Being made best man is one of life’s biggest responsibilities. Not only are you tasked with writing the ever-daunting best man’s speech at the wedding reception, but coming up with perfect stag do ideas can be can be equally as important in this process and a huge determining factor in one’s success is choosing the correct destination.
As the world grows smaller and smaller, people tend to build up more than one friendship group these days and so you could find the groom-to-be’s friendship groups scattered across the country – therefore it’s important to please them by choosing a destination that’s convenient for all parties. Fortunately the UK is blessed with a huge array of destinations ideal for these pre-wedding shindigs. Let’s profile a pick of 5 of the UK’s best with the factors that should influence your big decision.
1. Edinburgh.
For a stag weekend north of the border, Edinburgh is undoubtedly the pick of the cities up there, thanks to its emphasis on late-entry bars and clubs as well as its assortment of activities that will bring your group together. Known as a hub of live stand-up comedy, Edinburgh hosts a world-renowned comedy festival every year that sees the cream of comic talent descending upon the city every August. You don’t have to time your visit with the festival, however, if you think a comedy night will light your stag party tinderbox – international headline acts make their way to the city every single weekend, so there’s no excuse not to pay a visit to one of the excellent clubs there on your Edinburgh stag do.
2. Brighton
Tucked away on the south coast of England is Brighton, only an hour’s drive for the nation’s capital and offering a similarly broad spectrum of activities and venues to London itself. Famous for having the most vibrant nightlife in the country, Brighton is as stag-friendly as they come with the city’s West Street welcoming hen and stag weekends every weekend, all attracted by the various clubs, bars and restaurants that mark this seaside city out as a sure-fire hit for any discerning stag party.
3. Bournemouth
Another south coast town offers many of the benefits of Brighton except that you’ll be doing a lot less walking with the hotels and bars all packed in close to one another, perfect for pub crawls and staggering back to the hotel after one too many shandies. Bournemouth is also home to an enormous array of activities, such as quad-biking, go-karting and paintballing which are synonymous with itinerary-rich Bournemouth stag weekends.
4. Newcastle
You’ll probably already be familiar with Newcastle’s status as the party capital of the UK and it’s a reputation that has been hard earned with Geordies being the most friendly, personable inhabitants in the country. The Quayside area of the city sees thousands of visitors each year, drawn in by the neon lights and the open-til-late atmosphere that this area offers.
5. Cardiff
Finally, let’s raise that red Welsh dragon aloft and pay tribute to St David with Cardiff, the final addition to this list of stag weekend heavyweights. Cardiff is a city that has undergone a massive redevelopment in recent times and there really is something for everyone in the Welsh capital. If you like to get suited and booted before hitting the town, the harbour-side is the best place to start, or you could make straight for the shadow of the impressive Millennium Stadium and take advantage of the bar competition that sees drink offers and free entry deals every single weekend.
So there you have it, an embarrassment of options for stag weekends with a difference. Don’t get the best man blues, planning and foresight can see you enjoy the perfect pre-wedding soiree on these fair shores without costing an arm and a leg in flights.