Hen Party Activities in Nottingham

Did you know?

• Man or myth, the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Nottingham is Robin Hood. His story has been the subject of countless TV and film adaptations. Our fave has to be the Disney version!
• While Robin Hood is widely considered folklore, the Sheriff of Nottingham is a very real position! They welcome visitors and promote the city’s history and culture.
• Nottingham was originally named Snotengaham after a Saxon chief called Snot. Nice!
• If you’re an HP Sauce fan, you can thank Frederick Gibson Garton who invented it back in 1895 at his Nottingham factory. Rumour has it that it was named HP Sauce after he heard that it was popular in the Houses of Parliament.
• Dr Stewart Adams invented Ibuprofen. Legend has it that he trialled it on himself when he was hungover! Something you might experience during your hen do in Nottingham, eh girls?
• Samuel Weller Widdowson invented shin pads here in 1874. Forest were the first footie team to wear them.
• Every single Bramley apple in existence is a descendent from the same tree in nearby Southwell.
• If you’re a fan of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, you can visit the real Wayne Manor. This gorgeous Grade II listed Elizabethan house is actually called Wollaton Hall and was built in the 1580s. When can we move in?
• John Boot opened a small shop selling herbal remedies in Goose Gate, Nottingham in 1849. This would eventually become Boots which now how more than 2,500 stores throughout the UK and Ireland.
• The lucky students at the University of Nottingham witnessed Paul McCartney and Wings first ever gig in 1972. Tickets cost a whopping 40p!
• Traffic lights were invented in Nottingham by student John Peake Knight in 1866. He created red and green gas-powered lanterns to control traffic after becoming concerned by the amount of people getting hurt on roads.
• Nottingham is home to a lot of very cool inventors. The first ever VCR was invented by the Nottingham Electronic Valve Company and could record in black and white for 20 minutes. That’s not going to take us long to bingewatch!
• The city’s home to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, the oldest inn in England, dating back to 1189AD. It’s a great place for a drink and some selfies.
• The iconic Raleigh Chopper was introduced in 1969 by the Raleigh Company of Nottingham.
• Author DH Lawrence was born in Nottinghamshire. One of his most famous works, Lady Chatterley’s Lover was considered so naughty that an obscenity trail took place. Move over, 50 Shades of Grey!

Nottingham in numbers

• The legendary hideout of Robin Hood, the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest weights 23 tonnes with a spread of 92 feet and a girth of 33 feet, making it the UK’s largest tree.
• The famous Robin Hood statue at Nottingham Castle weighs half a tonne and stands seven feet tall. Grab a selfie with the man himself during your hen do in Nottingham!
• Nottingham is the ninth largest city in the UK.
• There are more than 700 caves under the city streets. Some are even said to be haunted!
• Little John is a 10.5 tonne bell, housed in Nottingham Council House. It chimes every 15 minutes and is the UK’s deepest-toned bell. It can even be heard seven miles away!
• Some of the UK’s only Ice Age art is found 25 miles from Nottingham in caves inhabited between 50,000 and 10,0000 years ago.
• England’s first ever earthquake recorded was in Nottingham in 1180.
• The city has the biggest market square in England. It’s around 240,000 square feet and often hosts festivals, exhibitions and concerts.
• If you fancy doing something sporty during your hen weekend in Nottingham, you’ll be happy to hear that this city has more sporting facilities per head than anywhere else in Europe.
• Nottingham-born physicist Louis Essent built the first accurate atomic clock in 1955. It was so accurate that it reduced time errors from one second in 300 years to one second in 2,000 years.

Is there a better combination than food and friends? We don’t think so! This city has an eclectic range of restaurants and cafés that serve up international cuisines and classically British dishes. From world-class dining to street food, a hen do in Nottingham can please even the fussiest eaters!

Head to the fashionable Lace Market area to line your stomachs for the night’s drinking session and enjoy each other’s company as you tuck into a two or three-course meal, available at a range of excellent restaurants.

Activities for Foodie Hen Parties in Nottingham

Afternoon Tea - If you’re the kind of group that’d like to sit back and relax on a hen do in Nottingham, we’ve got something for you. A spot of hen party afternoon tea in Nottingham is always a group pleaser, getting everyone to unwind as you enjoy each minute of quality time together. Plus, we’re sure we don’t have to tell you that you’ll also get some delicious sweet and savoury goodies to tuck into too, from feather-light finger sandwiches to scones with clotted cream and jam, all washed down with tea and coffee. Too good to resist, right?

Bottomless Brunch - If you fancy a boozier affair, you’ve got to try bottomless brunch. You’ll get to pick one brunch dish each, accompanied by totally unlimited glasses of alcohol. Different venues offer different options. You could be dining on anything from full English breakfasts to fried chicken and enjoying a range of mouth-watering drinks from Prosecco to cocktails.

Penny Lane - 9 Fletcher Gate, Nottingham, NG1 1QQ

Located in the heart of the Lace Market, Penny Lane gives you a quirky dining environment where you’ll munch on burgers, fish and chips, hot dogs and Mr Whippy-style ice cream, sounded by a neon-lit, seaside-style amusement arcade. Once you’ve filled your bellies, you can play on the slots and retro pinball machines. They also have a range of hilarious named cocktails.

Paris Bar - 3-5 High Pavement, Nottingham, NG1 1HF, UK

A meal out at Paris Bar is always a great choice, offering its guest lots of flavour with a massive set menu, packed with luxurious and scrumptious flavours from France. Choose two courses, either a starter and a main or a main course and a dessert, plus a drink to toast the bride-to-be’s last night of freedom with.

No. Twelve - Eldon Chambers, Wheeler Gate, Nottingham, NG1 2NS

If you’re a fan of plant-based dining, head to No. Twelve in the heart of the city centre for award-winning, handcrafted vegan and vegetarian goodies. The restaurant is houses in a converted 18th century mill and gives a rustic backdrop to your hen do in Nottingham. Tuck into something tasty as you listen to live music from the in-house piano player.

Nottingham’s huge array of stylish bars and exciting nightclubs guarantee a big night out before the bride ties the knot. The friendly locals know how to party hard and will show you a great time during your Nottingham hen night whether you want to dance the night away or sip tasty cocktails in a swanky bar.

Cocktail Making - Nottingham hen party cocktail making is a firm favourite and is available at a range of great locations throughout the city. Mix, muddle or shake decadent drinks from Caipirinhas to Cosmopolitans under the expert instruction of a pro mixologist and drink everything you make!

Gin Tasting - If you’d rather chill out whilst someone else makes the drinks and are fans of Mother’s Ruin, why not try a gin tasting? You’ll get to grips with juniper berries as you learn all about how everyone’s fave tipple is made and get your hands on lots of tasty samples You could even learn how to make your own gin-based cocktails with a gin masterclass.

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem - Brewhouse Yard, 1, Nottingham, NG1 6AD

If you fancy a more traditional tipple, the city’s home to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, said to be the oldest inn in England, dating back to 1189AD. It might not be the most glamourous place to spend your hen do in Nottingham but it’s a great slice of history and ideal for a chilled-out glass of vino before you hit the town hard.

Bierkeller - 15-17 Friar Lane, Nottingham, NG1 6DA

Trying to find a night out to please all the hens can be tricky, especially when you want a combination of food, drinks, entertainment and dancing. Luckily, Bierkeller is here to save you with their Gold Package! This bloody brilliant Bavarian venue gives you a warm welcome as you head to your reserved seats for a night of German-themed fun. You’ll get a haus stein (two pint-glass filled with beer!) and a shot plus some yummy food including a pretzel, fries and a bratwurst. Choose between chilli, cheese or vegan bratwurst, served in a brioche roll. That’s not all though, you’ll also be entertained by a live Oompah band and a DJ until 2am!

PRYZM - Lower Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 3BB

Head to Upper Parliament Street to find the best nightclubs in Nottingham. Bust a move with guest list entry to ultra-modern PRYZM, the city’s biggest club with five different party rooms. Bust some serious moves to a range of top tunes from old school classics to house, R&B to chilled Ibiza. All the ingredients for a fabulous hen night in Nottingham are available through Fizzbox!

Robin Hood Pageant

Head to Nottingham Castle in March for the annual Robin Hood Pageant. Be transported to the 12th century with combat demonstrations, jousting, sword fighting, interactive workshops such as archery and market stalls with medieval delicacies.

Splendour

In July, Woolaton Park hosts Splendour, an awesome music festival with new and iconic acts. Past performers including Jess Glyne, Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal, Jake Bugg, Kaiser Chiefs and Bananarama.

Dragon Boat and Riverside Festival

August sees the return of the annual Dragon Boat and Riverside Festival where more than 40 teams compete in a boat race across 200m, cheered on by thousands of spectators. You can also expect a food and craft stalls, a buzzing fair and performances from musicians and dancers.

The Goose Fair

The Goose Fair takes place in October and has been visiting the city for more than 700 years. One of Europe’s biggest travelling fairs, it boasts more than 500 attractions and rides, boasting white-knuckle thrills and fun.

Nottingham Comedy Festival

If you like lots of LOLs, you’ll love the Nottingham Comedy Festival with a top line up of upcoming and famous and stand-up comics.

A Christmas Hen Do in Nottingham

As you can imagine, Nottingham comes to life from November-January with Christmas and New Year celebrations and events from pantomimes to street performers, all bound to get you feeling fabulously festive. It’s also a great place to do a little last-minute Christmas shopping. Sold on a hen do in Nottingham yet?

Getting to Your Nottingham Hen Do

Nottingham is well-connected and pretty easy to reach from most major UK cities. If you're travelling by train, direct services run from cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester with journey times typically under two hours. For those driving, Nottingham is accessible via the M1 motorway, making it convenient from cities like Sheffield and Leeds. National Express and other coach services also offer budget-friendly travel options.

Getting Around During Your Nottingham Hen Do

The city centre is small enough to find your way around on foot during your Nottingham hen do. The city streets are a gorgeous blend of the historic and modern and many are pedestrianised so get walking and exploring, girls. They’ve also got one of the best bus services in the country and a decent taxi service so you can get back to where you’re staying with ease.