June 08, 2018
Contributed image/Frankford Hall
A scene from Frankford Hall, Fishtown's German-themed beer garden.
Whether it’s committing involuntary manslaughter involving a stripper or having to fill out a missing persons report for the groom to be, Hollywood has historically banked on debaucherous bachelor and bachelorette parties. If you’re a lucky maid of honor or best man, and crafting a plot for a summer blockbuster isn’t in the cards for your bestie’s prenuptial party, we’ve lined up some ideas to keep the celebrations classy.
No need to book tickets to Napa for a celebratory wine tasting weekend when
Delaware County is home to some very venerable vineyards. Chaddsford hosts
tastings seven days a week with options to sip through a series of reds,
whites or sweet pours. Or guests can opt to book a reserve tour which
includes a behind-the-scenes look at the winemaking process as well as
snacks and samples of Chaddsford’s reserve bottles, including a sur lie
Chardonnay and a new dry rosé.
Just across from Reading Terminal Market, Anna Maria Florio hosts BYO
cooking classes that feel like a family (or friends) reunion. With roots in
Campania, Florio’s menus are Italian-accented and seasonally influenced but
party organizers are free to chat with her about customizing the program to
suit the bride- or groom-to-be. Be sure to bring a couple of cases of
prosecco and pinot to keep glasses full until it’s time to eat.
Can’t get the group to commit to an overnighter at the shore? How about
heading over to nearby Medford, N.J. for an afternoon at the kitschy
cool Flying W Airport and Resort? This motel and landing strip is home to
an airplane-shaped pool and seasonal tiki bar making it the perfect
destination for a pre-wedding afternoon of cocktails and cannonballs.
Located in a rehabbed industrial building on the end of Phoenixville’s main drag, this pioneering distillery is an ideal place to spend the day getting to know Bluebird’s line-up of whiskeys, rums, vodkas and gins. Made in house, these spirits are spun into creative and classic cocktails by talented bartenders, and can be enjoyed on a sunny and sizable patio, or while playing vintage arcade games in the tasting room.
Skip the stumbling crowds of Atlantic City in favor of a more civilized (and chauffeured) boozy tour of the shore with this coastal brewery adventure. Owner Dan Cooper and his team will pack up a van and drive your crew up and down the coast, visiting small-scale breweries like Point Pleasant’s Last Wave, Asbury Park Brewery and Beach Haus in Belmar.
