10 Unusual Destinations for Your Bachelorette Party

We don’t know who needs to hear this, but you can throw a rocking bachelorette party without going to the stereotypical places. If the purpose of your pre-wedding excursion is to connect with your best friends in an incredible location where you’ll make amazing memories, then this is the list for you.

Immerse yourselves in culture, see live music, and experience nature with these options. Be inspired by these unusual destinations for your bachelorette that are totally worth the splurge.

Located on the northwest corner of Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor beckons with gorgeous coastal views and the picturesque mountains of Acadia National Park. This tranquil Maine town sees all four seasons, so plan your trip around your activities of choice.

For a bachelorette party among a kaleidoscope of changing leaves, head to Bay Harbor in the fall. The skiing is known to be top notch in winter. In spring and summer, you can enjoy fresh lobster, go whale watching and puffin spotting, or enjoy a horseback trek through Acadia.

Salem’s infamous witch trials of yore lend to its otherworldly ambience today. Immerse yourself in the supernatural with candlelit ghost tours, psychic readings, and live spell castings. If you and your bridal party are up for it, you can take a somber step back in time with a visit to the Witch Dungeon Museum or the Rebecca Nurse Homestead.

Summer and fall are the best times to visit, but Salem really comes to life in October, when the city hosts a month-long Halloween celebration.

Accra is a vibrant cultural mecca, one that features a dynamic art scene, mouthwatering cuisine, and powerful history.

Take in contemporary and traditional African art at Omanye House, then relax on Labadi Beach before checking out the bustling Osu Night Market. The city is also home to a host of museums and historical sites, like Ghana’s National Museum and the W.E.B. DuBois Centre for Pan-African Culture.

As a special note, Accra and several of its sites hold great significance for many members of the African diaspora. Take care to visit respectfully.

Known as the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin is the perfect city for concert-loving brides-to-be.

Austin hosts live music festivals year round, including the famed SXSW in March. From hip-hop to house and everything in between, there’s likely a performance to suit your taste. Check the latest event dates, and plan your bachelorette party around the concerts you just can’t miss.

Park City is where resort living and nature loving collide. While summertime in Park City is a good opportunity to go ziplining and check out the water slides, winter is when this mountain paradise really shines. It’s a wonderland where you can go snowmobiling, dog sledding, tubing, and ice skating, all in one place.

Pro tip: For the most luxurious experience, book your stay at one of Park City’s many upscale lodges using one of the best hotel credit cards for optimum rewards.

For a truly unforgettable bachelorette party, head to Reykjanes, where you can witness the Northern Lights up close and in person.

When you’re not marveling at this world wonder, tour the Mt. Fagradalsjall volcano, either by land or by air. Later, you can treat yourself to a day at Blue Lagoon, where you can soak in geothermal seawater and enjoy a plethora of top-tier spa amenities.

Don’t forget your travel credit cards, though. Spa days are cool and all, but spa days that may earn you points and cash back are way better.

Experience both the Mojave and Colorado Deserts at once with a trip to Joshua Tree National Park. Roughly 85% of the park is pure wilderness, making this the go-to place for hiking, camping, and communing with nature.

Skilled adventurists can take advantage of backpacking and rock climbing, while novice explorers may prefer to hike the trails or book a horseback excursion. Either way, make sure you stop and take in the stars. With no city lights to cloud your view, you’ll see a night sky like no other.

No passport? No problem. St. Croix is one of the most amazing U.S. islands that just so happens to be nestled in the Caribbean Sea. You and your bridal party may embark on a kayaking adventure and enjoy the bright blue expanse from up top, or you can dip below the surface and explore Buck Island’s underwater snorkel trails.

Thanks to its year round warm weather, there’s no wrong time to visit St. Croix. If you want to time your visit with the Crucian Christmas Festival (aka St. Croix’s Carnival), plan on a December bachelorette party.

Pro tip: Start saving money for your ideal bachelorette sooner rather than later. Alert your best friends so they may begin saving, too.

A bachelorette party in Taos means experiencing the best of sand and snow in one location. Here, you can go snowboarding in the morning, hot air ballooning over the mesas by afternoon, and camping with llamas at night.

Taos also has a thriving Indigenous community, one that’s worked to preserve their culture and architecture. In fact, Taos Pueblo is one of the oldest communities in the U.S., and the Red Willow people who call it home welcome visitors to tour their 1,000-year-old adobe buildings.

As a special note, Taos Pueblo and other sites around Taos hold great significance for the Red Willow people. Take care to visit respectfully.

For pristine beaches without the crowds, take your bachelorette party to the nearly 200-mile long Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Head north to Nags Head and learn to hang glide amid the backdrop of the highest sand dune on the East Coast. Journey further south to Cape Lookout and rent a cabin where the sound meets the ocean. But don’t forget to bring a generator and a cooler if you do. Out here, there’s nothing but you, your girl gang, and miles of shore.

If no one’s told you yet, you do not have to have a stereotypical bachelorette party. This is your celebration, so have the bachelorette party you want.

To that end, make a list of places you’d like to visit, experiences you’d like to have, and an ideal budget for your trip. Then, start saving as much as you can. Try to tuck away more than you think you’ll need. That way, you’ll have plenty of cash on hand for incidentals, spur-of-the-moment excursions, and an extra souvenir or two.