From climbing a 20ft wall in a harness to drinking tea in a posh hotel, there are plenty of fun hen party activities in Dublin. You don’t just have to booze your way through day and night (unless you want to). There is so much to do here that it can be near impossible to choose, so here are some highlights to give you some hen party ideas in Dublin.
1. Kayak with seals in Dalkey
Start your hen do with the most adorable experience — kayaking with seals! Read more about it here.
2. Take a Vintage Tea Trip
Fancy a guided tour of Dublin with some delicious treats on the way? Well, you’re in luck because with Vintage Tea Trips you can hope onboard the most charming buses and enjoy a tasty afternoon tea with your fellow passengers whilst learning all about the city.
Tours start at Temple Bar and last around 80 minutes, costing €47.50 each and that includes tea, coffee and lots of tasty food. You can expect the usual suspects – scones, little sandwiches, cakes and pastries. It’s a very traditional Irish afternoon tea but with a unique spin in that it’s eaten on board a bus. Buy your tickets here!
3. Play bubble football
Footbubble — simultaneously both the strangest and funnest game around. Stick a massive bubble over your body and attempt to play football with your legs. To find out more about this strange sport, visit the website.
4. Visit the Guinness Storehouse
Guinness — the world-famous beverage that has become somewhat symbolic of Ireland. And, if you’re going to drink it, then why not learn about it at the same time? You can book tickets over on their website.
5. Go axe throwing
Situated just outside of the centre in East Wall, Axe Club certainly looks the part. The decor has definite Norse vibes, with wooden targets, horned helmets and faux-Ancient Norse lettering everywhere. Expert axe throwing instructors will teach you how to unleash the Viking inside of you and inflict some real damage and when you land it in the middle of the target you’ll feel such a sense of satisfaction.
The fun doesn’t stop there because the centre runs axe-throwing pizza events costing €55 per person. For the first 90 minutes, aspiring Vikings get to throw axes with instruction, after which pizza arrives and guests can sit by the log fire drinking whatever they’ve brought (it’s BYOB).
6. Go swimming in the Irish Sea
There are so many amazing spots to go for a swim in and around Dublin. Take a dip on one of the beaches or go for a daring dive at The Forty Foot. We’ve written a handy list for you flick through if outdoor swimming is your idea of fun.
7. See the wallabies on Lambay Island
There are over 100 wild wallabies living on an island off the coast of Dublin. And there’s also a distillery, so where better to go before you get wed? Read more about Lambay and its marsupial residents here.
8. Have a crack at archery
There are so many archery ranges in Dublin, which means we can all have the opportunity to feel like Merida from Brave. You can book tickets online here.
9. Have an Irish dance party
Trust me, Irish dancing is much more fun as an adult than it is as a child. At one of these Irish dance parties you can undertake lessons with live music and a dance show. It’s the perfect hen do activity! Book tickets online.
10. Go paintballing
There is nothing better on a balmy summer evening than chasing your mates around a field and splattering them with paint. Plus, it’s more efficient with a paintball gun! There are loads of places you can paintball in Dublin but Capital Paintball is the closest to the centre.
11. Go climbing
Dublin is spoilt for choice when it comes to climbing centres. There are a grand total of four in the central area. Don’t worry if you’ve never done it before, just book yourselves a beginner’s session at somewhere like The Dublin Climbing Centre, rent yourself some shoes and you’ll have a great time! You can climb higher walls with ropes or shorter walls without, which is called bouldering. Most places will give you a taste of both.
12. Take afternoon tea
Every wedding needs cake, so really every hen-do should also have cake — obviously. If you’re wanting to push the boat out and give your friends an experience they’ll still be thinking about when their big day comes. We’ve compiled a list of the best afternoon teas in Dublin to help you choose.
13. Take a life drawing class
If everyone in your party is okay with staring at a naked model then why not try life drawing? You can book various different classes, especially for hen parties and yes, they do specialise in particularly good-looking models…
14. Go whiskey tasting
Dublin is famous for its whiskey, after all, so where better to enjoy it than the city itself? You can buy tickets to taste five different styles of whiskey and learn all about the process of making this delicious spirit. All of the bars are situated close to one another so even if it’s raining (which it often is in Dublin), you can quickly get from one to another and have a nice warming whiskey afterwards.
15. Try your hand at an escape room
Escape rooms are an absolutely hilarious experience, and pretty perfect for a hen party. Plus, you get to feel really intelligent if you crack it, and who doesn’t love feeling like an absolute boss? There are loads to be found in Dublin but Escape Dublin offers a wizard-themed room, a Sherlock Holmes-themed room and also a Contagion-themed room, so take your pick.
16. Relax at a spa
Visiting a spa might just be the most relaxing thing you can do, and in Dublin, there are plenty to visit. Get yourself a massage—especially if you’ve been out dancing the night before—and you’ll feel fresh as a daisy. The Marker Hotel has one of the fanciest spas we’ve ever seen, featuring a 23-metre infinity pool! (An indoor pool, of course.)
17. Go clay pigeon shooting
Clay pigeon shooting is an absolutely exhilarating experience, and it’s certainly something you don’t get to do every day. The clay pigeons are discs that shoot out from a chute and you get to have a crack at them with a rifle. At Courtlough Shooting Grounds, they welcome beginners and will accommodate hen parties with enthusiasm.
18. Experience off-road driving in a 4×4
There’s plenty of terrain in and around Dublin just perfect for off-roading in a 4×4, and there are loads of websites to check out if you’re up for the challenge. Obviously, you’re going to need a valid driving license, but if you have that then you’re all set! Go forth and feel like a badass!