My Edinburgh Stag Weekend: A Real Groom's Review

Editor's Note (December 2025): This real story from a past Best Man has been updated to ensure all travel tips and activity details are current for the 2026 season.

We all know it has been a bit of a strange time when it comes to planning weekends away, especially stag dos. When my mate Pete asked me to be his best man, my mind immediately raced to stag do options. After all, surely we could book flights out to somewhere wild?

After talking to the lads, however, I found a significant problem. Three of them had no passports! Rather than leave those lads behind (which you should never do), we made a decision to travel as far as we could without needing passports. Since we are located on the south coast of England, the logical choice was to jump on an internal flight and head up to Scotland.

Once we were on the plane and Pete discovered we were heading to Edinburgh, he was a very happy man. After all, Edinburgh Stag Dos have a reputation for being absolutely insane, and we knew that this wouldn’t disappoint on that score.

Friday: Whisky, Ribs & Bar Crawl Babes

After the quick flight, we found ourselves in the Scottish capital. I’d had a long chat with Steve from The Stag and Hen Experience when planning this weekend, as I didn’t really know where we wanted to stay. No one really loves being in two-man hotel rooms, so Steve recommended some City Centre Apartments. These were well located, had everything we needed, and really helped us feel like we had a home base for the weekend.

Activity: Whisky Tasting

Once we’d all freshened up, it was time to head out. What Pete didn’t know was that our first port of call was going to be for something he would absolutely love: Whisky Tasting.

Pete prides himself on his love of whisky, so he was over the moon. While a couple of the lads had opted out (as they weren’t big whisky drinkers), the rest of us really got into it. I have to say, it’s nice to have an alcohol-based activity that isn't just about how much we could drink (although we would get to that later!).

The Friday Night Out

Whisky tasted, it was time to grab some food. Edinburgh is famed for some amazing foodstuffs, and we’d booked a table in a local restaurant that came highly recommended. They were obviously used to entertaining a bunch of lads, as they put us all on a long table in a semi-private area so we could be a little bit loud without putting any of the other diners off!

For the evening, we’d booked the Bar Crawl Babes. I have to say, I can see what the appeal is! They show you around the best bars, making sure you get the best bargains, they’ll queue for you at the bar so that you don’t have to, and they are lovely to look at as well! They took us around for hours, before leaving us in a nightclub where we all tore up the dancefloor.

For the rest of us, the nightclub wasn’t the end of the evening. We popped into a Gentlemen’s Club afterwards and then went on to the Casino, where Pete cleaned up at Blackjack, making back everything he’d spent that night! Eventually (at about 4am) we decided enough was enough and made our way back to the apartments.

Saturday: Highland Games & Hovercrafts

We (nearly) all took the opportunity to have a lie-in on Saturday morning. Once we’d got to about 11am, everyone was in one piece and able to think about leaving the apartment – which was good, because our next activity was booked for 12!

Activity: Mini Highland Games

If you are on a Scottish Stag Do, there is one activity that you absolutely have to book above all else – the Mini Highland Games.

The group was split into those who were excited and those who were unsure about what we were getting into. However, everyone loosened up as they saw just how ridiculous these activities were. Have you ever wondered who’d win in a Tug of War now that you are all adults? Ever fancied throwing a haggis or playing Umbrella Golf? If you have, then I highly recommend this.

Activity: Hovercraft Driving

Once the victors had been suitably crowned, it was time for us to head off to the next exciting part of our weekend. Pete is a bit of a vehicle nut, so when I saw that Hovercrafts were an option, this seemed perfect for him.

Driving a hovercraft is a very tricky task. Some bits of it seem easy, and some are hard and get harder by the minute. He absolutely loved it! It may not be the most obvious activity to take part in, but it was absolutely perfect for him.

Saturday Night: Bierkeller & Clubbing

Post-hovercrafts, it was time to head back into the city. We’d booked a meal in a chain restaurant for the Saturday night (after all, no one's budget is infinite). Then it was time for some drinks.

Rather than go staggering around lots of different pubs again, we had booked a table at the Bierkeller, which is located in a 150-year-old church building. This place had an atmosphere unlike anywhere else, and it was an absolute delight to spend a couple of hours sitting back with the lads, drinking steins and laughing our way through the evening.

Of course, we didn’t stay there ALL night. We headed back to a couple of the bars that we’d had a good time in the night before. A dedicated core of us carried on until close to 4am again, finding ourselves in a smaller club that was playing some amazing music.

The Verdict

Sunday morning was a bit of a blur. Our flight back home was at lunchtime, so we dragged ourselves into a taxi and sat in the airport clutching our overpriced coffees.

For me, the proudest moment of the entire Edinburgh Stag Do came when I saw two of the lads having to help Pete get onto the plane because he was so hungover he was having trouble walking in a straight line. If that’s not the sign of a job well done, then what is?

I can highly recommend an Edinburgh Stag Do. Whatever you (or the stag) are into, Edinburgh is definitely a city that can provide it for you.

If you like the sound of Petes' stag do in Edinburgh and would like to find out about other fantastic activities and accommodation in the city, please check out our comprehensive guide.

The Stag and Hen Experience has been creating the best stag weekends away since 2009. If you're looking to plan a stag weekend package anywhere in the UK or abroad, get in touch on 01202 566100 or via email at [email protected] and one of our expert stag do organisers will help you put together a fantastic weekend.