Drunken revelry? IDEAS PLEASE!!
 

I am a 24 year old woman who will be finishing up a master's degree and am planning a girl's trip for my best friend (who is in the midst of a DVM/PhD and could use a break) and me, before starting on a PhD in August. We want to go somewhere were we can go out on the town a lot, as well as shopping, and even sightseeing. It doesn't have to be a super-cheap trip but also not absurd in expense and we don't have time for anything outside this country (except maybe mexico or islands) really. Any ideas would be very very appriciated.

my bf and I did a carnival cruise for the exact same reasons you are stating - it was awesome.

If you seek drunken revelry, you can't go wrong with either New Orleans, New York, or Key West. All three are hot in the summer, but all three are fun!

I went with Memphis with some friends last summer. Not much shopping, but it was a great party city. Beale Street was a blast; the music and food and sightseeing (Graceland) were fantastic. Also baseball if you are interested. Not as pricey as NY or NOLA. Have a good time and congrats.

Chicago.

Sounds like New Orleans to me! It will be hot in August, but there is always a cool drink and a cool bar waiting! You can go out on the town all day and all night. The bars only close for about an hour or so in the morning to clean and then open again. There is pretty good shopping - Shops at Canal Place if you're looking for real shopping or French Market for local things. "and even sightseeing" - there's plenty of that, too. You can do sightseeing while taking the streetcar up St. Charles Avenue to another bar. ((B)) ((D))

Gosh, this just screams "New Orleans!"

My favorite girl trips were to New Orleans and Vegas, in that order. New York is high up too but just not as revelry focused. I live in Chicago so I'm biased but we always manage to have fun out on the town and it and NYC won't be as hot as some of the other locales.

[-X Why does every celebration have to be associated with drinking?
Really people![(













;) heh heh heh. CHEERS and congrats!

Here's another vote for New Orleans. Vegas is a very close second.

New Orleans smells like pee and vomit, especially in August! Go to Vegas

Glad to see I'm not just biased! :-D

I spent Saturday night on Bourbon and surrounding areas for a bachelorette party - discovered a bar near House of Blues with a mechanical bull... ... ...
Oh wait! I signed an Oath that "what happens at the bachelorette party, STAYS at the bachelorette party!"
ANYWAY. We had a GREAT time and I can't wait to go again! I always wish that I wasn't from here. Seems like you could have even more fun if you aren't worried about seeing co-workers, parents' friends, friends' parents, boyfriends friends... ... ... ((6))

Provincetown MA is a small town with a big history of partying.

Most of the town's bars, nightclubs, restaurants and accommodations are on Commercial street which rings the the town's harbor on Cape Cod Bay. Everything is in walking distance of each other so you can party without having to drive.

During the day theres: Shopping on Commercial Street with tons of unique shops; Whale Watch boats; Dune and trolley tours; National Seashore beaches; Harbor tours; galleries, and the Pilgrim Monument and Museum.

Lawsy child, go to South Beach. Drink frozen cocktails by day, mojitos by evening, get your freak on at night.

Eat, drink, lay out on the beach, and be merry.

It's cheap in the summer and you don't need a car.

Get a cheap package on priceline. They tell you the name of the hotel ahead of time.

My first place vote goes to NOLA but remember you might have some bad hair days w/the humidity (but then again, so will everyone else around you!):-)

I still haven't been to Vegas but seems like a place you could party...

NYC might not fit your budget...

I went to Provincetown right after college and stayed w/a friend whose parents summered in Truro, a town away--fun but small...

Carnival Cruise--I've done that too but Aug. is the start of hurricane season...

Wait a min.!! Just thought another idea. What about Cancun? I'm sure you could find a cheap package w/Vacation Express, Apple Tours or some other outfit...

We had a blast and it didn't cost much!!

I second the South Beach trip. If you get a hotel on or near the beach, you will never need a car to party.

I vote for New Orleans. I think South Beach could be fun if that's what you are in the mood food - beautiful fashionable people at super hip clubs and restaurants. However New Orleans would be better for a more laid back atmosphere. St Thomas might be fun as far as islands go - I hear they have some great shopping deals on designer stuff!

You are soooo right onewanderingjew! It's always a ponytail or a hat <):) all summer long!

I vote for South Beach or New Orleans...both are great fun for girls on the town. Can I come too?

Congrats and have fun!

Sorry - you won't find "beautful fashionable people" in South Beach in July/August -- too hot.

New Orleans <i>always</i> rocks, however.

As does New York.

Key West to a lesser extent, but more than Miami.

I think if it were me, I'd go for Vegas. You get lots of good shopping, great food, and many opportunities for rowdiness! Plus I think they have better vacation packages, which frees up more monies for $hopping!

I think it smells better in Vegas too.

August is very hot in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Mexico, etc. But this may work to your advantage as you will likely get much lower rates. I would vote for Las Vegas or Cancun. If you need an &quot;excuse&quot; to go to either place, you could always do a day trip to see Grand Canyon or Mayan ruins. Problem with some of the real cities (NY, Chicago) is that you have to get from hotel to bar to restaurant - I think you may want a more limited geography.

Regarding Provincetown - it is a great place and would have, on a somewhat more low key scale, everything you want. But you should be aware that it also has a larger than average gay/lesbian population and vacationers. And before I start to get flamed - I am telling you this just so you can be an informed traveler. I have vacationed there with my husband and later with my husband and kids and had a great time.

Here's one: Newport, RI. During the summer it is so overun by 20-somethings in a drinking mood that locals dub it &quot;Zooport&quot;. Plus you have the beach, shopping, and historical sights to amuse you during the brief time of day you'll be sober. Like other recommendations here, there is a main drag where most of the bars are, so no car needed for partying.

N'Awlins!!

Concur that Vegas or New Orleans will be the best options. At I'd for Vegas. For two 24 year olds, you'd probably want to think about staying at either the Hard Rock, the Palms, or Mandalay Bay.

So come summer all the beautiful fashionable people leave Miami and there are none to be found? Sure thing. I think it's safe to say Miami is a hipper more in-style town than some of the other options and that is worth keeping in mind.

Wait a sec, is the OP traveling in August or starting her PhD in August? I don't think it is clear from the original post.

Time of year makes a huge difference.

I was thinking they were done with school by the begining of May? I'd want to go then.

Going for the PhD in August and have to defend the Master's and move in May, so probably want to travel in June or July. Thank you for all the help! It is wonderful!

Yikes!

Early June is the very latest I'd travel to New Orleans, South Beach, or Vegas.

Talk about hot! Welcome to hell. July and August in New Orleans, South Beach, or Vegas.

You'll get better deals in early June also.

Is this possible?

Try Miami, specifically South Beach. It is fun and gorgeous with lots of great places to go drink and awesome shopping. I would reccomend the Clevlander for mojitos, Wet Willes for any of their drinks, and the Palace for the BEST bloody Mary's you'll ever have, not to mention, incredible food.
If you hit the Keys, only a short drive away, Duval street in Key West is fun. You have to stop on the way down at Islamorada (I think it is part of Key Largo), at the Holiday Isle, they have the best Pina Coladas that I have ever had. Enjoy.

I love New Orleans, but I would never, ever step foot in that city in the summer again! The humiditiy is overwhelming. Then again, Vegas in the summer can be incredibly hot. A very dry - makes you dizzy - kind of heat. But the hotels are ever so air conditioned. Of the two, I'd pick Vegas for a summer visit!

Have a great time.

Last October was much hotter than August and our high yesterday (FEBRUARY) was 87, so you just never know.

My two first thoughts were also New Orleans or Las Vegas. I would probably pick Las Vegas - less humidity and you can pick up some really good deals in the warmer months. In Las Vegas you might also be able to sit by the pool depending on how hot it is and you won't be sweating the moment you walk out the door.

Mexico City.
M

My vote is definitely for Vegas. It's dry heat there, so no humidity like NO, and no bad hair days. And there's always a chance you could win back some of the money that you've spent...or not - there are always eager guys around to buy your drinks in Vegas. My 3 friends and I had a blast last summer, so we're going back this summer! We went in June, and it was really hot, so be prepared. But all we did was lay around by the pool and wait for our hangovers to wear off for the night ahead.

Have fun!

A mechanical bull in the French Quarter, neworleanslady? Now that is just a bad idea (but I love it!). My vote would definitely be for New Orleans, although I am unabashedly biased. (But even if I was trying to be objective, your plans scream for New Orleans.) BTW, Key West will be scorching in June/July (and I like my temperature in the 90s).

Many good ideas here, but I'm with OneWanderingJew. If you want to drink yourself into oblivion, stay at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun. Of course, there's nightlife galore outside your hotel too. A cruise would be my second choice.

Congrats on the degree!!

I've also engaged in drunken revelry in New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Key West, but since there have been so many comments about hot weather, I'm gonna add a totally different idea:
Lake Tahoe.
One of my favorites.