Bath often tops the list for hen dos, but stags can have just as much fun in the city and surrounding countryside. Ideal for a combination of active adventures and city sights, Bath is home to tons of places to get your mates together and celebrate upcoming nuptials.
From soaking in the spa, to getting wet in the River Avon, Bath has many water-based activities that make the most of its natural beauty, but you’ll find lots of adventures on dry land too from outdoor games to stoke competitive spirits, to themed tours for every taste, and more traditional party places.
Of course, lots of activities for hen parties work just as well for stags, but we’ve selected the most popular types of stag do activities that you can do in Bath and divided them up into themes so you can find the best one for your interests!
1. Visit Bath’s Best Bars
Let’s start with the obvious one – if you’re a fan of partying then Bath has plenty of places to wet your whistle. These whisky bars are a good place to start if you’re a fan of the amber spirit, or check out cocktail classes at Sub 13, Beneath (part of Botanist), or Circo if you want to learn how to shake things up.
Bars like Revolution and clubs like Moles and Second Bridge are good spots to rock out on the dance floor, but if you need a sit-down then sports bars like Belushis are a good option, as well as live music at The Bell Inn on Walcot Street, karaoke at The Cork, up-close magic tricks at Sleight Magic Bar, and extreme pub games at Boom Battle Bar.
Take a tour to learn more about how your favourite tipple is brewed (or distilled) – Electric Bear Brewing has a taproom and tours, and The Bath Gin Company combines gin tasting with an informative tour of the distillery, or you can take a cider tour to discover more about our West Country staple.
Want to stay home and still get a taste? Hire a mobile craft beer expert to come and do a tasting in your accommodation instead!
2. Watch A Bath Rugby Game
Catch a game of Bath Rugby together or go all-out and book one of their Saturday party packages, which include all kinds of things from a pre-match three-course meal to a Q&A with players, after-match cheese board, and even a roaming magician if you’d like one.
Typically the season starts in September and ends in May the following year, so most of the year you will find a game that you can go and watch.
Bath’s rugby stadium is smack back in the middle of the city, surrouned by pubs, bars, restaurants and a great nightlife scene.
Games can range from mid-day to a late 19:00 kick off, making it a great start to your stag do, or one half way through your pub crawl!
3. Get Physical
If you’d rather take part in the action, try some outdoor sports from paintball and axe-throwing (not at the same time) to quad biking, and karting.
Bath’s waterways are a fun place to enjoy your stag weekend, with action-packed options like kayaking or paddleboarding offering a way to keep cool on a sunny day, whether you’re a beginner or a regular river rider.
For a more sedate experience for smaller stag groups, you can rent a canal boat and take a slow jaunt down the Kennet & Avon Canal, stopping at pubs or for walks along the way.
4. Outdoor Games
Sure, you could take a walk around Bath’s skyline (it’s one of our favourite free things to do), but if you want to really enjoy the outdoors, head to West Country Games, 15 miles outside of Bath for locally themed team games.
The inflatable games can be found outdoors April-September, with indoor versions for the colder months. Stag activities include nine games, an activity host, and photos.
Try your luck on the cider run, drunk pub skittles, mangold dangling (bar skittles with humans on cider kegs), welly wanging, Vicky Pollard handbags (aka sumo suits and inflatable Burberry bags), West Country Wipeout, pitchfork duel, Wurzel knockout (firing cider apples at cut outs of the band), and a Farmer’s shower for the VIP groom.
Whether you love teamwork or are aggressively competitive, games like GPS led treasure hunts around the city and even Zombie Survival experiences outside of Bath can help the stags bond with each other. A more active crowd might enjoy games like bubble football, foot golf, or a grown-up version of sports day to get the blood pumping.
5. Indoor Games
If the weather is not behaving for outdoor activities, take that competitive spirit indoors to attempt an escape room at Bath Exit Escape Rooms, or head to Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein to release yourselves from Victor’s Lair in the basement– you can also book Bloody Mary’s bar for a drink to recover from the ordeal.
For stags who prefer to sit down to experience escapism, try the Thirsty Meeples board game cafe near Mary Shelley’s for an afternoon of strategy games and general geekery together.
Art lovers can try their hand at life drawing classes, or if you’re into dance-offs you can create your own music video as a memento of a themed dance class (Thriller, anyone?). Spice up a city tour with a silent disco ghost tour, to find out more about things that go bump in the night around Bath.
6. Feast on good food
Start the day with bottomless brunch, and then eat your way around Bath (check out our favourite steak restaurants, or vegan ones if you’re veggie-inclined). If you’d rather kick back in your accommodation, hire a private chef to come to your house and cook a feast without having to go anywhere.
Get busy in the kitchen and try a cooking class at Pasta Laboratory, bake up a storm at The Bertinet Kitchen, give vegan food a go at Demuths or spice it up with a class at Simi’s Kitchen.
7. Chill out in the baths
History buffs can visit the Roman Baths for a look at how the Romans liked to enjoy their free time. For a more relaxing experience, soak in the Thermae Bath Spa to enjoy the hot springs that give Bath its name.
Serious spa-goers can get a day package at the city’s fancy hotels like the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa and The Gainsborough Bath Spa and add on treatments if the stags need a little pampering.
Amy is an award-winning travel writer born and bred in Bath. She has written for national newspapers and magazines from the Guardian and Mail on Sunday to Conde Nast Traveller and Good Housekeeping. Now she’s helping travellers explore Bath, one story at a time.
