AZ Party Bike
Walk down the street on any given weekend in Old Town Scottsdale, and you’ll see all kinds of common sights. Tourists of every demographic exploring the different shops, lights criss-crossing the streets, groups out on a pub crawl. But one of the most iconic things you’re likely to see travels up and down Old Town playing popular music and sporting happy, laughing people pedaling. That’s right, pedaling.
The Arizona Party Bike has made a name for itself as one of the premiere activities in the entire country. According to TripAdvisor, they’re the number 4 experience overall and number 1 of outdoor activities in Scottsdale. And with over 2,600 5 star reviews, it’s hard to argue those top spots. They have more party bikes than Nashville.
“The party bike is the experience itself,” President of the company, Robert Mayer told me. “You’re going around town being seen. You can have your adult beverages on board. We’ve got a sound system, party lights, taking you to three different bars. So you get to kind of go all over Old Town.”
The party starts at their headquarters and shop. Here, guests will meet their host who will be steering the bike and guiding the group through Old Town, answering questions and providing color about the area. Options for fun add-ons like silly straws, commemorative shirts, or party themed banners are available for purchase. AZ Party Bike caters to all groups, including Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, so naturally, they provide all kinds of ways to express your celebration of upcoming nuptials.
From the Party Bike HQ, the tour pedals its way to the first stop, Rockbar Inc. This pub has live music, a rock n roll concert aesthetic, and partners directly with AZ Party Bike to offer drink and flatbread specials. While there, Party Bike guests enjoy everything Rockbar has, including some of the best local and national bands around.
After 30 minutes of rocking out, it’s back on the bike and off to the next pub on the tour, Boondocks Patio & Grill. With their open air grill, Boondocks prides itself on its “comfort style” food and atmosphere. They also have a staggeringly wide range of games to play: Pool Tables, Bag Toss, Dart Boards, Ping Pong, Basketball Pop Shot, and Skee-Ball. Select arcade games even line on area of the bar.
Depending on the night or the discretion of the bike captain, the second stop could change to The Hot Chick. This bar boasts all things throwback, from the jams cranked out over the speakers to the arcade games, to the self-proclaimed “groovy vibes” filling the whole space. Live DJ’s keep the party going, and regular trivia nights ensure there’s a level of fun for any kind of group.
Then, the bike heads off to the final destination, Pattie’s First Avenue Lounge. The walls are positively plastered with dollar bills. The pool table sits dimly lit. All-in-all, this hole in the wall pub has been described as a classic, Irish, dive bar. Here is where the tour ends, and the Party Bike leaves you to explore Old Town on your own from there. The whole experience lasts roughly 2 hours, half on the bike and half in the bars.
But it’s not just the incredibly fun method of getting around that AZ Party Bike offers. Mayer explained, “We’ve got drink specials at those bars, skip the line, which is huge, especially on Friday and Saturday night. Boondocks and Hot Chick have a line down the street. And we just pull up, and you get to go right in.”
What if I don’t want to be working out so much during my pub crawl? I hear you asking. Don’t fret. Mayer and his team thought of that. Every AZ Party Bike is outfitted with an electric motor that does most of the heavy lifting. Pedaling the bike absolutely makes it move, but the drivers keep things going smoothly. After all, who wants to sit there and sweat while trying to have a good time?
The AZ Party Bike is the medium through which amazing experiences are had. And one of those that continues to be extremely popular is that of the Bachelorette party. Mayer said they get roughly 65,000 guests per year, and about 40% of that number are Bachelorettes. As such, the Party Bike shop incorporates a whole line of paraphernalia marketed towards those about to say “I do.” Must-have items include a variety pack of bridal party sashes with titles like “Designated Drunk,” “Shot Queen,” “Maid of Dishonor,” and “Dancing Diva,” as well as temporary tattoos, silly sunglasses, and the obligatory “all things adult oriented” options.
Another way to enhance the experience is with a little scavenger hunt. These are available sometimes in lieu of bar hopping, if that’s not something the group is interested in. Often times, according to Mayer, the hunt to complete the list of wacky activities ends up being more entertaining than other aspects of the night.
“They got to take a photo of something,” Mayer explained. “They got to do something silly, like get get someone to react to them, get a police officer to turn his sirens on, get someone to dance on the sidewalk with them. Just fun stuff. So it’s like the standard tour of Old Town, but with a fun little silly twist.”
Groups are able to book their Party Bike experience for just about any day of the week, barring national holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. And if you want to go on a tour before other activities, such as dinner or a show, they have reservation slots earlier in the day too. And for those coming into town for a Bachelorette weekend, Mayer has one last piece of advice.
“I like to recommend to do it right when you get here because sometimes your group doesn’t all know each other. And so the really amazing part of it is the experience really helps bring people together and have a great time, and then that sets the tone for the rest of the weekend.”
AZ Party Bike operates in Scottsdale, Flagstaff, Tucson, and plans to reopen their Downtown Phoenix location in the near future.
Feature article provided by The Scottsdale Living – Thomas France.
Thomas is a Lifestyle Reporter and Content Creator for Scottsdale Living.
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