When people think about going away for a long weekend with their friends, partner or just solo, they tend to think of good old Las Vegas, Nevada. The city is well known for being a great place to let loose and party, and let's be honest, a lot of people need that from time to time. It doesn't matter if you're 21 or 61, life and work can get you down sometimes - and you need to be able to have some kind of release from that.

Alas, while Vegas is a more than an acceptable option, we're here to provide you with a few alternatives for argument's sake. A handful of these cities with surprise you by their inclusion and others will straight up baffle you, but for the most part, you'll probably be able to understand the appeal of them - by name value alone, for the most part.

Having a good reputation as a city can mean a number of different things, but when it comes to hitting that 'party' type atmosphere whilst balancing all of the other factors involved in improving your tourism, it can be tricky. That's why we've picked these cities because, for the most part, we believe that they've found that balance quite well.

You're probably going to favour one or two above all of the others, and that makes sense, because personal preferences work in different ways as you'd expect. Alas, you should definitely give as many of these a go as you possibly can, because you never know - you just might discover something new about yourself in the process.

20 New York City - The Big Apple

It should come as no surprise to see the city that never sleeps in this list, especially given that it's one of the primary cities in North America when it comes to tourism. The place is just full of incredible things to do and see over the course of a weekend, and it'd be damn near impossible for us to list them all.

The music, the bars, the culture, the food - all of that and so much more makes it a place that you quite literally will never want to leave. It's not everyone's cup of tea and we can appreciate that, but for the most part, it lives up to the hype and then some.

19 Cancun - Utter Bedlam

Selling Cancun to someone who is up for a fun and crazy weekend is hardly going to be a tough thing to do, especially if you know literally anything about the place. Sure, the level of sketchy activity needs to be rectified and it's far from perfect, but just think of the anarchy during Spring Break.

The great weather and the white sand beaches will likely help when it comes to convincing those of you who are on the fence, and to be honest, we don't blame you for being on the fence. It's just that when you throw out the term 'crazy', it's difficult not to let Cancun slip into your mind.

18 Dublin - The Pride Of The Irish

Ireland is a wonderful country from the countryside itself to the hustle and bustle associated with the main towns and cities, but let's be honest, there's one very specific holiday that reigns supreme above all others in this nation: and that's St Patrick's Day.

The occasion will fall on a Sunday in 2019, and you'd best believe that Dublin is one of the very best places that you can enjoy your celebrations. The colour, the noise and the overall atmosphere sucks you in, to the point where you'll be a shadow of your former self by the time you get on a flight back home (in a good way).

17 Bristol - Student Central

Bristol is a pretty unconventional selection when compared to some of the bigger options, but all you need to do is look at the student nightlife there. There are a series of different colleges and universities that enjoy the endless bars, clubs and house parties that Bristol has to offer.

From an aesthetic standpoint it's pretty gorgeous, too, and if you want a different change of pace then you can always head to the Hippodrome. Oh, and did we mention that there are bars that will let you eat and drink in the streets with your friends?

It doesn't sound all too special, but we just get a really good vibe from the place.

16 Barcelona - The Best Of Both Worlds

You won't be short on discovering pieces of cultural significance in Barcelona, especially if you've got a whole weekend to explore the city. In addition to that, though, Barca is also well known for having a great nightlife.

A night down Las Ramblas will be more than enough to satisfy your needs, with a trip to the Nou Camp for a game also being highly recommended. It should go without saying, really, but Barcelona is pretty underrated, and we want the travellers of the world to start recognising that by heading to Spain and experiencing the place for themselves.

15 Bangkok - Get Ready For Madness

You may have seen The Hangover Part 2 and thought that it was all a little bit over the top, but trust us when we tell you that they didn't even scratch the surface of what Bangkok was capable of.

It truly does feel like there are no rules over there and while that can sound pretty daunting, and understandably so, you should look at the positive side of things. After all, it's no worse than what you'd be in store for over in Vegas, and in Thailand, you'll be able to sample an entirely different culture whilst also enjoying some of the finest food to be found around the continent.

14 Miami - Hip And Trendy

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Miami is a great party city, because it's been that way for years now. Back in the 80s and 90s, the Florida destination was a hub for all things 'vibrant', with the bright lights and stylish clothes bringing in celebrities from around the globe.

While it's not quite on that level in the present day it certainly still has a certain spark to it, even if you're more likely to have a good time when you've got a few more pennies in your pocket. Still, that can be true of many different options from this list, so perhaps you need to go with the 'you only live once' mentality.

13 Rio de Janeiro - Welcome To Brazil

Brazil is intimidating, Brazil is in desperate need of renovation, and Brazil is a country with a parade of issues. Alas, a lot of people choose to counteract these arguments by proclaiming Rio to be one of the greatest cities in the world - and we aren't going to disagree with them on that.

When the people of Rio de Janeiro are in top form they really do leave the rest of the planet in the dust, because they're just so infectious. You can't help but get caught up in the excitement of a major event or party over there, which is probably why they hosted the World Cup and the Summer Olympics in a two-year span.

12 Buenos Aires - The Dark Horse

We're going to remain in South America for a city that not only has all of the benefits that Rio does but also doesn't have anywhere near as many issues. The capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, is a really remarkable place and it deserves to be treated as such.

There's so much to see and learn about the history of the country and the city specifically, with things coming to life at night. On one hand you've got the bars and clubs full of travellers from around the globe, and on the other hand, you've got the always illustrious wine scene.

11 Cabo San Lucas - Escape Your Problems

As the premier alternative to Cancun, Cabo attempts to set itself apart by being the 'classy' side of the equation. Without wanting to dump on one of our other entries, we can't help but agree with that assessment in pretty much every way.

If you're heading to Cabo then we're pretty confident that you can afford to go on several holidays a year, because that's the kind of luxury that we're talking about here. It's an absolute goldmine when it comes to the standard definition of 'having a good time', and we can truly say that you'll feel like you're in paradise here.

10 Chicago - Welcome To The Windy City

If you head to Chicago for a long weekend and you don't leave thinking that you've had the best time of your life, then something has gone dramatically wrong along the way. From the tasty pizza to the fantastic personalities that you'll discover throughout the city, Chicago is just awesome.

The tourism rate has gone up there pretty rapidly in the last few years, and it's hardly any surprise as to why. The sports teams there often serve as a good place to start when it comes to planning your itinerary and believe us when we tell you that you don't even need to be a fan of the associated sport in order to have fun.

9 Hamburg - Dramatically Underrated

Hamburg is often cast aside as being nothing more than a party city, but we respectfully disagree. It's a hub for all things good in regards to Germany as a country, and in equal measure, it allows you to let your hair down and enjoy yourself. What more could you ask for?

Miniatur Wunderland is one of the many examples of attractions that give you something to do in your downtime from partying, and if you're into prisons, then you'll soon discover that there's an absolutely massive one that can be found in the middle of the city. Sometimes, you'll even see prisoners staring out at you from their cells...

8 Seoul - Asia’s Hidden Gem

Asia, as a continent, isn't somewhere that many people will look to and think of a party. Alas, those stereotypes couldn't be any further from the truth, with Seoul, South Korea being a shining example of that. The city is gorgeous, it comes alive at night, and while this may not always be a big factor, it's incredibly clean.

It's one of those cities that is just a fun place to be and for the most part, the people there seem to be absolutely loving life. The views are also important here, too, with the mountains making you feel like you're enclosed on an island of some sort. Trust us, it's great.

7 New Orleans - Let The Good Times Roll

New Orleans provides tough competition to Las Vegas when it comes to which is the best party city in the United States of America, but to be perfectly honest, we'd give the edge to NOLA. With Vegas, it feels like you'll always be dying to leave after a specific amount of time, whereas with New Orleans, you could stay there forever and not get bored.

Bourbon Street is the primary source of entertainment in NOLA, and with everything being in walking distance, it makes it the perfect place to chill out and have a good time. Honestly, if you bring a decent amount of spending money, then you're in for one hell of a ride.

6 Berlin - Go Underground

One of the best things about Berlin, to put it bluntly, is just how overwhelmingly big it is. There are so many different options in terms of having a good time, whether it be during the day, or more likely, at night.

Heading to underground parties tends to be a popular theme over there, mainly because it just gives you something 'new' in the realm of partying and letting loose. They have plenty of alternatives in the ways of bars and clubs, though, and we don't need to tell you that the food in Germany is to die for (but we're going to anyway).

5 Manchester - Be Alternative

London is great and all, but if you want a truly crazy experience then head on up to Manchester in the north of England. Not only is it much, much cheaper, but there's also just so much going on for a city that isn't even considered to be that big.

From house parties to really cool museums to sporting excellence, the options are there for everyone to see. Manchester is one of the happiest cities on Earth and the people there will confirm that claim, but don't take our word from it - go and enjoy everything it has to offer for yourself. You won't regret it.

4 Prague - Cheap As Chips

What do you get when you combine a gorgeous city with somewhere that's incredibly cheap and also has some great architecture? Well, you get this entry, as well as our next one. Prague is at the forefront of Czech culture, and as you can imagine, there are quite a few layers that come with that.

Whether it's hot or it's cold, you'll be able to have an absolutely mental weekend away in Prague, and that's pretty much a guarantee. They've got everything you could possibly imagine in the ways of entertainment, even if all you want to do is look around and admire your beautiful surroundings.

3 Budapest - The Secret Crazy Side

Without wanting to get away from how gorgeous Prague is, Budapest is considered to be the 'big brother' of Prague in more ways than one. It's just as cheap but has a few more food and drink options. It's just as enjoyable, but it has a few more avenues for having a good time, meaning a little bit more variety.

Europe is vast and Europe is, in many ways, a mystery. But what isn't a mystery is this statement: Budapest is the best city on the continent. A long weekend certainly sounds like a good idea, but in reality, a week here still isn't enough.

Words don't do it justice, and that's just the way it is.

2 Ibiza - The Definition Of A Good Time

Y'all ready for this? (Sorry).

Ibiza may be categorised as an island by definition, but in reality, it's a city, and we all know that to be true. From the quiet side where you can chill out with your family to the non-stop anarchy of the party scene, you'll almost certainly leave Ibiza as a different individual to when you arrived.

But like we've said already, that isn't a bad thing, and in fact, it can open your eyes to who you really are as a person. This isn't something that everyone needs to do because it can take a lot out of you, but life is about adventures, and you'd best believe this is a big one.

1 Amsterdam - Quite The Reputation

What is there to be said about Amsterdam that hasn't been said already? We all know what the place is famous for and we all know that it can be a little bit of the expensive side, but if you've got a good head on your shoulders, then you'll know that there's so much more to it than that.

The museums are great, the culinary options are divine, and it's a pretty stunning city all in all. Amsterdam is a home away from home and that isn't something we say lightly, because a lot of our entries thus far don't fit that description.

Amsterdam does, and you need to let the stereotypes wash away. Get on a plane, head to 'Dam, and let your mind and soul wander.