Why A Pub Crawl?
A Pub Crawl is an experience that everyone should try at least once. Especially if you are traveling a new city, a seasoned veteran of nightlife will guide you around to the best places that are picked each week based on events happening in the area. These guides share their tight knit relationships to certain bars with you! Reaping the benefits of not waiting in line, pay entrance fees, and some free drinks along the way, you end up saving more money than going alone in most cases without the feeling of being overwhelmed in a new place.
Who Attends Pub Crawls?
Most pub crawls, especially in Tel Aviv, have different groups of people from everywhere! Younger travelers come to pub crawls for a chance to meet new people in the city where they are staying and forming meaningful connections with new people that can carry on past one pub crawl. Locals also attend pub crawls to get a different experience of nightlife than they have had before.
When I travel, I like to stay in hostels to learn about new people from different places I would have never met at a hotel! Getting in touch with locals and people from other countries can shape your traveling experience and get a taste of other cultures.
Drinking
A pub crawl is also about trying new drinks from certain places and to let loose a bit. We have lots of different games and challenges at certain pub crawls for everyone to take part in! This means you should have enough to get down on the dance floor, but not enough to where you are down on the dance floor and cannot get up. Always remember your limits. No one likes the feeling of your brain being in a washing machine by the time you get home or to stop your experience to take care of someone expelling the demons from their body.
What to Wear
Dress comfortably! No need to put on a cocktail dress and stilettos, but also don’t wear a tee and athletic shorts. A nice pair of jeans or skirt and fun top is perfect. Remember that you will be walking! Any shoes that you deem comfortable for dancing and walking are the best choice. I would suggest not wearing sandals. Places are crowded and you could get a toe hurt with someone stepping on you or putting your foot in mysterious sticky substance. I like to wear combat boots or an easy pair of sneakers that don’t blister my ankles.
Packing List
1. ID
Always remember your ID that shows your age! The drinking age in Israel is 18 and the tour guide and bars will have to check your ID.
2. Portable Charger
Something helpful I have found is bringing along a portable charger just in case you get lost and need to make a call. Late in the night after your phone has been used all day you might need to revive it.
3. Extra Cash
Want a quick street food bite after your activities? Cash is king. Smother your face in some good falafel after your crawl or grab a bottle of water. Your head will thank you in the morning.
4. Gum
In case you meet someone who you want to give a smooch to, it’s probably best to not smell like the shot you took twenty minutes ago.
Make a Game Plan
Before going on a pub crawl, talk about the general plan. Figure out how much you intend to drink, what should happen if someone wants to leave early, how you intend to get back to where you are staying, and maybe coordinate some hand signals to gesture to a friend across the room. Although you have a game plan, things can always change. Making a plan just ensures your safety along with others.
If Lost, Stay Calm
When traveling from one bar to another, the guide herds everyone to the next destination. If your group is quite large, it may be a bit more difficult to keep track of everyone. There might be one or two stragglers who were in the bathroom or mingling with locals or another group at the bar. Don’t panic! Make sure to give the guide or a friend a quick text or call and we will retrieve you.
Enjoy Your Time
This is the most important step. The essence of a pub crawl is enjoyment. Although the prior statements are just tips to get the maximum amount of enjoyment and the least pain from your pub crawl experience. Just use common sense and keep these tips in the back of your mind.
