{"id":662,"date":"2024-12-11T09:14:24","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T01:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php\/2025\/03\/07\/offbeat-boozing-8-of-the-best-cities-for-bar-crawls\/"},"modified":"2025-11-23T09:56:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T01:56:01","slug":"offbeat-boozing-8-of-the-best-cities-for-bar-crawls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/?p=662","title":{"rendered":"Offbeat boozing: 8 of the best cities for bar crawls"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Bar crawls have a notorious reputation as the vehicles for setting groups of increasingly giddy drinkers loose on the streets of a new city, typically while sporting a variety of questionable, crude and, at times, inspired fancy dress costumes.<\/p>\n

But congregating in public houses and bars is a tradition long held the world over and indulging in such adventures can not only get you off the beaten track, but help you get under the skin of a destination and through some doors \u2013 both cultural and literal \u2013 that you might not have walked through otherwise. Read on for our round-up of eight offbeat bar crawls in some unexpected cities.<\/p>\n

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Leuven’s Oude Markt is built for bar crawling. Have you got the stamina? \u00a9 JanOpDeKamp \/ Toerisme Leuven<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The longest bar crawl in the world \u2013 Leuven, Belgium<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While the masses are holed up in Brussels or Antwerp, head to Leuven \u2013 the country\u2019s largest student town and the birthplace of Stella Artois. Being such a tiny place, the nightlife here is concentrated around the chocolate-box Oude Markt, where you\u2019ll find over 40 bars situated back to back, thus giving rise to the world\u2019s longest \u2013 and easiest \u2013 bar crawl.<\/p>\n

As you hop from bar to bar to bar (to bar to bar to bar\u2026 ad infinitum,<\/em> it seems) there\u2019s something for everyone with stylish, quirky spots brushing shoulders with \u2018Rock Bars\u2019 and art-inspired pubs, to venues decked out in neon lights that host late-night DJs. As long as you can walk in a straight-ish line, you really can\u2019t go wrong!<\/p>\n

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Attempting to recognise your friends in a gaggle of Santas once your beer goggles are on is a great way to meet new people! \u00a9 SantaFest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SantaFest \u2013 Wollongong, Australia<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Just 80km south of Sydney lies the laid-back, lesser-visited Wollongong (try spelling that after a few bevvies). Boasting dozens of flawless beaches, this town embodies a mellow coastal life and, though small in stature, is home to a spirited bar scene that could rival Australia\u2019s bigger, brassier cities. In a surprising twist, it is also home to the world\u2019s longest-running Santa Claus Pub Crawl.<\/p>\n

What started as a couple of mates trying to raise some Christmas cheer has ballooned into the huge, all-day charity event known today as SantaFest, with free shuttle buses between pubs, movie screenings and carol concerts. Taking place in mid-December, tickets range from AUS$33-$45 and, with 11,000 people set to turn out this year, they\u2019re sure to smash the AUS$153,000 raised for charity in 2018.<\/p>\n

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London’s Pantomime Horse Race will have a ‘Star Wars’ theme this year \u00a9 Pantomime Horse Race<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pantomime Horse Race \u2013 London, England<\/strong><\/h2>\n

With a pub every few feet and a compelling drinking culture, London is no stranger to a good knees-up. You may be familiar with the Monopoly Board Bar Crawl, a gruelling slog covering 26 iconic spots in London, but the biggest event by far is the city\u2019s annual Pantomime Horse Race.<\/p>\n

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2019, this year’s Star Wars<\/em>\u2013themed event on 15 December promises to be the biggest yet. Expect over 30 pantomime horses in fancy dress (Chewbacca panto horse, anyone?) racing across seven intergalactic pit stops, as well a huge pre-race event at Devonport House. There will be processions, \u2018Strictly Neigh Dancing\u2019 panto horse dance-offs and celebrity guests, before a massive after-race show with more A-list appearances and a U2 tribute band. This year the event hopes to raise over \u00a350,000 for various charities including Help Rosie Walk, Make a Wish Foundation UK and Harpenden Riding for the Disabled. As if that wasn\u2019t epic enough, a twin race will be happening in Chicago on the same day.<\/p>\n

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Glasgow’s circular subway system should limit the opportunities to get lost on this iconic pub crawl… \u00a9 AL Robinson \/ Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Subcrawl \u2013 Glasgow, Scotland<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Swap your libations from stirred to shaken and test your mettle (read: liver functions) on Glasgow\u2019s infamous Subcrawl. The idea is simple: drinkers will ride the city\u2019s iconic circular subway (the third-oldest underground system in the world, if any of you booze fans are also partial to a fun transport fact) stopping for a pint at each of the line\u2019s 15 stations. There\u2019s no official organisation behind this feat of endurance, but the internet is rife with maps of the 15 designated pubs. Fancy dress is highly encouraged, while sitting down between stops is a big no-no, but after 15 pints (that\u2019s 45 units), it\u2019s not like anyone will know which way\u2019s up.<\/p>\n

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Head to Savannah if you like a side of scary with your pint \u00a9 Ghost City Tours<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Haunted Pub Crawl \u2013 Savannah, USA<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re looking to chase your drinks with a shot of haunted happenings, forget New Orleans and make for Savannah, Georgia instead. With neighbouring student-drinking town Charleston absorbing the masses, you\u2019re free to soak up the storied past of this culture-rich city in relative peace. And what better way to conduct your explorations than on a Ghost City Tours Haunted Pub Crawl. Under the cover of night, this two-hour walking tour will take you into some of the city\u2019s creepiest and most haunted pubs and bars.<\/p>\n

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Drinks can legally be carried on the streets in Savannah, ideal for those in need of a bit of Dutch courage. The city is also known for its incredible Southern cooking and soul food, so round your crawl off with a plate of fried and battered goodness \u2013 there\u2019s a reason Savannah is known as the \u2018Hostess City of the South’.<\/p>\n

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Get under the skin of Guadalajara with a tour of its cantinas \u00a9 Luis Alvarado Alvarado \/ Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mexican cantina tour \u2013 Guadalajara, Mexico<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Considered to be the birthplace of mariachi music, wide-brimmed sombreros and tequila, Guadalajara feels about as Mexican as you can get. And there\u2019s no better way to get a taste of this culture than on a cantina tour. These cosy drinking holes sprang up across the city as a result of 19th-century industrialisation and stand at a crossroads between historic and modern Mexico. In the past, workmen would frequent these spots to socialise, drink and snack on botanas <\/em>(appetisers). Today, Local Adventura offer tours to explore these boltholes and sample typical Mexican food and drinks like torta ahogada<\/em> (a \u2018drowned\u2019 sub\/sandwich local to Jalisco state), tostadas <\/em>(toasted or deep-fried tortillas), tequila and micheladas <\/em>(Mexican beer with lime, spices and tomato juice).<\/p>\n

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Tokyo’s izakaya are the best places to try sake and local liquor \u00a9 Andriy Blokhin \/ Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Izakaya bar tour \u2013 Tokyo, Japan<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Though often referred to as \u2018Japanese gastropubs\u2019, izakaya are more like Spanish tapas bars where punters can chase their booze with complementary side dishes and snack plates. Izakaya have been frequented by locals since the 1600s and remain an integral part of casual, after-work socialising. Hidden in Tokyo\u2019s backstreets and narrow alleyways, a guided tour will not only help you find the front door, but also better acquaint you with the etiquette of these spots. On arrival you\u2019ll be offered a hot towel and should kick-off with a round of beers before splitting a few traditional dishes like edamame, salads, hiyayakko <\/em>(chilled tofu), tsukemono pickles, sashimi, yakitori <\/em>(chicken skewers) and tamagoyaki <\/em>(Japanese rolled omelette). Round your evening out with sake and a variety of local liquors.<\/p>\n

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If you’re pushed for time, head to Epcot to experience drinking around the world…kind of \u00a9 Robert Noel de Tilly \/ Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Drinking Around the World \u2013 Bay Lake, Florida, USA<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Is it your dream to bar crawl across the whole world? What if we told you there was a place where you could achieve that hefty dream in just one day? Naturally, such a magical idea could only be inspired by none other than Walt Disney. Visit the World Showcase at Epcot theme park in Florida and visit \u2018Drinking Around the World\u2019 at the 11 themed pavilions. Stop off in Morocco for Moroccaritas (a cocktail of vodka, lemon, lime juice and triple sec), the UK for a pint at the Rose & Crown pub and Japan for a huge selection of spirits at their Sake Bar. Authenticity may not be the name of the game in a bar crawl that consists of 11 \u2018fake\u2019 countries, but after as many tipples, you could truly be anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n

You may also like:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

New York bar crawl: a long day’s drinking into night
Baltic bar crawl: booze cruising between Tallinn and Helsinki
Bottoms up: New Zealand’s top 10 country pubs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bar crawls have a notorio<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":664,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tokyo-travel-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=662"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1068,"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662\/revisions\/1068"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gagner-des-cadeaux.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}