Bristol is an energetic vibrant city full of quirky events, creatives, unique food and drinks and top-class energy- a perfect place for hen nights at of every type at every price point. I have curated a list of fun, affordable ideas to get the best of the city on your special night. I’ve even got DIY options to avoid hen night ‘price hikes’.
We have curated Bristol’s most fun, quirky and affordable hen party ideas. Our top choices are:
- Active hen do’s: SUP paddle, boat trip to Beeses and outdoor climbing days
- Creative hen dos: graffiti workshops, pottery and pints, magic and cocktail making
- Hen dos for large groups and kids: Group dance party, group yoga classes
- Free hen dos in Bristol: Parkrun and Brunch in Clifton, Clevedon marine pool swim and BBQ
We’ve found the best options and prices and curated lists including these favourites above and many more. This page has links to all our ideas and some extra bits of inspiration.
Best creative hen do ideas
Options for creative hen do’s in Bristol include graffiti workshops, salsa evenings, cocktails and magic, mobile craft workshops, dance classes, pottery, jewellery and much more. We’ve curated some of the best looking sites and options into the table below.
The average cost of these creative hen dos seem to be about £25 per head for bespoke packages and more like £15 or cheaper to buy tickets for larger groups. The cheapest idea here is salsa evenings where lessons can be £5 each and you can head right out dancing after!
| Idea | Description | Price |
| DIY craft kits from the Crafty Hen | They have a huge range; flower crown, rainbow bunting, ceramic painting, garter making, egg cup decorating, fascinator, pom poms, floral wreaths and more! | Prices from £15-25 depending on the activity |
| Jewellery making workshops | From the crafty hen– genuinely pretty and not tacky! | Price from £30-35 per hour |
| Graffiti workshops | Super cool 2 hour Graffiti workshops – take art home with you. they do packages specifically for hen dos | About £32 per head or group discounts |
| Salsa classes/ evenings | Book a salsa workshops and then stay out dancing into the night. Many option in Bristol, check out Salsa Souls or Salsify – completely inclusive and fun! | Tickets to classes around Bristol for £5 £10 |
| Pottery and Pints | A pub, some crafts, a fabulous Saturday afternoon- run at the Coronation in Southville. Look on the peaceful pots website! | Tickets around £28 per adult |
| Cocktails and Magic | Smoke and mirrors magic and comedy bar do cocktail making workshops and experiences with cocktails magic and comedy shows! (You can also hire a magician to a dinner party!) | Tickets from £35 per person |
| Mobile craft workshops | With stunning visuals and bo ho set up- if you’re into crafts check out this website: Hunter Gatherings for mobile craft workshops that come to you including Calligraphy, knicker decorating, painting tote bags, sash making flower crowns and paper cutting | From £32 per person (min 8) |
| Musical Theatre Dance class | Pull together a routine from a classic musical in this dance class– a performance and free to as many spectators as you like- this is unique and bound to bring a lot of laughs! Very inclusive to anyone. | From £25 per head |
Of course, if your budget doesn’t allow- some of these options could be re-created at home- with plenty of bubbly, Wilko craft supplied and some you tubing!
Top Bristol hen dos for large groups with kids
For larger hen dos with children, and friends of all ages and interests, you might love to take a boat trip up the river for some drinks at Beeses; A themed dance party; (90’s ABBA or Disney), or; A group yoga class and brunch. These are options where there’s something for everyone- and numbers can be flexible. These hen dos are great for Kids too!
| Group Yoga class | It’s fun and enjoyable for the group- could even consider alfresco yoga on a nice day- or have a teacher over to your house or garden. Many places offer-one example is More Balanced Living who also do retreat options | ~£50 for the class |
| Group dance Party | Themed dance party workshops; 80’s 90’s Abba, Beyonce, Belly dance, Dirty dancing- prep for a riot- this looks like a laugh. | About £25 per head |
| Boat Trips | Ranging from afternoon tea cruises- cruises with stunning views up the gorge, Sunday drinks at Beeses bar or private hire for events- this could be a really fun group activity! | Tickets from £21 per adult |
Best food and drink hen night ideas
If food is your thing, this list is for you!
For food themed fun, cooking workshops, brewery and tasting tours, bottomless brunches, afternoon teas and cocktail making are the best hen night options! Below is a curated list of places you might like to try!
| Cooking workshops (+BYOB) | Fun, high spirited cooking classes at cook it! Italian, Mexican, Wine appetiser, Spanish Tapas- they have all the options- Including BYOB. Well versed in party packages | ~£60/head and cheaper for groups but depends on size |
| Wine Tasting | Many options for where- check out Clifton Wine School, Kask wine (who also have pocket friendly options!) and Wine unearthed as our first recommendations | Best to book package- check Yupp or stagandhen for these |
| Brewery tours and tasting | Check out Moor Beer or Bristol Beer Factory– you can book a private tour- and stay for drinks after. | Size/drink quantity dependent ~£20 inc. 3 drinks |
| Bottomless brunch | Bristol hosts amazing bottomless brunch spots- check out Secret Bristol‘s guide to the top spots. We recommend Lost & Found | Lost and found £30 per head |
| Afternoon tea | Check out Travel Bristol’s guide to the best afternoon tea spots in town. We love Ashwell and Co– for a stunning, unique vintage tea experience | Ashwell and co. (£20-£25) but this is top end |
| Cocktail making masterclass | There are many but we recommend Milk Thistle and The Florist for a perfect private hen experience | (the Florist- £25 per person) |
You could also check out our guides to comedy in Bristol, or our Guide to Bristol’s best music venues.
Top cheap or free hen party activities in Bristol
The best ideas for free or very cheap hen party ideas include a wild swim and BBQ, Park run and brunch with a view, a sunset BBQ on Troopers hill and a group cycle trip to Bath. We listed ideas with a bit more inspiration in this table below.
| Clevedon Swim and BBQ | Clevedon is a beach town about 25-20 min drive from Bristol (accessible by bus) with a huge marine lake pool. It’s free and there is space around the sides where people can bring chairs BBQs and have an almost beach day! It’s concrete and the water (outside of summer) is cold but those who choose to come and sit rather than swim can enjoy the afternoon sunset and snacks or BBQ you bring- and there’s fish and chips, ice cream a playground for kids and a pub right there! | Free (+fish and chips) |
| Ashton Court park run and Clifton Brunch | Park run is a worldwide Saturday morning specular- completely free and volunteer led. They organise 5k runs or walks at 9am- the vibe is so high I cannot recommend enough! I’ve seen hen parties there before if you tell the organisers they’ll probably do a shutout. It’s a super inclusive event- buggies, families and dogs join in and there is fantastic spirit. Suggestion: do the run and follow it by brunch in Clifton- or a brunch picnic overlooking the suspension bridge. | Free + Brunch |
| Beach day trip (Surf or games) | It’s worth travelling a little further for a stunning beach but if you can arrange transport- Rhossili bay, Porthcawl and Croyde are all about a 2 hour drive from Bristol. You could rent surfboards (ring ahead if large group) for those who are keen. For those who aren’t bring a rounders set and play beach games followed by a BBQ and sunset. | Free + car fuel + surf hire |
| Troopers Hill BBQ | Troopers hill is a gorgeous huge park in St George with mega views over the city. Get a take away as a picnic and bring drinks, games and maybe a (respectfully loud) speaker. Fantastic spot to watch the sunset over the city- and a great view if there are any balloon flights that day. You could do similar in stoke park or on the mound. | Free |
| Group cycle trip to bath | For a very active day cycle the 13 mile cycle route from temple meads station to bath! It would take in experienced cyclists around 2-2.5 hours- manageable especially if you stop for a picnic. Have a drink and pub lunch in bath and you can book your bike a spot on the train back if you’re done with cycling! | Free + train + food |
Active and sporty Hen do ideas in Bristol
This list of the best active hen do activities in Bristol includes: Frisbee golf, SUP, sail, outdoor climbing, bike trips and yurt glamping. Prices range form £7 per head to £50 per head- and possible even more depending how far out you go!
| Frisbee golf or football golf | Ashton court have courses to play- a fantastic fun activity- plenty of change to have a laugh at yourself- and super cheap. Follow by picnic or cans in the park or head to a pub in Clifton- maybe the Avon Hotel with insane views over the suspension bridge. (Link here) | £7 per adult |
| Leap of Faith | s a high adrenaline option and one of many outdoor activities in an adventure centre in Bristol. They do special packages for hen do’s- see the page here. The place offer a whole range of activities including bubble football, climbing, axe throwing and outdoor escape challenges.Pair this with a BYOB curry or cheap and cheerful pizza after. | £35 or £55 for two activities |
| Sup Kayak or sail on the harbour | Pick from Stand up Paddle, Kayaking, Canoeing or Sailing. You’ll be on the water in central Bristol- and there’s no shortage of harbourside venues for a dinner or drink after! | Cost for group bookings is as little as £20 per head to £60+ for the bigger activities |
| Boat trip and afternoon at Beeses | Beeses is a fantastic bar by the riverside in Bristol- there are boat trip there from central Bristol. Nearby, you can also wild sim in that part of the river- or paddleboard. Go for the afternoon from drinks and a paddle. High vibe and special day. | Boat from town around £21 or go straight there |
| Outdoor climbing day | A super special hen! There are a number of companies- definitely book with quality and safety in mind especially if not all of your party are used to this. Head on out offer bespoke packages for day trips- they also have female only options. There are many companies that do similar things. | hard to give a generic price but it might be around the £100 mark- discuss options with them. |
| The wave- surfing day | An outdoor artificial wave pool– super cool and a great activity for the day. Really fun and a vibe for all weather! | About £40-£65 per head- you can get lessons for £50 per head. |
| Bike hire and group cycle or mountain bike | Hire bikes for the group and go on a cycle day. Visit Bristol have a great page for hire options and route planning. There are great scenic round trip around Bristol, and loads of fantastic mountain bike trails in Leigh woods. | Bike hire from about £30-£50 for a day |
| Yurt Glamping night | Depending on numbers and set ups there are lots of options either to stay at glamping facilities nearby (many in Wye Valley or Brecon Beacons) or if you have a big space- there are tent hire packages from events companies for example small business beaux bell tents. To find these places you can have a google- 2 nice options near Bristol are Hill Farm Tintern and The Firs Campsite but there are many. Canopy under the stars is a great travel agent for affordable luxury glamp night options. | Could be around £50 per head (or less) depending on group configuration |
Hopefully this has given you a taste of what’s out there and you’re feeling inspired!
We hope you have enjoyed this post. We have a number of other great posts about life and food and drink in Bristol, including our guide to great Bristol wine bars, great Bristol gin bars or great classic cocktail bars.
We also have posts about the greatest pizzas in bristol, great Bristol Japanese restaurants and best tapas in bristol. And don’t forget out guides to Bristol’s best burgers, and Bristol’s best Pasta.