How To Plan A Budget For Nightlife And Party Traveling

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Nightlife Blogger

There are different reasons people travel and as the publisher of PubClub.com, most of my travel involves going out to, well, pubs and clubs. I’ve been to some great places for nightlife and partying – Amsterdam, the Greek Islands, Australia, Las Vegas, Thailand Waikiki Beach and even U.S. college campuses – and have learned how to best spend my dollars (or Euros or Bhat or whatever).

The tips here are so the party-minded travelers can maximize their budget on going to bars rather than more standard travel of sightseeing. And so, here’s how to plan a budget for nightlife and party traveling.

1.) Stay Within Walking Distance Of The Nightlife Area And Bars

There are a few reasons I like to stay within walking (or stumbling!, haha) distance of the nightlife area and bars, and that’s because of easy access to them. I don’t have to waste time getting there or, after a big night out, getting back to my room. This strategy also saves on transportation costs, either public transportation or taxis/shared rides. The latter ran quickly tear right through your party budget.

Yes, it’s true some of these areas are prime spots to stay but I always look for bargain places rather than four- and five-star hotels. I care mainly about a clean room rather than a fancy lobby. This means a lot of three-star hotels or, in the case of places like the Greek Islands, someone’s apartment who has a “room for let.”

Pro’s Tip: I always like to get “boots on the ground” in an unfamiliar place. I often find a room online – the photos and descriptions are not always what you get and the location descriptions are often vague at best – for one or two nights and then spend a little bit of time the next day walking around to find a place with perhaps a better price and location. I have found this “boots on the ground” approach can save me a lot of money and put me in a good place in a great location. If I’m happy with my first choice, I’ll extend my stay but file away the information I have collected for future visits.

2.) Utilize Public Transportation

When I was in Sydney, I took public transportation everywhere. The buses and trains were easy to navigate and I went to places all over the city beyond where I was staying in The Rocks. I even used the ferry system, which is cheap and easy. The same applies to Europe. In the Greek Islands, I squeezed onto a packed bus that took me – and several others – from the town to Paradise Beach. You can also save a fortune by taking public transit from the airport to your room (this takes a little advance research tho finding people there and asking for help can work in a pinch). I utilize public transportation when traveling and recommend you do the same.

This can be difficult in the United States as public transit is often viewed as something only for low-income people. Thus, you don’t exactly get the cream of the crop of the citizens there, the routes and schedules can be frustrating and the information on how to use it is poor. Still, if you can make it work, it can be a real money-saving move.

3.) Look For Happy Hours

When I was in Paris, I “cafe hopped” and got French wines for 5 Euros. When I’m the U.S., I am always on the lookout for Happy Hours and a lot of places are now having late-night Happy Hours. It’s a great budget saver and a good way to get to know bartenders and locals. Now, I won’t go sit in a near-empty bar or restaurant just to get, say, a $5 beer – I would rather be out doing other things – so I look for places that have some life and energy to them.

4.) For Food, Limit The Splurges And Trendy Restaurants

When traveling, you can eat up (quite literally) a huge amount of your budget by eating. Limit any trendy or “must do” restaurants you may see on social media to the occasional splurge. I always look for something cheap for lunch – a gyro in Greece, a crepe in France – for lunch and then may do a sit-down for dinner. And even then it is likely to be in a bar or pub rather than restaurant.

5.) Drink Wine & Beer More Than Cocktails

As any barfly knows, beers and wine are cheaper than mixed driinks, so if you are going out a lot it’s a good budget move to consume more of the former rather than the latter.

6.) Forget The Shopping And Limit The Souvenirs You Buy

Are you there to go shopping or are you there to party? How much new stuff do you need anyway? Shopping drains time, energy and money, money that could be better spent on beer and drinks. As far as souvenirs go, keep them at a minimum (think room in your suitcase or backpack, too); one free souvenir I always look for are bar coasters. Some of them are funny, and have the name of the bar and maybe where it’s located. Once home, I put them on a wall to show my travels.

Conclusion

I hope these tips help you when traveling to party and for nightlife so you can an awesome trip.

This story was written by a human with several years of nightlife travel experience. It is based on personal experiences. No AI or ChatGTP was used to create this post.