What is California’s best ‘party city’? Hint: It’s not L.A. or San Francisco
Looking for California’s best “party city”? Forget Los Angeles and San Francisco, according to a new study by Bonus Finder.
You should head to the Central Valley instead.
The casino review website recently ranked the Best Party Cities in the US for 2025, comparing more than 170 U.S. cities based on factors including nightlife, drink prices and the number of hotels.
“No matter what kind of party you’re looking for — whether it’s an all-night casino extravaganza, a beachside bar crawl, or a jazz-filled evening in the Big Easy — these cities have you covered,” Bonus Finder said in a March 19 article. “With options ranging from laid-back coastal vibes to high-energy nightlife that never stops, there’s truly something for everyone.”
Key West, Florida, took the No. 1 spot, thanks in part to its thriving hotel industry and abundance of last-night food options, Bonus Finder said.
“With an unbeatable nightlife scene, an endless supply of bars and clubs and a reputation for non-stop celebrations, this tropical paradise is the place to be for anyone looking to let loose,” the site said, awarding Key West an overall score of 8.95 out of 10.
Another Florida location, Panama City, took second place, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, came in third.
Here’s which California cities made the list:
Why is Modesto the best ‘party city’ in California?
Modesto was the highest-ranking California city on Bonus Finder’s list of the “ultimate best party destinations for 2025,” landing at No. 137.
The Stanislaus County city, which had a population of 218,915 people in 2023, had an overall score of 6.77 out of 10.
According to Bonus Finder, Modesto earned high scores for its nightlife, affordable drink prices, hotel rooms and fast-food meals.
Modesto’s status as a top party city may come as a surprise to some — including Reddit user SirSilicon, who asked “Are there any amazing dance, nightclub or concert establishments in the 209?” in a July post on the social media site.
“Don’t be fooled,” Reddit user Sweet_dis_po_sition replied in a comment. “The nightlife in Modesto is great. Especially for an outsider without the ‘I hate Modesto’ mentality.”
“The night life is here,” Reddit user jaimeeallover wrote in a comment on a separate post in March 2024. “You just can’t expect it to be big city vibes lol.”
What are top California cities for parties?
Bonus Finder ranked a total of 17 California cities among the best places to party in the nation, including Fresno, which landed at No. 145 on the list, and Sacramento, which was No. 152.
According to the site, these 10 Golden State spots scored the highest:
- Modesto
- Monterey
- Fresno
- Sacramento
- San Diego
- Bakersfield
- San Francisco
- Stockton
- Santa Ana
- Long Beach
Where are the top 10 party cities in US?
These 10 party cities ranked the highest in the United States, according to BonusFinder.com:
- Key West, Florida
- Panama City, Florida
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Daytona Beach, Florida
- Biloxi, Mississippi
- Las Vegas
- Charleston, West Virginia
- Reno, Nevada
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Albany, New York
How did casino review website Bonus Finder come up with rankings?
To determine the best party cities in the United States, Bonus Finder said it analyzed more than 100 cities across the country based on 14 key factors, including:
- Number of late-night food venues per 10,000 people
- Number of hotels
- Number of casinos and cardrooms
- Time of last call at the bar
- Average number of parties on a special weekend
- Average number of concerts on a regular weekend
- Average number of festivals
- Average price of a meal at a fast food restaurant
- Safety index
Each city was given a normalized score out of 10 on each factor before getting an average total normalized score to reach the final overall score out of 10, Bonus Finder said.
Sources for data included the U.S. Census Bureau, Ticketmaster, Tripadvisor and Music Festival Wizard.
