A successful pub crawl is a blend of good planning, positive attitude, and just a touch of spontaneity. I’ve participated and/or planned multiple pub crawls. I’m sure everyone has their own ideas of what a successful pub crawl looks like, but mine have usually turned out pretty well. I think the thing I try to remember is that everyone just wants to have a good time! As well as to remember to not take the plans super seriously. Here are some key elements to ensure your pub crawl is a hit.

Plan Your Route

Choose a neighborhood with a good density of pubs to minimize travel time. Make sure there are a variety of places. This could be anything from places that have live music, or outside seating, to dive bars. All of the towns where I’ve participated in pub crawls have been smaller. Thus making it easier for me to plan my route and ensure venues are closer together. This could also be achieved in larger cities by staying in a particular neighborhood or are easily accessed by public transportation. When I planned the Kailua pub crawl I made sure to start us at one end of town and slowly make our way to the other.

Set a Reasonable Pace

Don’t try to hit too many places in one night. It’s better to enjoy each stop and have time for socializing. I’ve made the mistake before of planning too many stops. While the evening turned out just fine, our ending point wasn’t what I wanted or expected. I figured one hour at each stop made sense, but I didn’t take into consideration travel or service times. On the pub crawl I did with my friend Stephanie, we ended up enjoying one spot so much that we stayed there for multiple hours. Rookie move, but still a lot of fun.

Know Your Group

Tailor the crawl to the interests of your participants. If they prefer craft beers, include breweries; if they like cocktails, include bars with a strong mixology scene. The brewery crawl I hosted in Portland, Oregon was tailored to my friend Mandie who really wanted to experience the beer scene. It was easy enough as the area I lived in, “the brewery blocks”, had multiple stops of varying styles. I know that she would have been just fine if we’d tried other things like distilleries or cocktail bars. This trip though was focused on beers. Unless you live in a super tiny town, you should be able to focus on whatever your heart desires.

Stay Hydrated and Eat

I think that everyone should eat a meal prior to the beginning of the pub crawl. It’s good to also encourage everyone to drink water between stops. I like to have one stop that could provide a full meal rather than just snacks. But I do have a lot of friends who will order a few appetizers to share at each place so that everyone is snacking throughout the crawl. Stephanie and I stopped at Bottleheads Kailua for my favorite grilled cheese sandwich to keep us going. This helps keep everyone in good spirits and prevents overindulgence.

Mix It Up With Some Activities

Incorporate some fun activities or games along the way, like trivia challenges or karaoke, to keep things lively. Some people bring games with them. I love to play Yahtzee and have a travel set that I take places with me. This is a fun one that’s transportable and can keep your group engaged. Stephanie and I ended up going to Kailua Tavern which has karaoke every night. We sang along to some songs while having our drinks. It got us a bit amped up for our last stop of the evening. Steph had flown in that morning and was on west coast time, the karaoke livened her up a bit so we could hit one more pub before heading home.

Use Safe Transportation

Plan how everyone will get home safely. Consider arranging taxis or rideshares in advance. This hasn’t been a huge issue for me overall. The places where I’ve been pub crawling have either been walkable to my apartment or wherever I’m staying. That being said it’s VERY important to make sure everyone is safe. Uber is all over the place and no one should mind sleeping on a couch or air mattress if they can’t make it home. The best way to end a pub crawl is to ensure that everyone is alive at the end of it.

Have a Designated Leader and Keep It Flexible

Assign someone to keep track of time and make decisions about when to move on to the next spot. This person doesn’t have to be the one who created the crawl, but someone who can be trusted to ensure everyone stays on track. I’m usually that person until about halfway through. I’ll often have one drink that puts me over the edge and I am then only responsible for myself. Thus I’m not the person to trust with this task.

That being said, it’s okay to keep things flexible. Be open to changing plans based on the mood of the group or unexpected opportunities. Maybe you meet another group of people and decide to join up with them or someone recommends a different place to go next. The goal of a pub crawl is to have fun, not be rigid. Flexibility is key.

Be Respectful

Remind everyone to be courteous to staff and other patrons. A positive attitude goes a long way. You don’t want to be THOSE people. The loud ones who are getting on everyone else’s nerves. Just because you’re having a great time doesn’t mean everyone else appreciates your overabundance of energy. Also understand that the staff of your stops want you to have a good time, but they also need to protect themselves. Don’t give them a reason to kick you out. Tip well, be kind, and don’t be an ass.

Capture The Moments

Take some group photos or videos to remember the night, but also make sure it doesn’t interfere with the fun. Not everyone wants to be on TikTok or Instagram, but it’s so great having pictures to share. Another way to capture the moment is to also do what I did on my 21st birthday pub crawl and keep track of your drinks and write notes! I had friends also sign my book on the different pages. It helped me to remember why we laughed so much or what we did at that particular stop. You’ll look back on your captured moments and hopefully smile!

There’s Your Successful Pub Crawl

Remember to be safe and drink responsibly. A successful pub crawl does not include a raging hangover. But if it does, make sure to check out my post about hangover cures and take care of yourself!