Posted by
James Trenchard
Chilled Hen Party Ideas
Not everyone wants an over-the-top, full on, all out extravaganza of a hen weekend. Some people prefer the laid back approach with more opportunities to kick back and look after yourself. If you're looking for a relaxing hen party weekend, we've got loads of ideas for you to mull over in your own good time.
We appreciate that everyone is different and so we've included a good range of hen party activities, to suit everyone's version of relaxing. If you have any questions pop into your head, or would like to speak to us about your hen party ideas, click here and you'll be talking to us in no time at all. You may also like to have a look at how to make planning a hen do a piece of cake in another article we've written.
So now it's onward towards some great and relaxing hen do ideas for you to have a look at and hopefully at least one of them will inspire you to go ahead and start planning a truly chilled out hen party.
Relaxed Hen Do Accommodation
Choosing the right hen do destination is a fundamental aspect of planning a hen party weekend and sets the tone for the weekend once you arrive. For some of you reading this, taking a look at what's available might help and we've already covered this in our hen party accommodation article. Below are some of the most suitable relaxed hen party accommodation choices and we'll give you a run-down of each:
Hotel - A good way to ensure that you have a nice and relaxed hen do weekend is to stay in a hotel. By choosing a hotel with everything on site, like bars, cafes, restaurants, leisure facilities etc etc, you won't have to be endlessly bounding around. Certainly, you may want to leave the hotel to do an activity or two, but having a lot of things in one place and that place being where you're going to be based, will definitely help to keep you nice and as relaxed as possible.
Private House - Hiring a private house can be a really nice, relaxed hen do idea. You don't have the time restrictions for breakfast, you won't have to worry about the bar being busy if you just fancy a quick drink and you won't have to put up with any rowdy gangs of general public (only the rowdy in your group). There's a great level of freedom and therefore relaxation associated with a private hen party house and even though you will more than likely have to purchase all of your own food and drink, you may rather do that anyway.
Yurt camping - This is a nice relaxed hen do idea if you're looking to escape to the countryside but would still like to have some great luxuries available. If you stay in a yurt then usually you'll find a wood/fuel burning stove inside along with double beds and outside you'll more than likely have a firepit and BBQ. Often these sites are near to farms, so there are usually great walks, farm produce and always some brilliantly fresh air to get in your lungs.
Canoeing and Bushcraft - If you think a relaxed hen do is all about cruising along a river and camping under the stars, a canoeing and bushcraft trip could be just what you're looking for. As well as the two points already mentioned you'll also learn some basic survival skills, just in case you should ever need them. All-in-all, these trips are fantastic!
Canal boat weekend - Sticking to a water-based hen party, a canal boat hen party weekend has the freedom and easy pace for a great, relaxed hen do. Most boat yards are close to big towns or cities, so you can take it easy in the countryside, popping into civilisation for some great hen do activities. Canal boats usually offer comfy beds, kitchen facilities, toilets and a shower, so it really is like a floating house.
Stay at home - By staying at home, you could keep everything as calm as it can be for a relaxed hen do. Basing your hen weekend at home means you don't have to travel (no fuel costs or getting lost), if you do want activities then there are some great options to be run in your house. Keeping it local means you know the area, the best night spots and generally have less to plan/think about.
- Lots of bubbles to be had with a privately hired house -
Relaxed Hen Do Activities
No hen party weekend is complete without an activity or two and just because you're looking to keep it calm and chilled-out, doesn't mean you can't still have some incredible memorable experiences. As everyone is different, we've also added a few activity suggestions to cater for those who are calmed down during increasing adrenaline levels.
Spa treatments
The first and probably most relaxed hen do activity idea is to treat yourself to a spa session and within this idea there are a few different ways to go about it.
Spa Hotel - By staying somewhere with spa facilities on site, you can meander down from your room to the treatment room and a leisurely pace, have a treatment or two, head to the sauna and pool and float around in a blissful world of relaxed thoughts for the weekend.
Day spa - Alternatively, if there's a hotel you love, but it doesn't have a spa, see if there's a day spa nearby and you can still increase the relaxed hen do vibes without much fuss at all. Quite often day spas have private hire packages for the whole place or a room for groups, so you can spend at least a few hours just chilling in between treatments.
At home/private accommodation - There are some amazing companies that will bring spa treatments to you, if a house is where you prefer to stay. This means a really relaxed hen do as you technically don't have to go anywhere.
For some more detailed information on the best ideas for a hen party spa weekend, take a look at our article all about them.
Life Drawing
If studying the male form helps you to relax then a hen party life drawing class should provide you with all you need to chill out. These can be run at home (space allowing), a hotel or any suitable venue meaning that you'd be hard-pushed to find somewhere that couldn't accommodate you staring at a nude man for an hour 'in the name of art'!
Chocolate making
Eating chocolate can certainly help a lot of people to feel that little bit more relaxed, so if this is ringing true, adding a chocolate making party could well add the special something to a relaxed hen do. You can of course take them home with you (if you're not staying there already), but we don't think there are any guarantees they'll reach their destination somehow.
Dining
Going out for a really nice meal with friends and family makes for an excellent and relaxed hen do idea. There are so many fantastic eateries all over the UK so the choice of food is almost endless.
You could always opt to have a private chef come to wherever you're staying of course. This means you don't need to travel anywhere and can choose which food you get cooked for you. It's perfect for a relaxed hen do.
For a top-up or a lunchtime idea, an afternoon tea is perfect for those looking to add some more class and sophistication ti their relaxed hen do.
- Choose your favourite food to keep relaxed -
Comedy night
Going out for a night out doesn't have to be stress inducing and a comedy club should help you to loosen up even more, by laughing your backside off. With comedy clubs spread nicely across the UK, there's plenty of chance to catch some funny mofos making everyone's sides hurt.
Clay pigeon shooting
A spot of clay pigeon shooting may not sound relaxing to everyone, but destroying flying discs with powerful shotguns may sound like a good stress-reliever to many of you. There are clay pigeon sites all over the UK who happily instruct hen parties on how to annihilate as many clay targets as possible. It is very popular with hen parties so could be one to try as something a bit different.
Axe Throwing
On a similarly slightly aggressive note, having a go at some axe throwing may just help to keep the hen do relaxed. Leave any stresses buried in the wooden targets after you sink the axes into them one-by-one. It's a bit primeval but will definitely leave some people feeling nice and relaxed on their hen do.
Archery
If axes sound a bit intense then there's always the opportunity to take part in some archery. It's a bit less 'out there' but still the same amount of fun. To keep a nice and relaxed hen do, archery is a very satisfying activity and with ranges all over the UK it shouldn't be difficult to add in.
Horse Riding Treks
Exploring the countryside of your chosen hen party destination is always going to be a relaxing venture, but add in the fact that you're on horseback (taking out some of the personal legwork) and you've got yourself a great, relaxed hen do idea. From novice to pro, everyone will be looked after, so it's a must for any group looking for something a little out of the ordinary.
- Roam free and easy -
Party Boat
All aboard! Take a trip on a private hen do party boat and you can kick back, have a few drinks, have a bit of a dance and feel good vibes. It's a little limited where you can do this, but have a look at our party boat locations to see if you strike it lucky!
Relaxed Hen Do Summary
Planning to have a relaxed hen do might seem a little bit tricky, but it's not as hard as you may think. We've got some great suggestions of how to plan a relaxed hen do and here is a quick summary of the things to consider:
- Stay at a hotel
- Hire a private house
- Yurt camping
- Go on a Canoeing and Bushcraft trip
- A canal boat weekend
- Stay at home
- Spa treatments
- Life drawing class
- Chocolate making class
- Comedy night
- Clay pigeon shooting
- Axe Throwing
- Archery
- Party Boat
- Private chef
- Restaurant
- Afternoon tea
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