Nightlife Blog: Thailand To Buccaneer Days (Almost) To A Beer Garden

Party Destinations & Events From One End Of The Earth To The Other

I think I overextended myself.

In fact, I’m sure of it.

But sometimes, you just gotta rock it when you’ve got the chance.

So that’s how I found myself on a boat to Catalina Island off the Southern California coast headed for Buccaneer Days, then reversed myself and went to the raucous beer garden at the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair. All this fresh off a plane from a trip from Thailand.

At the end of it all, I was flat out worn out, but of course it sure beats sitting at home.

First Thailand.

Once I discovered Phi Phi island, I was in my element. It took a while to find a place I liked in Thailand but I liked this place very much. You want to party with other travelers around the world in a scenic place, somewhere away from the walking streets filled with the “come hither” bars and bar girls? Go to Phi Phi.

Needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep when I was in Phi Phi.

I was due to return on a Tuesday afternoon but a typhoon closed the connecting airport at Taipei, Taiwan and that delayed me by nearly a full day. I arrived back in Los Angeles on a late Wednesday morning.

Normally, because I can nap in airports, sleep on planes and adjust to time zones really well, I’m pretty immune to jet lag. So after a day back in California, I jumped at the chance when a friend said he had room on his sailboat and invited me to join him and a few others to Buccaneer Days.

Next thing I knew, I was steering his 42-footer out of Redondo Beach and headed to Two Harbors.

It was a sunny afternoon, the ocean was calm and the beers were going down remarkably smooth. Upon tying up to a mooring ball and a few more drinks on the boat, we headed to shore and partied like prates at the outdoor Harbor Reef bar.

Unfortunately, the once-awesome Buccaneer Days turned out to be a monumental disappointment because not only do they now charge for it, but an inexcusable $45!

This kicked in on Friday night and I stayed aboard the boat, then Saturday morning hopped the ferry back to the mainland and by early afternoon was downing Longboard Lager beers with the West Coast head of Kona Brewing Company in the lively beer garden.

Well this was fun – much the same as Buccaneer Days except not everyone was dressed as a pirate or wench – and entrance to the beer garden was free. I was at home in more ways than one.

Come Sunday, it all caught up with me. The typhoon that caused the Taipei airport to close and caused the near-day delay suddenly hit me like a, well, typhoon. I needed rest.

But not to worry, for I live in the South Bay of Los Angeles and there’s always another party. In fact, this weekend there’s an outdoor beer festival.

Let the party begin? Heck no, when you’re a nightlife blogger, it’s let the party continue!