World's Greatest Pub/Bar Crawls?
Posted Monday, April 14, 2008, 11:07 PM by Lonely Planet
It's an English tradition that the Americans and Australians have perfected: the pub crawl. The ultimate test of endurance, perseverance and social aptitude/ineptitude, the pub crawl can elevate one to legendary status or render one a social pariah for years.
For a great pub crawl, you need a few ingredients:
- a city with pubs in profound proximity
- a forgiving transport environment (you don't want cars bearing down on you as you stumble towards your goal)
- good weather (try crawling on ice - not fun!)
- an established drinking culture (you don't want to be the boorish outsider who's annoying the locals)
With all these criteria in mind, we reckon that there are a few incredible cities in the world for a crawl. To us, the obvious ones are New York, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Manchester, Brussels, Munich, Moscow, Prague, Cape Town, Hong Kong and Melbourne.
But we know this is just scraping the surface. Some pub-crawling gems remain nearly undiscovered by the non-local populace - take, for example, Maryborough in Queensland, Australia, which set the record for the world's biggest pub crawl. And then there are the offbeat crawls that you'd never think of (a vending-machine crawl in Tokyo? Brilliant!).
So what do you think - are there any pub-crawling gems that the world needs to know about?
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20 Comments:
A slightly more innovative selection is on offer at Lost Weekend.
The World's Best Alternative Pub Crawls
I have to agree with Lost Weekend that Lonely Planet's seems a dull selection that was thought up in the best part of five minutes. Although the offbeat selection (link above) does seem better fun.
I do wonder why Lonely Planet lists always feature the same few cities. London and New York seem to make every single list. I know they're great cities, but it would be good to see LP thinking outside the box a little more.
http://www.lostweekend.tv/2008/04/the_worlds_best_alternative_pu.html
I don't drink anymore, but if I did I'm sure I'd say Gallway Ireland, perhaps New Castle England as well...
Maybe I'm biased, but I would like to nominate Reykjavík, Iceland, but only in the summer. It never really gets dark, so you can alwasy see where you are going, and there are great pubs, clubs and cafés with liquor licences in the city center that are open until morning. Plus, you will not lack for entertainment or company while getting from one watering hole to the next, because the streets will be thronged with locals and visitors alike (but only after about 1 a.m. because Icelanders like to start pub crawls with a party at home).
For a winter pub crawl in Reykjavík, however, you need determination, a hardy constitution and warm clothing.
Anyone who likes to have a drink in exciting bars around the world, just check http://www.noovee.com
Have fun, cool hunters!
You can do a monopoly board pub crawl around London stopping at all the streets/stations in the game - hard to get to the end though!
Rollingstock - we agree that these aren't exactly the most earth-shattering suggestions. They're the really obvious ones (and a good starting point for beginners).
Thanks for the link - really good stuff.
As for London and New York, point taken. They're great cities to get a lot out of with relatively little effort, which is why they're a good starting point, but bringing the unexpected to the table is important too.
Tkalciceva Street, Zagreb Croatia in late spring.
Forget New York, if your going to do a pub crawl in the States then I would suggest Chicago. The Wrigleyville area, outside the Chicago Cubs home stadium of Wrigley Field, is the King when it comes to bar crawls. There are dozens of bars all within a 5 block radius. The area is more of a mid 20s crowd which adds to the drinking culture. You can set up a bar crawl with local bars and pubs or just join one that is likely to be going on every weekend during the warm summer months. These usually start around noon and can last until 3 or 4 in the morning. They usually consist of 5-8 bars with about 90min or more at each. Each bar offers cheap drink specials so long as you have the necessary wristband. You'd be amazed at the amount of people who come out of the woodworks in order to drink for 12-15 hours on a balmy Saturday. Other good areas include Lincoln Park (Lincoln Ave.), Wicker Park (Division), and Bucktown (Milwaukee Ave.). Enjoy!
Well, I realize that Sacramento, California is not quite as exotic as say, Bangkok or Bristol, but with numerous watering holes, including four British-style pubs, such as Streets of London and Fox & Goose, and two microbreweries; all within crawling distance (yes, I have tested it) and great weather, with an off chance to crawl into Arnold, its worth tipping a pint.
How could you leave New Orleans off of your list of greatest bar crawls??? If there's one American city that should be included, it's New Orleans.
how did Dublin not find its way to this list?
This was my planned Ultimate Beerhall Crawl of Munich
1. Lowenbraukeller
2. Paulanner Brauhaus
3. Altes Hackerhaus
4. Hundskugel
5. Augustiner Gaststatte
6. Nurnberger Bratwurstglockl
7. Bayerisher Donisl
8. Weisses Brauhaus
9. Jodelwirt
10. Ayingers Speis und Trank
11. Hofbrauhaus
We didn't quite make all of them!
Possibly the best city for a pub crawl ! I kept a trip report of our time in Munich. Please feel free to read it at my URL. (http://www.colin-julie.com/travel.htm)
If you mentioned Melbourne then you shouldn't leave Sydney. There are many good pubs there. Personal I like The Oak on Military Rd. Neautral Bay. There is one in the city on George st. call 3 wise monkeys, you shouldn't missed it.
Stodolni - Ostrava (Eastern Czech Republic)
http://www.stodolni.cz/
Best pub crawl ever on a Friday night. An entire street with bars and clubs all the way down, and there is decent quality budget accomodation 10 seconds walk from the center of the street.
Rest of the week there is no-one, but Fridays spectacularly goes off!
Matt
Don't forget the mumbles mile in Swansea!
i entirely second New Orleans. Id say new orelans over any other amaerican city any day!
Ourense, Galicia, Spain!
How come there's no mention of Ireland? A pub crawl in dublin with pints over pints of Guinness, i don't think any other place come close.
St. Augustine Florida would give N'awlins a run for it's 'pub crawl' money.
There are even a few official 'pub crawls' there, for the uninitiated.
Google 'St Augustine Pub Crawl', I went on the non-haunted one, The St. Augustine Pub Crawl. 'Three Sheets' style fun!
WAY cool city, and definitely a 'PUB CRAWL' kinda town.
Actually, if you're trying to find bars in close proximity to eachother, LetzGoOut.com's bar search lets you enter a zip code, a mile radius, and tells you all the bars in that area, and how far away they are.
A great tool for a pub crawl!
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