Having just turned 21, and with Halloween quickly approaching, I found myself unsure of what I wanted to do to celebrate. When you are in college, the typical “Halloweekend” routine is dressing up with your friends and heading out to any of the open parties that you can find. You usually end up squished together in a dark backyard or basement, and the fun is usually shut down by midnight. However, now that I am a junior, that routine has become pretty old. After doing it every weekend during my freshman year and into my sophomore year, it lost its thrill. With that in mind, when my best friend asked me to come with her to the Costume Crawl in Boston, I jumped at the opportunity. Looking back, it was definitely a wise choice. If you are a legal drinking age and enjoy going out, read on to learn about a few reasons why a bar crawl may be a good option for your holiday festivities.
Every Crawl Has a Theme
The crawl we attended was for Halloween, so everyone dressed in costumes and some of the drink specials were all spooky-themed. There were a couple of different Halloween crawls we could have bought tickets for, but ours was a Costume Crawl. There were also costume contests and social media promotions, too. We went as bank robbers, it was easy, affordable and perfect to wear with a black raincoat since it was raining. You can find different-themed crawls for almost every holiday season. Upcoming in the Boston area, they are hosting a Santa Claus crawl, a New Year’s Eve crawl and a St. Patrick’s Day crawl. Every crawl has special contests, different participating bars and drink specials that correlate with the theme. The crawls that correspond with holidays are fun because they are a great way to celebrate and get festive.
It Won’t Break Your Bank
While going out with friends the money spent is always a concern, especially when drinking is involved. While we still had to dish out some cash, the crawl was a great way to go out and have fun without spending a small fortune. The first thing we had to do was buy a ticket, which typically costs between $20 to 30, depending on when you buy them and which crawl you attend. Once you buy a ticket, your experience can be inexpensive from there. Your ticket gets you out of paying any cover at all the locations and every bar that participates offers drink specials, all you need to do is show your wristband when you order. When you check in at your assigned location, you are given a list of all the specials at each location, so you can plan accordingly. For example, one of the bars we went to, Wild Rover, was offering $5 margaritas. My friend and I each took out $40 in cash and it was plenty for us to have a good time with some money left to spare. Another plus to bar crawls, especially in a city setting, is that all the locations are in walking distance, so there are no additional fees to pay for an Uber or Lyft, and mass transit is always accessible.
Photo via Taryn Schofield
A Bunch of Bars Participate
On our Costume Crawl, there were eight different bars that participated, so we had options when it came to where we wanted to walk and what types of specials we wanted to take advantage of. The participating bars ranged from traditional saloons to locations with more of a club feel. Some places were more laid-back, while others had karaoke and dancing. With so many options, we did not get bored either. We actually did not even make it to all of the locations, but we prioritized the ones we thought we would enjoy most. Since there were so many bar choices, nothing was too crowded and the lines were not long either. It was also a great way to visit bars we had never been to and find new places to go when we want a drink or have a good time.
It’s a Great Way to Meet New People
At every stop we celebrated with new people, whether we were singing, dancing or just sitting at the bar having a conversation. With everyone there dressed in costumes and participating in the same event, we all had something in common, which made it easier to mingle. We shared insights about the places we had previously visited, which ones were less crowded and what drink specials were the best. It was a nice change to celebrate a holiday like Halloween with so many new faces and have a good time with a change of scenery here and there. Sometimes it can be easier to let loose when you are around people you have never met before, especially when everyone is there for the same common festivity. For those on the more introverted side, it may be a fun opportunity to come out of your shell and be a bit more sociable.
Give it a Try
Coming into this bar crawl, I did not know to expect exactly, especially since I had not been to many bars before. It was just such a treat to experience something a little different this year for Halloween and embrace my legal drinking age. My friend and I had an amazing time, spent a limited amount of money, met some awesome people and made great memories. It certainly led to a lot of laughs that we will surely reminisce on for a long time to come. For anyone who is into celebrating a holiday with a little bit of partying, a few drinks and friends, a bar crawl is certainly for you. Everyone should go to at least one bar crawl, just to say they have experienced it. We are already planning our next crawls for New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day— maybe we will see you there.
Picture via Taryn Schofield