There’s nothing more fun than riding on a party bus in Charleston, SC. With everything so spread out in the Lowcountry, they are the perfect transportation option. Unfortunately with prices ranging from $150 – $250 an hour, they can be expensive, especially for young adults. That’s why we’ve outlined our 6 best ways to save money on a Charleston party bus! These range from the time of day and night of week, to group size, ride type and other money-saving strategies. Ready to save your wallet and have a blast doing it? Us too!
What is a party bus in Charleston?
Let’s start by getting everyone on the same page when it comes to what makes a vehicle a party bus. Here at Double Black, we insist a party bus has all three of these necessary features: wraparound seating, surround sound speakers and LED mood lighting. The alternative to wraparound seating is row seating, which separates everyone into clusters and fails to provide an intimate experience. Wraparound seating also provides ample room in the middle for a mobile dance floor! Surround sound speakers are a given if you’re going to have music which is necessary for a party. LED mood lighting is also necessary because otherwise it feels like you’re just on a regular bus.
A couple of additional features that all of Double Black’s buses have are built-in coolers for drinks and TVs. Both of these amenities enhance the overall party experience!
8 Ways to save on a Charleston party bus
#1 Weeknight – Booking a party bus on a weeknight is one of the easiest ways to save money on a party bus. The demand for party buses is exponentially higher on Fridays and Saturdays, which means companies are often willing to offer great discounts on the weeknights. Here at Double Black we offer 20% or more off on Sundays through Thursdays!
#2 Round Trip – A lot of the time you only need a party bus at the beginning and end of your night. This is extremely common for travelers staying in Isle of Palms or Kiawah who want to go out in Downtown Charleston for the night. You can book a round trip service where the party bus will take you into town, usually before dinner around 5 or 6 pm. Then have the bus pick you up once the bars close and take you home. One potential downside to round-trips is that you will most likely have to decide on a specific time to get picked up at night. This means you may not have flexibility to change it to earlier or later the night of, if you’re still having fun downtown.
#3 One-way & Uber home – An alternative to round trip service is to book a party bus for a one-way into Downtown Charleston and then Uber home. This can be a great way to have fun on a party bus as your pregame but then let everyone figure out how they are going to get home on their own. This is a great option if your group is split up between early birds and night owls. It’s also much easier to find an Uber downtown then it is on Isle of Palms or Kiawah.
Pro Tip: We recommend taking the scenic route on your one-way so you still get your fill of being on a party bus. Have it drive you around for 1 – 2 hours before being dropped off. One of our favorite pit stops is the Battery for beautiful pictures on the water.
#4 Daytime – Booking a party bus during the daytime is a great way to save 10% or more. Similar to weekends, nighttime is in much higher demand than the daytime which means lower prices. Daytime party buses are great for boat outings, brewery crawls, golf outings or a boozy brunch! It’s also great for people staying downtown who want to get off of the peninsula, since you’ll be able to walk to most of the bars at night.
#5 Big Group – Arguably the best way to save money on a party bus is by filling it to capacity. This way you don’t have to sacrifice the duration or the time of the event. If you have a group of 25 people on a $1,000 party bus, that’s only $40 a person!
#6 Off-Season – Similar to daytime and weeknights, the off-season is a great opportunity to save big on a party bus. Charleston’s travel season is extremely seasonal and you can take advantage of HUGE savings in the winter!
#7 Quote it Out – You will want to get quotes from all of the party bus providers in the area to guarantee that you are getting the best rate & bus for your needs. That way you make sure you are taking advantage of all of the possible discounts available!
#8 Booking with Double Black – You can save the most money using all of the previously listed methods with Double Black Transportation! Our discounts include weeknight, roundtrip, daytime, local, multi-day, last minute and more! Don’t believe us? Get quotes from all of the various providers throughout Charleston and we guarantee you that we’ll be the lowest. If we’re not the lowest price, we’ll match it with an additional 15% off of the next best price!
Conclusion – Save on your next Charleston party bus
A party bus in Charleston, SC is a luxury item and will cost you hundreds of dollars at the very least. That does not mean there isn’t ways to save money and have fun doing it. We hope this guide has given you some great tips on how to lower the price on your next Charleston party bus. Give Double Black a call if you want the best party bus experience for the lowest price in Charleston!