Manchester Stag Do's

Getting around

Despite it being a large city, venturing around Manchester is a breeze. This is mainly due to the great tram network - simply buy a travelcard for the day at a stop, and the trams run until midnight when a night bus service starts to operate. Taxis can be a good alternative for the evenings, there are several dozen ranks around the city, some of them 24-hours, as well as Uber's being readily available.  

You can also easily get around the city centre by using the Metro shuttle bus. There’s a free ‘hop-on, hop-off’ service linking the main rail stations and shopping districts, with three routes all starting at Manchester Piccadilly. Which, if you come by train, is where you’ll arrive. Convenient, right?

If you’re flying up, it takes around 20 minutes to get from Manchester Airport to Piccadilly station by train. And if you’re driving, there are several secure public car parks in the centre, including one near to Manchester Piccadilly Plaza. Prefer to have your wheels closer to hand? We can help with Manchester stag hotels with parking too.

And for those among you that like to get around by pedal power, a bike hire scheme has been launched throughout Greater Manchester.  Take your pick from a classic pedal bike or if you need a little helping hand due to the antics of the night before, then opt for one of the electric bikes to get around.

Tips and ideas

When it comes to your stag activities, you won’t go wrong with Manchester. You’ve got all your classics here: Paintballing, Go-Karting, Bubble Football and Foot Darts among them. And speaking of footie-themed entertainment, why not try catch a match at the Etihad or Old Trafford. You may not support either team, but the atmosphere in the stadiums is superb, making for an entertaining day out whoever’s colours you normally wear. 

Manchester is also home to plenty of fun activities that we strongly recommend if your group don’t know each other too well, and you’re looking for an icebreaker. Take for example the awesome Crystal Maze experience, based on the TV show of course, where you’ll take part in a series of exciting team challenges against the clock. Or how about tackling some high rope obstacles on a Tree Top Adventure, getting your Tarzan vibes on? Another of the most popular stag do activities in Manchester is a few hours chilling at the Snow Park, where you can go down the pistes on skis, snowboards, sledges - even rubber rings. 

After a heavy night out, if you just want to have a laidback one the next day, why not mosey on over to the Castlefield area. It’s the most scenic and relaxed part of Manchester, with canals, patches of green space, and plenty of waterside bars where you can enjoy the hair of the dog that bit you. 

Manchester is well know for its music and home to some legendary bands such as Oasis, The Stone roses, The Smiths, and, well the list could go on! It therefore has a variety or large venues, as well as the more initmate spaces for those smaller gigs. Why not check out what's coming up and incorporate a gig into your stag weekend. 

Next - and for some groups, one of the most important parts of a Manchester stag weekend: where to eat. And boy have we got a lot of options for you. Manchester boasts the third-largest Chinatown in Europe, and here you can always find a delicious, reasonably priced feast. For some extra spice, head to the famous Curry Mile on Wilmslow Road, just outside the city centre. There are some 70 neon-lit restaurants along this stretch serving up Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi cuisine. Another place worth checking out to fill your bellies in style is the Mackie Mayor food court on the edge of the Northern Quarter. This handsome, historic and high-ceilinged building has a fantastic range of vendors under its impressive glass roof, with vegetarian and vegan options too. Most days it’s open in time for a late breakfast, and closes at 10pm.

Nightlife

Whatever you get up to in the daytime, make sure you save some energy for the evenings, because Manchester’s nightlife scene plays an absolute blinder. There are craft beer pubs, live music venues, bars serving up cocktails and cabaret, and lairy joints perfect for stag groups looking for a party atmosphere. 

Let’s start with the Northern Quarter, or NQ, which has stacks of pubs, bars and clubs catering to every taste. Cafe Beermoth, on Brown Street, is a prestigious craft beer bar with a constantly rotating menu on draught, as well as in cans and bottles. They stock some of the finest brews from all over the world. Then there’s Mint Lounge on Oldham Street, home to the city’s longest-running club night, Funkademia, and a place to get your groove on ‘til the early hours.

If you'd prefer to break the night up a little and attempt a few hours where the sole focus isn't necking pints, then In this area you also find the Frog and Bucket Comedy Club.  On a Friday and Saturday night they host their 'Barrel of Laughs' shows with 3 top-flight national and international acts, so just let us know if you fancy booking this in for the group. 

Another popular quarter of Manchester for stag groups is Deansgate. Here you’ve got the brilliant Roxy Ball Room, where you can combine your drinking with ping pong, pool, beer pong and even shuffleboard. Definitely one to consider for midway through the evening. Also in Deansgate is one of Manchester’s four Revolution bars, which are stag heaven with good-value food, plenty of beer choices and a full-on party atmosphere. Let us book you a table to save waiting around. 

Deansgate Locks is home to several excellent drinking spots, including the super-cool Ark, where you can sip your drinks overlooking the canal. And if you like your gin then don’t miss the Manchester icon that is Atlas Bar, in the railway arches, which has over 500 gins from around the world ready to mix into cocktails for your group. 

A very short walk from Deansgate brings you to what we think are some of Manchester’s best nightspots. The first is Whiskey Down, which pays homage to the type of private men’s clubs that James Bond might haunt. Choose from 100-odd whiskies while taking in a risque cabaret show. And then a little further on, you’ve got Flight Club, where amid an always-lively ambience you can step up to the oche and play a few rounds of arrows with the lads. Forget all your depressing preconceptions of darts in smoky back rooms, this is one of Manchester’s most entertaining nightspots.

Next, the Printworks - a buzzing complex right in the centre, where you can find two of the most stag-friendly bars in Manchester: Walkabout and the Bierkeller. This Bavarian-themed pub has four bars over two floors, as well as pool tables and shuffleboard. More shuffleboard? What’s going on in Manchester?

Lastly, but certainly not least, Chorlton. A little way out of the city centre, but hosting loads of cool independent pubs, bars and restaurants. Places of interest here include Electrik, which does a nice line in vegan pizzas, Proof, which serves some of the best cocktails in Manchester, and Bowling Green which has a spacious beer garden for sunny day-drinking, and turns out fantastic Sunday roasts.

FAQ

What are the best things to do on a Manchester stag do?

Manchester is stacked with amazing activities for stag groups, with all your traditional favourites like Paintball, Quad Biking, Clay Pigeon Shooting and Indoor Go-Karting available. In the evenings, we can set you up with Casino entry, an evening at a Comedy Club, a Gin Tasting experience to set you up for the evening or maybe something more competitive such as 

On top of that, Manchester also has loads of more offbeat activities for stag groups. Think fun team challenges at the Crystal Maze Live Experience, indoor skiing at the Snow Park and High Ropes courses. Whatever your group is into, we're sure we'll be able to help. 

Where to go on a Manchester pub crawl?

You’re in luck with Manchester, because the city centre is very walkable, so you can get between the various quarters easily. You might start with bars such as Ark at Deansgate Lock, then head up for a few social games of darts at Flight Club, before finishing your night at the legendary Mint Lounge in the Northern Quarter. 

Other stag-friendly bars in Manchester include Revolution, and Bierkeller, where you and the fellas can enjoy a session and also grab a bite to eat. Our expert Manchester stag planners have up-to-date information on where’s hot right now, and will always be able to point you in the right direction. Just let us know what kind of night you want, and we’ll help you put it all together.

Do you offer stag do packages in Manchester?

Yes, we’ve got loads of brilliant Manchester stag packages to help your weekend get off to the best possible start. Take the stress out of organising by selecting one of our great-value deals, which include accommodation, and a selection of activities and meals. We can also put together bespoke packages depending on your group’s interests and budget. 

The Stag Company has been organising Manchester weekenders since 2002 - we know this city inside out, so whatever questions you’ve got, our team is ready to answer them. 

Can you arrange a football stag do in Manchester?

While we can’t get you onto the pitch at the Etihad we can definitely sort you out with some classic stag experiences like Bubble Football, Binocular Football or Foot Golf. 

Can you help with meals out?

Absolutely. Manchester has an amazing foodie scene, Chinatown, the Curry Mile and Mackie Mayor's have always been firm favourites with hungry groups of lads. But if you’d rather not take any chances, let us book you in for dinner at one of Manchester’s many stag-friendly restaurants like Revolution, Bierkeller or Walkabout, where you can grab pizzas, burgers and steaks as you like ‘em. If your hotel doesn't provide breakfast, fear not there are plenty of places around the city centre, but why not book an extra little treat with us and enjoy your full english with a topless waitress serving it up.