How To Survive On A St Patrick's Day Bar Crawl

Who doesn't  love a bar crawl? We've certainly led a fair few stag groups around on them over the past 15 years, while one of the biggest reasons to pick up a pint in the calendar is the 17th March, when we celebrate St Patrick's Day.

Yes, the day is actually celebrating the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and commemorates Saint Patrick, but beyond this, it's also a chance for us to celebrate with our amazing Irish neighbours and appreciate their beautiful country.

But there are a number of rules and tricks to getting a bar crawl right, so we have written up a list of our best tips to ensure you have a perfect night out!

1) Avoid The Shots

Every group has one, the one that heads straight to the bar and orders a round of tequilas or sambucas. They're the wild card that could end the night early for you if you cave in, so hold strong, stick to the drink you love and trust and avoid those mini glasses of evil.

2) Eat First

With most bar crawls going straight from work, a lot of people fail to eat before heading out. Those are the same individuals who will head home early. Make sure to get something filling in you before heading out.

3) Don't Mix Your Drinks

If you're having a pint, then try to stick with that drink, don't get tempted by the copious amount of options or what your mate happens to be drinking. Mixing will not just get you drunk quick, it will give you one hell of a hangover.

4) Nothing Wrong With Water

For some reason we look at that person who drinks water on a pub crawl like they've just flung a cat across the bar. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a glass of water between pints. It's a great way to ensure it doesn't hit you too quick and it can be worth partnering up with someone else who is equally trying to prevent themselves from capping the night off too early.

5) Careful With Drinking Games

I love a drinking game, they're one of the funniest parts of a night out, but they often involve some form of forfeit. Feel free to play a drinking game, but state upfront you don't want to down your pint if you lose. Or pick a game which doesn't involve over drinking, such as Cards Against Humanity. That's a lot safer than Ring Of Fire.

6) Meals During The Crawl

You can book in a table at a restaurant in advance, so you know you have to all get there by a certain time. This will ensure you don't stay too long at a single pub and it will allow you to top your stomachs back up and sober yourselves up a bit. This is especially important if you're starting earlier in the day or your planning a long night ahead.

7) You Don't Need To Drink At Each Bar

There is this common conception that you have to drink at each bar on the route you've set out. But having done the Monopoly bar crawl, we eventually had to accept it wasn't humanly possible. Remember at a certain bar you can just eat, or at another you could have a Diet Coke.