First of all, it is worth saying that the word girly is not a negative term. For many women the more feminine things in life bring a great deal of pleasure. However, there are also a lot of people out there that like a bit more of a mix and a growing number of women who like activities, music, drink etc that has been more traditionally male based. There is no right or wrong here it’s all about taste but when it comes to hen do’s things do still tend to lean towards the default activities, but things are changing. Your hen do does not need to be filled with pink novelty decorations and butlers in the buff unless you really want it too. Here are just a few ideas of activities that, for many women, will bring a welcomed change and a whole lot of fun.
Different Strokes
Before looking at some of the choices out there it is important to remember a hen do, just like a stag do is filled with people with different tastes and interests. You are just as likely to find a guy on a stag do who hates the idea of going to strip club as you are to find a girl on a hen do who doesn’t like rock climbing…it may seem extreme but it’s true. So, planning a hen do can be one of two things.
- Plan around your tastes or the tastes the bridal team think you have and let everyone else get on with it
- Try and please everyone.
While the latter seems nicer it generally ends up meaning you won’t have as much fun. Go for broke and do what you want to do, all your lovely friends will give it all a go because they care about your memories and experiences. This point had to be covered because once you start moving into less traditional hen do activities you will encounter some people who may not join in.
Playing Army
At this point you may start to skim read…don’t! Stick with this. While playing with guns is always one of those “little boy” things, it can actually be a lot of fun and something that involves far more laughing than shooting half the time. Paintball is an amazing exercise, it’s fast, funny and exciting. Yes, it does involve shooting each other and yes it does hurt a bit but that makes it more exciting. Most places organise team games so everyone plays together, and the bruises shown, and tales told in the hot tub or at the bar later bring the whole group together.
Playing Racing Driver
Here we are again; a point where you may think this is not for me. But Karting can be amazing fun and there are a lot of great female racing drivers out there to prove women really can race. The great thing about motorsport is there is no gender boundaries and women race alongside men at all levels. So why not give it a go! It is amazing fun. What a lot of people don’t expect is how exciting it is and how physical. Your arms will ache like you have been to the gym, but you will also notice an ache around your face where you have been smiling so much. You don’t need to own any kit and everything is organised for you. If you want so adrenaline and lots of talk about later Karting is a great bet!
Surf’s Up
Now surfing is certainly not a male dominated sport by any means and it is becoming more and more popular with women which is great. But it still doesn’t really feature on the hen do radar and it should. OK so we don’t live in Hawaii but there are waves in the UK and you don’t need much to have some fun. A group surf lesson starts with the hilarity of everyone getting into a wetsuit. Seriously, the laugher around this can mean it takes about half an hour. Then it’s time for some laying on the boards on the sand jumping around and falling over…then it’s into the sea! A wetsuit really makes things a lot warmer so don’t worry about the cold. The first wave everyone catches will stay with them for months if not years. Once again, a surf lesson is one of those things that brings a group together and gives everyone something to talk about for the rest of the trip. If you have people who don’t know each other this is a perfect activity to break down some barriers.
So there you have it, 3 things to do on a hen do that are not remotely girly. Even if you still love the fun glittery stuff you can integrate that into fancy dress for the day or a glam night out after a day in the sea! Get out there and do something different, give everyone something to chat about for weeks after and at the wedding!
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