As most Charlotteans know, another Rich and Bennett bar crawl is upon us for the holiday season. Every St. Patricks day, the streets are flooded with green. But on Halloween? We see costumes galore, and a lot of public intoxication. A bar crawl can be loads of fun, and a great way to celebrate with friends. However, a bar crawl can also be an easy way to get too drunk, end up sick, or even end up with a drinking ticket. So, you have to make sure to take a few good measures for drinking smart, having fun, and avoiding a charge on this day of fun. For this reason, we’ve crafted a bar crawl survival guide to get you through this day of fun. By following this guide, you better your chances of avoiding trouble, having fun, and making it to the night.

Bar Crawl Survival Guide: Staying Safe, Having Fun, and Avoiding Charges

Bar crawls start early, so prep earlier

Start by having a hearty breakfast. You want to make sure you have something heavy on your stomach to avoid getting too drunk too quickly. Many people will have a big breakfast, drink a bunch of water, and keep snacks on hand all day. By taking these measures, you’ll have your stomach primed for all the drinking you’ll inevitably do.

Consider skipping the pregame

Whenever you plan on going out, most people will always have a few drinks beforehand. While in any other situation, this can be a smart route to take money-wise, consider skipping it before a bar crawl. The key to a successful bar crawl is longevity. After all, these bar crawls typically start in the early afternoon, and continue on until the bars close for the night. You’re not setting yourself up to stay out until 2 a.m. by taking six jello shots at 11 in the morning. We urge you to consider pregaming with food, water, and a good night of rest.

Drink that water you packed

You might have good intentions, and pack some water and snacks. However, actually using them is a pretty important step to take as well. Maybe make a plan for water intake. Maybe something like: every two beers, you have some water. Keeping hydrated will make it easier for you to stay out late, and also keep your cool over the hours of walking, drinking, and fun with friends.

Keep your cool

Lastly, and most importantly, keep your cool. This is a day of overwhelming public intoxication. While police are surprisingly lenient, there is only so much they’ll take before writing you a ticket. This is where all of your prep work comes into play. You want to be functional enough to walk to your next destination without acting out, falling, or making a spectacle of yourself. As we’ve mentioned, police are lenient on days like this. But, that’s not to say they aren’t on the look out.

You can take this bar crawl survival guide with a grain of salt, or you can take it as the gospel. No matter which route you take, creating a plan of attack is essential to making the most of your bar crawl fun.