39 Reasons Why York Is Brilliant!
Chocolate - York is the 'home of chocolate', where the chocolate bar was invented, which quite frankly wins our vote for "Greatest city in the world... ever!". Case closed.
Make your own! - You can learn how to make your own gorgeous chocolates during your York hen do. Tasting your mixture as you go along is simply 'quality control'. Find out more...
Kissing window - According to York legend, if you kiss your partner beneath the Minster's West Window you'll remain together forever. Quick, call the groom!
Yorkshire Puddings - What's not to love?!? One of the greatest foods ever! York residents are particularly proud of their native dish which can be found in most cafes and restaurants with all manner of amazing fillings.
Barley Hall - York has so many secrets that even entire houses can go missing! Discovered in the 1980s amidst a concrete jungle of derelict office buildings, this 15th century house has now been lovingly restored to its former beauty and it's just begging to be explored.
The Black Swan - The Swan is truly delightful, but it harbours a grisly past. The outer door features a Black Death spy hole, once used to check that potential guests didn't have the plague. These days the food and welcome are both superb!
Guy Fawkes - Guy Fawkes grew up in this historic town, and to this day his old school refuses to burn effigies of their most famous ex-pupil on fireworks night. '
Betty's Afternoon Tea - Betty's have been providing a delicious afternoon tea for nearly 80 years and are a veritable York institution and well worth a visit.
York Minster - Quite simply spectacular, it really is worth a visit. Even non-history buffs will be struck by the sheer scale of this incredible building.
Jane Hodson - Something of a local legend, this otherwise ordinary woman has her own memorial in the minster after giving birth to 24 children in her 38 years of life. We're guessing her and the hubby didn't have a telly.
Deans Park - This lovely park behind the Minster is a great place to relax and watch the world go by. Take a picnic and if it's sunny, soak up some rare English rays in stunning green surrounds.
Red Devils - The red devil outside 33 Stonegate isn't there to indicate a demonic presence, the building used to be a printers, and 'printers devils' were errand boys who had to carry red hot metals around. Ouch...
Clifford's Tower - Offering unparalleled views of the city, the climb up Clifford's Tower is well worth the effort on your York hen party with plenty of Instagram-friendly views on display to get a group shot.
City walls - A walk along the city walls is a great way to cure you of the excesses of the previous evening's antics and believe us, there's plenty of them. York has more miles of intact city walls than any other place in the country.
Life Drawing - Creative nearly-weds will love this sensational York hen do life drawing activity where you'll get to make your own artistic impression of a model that seems to have forgotten all his clothes?!? See more...
Constantine the Great - Crowned in York back in the golden year of 306AD, Constantine was the only Roman emperor to be crowned outside of Rome in the history of the empire.
Roman Baths - Excavated in 1929, York's Roman Baths are exceptionally rare because of the fact they're underground. It's thought that they were used by Emperor Constantine himself!
W.H. Auden - Literary ladies will be familiar with W.H. Auden, one of the nation's greatest poets. O' Tell Me the Truth About Love is one of her finest works and a question many a hen has asked.
Wedding Happy - York is officially one of the 50 best places in the world to get married according to a recent survey in The Independent. It's also one of the greatest places to have a hen party. Double whammy!
Trembling Madness - Embrace the town's medieval history in this quirky bar that features medieval décor and a mahoosive range of beers, wines and spirits. Forget York, Trembling Madness is one of the best bars in Yorkshire!
Kuda - No great York weekend is complete without a trip to Kuda. Enjoy chilled-out drinks in the Tiki bar before taking to the buzzing dance floor where top DJ's play to a party mad crowd.
The Shambles - This is believed to be the oldest shopping street in Britain with an explicit mention in the Domesday Book of 1086. It's still a great shopping experience today with plenty of kitsch little stores.
Lady Row - Another real taste of historic York life and well worth a visit if you're feeling culturally inspired with houses still in use that date back to 1320. We hope they've changed the carpets since then.
Evil Eye Lounge - Great nights out don't happen by accident, you need a few special ingredients like the right starting point and some fabulous cocktails. The Evil Eye Lounge just so happens to tick all the boxes. Enjoy!
Cocktail Mixing - of course you could always learn how to mix your own with our fantastic cocktail mixing masterclass. See more...
Most Haunted - York is officially the most haunted city in Europe. Spectral residents include a brigade of wandering Roman soldiers, a bride never to be wed and Seamus, the phantom dog of York Minster.
York Dungeon - Discover Yorkshire's grisly past with a hilariously spooky tour lead by live actors who'll provide plenty of opportunities for cheeky bridal pranks! See more...
Psychic Experience - Or maybe you'd rather find out what's in the bride's future? This is a fascinating addition to any York hen party. See more...
Fibbers - One of the best live music venues in the North East, Fibbers is the place to check out the hottest new acts.
Alicia Meynell - In 1804, this amazing lady made history by becoming the first female jockey to compete against a member of the opposite sex. Alicia rode alongside Colonel Thornton on the side-saddle, taking on Captain William Flint over four miles of track. You go girl!
Dame Judi Dench - One of the city's most celebrated daughter's Dame Judi has had a glittering career, although we're most jealous of her getting to work with Daniel Craig!
Lucia Wine Bar - Lucia's is the perfect venue to kick start a night out with some amazing cocktails and hunky looking barmen shaking all over. Definitely one of the city's hottest venues.
David Bradley - Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Hot Fuzz and Broadchurch this local lad has done good by appearing in many of the UK's best movies and shows.
Flares - You and the hens can step back in time at one of York's best night out. We're huge fans of Flares with its top tunes and fantastic feel good factor. Mix that with a few cocktails and you've got yourselves a party!
Shopping - York is a great place to exercise your passion for fashion with a high street that's chock full of the usual suspects as well as a beautiful market where you can help yourselves to some wonderfully vintage wears to give your wardrobe a blast from the past!
Hen Party Challenge Day - Get hands on with powerful bows, take on the challenge of an all-terrain course on the back of nearly unstoppable Quad Bikes and have a go at the brilliant Bubble Football, all in one action-packed day! See more...
Club Salvation - Massive nights out are considered to be something of a religion in this magnificent club where the onus is on creating a lively party atmosphere every night of the week.
Mannion's - This beautiful bistro is a great place to grab a wholesome dinner. Mannion's mixes a fantastic, calm atmosphere with superb service and stunning food making it a great place to begin a memorable night out.
York Tap - A local institution and starting point for many a famed York night out. The Tap is home to good food, good drinks and good times!
Top Tweeters
Visit York - The ultimate tourists guide to this historic and fabulous city.
Illuminating York - See the city in a brand new light, literally!
- 1. The shopping- traditional shopping streets mixed with modern shopping arcades
- 2. Frequent events and festivals means there's always something going on
- 3. The cultural sites, such as Clifford's Tower and York Minster
- 4. The Shambles, an old shopping street with timber-framed buildings
- 5. The affordability- train tickets can be found cheap and York itself can cater to all budgets
It's time for a hen party in York!
Quite why the Grand old Duke and his ten thousand men were faffing around on that hill instead of enjoying the very best that this fantastic party city has to offer is beyond us. Still, that's men for you, messing around trying to look a bit important. Smart hens however take care of all the planning long before they reach York and that's where GoHen come in. Sometimes getting a hen party together really is like marshalling an army, “ain't nobody got time fo' that!”. So allow us to take all the stress out of your weekend, leaving you to get ready for a fantastic hassle free hen weekend in York.
A Grand Old Time in York
York is a perfect hen party destination; beautiful and perfectly proportioned, York is surprisingly compact which means everything is within easy reach. Of course as we only use city centre hotels you can be sure you'll be well within walking distance of the best shops and nightlife even in your party heels. York is famed for its unique charm and this historically important city really is stunning. It's also a great place to party, despite a relatively small population compared to many cities, the charming cobbled streets and great buildings contain over 300 pubs and bars as well as numerous cafes for mid-morning fuzzy-head pit-stops. If a special weekend in a beautiful location with plenty to do is what you're after, then a hen weekend in York with GoHen could well be just what you need!
When You Are Up You Are Up!
Whoever said “It's grim up north” had clearly never been to York. This charming city really is quite stunning and has everything a hen party could need. Great people, great nightlife, some fantastic activities and is a city with a real soul and a terrific sense of humour.
Some of the best nights out happen purely because you're all so relaxed you can't help but get into a perfect party mood. York is a city that will relax you instantly, people are charming, prices aren't too crazy like some other cities and as well as the great nightlife there is just so much to choose from during the day. You can mix some hilarious York hen party action with plenty of time for the nearly-wed and all the hens to relax. Whether you want high-action hen activities like
Mud Buggies or a cheeky Burlesque Dance Class or some indulgent relaxation such as Chocolate Making or Cocktail Mixing, we have over 50 great activities for you to choose from.
When It's Time to Get Down Get Down
York comes alive after dark, with lively pubs, glitzy bars and popular clubs, plus it's known as the real ale pub capital of the UK so you know the nightlife has something going for it! There are, in fact, 5 breweries situated in and around York, but don't worry it's not just for the men as the number of great bars and cocktail venues have also increased in recent years. If you're after a packed party night then head to the Micklegate area, where there are pubs, bars and clubs open until 4am. Alternatively the Coney Street area has around 11 bars over the 3 miles of pedestrianised stretch and the lively riverside bars stay open until 3am! Make sure to mix some excellent evening activities in as well - we've got the saucy Butlers in the Buff, the mysterious ghost tour and a fun murder mystery experience to really get you in the mood for celebration! Check out all of our York nightlife ideas.
York Hen Party Shopping Tips
When you visit York, expect great retail therapy. If you're after some fancy hen weekend bargains head to the York designer outlet, where those in the know shop for cut price high-end gems. If you're looking for straight-up, glamorous high end fashion, homemade gifts and elegant antiques then York high street is the place for you. There's a fantastic mix of designer labels, high street names and independent shops dotted around this area and it's perfect for picking up some wonderful unique buys. Wander the web of small and charming shopping streets and explore the excellent shops which include big brands such as Mulberry, Marks & Spencer and Fenwicks or pay a visit to the daily open air market which has over 100 stalls and traders selling fresh produce, crafts and clothing.
Stay: choosing your York accommodation
If you've decided to celebrate your hen in the beautiful county of York then it's time to think about your accommodation. All the best activities, shopping and nightlife takes place in the city centre so you'll want to be based near this, and fortunately we offer a range of excellent, group-pleasing accommodation for you and your hens. Why not celebrate your weekend in one of our luxurious 4 star hotels, or cut costs and base yourselves at one of our basic 2 stars? Alternatively if you're after a proper country retreat we've got some fantastic self-catering properties that you can lie-back and relax in! Check out our full range of accommodation.
When: the best times to visit for a hen party in York
There's a fantastic range of festivals, shows, fetes and carnivals in York all year round, perfect for exploring on your hen party. In February there's the Jorvik Viking Festival and then in April indulge at the tasty York Chocolate Festival! In June, visit for the York Festival of Ideas and then in July, the York Early Music Festival and the Festival of the Rivers are really great cultural occasions. In August there's the lively Yorkshire Medieval Festival. Visit in September for the York Festival of Food & Drink or in October for Illuminating York and finally in December for fantastic Christmas markets and the Early Music Christmas Festival! There are also fantastic activities to suit all year round - in summer you can enjoy our York treasure hunt, go karting and laser clay shooting and then in winter make the most of cocktail mixing, pole dancing and chocolate making! See our full range of hen activities.
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If you love fashion and are partial to stopping off for a cake or two then The Shambles is a must. This ancient streets with their untouched medieval buildings are packed with some fab boutiques and independent shops. Why not stop for Afternoon Tea? York Art Gallery is a fabulous place to get a bit highbrow and enjoy fine art. Or if you're still suffering the effects of a big night out then Rowntree Park is an excellent place to rest your hangovers and catch a little rejuvenating morning sun. 
