Unconventional St. Patrick's Day Trip Ideas

St. Patrick's Day 2017 falls on a Friday, so if sticking around town to check out the lame old parade doesn't sound fun for you, pack up and head out! Dublin, Ireland might be one of the best places to celebrate the holiday, but it's not the only place that's worth traveling to. There are tons of places around the globe that have taken on or built their own St. Patrick's Day traditions — and are definitely worth visiting.

Irish communities are all over the world, in so many nooks and crannies of the nation and overseas. If you're looking for an adventure, you might want to consider checking out one of these St. Patty's Day vacation destinations. Not to mention, with all the competition you might get yourself a sweet deal on airfare and lodging. Because while everyone's heading out to Dublin, you could be considering a trip to Phoenix, Arizona or even Monréal, Canada, in addition a few other totally surprising places that you never knew you wanted to spend your St. Patricks Day at. Trust me: They're all just as festive, if not moreso, than the classic destinations like Ireland and New York City.

Here are a few options if you've got wanderlust and a deep appreciation for the green and celebratory holiday:

Boston, Massachusetts

As the Irish capital of the United States, Boston does St. Patrick's Day right.

Savannah, Georgia

Not an obvious choice, but with the annual green dying of the Forsyth Park fountain, it's definitely a place worth visiting, especially if it was already on your bucket list. Savannah is a totally magical town and they make a big stinkin' deal about St. Patrick's Day. Expect parties all weekend and a lot of friendly southerners who want to show you a good time.

Chicago, Illinois

If you're looking for a metropolitan getaway that's not NYC, the windy city is a worthwhile St. Patrick's Day destination. The Chicago river dyed green is definitely a sight to be seen, and totally worth the trip for the 'gram.

Phoenix, Arizona

You might not have known about the Irish population in Phoenix, but they're there. And they like to celebrate. Expect parades with tons of entertainment. Irish step dancers, bag pipers and get this — a petting zoo.

Portland, Oregon

Kells St. Patrick's Irish festival starts on Friday, Mar. 17, with live music, dancing, and bagpipes in both the pubs and tents. Stick around for the festivities on Saturday which include the 7th annual black tie "smoker" — a boxing event that matches Golden Glove boxers from Ireland against the best of the USA amateur fighters.

Montréal, Canada

The Montréal St. Patrick’s Parade has never once been cancelled, even in a snow storm. This parade started in 1824, lasts for three hours and takes over the entire city. Nearly every pub, bar, and restaurant will be celebrating. Talk about dedication!

Padua, Italy

Padua, Italy hosts “Irlanda In Festa”, a five-day festival dedicated to the celebration of the St. Patrick´s Day. Fun fact: this area doesn't even have that many Irish community members, they just really like the holiday. So much so, it's one of the largest celebrations in Europe.

Belfast, Ireland

Everyone's going to Dublin, but the party is really in the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast. There's a huge parade with concerts and parties that last all day and into the night. The entire (small) community comes out to celebrate together.

Paris, France

While it might be the expats that make this holiday special in Paris, it's definitely special nonetheless. Enjoy city-wide Irish drink specials and lots of merriment. Paris is happy to adopt new traditions.