Hands clinking champagne glasses at a hen party

Top 10 hen party activities and ideas

Hen parties are a perfect excuse for a bride-to-be to blow off some steam and enjoy quality time with her best friends – so we’ve picked out 10 hen party ideas to help you decide the best way to celebrate the final blowout before your wedding!

Whether you’re in the market for some classy hen night ideas or some hen do activities that are a little more unusual, we’ve picked out 10 themes that will make sure your celebration is a memorable one.

Hen party ideas

Not really feeling the usual hen do ideas of a cheesy, boozy night out? Whether you’re more into some chill wellness-inspired hen party activities like a spa day or pottery making, or if you want to enjoy classy hen night ideas like getting all glammed up for a day at the races or cocktail making, here are some great ideas that will suit any bride-to-be.

Cocktail making

One way to please everyone on a hen do, including those seeking a bit of mental stimulation and those who just want to cut loose, is to book a cocktail making masterclass. The guests who get their kicks from learning a new skill will be delighted to pick up tips from an expert on how to create impressive party drinks, while those who just want to go wild can focus on the tasting part of the day, which is sure to do the trick! Need a bit of inspiration? Check out our guide to the best gin cocktail recipes – and if you want to make try cocktail making at home, make sure you order a bottle of award-winning Salcombe gin with a thortful card for the bride-to-be.

Yoga retreat

The best hen party ideas don’t always have to involve inebriation, and there is another buzz altogether to be found in getting together for a yoga retreat. Few hen party activities create a bond of togetherness quite like spending a weekend enjoying quiet relaxation in serene surroundings, exercising your joints and muscles, and nourishing body and mind with some healthy food and drink.

Spa weekend

Somewhere between a cocktail-making party and a yoga retreat on the hen do activity spectrum lies the spa weekend, which combines the health benefits of hot water treatments, massages and facials with the indulgence of whatever food and drink takes your fancy. Did someone say prosecco in a hot tub? We’ve got you covered – order a bottle of sparkling wine from Nyetimber with any card as a gift for the bride-to-be.

A group of women having a picnic and laughing. Spa weekends make great hen party ideas

Day at the races

There’s something about horse racing that turns even the most civilised groups of hens into raucous gangs of spectacularly dressed gambling fiends. A hen do at the races will likely start with everybody looking their absolute best, with hats a particular focal point and maybe even something of an audacious competition, but don’t be surprised if the day ends with the horses you’ve spent the afternoon cheering on being much better behaved than your guests!

Karaoke

Looking for surefire hen party ideas that will please pretty much everyone on a hen do? Book a karaoke booth for the evening. Those who love to sing will be absolutely over the moon at having a captive audience to serenade and a limitless choice of songs to perform, while anyone who feels uncomfortable holding the microphone can simply kick back and enjoy having their drinks and refreshments served to the room while enjoying – or laughing at – the efforts of those who choose to sing. Karaoke has a knack of creating some serious solidarity at a hen party, so don’t be surprised if you’re all arm-in-arm singing Sweet Caroline by the end.

Music festival

It has become more and more common to see both hen parties and stag dos taking place at all manner of different music festivals, and for good reason. A festival has everything you need, from live music throughout the day, to big tents where you can drink and enjoy pop-up food stalls, to fairground rides and thousands of people to meet and party with. You might even want to combine the hen and the stag at the same festival for some added excitement to proceedings! Check out our stag do pranks article if you want the inside track on tricks to pull on hens and stags, too.

Pottery making

It might not sound like the most exciting of hen party ideas, but a pottery making class can provide plenty of laughs as well as a chance for your guests to really express themselves while getting covered in clay. There will certainly be no shortage of opportunity for innuendo as you all sit with a big slippery mound of clay between your hands, and that classic Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze scene from the film Ghost will be on people’s minds, adding an air of romance to the atmosphere as you surprise each other with your crafty abilities.

Three women toasting with champagne glasses at a hen party

Cookery class

Food is a great focal point for any party and the key to many people’s hearts, so why not consider a cookery class among your hen party ideas. Enlisting the help of an expert to take you through the steps of creating challenging dishes, such as authentic Indian curries, elegant Japanese sushi, or spectacular Italian pasta

Bottomless brunch

The concept of a bottomless brunch has emerged as one of the most popular hen do activities of the last 10 years, and involves a set period of time at a bar, restaurant or bistro where unlimited drinks are available and covered by the price of the meal. These events have become hugely popular and tend to involve indulgent food that will look great on your Instagram feed while you get your hen party off to a supercharged start with an hour or two of bottomless gin and tonics, Prosecco, beers and wines.

Movie night

Of course, all these days and nights out might sound like your hen’s worst nightmares, and if that’s the case there’s absolutely no reason not to plan a fantastic night in for your hen party. A movie night can be the ideal activity, giving you and your guests the opportunity to get into comfy pyjamas or onesies, grab bucketloads of popcorn, ice cream, sweets and treats, and snuggle down on sofas, cushions, soft blankets and beanbags for a night of cinematic favourites. You could pick a classic trilogy, like Back to the Future, or a sing-along franchise like High School Musical. You could even add in a drinking game as a twist, such as watching a teen movie and having everyone take a drink every time there are tears or kisses on screen!

 

Get planning the perfect hen party activities, and see your single life off in style. Looking for some more inspo? We’ve got tips on hen do fancy dress themes and stag do fancy dress themes, And for more party ideas, head to the thortful blog.