Plan a Kansas Bachelor or Bachelorette Party

Story by Rebekah Lodos

Maids of honor and best men, you’ve been given an almost impossible task: to plan a party where singledom dies forever for your closest friend. You ride the perilous line between too much and rather disappointing, too boring and too expensive. I don’t envy your job.

But we’re here to help. Kansas Weddings has compiled six itineraries in the state that will cater to the spectrum of what you need (and won’t max out that credit card).

For the boys:

A craft beer crawl that’ll put some hair on your chin

Wichita is, in one local’s opinion, “a cool city that doesn’t really know yet that it’s big and cool.”

Start with the Hopping Gnome Brewery, where seasonal beers include mysterious fruity brews like the Boysenberry ESB and Blood Orange Pale Ale. Coat your stomach with The Donut Whole’s creative delicacies next door.

Next, Central Standard Brewing is close by, with a long selection of unique ales. If it were me, I’d feel compelled to try Space Clouds, an American Wild Ale, based on name alone.

Go west now to hit up Third Place Brewing, whose name was inspired by the truth that pubs are where humans go when they’re not home or at the office. Sounds logical, and the warm atmosphere will be comforting at this stage of the night.

Bar number four should be the Aero Plains Brewing tasting room. Opened in 2016, the brewery can now be found on tap all over Wichita, and the tasting room is also a gallery.

It’s the end of the night now. You’ve got to be hungry. For a final pint, hit up the River City Brewery and grab a bit of comfort food you’re undoubtedly craving, made with locally sourced ingredients.

The outdoors (or two days in an air-conditioned cabin)

If you’re more the type that hikes forests than the type that crawls cities, look no further than Cedar Bluff State Park. This gem near Ellis surrounds a beautiful reservoir built in 1949, and offers a little everything: cliffs, beaches, fishing and good camping facilities.

Camping requires equipment, but if you’re not a natural outdoor enthusiast, this cabin is available for just $45 a night, plus a $12 reservation fee. It sleeps six and is packed with amenities: a microwave, grill, fridge and air conditioning.

Bring beer, bring meat, bring mates. The view awaits.

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For the girls:

Naughty night on the town

Tradition maintains that a bachelorette party is not a bachelorette party if it isn’t wild enough to generate some shame and regret. Cue Lawrence, queen of college party towns.

Start at The Jazzhaus for cocktails and live music, and from there a walk down Massachusetts St. takes you to Tonic, an EDM club that’ll get you moving (or at least provide material for entertaining people-watching). The Sandbar is smaller, quirkier and serves cheap mixed drinks – plus your bestie bride friend can dance on the bar in a fetching hula skirt. For a more rock-and-roll vibe, hang in the Replay Lounge, where live music and pinball machines rule over the grungy atmosphere.

Woke up hungover? Get a cure the next day by way of brunch at The Roost. The eggs benedict is divine.

Relax to the max

The stress of wedding planning can call for a self-care kind of bachelorette party, the kind with pillow fights and manicures and face masks. Cedar Crest Lodge in Pleasanton is the ideal place to get away. It’s a great place for pampering, too, with spa packages available for reflexology, tension massages and hot stone sessions, among others, and the pool and grounds have all the beauty you expect of a proper country inn.

There’s not much around, so settle into your jacuzzi suite, and don’t forget a bottle of Prosecco.

For anyone:

For the more elevated palate: cocktails and caviar

Ear-popping beats aren’t for everyone. Those with a bit more regard for your eardrums should know Kansas City offers high-end lounges and upscale eateries rivaling any coastal city.

For pre-evening drinks and food, Blvd Tavern has some of the best cocktails and appetizers in town. Order the Korean Fried Chicken and ask for the bartender to make you a Last Word. Then, if your friends are nerds, intellectuals or just a pinch pretentious, catch a play at the self-proclaimed “provocative” Unicorn Theatre, where cutting-edge dramas are boldly presented with local casts. The Green Lady Lounge is an unassuming and cool jazz club, if it’s the off-season.

Once you’re done engaging the mind, go for cocktails at the Manifesto speakeasy. The lighting is low, but so is the music, so you won’t have to shout over Calvin Harris. End the night at the award-winning fine dining newcomer Corvino, where the late-night menu includes oysters and gourmet burgers at an affordable price.

A European vacation without the hassle

Popping over to Prague or Stockholm for a bachelor/bachelorette party is the European equivalent of hitting up Vegas – a short, cheap flight in exchange for adventure and anonymity. Lindsborg, A.K.A. Little Sweden, is where Kansans should go for a destination feel without the hassle (or the dollars).

First, sightseeing. The Coronado Heights Park houses an actual (mini) castle atop a hill, which is believed to have been visited in 1541 by Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez Coronado while on his search for the Seven Cities of Gold. Dramatic group photos or fantasy cosplay are fair game here. In town, check out the Birger Sanzdén Memorial Gallery.

The Swedish Crown Restaurant will do for an early afternoon dinner (think gourmet IKEA meatballs), and then a visit to Öl Stuga for beers. Don’t forget to make the future spouse play a Swedish drinking game – I think Pen in Bottle is a great choice.