The Best U.S. Cities for St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawls

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner – and while it’s a celebration that originates in Ireland, it has become a global event associated with parades, dancing, and of course, lots of drinking.

But which U.S. cities tick all the boxes?

Ahead of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, Casino Guru USA examined factors such as Irish pub density, Guinness prices, the average bar and nightclub closing time, and the alcohol consumption in cities throughout the U.S. before indexing each one to determine which ones are the best for boozy bar crawls.

Key findings:

• Boston, Massachusetts is the best city for a St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl, scoring 69/100
• On the flipside, Jackson, Mississippi, is the worst city for St. Patrick’s Day bar crawls, with a score of 21/100
• The average cost of a Guinness nationwide is $7.16 – it’s the cheapest in Charleston, West Virginia at $5.45, and the priciest in Los Angeles, California at $9.35
• Manchester, New Hampshire is likely to party the hardest, with an average annual alcohol consumption of 4.46 gallons per person
• Portland, Maine is home to the most Irish pubs per 100,000 people at 10.23

The top 5 cities for St. Patrick’s Day bar crawls

From large concentrations of Irish pubs to bars open until the early hours of the morning, you’re bound to feel the hangover after celebrating in these cities for St. Patrick’s Day.

1. Boston, Massachusetts

Boston tops the list as the best city in America for a St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl with a score of 68.99. With an annual alcohol consumption of 2.55 gallons per capita, Bostonians certainly won’t be going thirsty – and better yet, there are 8.14 Irish pubs per 100,000 citizens (the third highest overall), meaning you can celebrate in style for the occasion.

2. New York City, New York

New York City ranks second, scoring 67.70. Living up to its title of the city that never sleeps, bars and nightclubs close at 4am on average, and with 225 Irish pubs to choose from, there are plenty of options to bar-hop all night long.

3. New Orleans, Louisiana

The bustling city of New Orleans takes the third spot, scoring 58.79. With pints of Guinness costing $6.60 on average (the cheapest in the top five), combined with the average bar closing time of 6am, you can party into the early hours without completely breaking the bank.

4.Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, one of the most Irish-populated cities in the U.S., ranks fourth with a score of 56.51. With the average citizen consuming 2.39 gallons of alcohol a year, a day full of heavy drinking to keep up with the locals isn’t an option – it’s mandatory. But it might set you back a bit further here, with Guinness pints averaging $7.90.

5.Portland, Maine

In fifth place is Portland, scoring 51.82. There are plenty of options to kick back with a drink, including the parade along Commercial Street – but the earlier you start drinking the better, with bars and nightclubs closing at around 1am.

The bottom 5 cities for St. Patrick’s Day bar crawls

Not all cities live up to the boozy expectation of St. Patrick’s Day – so if you want to party hard, you’re better off avoiding those that ranked at the bottom of the list.

1. Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson is the worst city for a St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl, scoring just 21.15. There’s only one Irish pub to celebrate the occasion, and with the lowest average alcohol consumption per person of 1.1 gallons a year, it’s unlikely that the partying will get too wild.

2. Salt Lake City, Utah

Next is Salt Lake City with a score of 23.63. While there are slightly more Irish pubs here than Jackson at a total of five, Guinness prices are steep for such a low-ranked city, setting you back $7.40 on average.

3. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach is in third, scoring 24.55. While the average bar closing time is 2am, the city has the second-highest average price of a Guinness in the entire list: an eye-watering $8.85.

4. Little Rock, Arkansas

Claiming fourth place is Little Rock, with a score of 24.72. The city has the lowest price of a Guinness in the bottom five at $6.30, but you might struggle to get into the festive spirit of St. Patrick’s Day with just two Irish pubs to choose from.

5. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

In the fifth spot is Sioux Falls, scoring 26.45. Locals here might be feeling merry with an average annual alcohol consumption of 2.37 gallons per capita, but like several of the other bottom-ranking cities, the true spirit of St. Patrick’s Day will be lacking with only two Irish pubs in the area.

Conclusion

Looking at the top-ranking cities, several of them have high Irish populations, from Boston in Massachusetts to Chicago in Illinois, suggesting that things like Irish pubs and events are in place to not only cater to but also celebrate those citizens. Not to mention, cities like New York City and New Orleans are renowned for their nightlife scenes, so for a holiday like St. Patrick’s Day, which is heavily associated with drinking, they will undoubtedly have a lot to offer.

Methodology

In March 2026, we analyzed the most populated city in each U.S. state to determine which ones are the best for St. Patrick’s Day bar crawls by looking at several metrics. Each one was scored on a 1-10 scale and weighted to calculate final scores from 1-100.

The following metrics were analyzed:

Irish pubs – 35% weighting

• Sources: Poidata.io, Yelp, Google Maps, Shane Co (2024), local media lists

Average bar/nightclub closing time – 5% weighting

• Sources: Discotech.me, state alcohol laws, city-specific regulations

Average alcohol consumption – 20% weighting

• Source: DrugHelpline.org - gallons of alcohol per capita per year

Average Guinness price – 10% weighting

• Sources: FinanceBuzz 2025, 973ESPN 2024, American Craft Beer

St. Patrick's Day celebration scale – 30% weighting

• Scored 1-10 based on parade size/attendance, cultural significance, number of events, media visibility, and Irish heritage presence

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