By Steve Taggart
Forget the wedding. As the traditional ‘last night of freedom’ becomes a weekend full of activities or stylish city breaks, there’s more pressure than ever to plan the perfect hen or stag do for your mate.
From the livewire bride-to-be to the action-loving groom, we’re almost spoilt for choice.
But don’t go it alone. Hen and stag do specialist, Red7, shares the top ten destinations to get you started, whether you fancy creating your own signature cocktail or paintballing with a crowd of zombies.
Stag destinations:
Prague
This top destination for stags doesn’t just offer famously cheap beer. With plenty of action-packed activities and essential city sights, there’s enough to keep everyone entertained before you start to think about that first pint. Take your pick from shooting packages, including rifles, shotguns and the AK47, hurtling down a bobsleigh track at 40mph, white water rafting down the river Vltava or even – for the most adventurous – naked oil wresting.
Riga
This destination really is for stags looking for an adventure, with quad biking through the Latvian forest, snowmobiling, bobsleighing, shooting and the best paintballing in Eastern Europe. If you really want to get your own back on the stag for stitching you up in the past, you can arrange for him to be kidnapped – please note, you will get him back.
Budapest
Again, we’re talking a lot of cheap beer here, but Budapest also has something to suit everyone. Spend your days taking part in an extreme shooting package or off road 4×4 driving, followed by a river cruise with strippers or a medieval banquet. There are also male-friendly spas to ensure the stag is returned to his fiancé relaxed and showing no signs of a busy weekend.
Bournemouth
This seaside town has a multi-activity centre for a great day out, perfect if you want to stay closer to home in the UK. The group can take part in shooting, blind driving, quad biking and become a human football table all in one place.
Birmingham
This city offers so much more than a good night out. It’s full of vibrant people and with an amazing and diverse scene, Birmingham offers something for everyone. Stags can go paintballing with zombies, have riot training and even do a werewolf combat survival experience.
Hens:
Marbella
This party destination is known for the world’s smallest bar crawl. Offering exclusive access to the VIP area of Linekers, cheeky butlers, beach clubs, cruises and club entry, Marbella is the ultimate package for hens who want a weekend of dancing and cocktails.
Magaluf
Another destination full of party animals and sun seekers that’s always buzzing. This time it’s with booze cruises, bar crawls and for the day time, a pirate show.
Ibiza
Though Ibiza is known for being the ultimate party island, with cruises, priority entry into world famous clubs and beach clubs on offer, there is also the Atzaro spa for the bride-to-be and her hens to take time out to relax.
Brighton
The home of Dream Boys, the Brighton Wheel and ‘It’s a Knockout’, Brighton has everything a hen could wish for. And there are ghost tours and comedy nights alongside the more traditional fantastic Brighton nightlife.
Manchester
This lively northern city offers pretty much everything, and provides an easily accessible destination for hens who are travelling from across the country. With HMS 69, a disco party cruise, lessons in foreplay, zorbing, chocolate making, greyhound racing and indoor ski/snowboarding lessons there is pretty much everything available for the perfect hen do
Photocredit Wikiepedia/Massimo Catarinella