These two cities have a lot going on for them when it comes to planning an epic stag weekend, but which takes gold in the battle for the ultimate last weekend of freedom? We have put together a rundown on how the two cities compare:
Bristol Stag Weekend
You are sure to have some stories to tell and plenty of material for that best man’s speech after a Bristol stag weekend. There are plenty of activities to get involved in, in this unique city enveloped in the hills of South West England. Bristol offers a buzzing night life, great drinking and party venues, and some fun stag do activities for a Bristol stag weekend you definitely will not forget.
Bristol is the king of pub crawls with a range of boozy routes to choose from; all with great bars and pubs along the way. There is the Harbourside route boasting some of the city’s best watering holes, including The Orchard known for its extensive cider collection and The Pump House which is great for that re-fuel food stop and famous for its larger than life gin menu. If that is not enough there is even a pub on a boat. The Grain Barge sits snugly at the water’s edge with food, drink, and live music all on one ship!
If that route does not take your fancy, there is also St Michaels Hill (make sure you start at the top though). This route offers some great pubs including Beerd a craft beer and pizza venue and the Robin Hood pub known for its cosy atmosphere and selection of beers and craft ales.
Then there is always the good old Gloucester Road route, home to the Golden Lion pub known for its live music events. You will find a traditional pub atmosphere further down at the Prince of Wales. And if you are looking for something a bit different the Cat and Wheel boasts a slightly bizarre, yet very entertaining Sunday karaoke night. Whichever route you choose you are guaranteed a stag night to remember (or in this case maybe not!)
Bristol is also host to loads of fun pre-drinking daytime activities. Why not try indoor go-karting, quad biking, or clay pigeon shooting. Or for braver stags, there is the city’s horror escape rooms, a great ice breaker for the group to work together to solve puzzles and games to escape their room of horrors.
Another great activity to get stuck into is West Country Games, which involves some weird and wonderful blow up assault course activities, where you can try you luck on the cider bungee run, challenge the stag to a Pitch Fork Duel or Vicky Pollard handbag fight and knock out some Wurzels.
If that is not enough you can also book a private boat bar crawl up the river Avon, taking in the magnificent sites of the city from the waterline whilst partying to your hearts content with great food and drink, with some trips even throwing a stripper into the mix.
Cardiff you have a lot to live up too!
Cardiff Stag Weekend
Bristol definitely has a lot to offer and is hard to beat, but a Cardiff stag weekend also packs a mean punch! With everything in one easy navigational location full of sport and party venues, this beautiful city of heritage and history provides the perfect stag weekend and certainly has something for everyone.
Host to the legendary Principality Stadium (formally Millennium Stadium) this is the place to go for any rugby fan, as a night out in Cardiff on match night is guaranteed to be like no other the atmosphere just cannot be beaten! If football’s more your thing there is also Cardiff City Stadium, which lies just out of the center, so you can start your night with a game before heading into town.
Cardiff is also the choice of music lovers, being host to some excellent live music venues. Of course, when we think of gigs in Cardiff we think of the Motor Point Arena in the center of the city, hosting some of the largest live music gigs and comedy events, and boasting an 8000 seat capacity.
But there is also some great smaller live music venues including the Welsh Club (or ‘Clwb Ifor Bach’). Stacked three stories high; a hugely diverse range of live music plays out on each floor. Live Lounge renowned for its packed live music nights and Gwdihw a quirky, retro live music venue hosting some very popular open mic nights are two other venues to consider.
As bars and clubs go Cardiff has a bit of everything. There are some great party venues. If clubbing is your thing then why not head to Pryzm, a huge club on seven floors with five different bars to choose from. There is also Tiger Tiger on the same road where you can eat drink and dance, and one of the city’s most popular clubs Glam which is always lively and packed with a great party atmosphere. On the other side of the city (although only a five minute walk away) there is also Mill Lane which boasts some great smaller clubs and bars. There is Peppermint with two floors and great DJs, the underground cocktail bar, 10 Mill Lane which boasts a great old school hip hop vibe and great beers and cocktails, and Soda bar another popular party venue in the City.
On the activity front, Cardiff has something for everyone. Why not try paint balling or have a go on the dune buggy grand prix? There is also high ropes just outside of the city and gorge walking to have a go at. If you are into your water sports Cardiff is definitely the place to go. Home to the famous indoor Cardiff International White Water Center, there is some great white water rafting experiences to sign up to and indoor surfing activities. If you fancy the real thing there is some great surfing beaches just a half an hour drive from the city too, with Rest Bay hosting a beautiful surfing beach and surf school Porthcawl Surf School perfect for all levels of surfers!
If assault courses are more your thing, why not try the hilarious and entertaining blow up assault course activity, Welsh Games? This crazy assault course will get you going for a night out and is a great ice breaker. You can try your luck in the Drunk Dragons relay race, battle it out like gladiators in Leek Duel, and cling on for dear life to a bucking woolly wobbler in Sheep Shenanigans! These hilarious games are guaranteed to have your stag group in fits of laughter.
All in all it looks like there is something for everyone in Cardiff. Definitely something for sports and music fans, and host to so many clubs and bars in one small walkable area that you are sure to have an epic bar crawl on your hands!
Thus, what is the verdict on the competition? Each city has so much to offer. I am sure the only way to answer the question is to try both! After all, they are only up the road from each other and there are two days and nights to fill on a stag weekend, right?
