The Party Capitals of the US
Where should you head to if you’re looking for a party?
Across America, plenty of cities know how to throw a party. But which ones are the ultimate hotspots? Whether you're chasing round-the-clock nightlife, buzzing bars, or endless party venues, there’s a destination for every kind of party animal.
The experts at Giggster have found the cities best for a party, whether you're looking for affordable nights to remember or action-packed events. Ready to find out where the fun never stops? Let’s explore the party capitals of the US!
Las Vegas is officially the top party city in the US, with a score of 6.93 out of 10
1. Las Vegas, Nevada
Sin City is the go-to party destination in the US, with a score of 6.93 out of a possible 10. Las Vegas sets a high bar for entertainment with an unrivaled density of nightlife attractions — 69.6 per 100,000 people — and half of these spots are rated four stars and above.
Party venues in Las Vegas don’t just include loud nightclubs either. The city offers a wide range of bars and pubs (12.8 per 100,000), with almost two-thirds (63%) achieving high ratings.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the cost of partying here could be moderately high, with cocktails averaging $15.00 and beer at $5.78. But, the lack of a set "last call" in restaurants and bars allows for continuous nightlife, adding to its reputation as a 24/7 city.
2. Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, known for its vibrant country music scene, ranks second with 6.73 out of 10. While the nightlife density here (23.5 per 100,000 people) is lower than in Las Vegas, Nashville compensates with a higher quality rating, as 60% of nightlife spots are rated four stars and above.
The cocktail cost is slightly lower than in Vegas, at $14.00. However, if you’re a keen beer drinker, expect to pay a few extra cents in Nashville than in Vegas, as the average price is $5.96.
3. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee comes in third with a party score of 6.60 out of 10. The city has a rich brewing heritage — there’s a good reason the baseball team is called the Brewers — and partygoers can enjoy this for an affordable price. On average, beer costs $4.89, one of the lowest among the top cities, and cocktails cost $10.00.
The city has many nightlife attractions (19.2 per 100,000), and almost half (46%) are rated four stars and above. One of these attractions includes an evening pedal tavern tour, which one reviewer described as a “cool and fun experience.”
Where are the most affordable party cities in the US?
1. Tucson, Arizona
Tucson ranks as the most affordable city for a party. With plenty of college kids about, it’s no wonder this city has a lively nightlife scene at reasonable prices. A cocktail in a downtown club costs just $11.00, and a beer at a neighborhood pub is $6.00.
Transportation to and from the bars is also economical, with an 8-kilometer taxi ride averaging $14.60. If you need to stay the night, the average nightly rate for a three-star hotel is a budget-friendly $93.45, making Tucson the cheapest destination among the top 10.
2. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City follows closely in affordability. Similar to Tucson, the price of a cocktail is $11.00, but a beer here is slightly cheaper at $5.88. A taxi ride costs an average of 10 cents less than in Tucson, at $14.50 for 8 kilometers, but the hotel prices are slightly higher at $98.71 per night for a three-star stay.
3. Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Tucson's larger and more bustling counterpart, offers a mix of nightlife, entertainment, and dining. While the cost of a cocktail jumps to $14.00, beer remains reasonable at $5.41 — the second lowest in the top 10. The taxi ride cost is almost identical to Tucson's at $14.40, but Phoenix has slightly more expensive hotel accommodations, with an average nightly rate of $106.61 for a three-star room.
Despite being more expensive than Tucson and Oklahoma City, Phoenix remains far more affordable than destinations like Las Vegas, which ranks higher in costs across drinks, transportation, and accommodation.
Baltimore has the best nightlife, with nearly 670 things to do per 100,000 people
1. Baltimore, Maryland
With over 669 nightlife attractions per 100,000 people, Baltimore has many options for evening entertainment — whatever your vibe is. However, what truly sets Baltimore apart is the 644 upcoming party events per 100,000, the highest in the top 10 by far. Some of these events include an R&B party and a midnight dinner cruise.
While Baltimore has fewer bars and pubs per capita (5.6) than other cities in the top 10, the sheer volume of events makes it a party hub.
2. Atlanta, Georgia
There are more than enough party venues in Atlanta, with 31.9 nightlife attractions per 100,000 people. It also offers many bars and pubs (9.0 per 100,000) if sitting down with a beer is your idea of a good night out.
Some of these pubs and bars include Fire Maker Brewing, a five-star brewery where one reviewer said, “The service is great. The beer is even better,” and Bar Margot, a swanky spot inside a Four Seasons Hotel.
3. Sacramento, California
Sacramento ranks third with a slightly lower combined total than Atlanta. The city has fewer nightlife attractions (12.4 per 100,000) and bars (4.6 per 100,000) but compensates with a high number of upcoming events — 451.3 per 100,000 people.
Sacramento’s lower density of bars makes it less pub-focused than Atlanta. Still, nightlife attractions like River City Saloon and comedy clubs such as Punchline and Laughs Unlimited make up for it.
Is there a connection between last call times and average ages in US party cities?
We’ve looked at the legal last call times for bars and restaurants in US cities on a Saturday. We’ve also found the average age of people in each town to see if there’s a correlation between alcohol sales hours and age.
The last call times in the youngest US cities
The last call times in restaurants and bars for cities with a younger average population tend to be 2 AM, with the latest being just 30 minutes later, at 2:30 AM. These later last calls can be found in Milwaukee and Columbus — both in this study's top 10 party cities.
Fresno has the youngest average population, 30 years old, and a last call time of 2 AM. Unlike many other cities, this time doesn’t change, even on Sundays and working days. This means it’s a good spot for those who love to party any day of the week.
The last call times in the oldest US cities
Call times for cities with an older average age tend to be later, with Las Vegas leading. There is no limit on the times when bars and restaurants can serve alcohol in this city, while the average age is the second-highest, at 37.5 years old.
Louisville, Kentucky, is another city with an average age of 37.5. Here, the last call time is late (or early, depending on how you look at it) at 4 AM — one of the later ones out of all US cities.
Methodology
We made a list of the 40 largest cities in the United States by population, according to Ballotpedia.
We then collected the number of nightlife attractions, bars, and pubs in each city from Tripadvisor. For both, we calculated the percentage of establishments rated four stars and above to determine the quality of nightlife.
We used Eventbrite to find the number of upcoming party events in each location. 'Upcoming' refers to planned events from September 18th, 2024.
For each of the above, we normalized data by population.
We found the legal hours of alcohol sale for bars and restaurants according to Local Alcohol Laws.
For each city, we used Expatistan to find the average price of:
● 1 cocktail drink in downtown club
● 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.)
We then used Living Cost to find the average price of a taxi ride (8 km or 5 mi).
We used Booking.com to record the number of properties available in each city. We selected a weekend stay with flexible dates across the three summer months to do this. This was then normalized by population.
We used Booking.com to record the average price of a three-star hotel room in each city. As these numbers update daily, this is a snapshot of the average price of a three-star hotel.
The above factors for each city we combined to find a single score using the PERCENTRANK formula.
Lastly, we used Open Data to find the average age in the city.
All data was collected on 19/09/2024 and is correct as of then.