Each bride is different, and no matter what their style of bridal prep is, each one deserves to have a hen party weekend uniquely tailored to her interests.
Hen parties in the UK are becoming a huge part of the bridal journey – whether the bride is a keen party girl, someone who appreciates a quiet break, an indulgent spa fan or an adventurous activity lady.
It can be tough to decide where to host a hen party, and obviously with abroad destinations having guaranteed nicer weather, it has been tempting to book a cheeky long weekend to Spain. However, with the up and down 2020 year in regards to travel, lots of 2021 brides are returning to good old UK destination breaks to celebrate their last weekend of freedom.
Unsure where to head to? Here are five of the most popular cities in the UK to have a fun filled hen party break one, and things you can do in each one:
Bath
If you’ve visited the West Country before or you’re from this particular end of the UK, you’ll appreciate that Bath is a on of the most breathtakingly beautiful Georgian cities. It can be referred to as one of the more premium and luxury destinations to visit in the area for a hen weekend, attracting those who love a relaxing pamper, discovering quality eateries, and being surrounding with by a city that is well and truly looked after.
When choosing Bath as a place to stay, you’ll find an abundance of town houses inside the city, yet if you wish to stay in a cosier cottage, you can find many old, country-esque looking places on the outskirts, close to traditional pubs and acres of land. Bath is one of the cities that really does offer it all: a thriving nightlife for those who want to explore cocktail bars, a combination of independent and chain restaurants for the foodies, and of course, it’s steeped in history, from discovering the thermea bath spa and Bath Pump Room, to the open bus tours which browese the city and champagne afternoon tea’s for that touch of glamour.
If you’re considering a Hen weekend in Bath, it offers so much for all ages and tastes.
Edinburgh
Are you picturing a classy hen party in a stylish private cocktail bar sipping on Espresso Martinis? How about a rooftop bar, or even a night at an old school boozer? Perhaps you prefer a hipster scene, followed with market shopping and on foot tours of the city?
Everything mentioned above can be covered in the cosmopolitan city of Edinburgh. You have the Old Town for learning about the history and exploring the ghost tours and spooky side of the town. It also offers some of the most quirky places to eat and drink, with an abundance of unique bars. You’ll find so many jazz themed bars and live music venues which can make a hen-party that little bit different.
Then of course, you have the New Town. Here you can expect more upmarket bars and restaurants, along with the designer and luxury shopping scene. A perfect mix for a large hen party group could involve an open top bus tour of the city during the day, followed by afternoon tea at a hotel with views of the city (you’ll find Edinburgh doesn’t build high rise), a bit of shopping, a ghost tour one evening, and a night or two filled with tasty food and incredible cocktails at a rooftop bar!
Cardiff
Wales has always been a top hen party destination, however those who aren’t too familiar with the place can struggle sometimes to know where exactly to look into. For a Hen do in Cardiff, you’ll find that it packs in so many options for a fun-filled weekend. It’s name the sixth best shopping destination in Britain, as the city has recently had a huge facelift and is now a city loaded with options and actitivites to suit all sorts of hen parties.
You have The Bay, which is now a modern and pretty place to head to with your group if you wish to chill, eat and party. If you go during the Summer months, it’s perfect to relax and enjoy the glorious views from across the water.
If you’re after a laugh-a-minute, bonding type of hen weekend, Cardiff is an amazing choice as it offers so many Welsh games that can get the group socialising and it means there is literally never a dull moment. The Welsh Games can be booked as part of the hen weekend as a great activity for those guaranteed laughs from start to finish. They are Welsh themed games all themed around inflatable games, designed for all ages and levels so everyone in the group can join in. If you’re the maid of honour, you can book these for the hen as part of a surprise!
The games involve 9 activities in total, each with a different Welsh theme so it’s even more personal if you haven’t visited Wales often before. You can choose options like running down the bungee rope rugby run and being twanged back on to the giant inflatable runway, or having a go at wrestling in giant Dafydd sumo suits to bring out a competitive side! From inflatable rubber rings to pull the pit pony tug of war, the games are the ideal ice-breaker for a weekend trip away and will certainly make it a hen weekend to remember.
London
London may seem a strange choice for some hen party groups, however you just have to know how to crack the city in order to get the best hen experience from it.
Firstly, if people in the group haven’t been to the city before, then you have so many activities you can do which introduce you to London with that good old British heritage theme. Bus tours, Madam Tussauds, The London Eye, The Shard, Borough Market, Oxford Street shopping, Thames Boat tours… and that’s just the typical standard ones!
If you have been to London before and explored the main attractions, then its worth trying to explore the hidden gems of the city for a truly ‘local’ type of weekend. Camden is home to some of the quirkiest bars and eateries you’ll find across the city, Bermondsey is close to The Shard yet has it’s own high street with unique shops and cocktail bars like no others, and the West End is filled with Theatres with all kinds of shows and entertainments. There’s always a market popping up somewhere, karaoke bars offering private pods, and bottomless brunches of every different theme possible!
York
For those who really want to capture a truly magical, traditional city steeped in history for a hen weekend to remember, York could be the one. This city oozes sophisticated, and attracts a wide range of ages from the younger crowds to the older members of the family.
If you didn’t know, unexpectedly York has one of the best new music scenes in the UK, filled with superb clubs. Along with some of the loveliest tea rooms, it is also home to some of the world’s finest chocolate, so it’s a lovely place for the foodies out there! Many people try to tie in their York hen weekend with the York Races, which is a great idea if you all want an excuse to get dressed up, drink bottles of prosecco and spend the day outdoors having a rather classy day. Then, you can fill any other spare time splashing your cash at The Shambles – one of the cutest and more quaint shopping streets in the UK. It’s original cobble makes it look like something from a film.
The Rive Ouse is also nearby, which is the place to find some of the craft ale pubs and family ran bars, giving you a break from any chain places and that touch of character. Alongside exploring the city, you’ll find so many places offer activities like life drawing, cocktail classes, dungeon tours and mystery wine tasting too. Again, you won’t be bored!
Picking something unique
At the end of the day, choosing a hen party that incorporates something a little different, binds people together and brings plenty of laughs is the key to a successful hen weekend, no matter where you go. The Welsh Games as mentioned above on a hen trip to Cardiff is one that sticks out to me as being the ‘wow factor’, and something I’ll certainly be looking at when it comes to planning my own hen party!
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