your epic Scottsdale bachelor party (and might be the last time the bachelor can get away with going to an establishment of this nature).
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In conclusion: Phoenix / Scottsdale is definitely a bachelor party destination where a lot of good times can be had by a group of lads for not too much money spent. It is a magical desert oasis where both indoor and outdoor activities can spice up any bachelor party agenda… if you know the lay of the land. Your friends and nightlife guides here at Discotech are an essential part of that equation – we help you browse and book free guest lists and cheap presale tickets or VIP bottle service for the hottest nightclubs and pool parties in Arizona. What are you waiting for? Download our app now – featured on BBC Travel and highly reviewed on Yelp! – in the App Store or Google Play.
