If you’ve landed the chief bridesmaid spot and now find yourself in charge of a Dublin hen weekend, you’re in the right place. You’ll no doubt have already ticked off the ‘must sees’? We’re thinking Temple Bar and perhaps a visit to a suitably luxury spa. With the essentials already taken care of, you’ll just be needing a few more top notch hen party ideas for Dublin.
And that’s where we come in. We’ve lined up some activities that’ll add some fun, entertainment and perhaps a little sightseeing to your planned Dublin hen weekend.
Irish Dance Party
Is it really a Dublin hen weekend if you’ve not had a go at some Irish dancing? Probably not. Thankfully the award winning dancers at Irish Dance Party are on hand with some lessons, tips, Irish music and plenty of Prosecco to you and your hens up and dancing. The event’s musicians will be your jovial hosts for this popular Dublin hen do activity.
Their role, apart from keeping the Irish craic rolling is to explain the history of the songs – before playing them on classic Irish instruments. You’ll have your own table to relax at in between dances. Though, if you’re here to dance you may just be showing everyone your new moves on the dance floor all night.
Afternoon Tea Tour
If the thought of pedalling your way around Dublin on your hen do leaves you feeling cold, take a look at the afternoon tea tour from Vintage Tea Trips.
Your tour starts in Temple Bar where you’ll hop aboard a vintage Routemaster bus. The air will be filled with 50s jazz and the sweet smell of scones, cakes, pastries and delicate sandwiches. There’s no commentary – so you’ll be able to catch up with your hens. From Temple Bar you’ll take around 80 minutes to drive past Dublin’s famous spots and Georgian architecture.
Expect your host to share some tales from Dublin’s past from your host too. This one’s perfect for pairing with a 50s theme hen party in Dublin – a great excuse to snap up some vintage buys before your trip.
Cocktail workshop
Let’s face it. When you think of a Dublin hen do, you’re expecting at least a little bit of alcohol to be involved. But it needn’t be all about a bar crawl in Temple Bar. There are some swish places to take your hens – and learn some mixology skills while you’re there. Opium’s award-winning mixologist delivers cocktail masterclasses at their Wexford Street restaurant.
For something really plush, you can pair it with a three course meal – and, of course, more cocktails. The masterclass is for 8 or more hens and can be either an hour long look at the history of cocktails and mixology or a longer 90 minute class.
Burlesque lessons
Ok so this one may seem a little out there, but stick with us. The Irish Burlesque Academy holds a variety of classes for you and your hens to shimmy and strut your stuff in. Fun and friendly – and possibly a little flirty, the classes are all about boosting confidence and sneaking in a workout while you’re there.
Students from the classes have gone on to perform professionally in Ireland’s burlesque circuit. Which may be a tough ask for a one off class on your Dublin hen weekend – but it’s a guaranteed laugh and certainly something a little different. And there’s definitely no need to worry about revealing too much. The classes are more about dance and the core Burlesque movements. You may arrive in Dublin with two left feet, but you’ll leave feeling glamorous and chic.
Dublin Treasure Hunt
So many hen activities keep you from seeing much of the city you’ve travelled to. So when it comes to hen party ideas for Dublin, we think the treasure hunt from Adventure Events ticks all the boxes.
You get to scamper across the city with your hens, split into teams, to see who can complete the hunt first? We’d highly recommend nipping in to a bar or two on route. Though you’ll want to keep a clear head to solve those clues and complete the tasks. You’ll need to take some hilarious selfies, bring back specific items and solve some puzzles. There’s a bottle of champagne at stake for the winning hens – and your hunt start and finish location can be tailored to you.
The part we love? There’s an event manager to keep things running smoothly – ideal if you’ve already a lot on your plate organising the rest of the Dublin hen activities.
Party bikes
Also known as beer bikes or pedibuses – if you’ve been to Dublin, these unique modes of transport will be a familiar sight. Pedalling around Dublin on a Dublin Pedal Tour bus is a fantastic way for hen parties to combine seeing the city’s sights with a party atmosphere. Onboard speakers allow you to play your own party playlist and you can choose your own route – or let your driver guide you.
Known as beer bikes, because, well they are mostly used for pub crawls, there’s no alcohol allowed on board. There’s nothing to stop you scheduling a few stops near a wine bar or two though. No need to worry about being worn out from all that pedalling either. Some pretty nifty engineering saves your legs from any strenuous spin class-style workouts.
Orbzii tip: Have a chat with your driver about any bars or pubs he can recommend. Along with the best sights to see, you and your hens could well be served free shots in some of the bars on the more established routes.
Need more ideas for your Dublin hen weekend? Why not poach some from our rundown of Dublin stag activities. Or, if you’re ready to pack your bags and go, pop the Orbzii app on your phone to plan and trip the ultimate hen weekend in Dublin.
