Rounding up the bridal party for an out-of-town bachelorette fête is no easy task. Thankfully, there are plenty of chill destinations in the U.S. offering direct flights, tons of bars in a walkable district, cool hotels and yummy brunches.
Denver
There are all kinds of highs going on in Colorado’s Mile High city. Forego a rental car and hop the new light-rail extension between downtown and DIA. Take My 420 Tours’ two-hour tutorial in rolling sushi and joints (remember, Colorado’s legal), offered Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and extend that high with Twisted Sister Yoga’s Friday-night Ganja Yoga Class. The nearby Art, a Hotel opened two years ago, boasting a rooftop bar and eatery with a decadent weekend brunch (cue beignets and bottomless mimosas). Suss out Denver’s craft brews with Denver Microbrew Tour’s walking tour through LoDo (lower downtown Denver).
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Palm Springs
Spread out by the pool at the three-year-old Sparrows Lodge, just two miles outside of downtown, with a restaurant carved into a barn and plenty of fire pits for roasting s’mores. Whether you like design or drinking, downtown Palm Springs has both, including boozy all-day breakfast (like lychee mimosas) and a bacon bar until 2 p.m. at Cheeky’s and Toucans Tiki Lounge for drag shows and fruity drinks. Kill a hangover with vintage furniture shopping at numerous downtown boutiques.
Austin
Tacos and tunes are the main draws in Austin. And don’t knock the chain hotels because inside the recently renovated Hilton Austin downtown is Austin Taco Project, with sweets like churros and strawberry tacos. One block away is bustling Sixth Street (tons of bars—the better ones are on East instead of West), or skip the tourists and college kids and head to the venues of Red River Street. When you’ve had enough of the city life, turn to this month’s opening of Mattie’s (with an ex-Le Bernardin chef), a restaurant inside a historic home. And go swimming in Austin’s many watering holes—don’t miss the people watching at Barton Springs.
Charleston
King Street’s cobblestoned streets are cute, but foodies and cocktail snobs love to duck into the many restaurants and bars, from Callie’s wildly popular biscuits (Oprah loves ’em, too) to The Darling Oyster Bar, which opened last year (yes, there’s brunch—and hush puppies.). The Vendue’s rates are slightly more affordable than newcomer luxury hotels The Restoration and The Dewberry, and it’s only a year older. And don’t poke fun at those cheesy carriage rides: everything’s fun with the girls!
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Chicago
These days, all the cool bars and restaurants are popping up in River North—immediately north of the Loop and Gold Coast in downtown Chicago. ACME Hotel’s rates hover just under $200, with the three Bs all under one roof (bakery, bodega, and bar). Korean-fused tacos at the ’hood’s year-old Seoul Taco fuels you up for a bar crawl, including a spot at the new spy-themed Safe House. Take the gals on an Odyssey brunch boat cruise on the Chicago River (there’s an onboard DJ).
For the rest of the best bachelorette party destinations, including what’s making Atlantic City a coveted destination again, visit Fodor’s.
