A Cardiff stag do gives you a proper capital city night out with the mountains and the coast close by. And if there’s a rugby international on, the whole place turns into one big party.
St Mary Street and Caroline Street are the heart of the night out, with Cardiff Bay for something a bit calmer. In the day there’s white water rafting in the city itself, and the Brecon Beacons for gorge walking and quad biking. One tip: hotels fill up fast on match weekends, so check the fixtures before you book.
For areas, places to stay and the rest, see our Cardiff stag do guide below.
Where to stay on a Cardiff stag do
I’d base the group in the city centre, as close to the West End as you can get. That’s the stretch from St Mary Street to Mill Lane, the central hub of the night out, and with Caroline Street round the corner, Chip Alley is never far from your bed. The Castle area and The Friary are minutes away too, so the whole night can be done on foot.
I wouldn’t stay down at the Bay. Mermaid Quay is lovely for a few daytime drinks, but it’s a short taxi or bus ride from the centre, and nobody wants to queue for a cab at the end of the night.
My practical tip: check the rugby fixtures before you do anything else. On a Wales home match weekend the hotels fill fast, so if you want the stag in town for an international, book the beds first and sort the rest later.
A Cardiff stag weekend: my sample itinerary
Friday Start where everyone starts, at the Prince of Wales on the corner of St Mary Street and Wood Street. Then slip down the side streets to the City Arms on Quay Street for a pint of Brains Bitter in a proper old boozer. Finish in the Castle area at the Owain Glyndwr, one of the oldest pubs in the city, or catch a band at Clwb Ifor Bach.
Saturday Get the blood pumping with white water rafting in the city itself, or head out to Delta Force in Pentyrch for paintball and get nicely bruised before the night begins. Wind down with a few Brains on the waterfront at Mermaid Quay, then head back into town for the main event on St Mary Street and Caroline Street. If the stag is in costume, give the trendy Friary bars a miss, as they’re less tolerant of stags in fancy dress. End the night where Cardiff always ends, queuing in Chip Alley for chicken curry half ’n’ half.
Sunday If there’s no match on, book a tour of the Principality Stadium and see behind the scenes. If the sun shows up, Mill Lane’s café quarter is the spot for a slow cold beer before the trip home. Golfers in the group can head to the Celtic Manor Resort, which hosted the Ryder Cup, and the rest can call it tidy and go home.
Bar Babes Barcrawl
Day package
- Fully planned 4-hour barcrawls across a range of UK locations
- 2-4 beauties to chaperone you
- Girls get the drinks all night from the kitty
- Freebies & discounts in all venues
- Party drinking games, challenges and forfeits dished out by the girls
- Barcrawl ends in a nightclub (entry arranged by us)
Prepare for a night to remember as you and the boys are taken on a bar crawl with some beautiful girls! Drinking games, challenges and forfeits for the stag lie in wait as you go bar hopping in the company of beer maids!
Cardiff On the Splash Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith 
- 3* Hotel - 2 Nights
- White Water Rafting
- Guestlist & Reserved Table
- Nightclub Entry
- Lapdance Entry
- Casino Entry
Get your blood pumping experiencing one of the best rafting spots in Wales and enjoy the Cardiff nightlife!
Cardiff Four Play Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Quad Biking Experience
- Free Casino Entry
- Lap Dancing Entry
- Nightclub Entry
Rip around outdoor terrain on quad bikes before heading out for a night on tiles - hotel, quad bikes, 2 course meal, lapdance club entry and two pre-paid club entries are all included in this great value package.
Cardiff Gorge Walking Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 3* Hotel - 2 Nights
- Gorge Walking Experience
- Night Club Tickets
- Casino Entry
- Guestlist Entry to Vodka Bar
- Lapdance Entry
This is a stag weekend with a difference! Experience some truly memorable sights while working up a sweat! Visit waterfalls and caves during the day then when the sun goes down take in some clubs!
Cardiff Paintball Stag Night Package
1 night awaywith
- 1 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Half Day Paintballing Experience
- Pre-Paid Saturday Night Lap Dancing Entry
- Pre-Paid Saturday Nightclub Entry
- Free Casino Entry
Bring all that Playstation practice to bear in this superb value package that sees you and the boys play shootem up for real with paintballs. Then it's out for a night out clubbing and lapdancing.
Cardiff Eat Sleep Party Stag Weekend Package
1 night awaywith
- 2 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Steak and Drink Dinner
- Free Casino Entry
- Lapdance Entry
- Nightclub Entry
A good night lies on wait as you and the boys take in a bit of fodder before hitting the Cardiff night life, with nightclub entry guaranteed. Boom!
Cardiff Gunbelievable Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Clay Pigeon Shooting
- Free Casino Entry
- Lap Dancing Entry
- Guestlist Entry to Vodka Bar
- Pre-Paid Nightclub Entry
Fancy yourself as a hot shot? Prove it to the boys by taking down some clay pigeons before some good quality club, casino and lap dancing action.
Cardiff Casino Stag Do Package
Day packagewith
- Pre-Paid Saturday Nightclub Entry
- Steak and Drink Dinner
- Guestlist Entry to Vodka Bar
- Free Casino Entry
A good night lies on wait as you and the boys take in a bit of fodder before hitting the Cardiff night life, with nightclub entry guaranteed. Boom!
Cardiff Call Of Booty Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Full Day Paintballing Inc 100 Free Paintballs
- Free Casino Entry
- Lap Dancing
- Nightclub Entry
Get amongst it with the boys for a paintball squirmish. Then it's out for a night to remember as you take in a few clubs - one a night club the other a lap dancing club.
Cardiff Clubbing Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Lap Dancing Entry
- Nightclub Entry
- Free Casino Entry
Clubbing and lapdancing - a classic package for you and the stag party to get your teeth stuck in to.
Cardiff Poker Race Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Indoor Go-Karting Experience
- Free Casino Entry
- Nightclub Entry
- Guestlist Entry to Vodka Bar
- Lapdance Entry
Get the adrenaline flowing on the race track in this high octane weekend package that is fast and furious before heading out to in Cardiff's buzzing nightlife.
Cardiff Base Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Free Casino Entry
- Nightclub Entry
- Lap Dancing Entry
- Guestlist Entry to Vodka Bar
Go clubbing with the boys and enjoy a night to remember at one of Cardiff's top lap dancing venues
Cardiff Thunderball Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith 
- 2 nights accommodation
- Paintball Full Day, 100 Balls
- Priority Club Entry
- Indoor Go Karting
Shooting and driving - two of our favourite past times rolled in to one action packed Stag Weekend in Cardiff. Throw in priority nightclub entry and 100 paintballs and we reckon this is about as good as it gets.
Cardiff High Rollers Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 Nights Stay In 3* Hotel
- Two Course Meal & Pre-Paid Club Entry
- Free Casino Entry
- Guestlist Entry to Vodka Bar
- Lap Dancing Entry
Get yourself some tucker before heading out for a night on the tiles including casino entry
Cardiff Ride the Rapids Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 3* Hotel - 2 Nights
- Nightclub Tickets
- White Water Rafting
Get your blood pumping experiencing one of the best rafting spots in Wales and enjoy the Cardiff nightlife!
Cardiff Quadtastic Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 Nights Hotel Accommodation
- Quad Biking Session
- Priority Club Entry
Go quadbiking with the boys before getting guaranteed priority entry in to Cardiff's hottest club.
Cardiff Pole Position Stag Do
Day packagewith 
- Go Karting
- Strada - 2 Course Meal
- Missoula Guestlist Entry
- Fantasy Lounge Lap Club Entry
Fight for number one with the Pole Position stag weekend package. Battle it out on a huge indoor track, with an epic go karting session, before a tasty two course meal at Strada. Your night is all covered, and your entry is sorted at Missoula and Fantasy Lounge lap club.
Cardiff Go Go Go Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 nights accommodation
- Indoor Go Karting
- Priority Club Entry
This high octane stag package combines a superb indoor track with guestlist night club entry.
Cardiff Shotgun Wedding Stag Do
Day packagewith
- Clay Pigeon Shooting
- Revolution - 3 Course Meal
- Missoula Guestlist Entry
- Fantasy Lounge Lap Club Entry
You've got a Shotgun Wedding on your hands with this stag do package. Clay pigeon shooting is first up, and you've got 25 clays to showcase your skills. The Revolution three course meal will prepare you for a massive night out, with guestlist entry to Missoula and the seriously sexy Fantasy Lounge lap club.
Cardiff Paintball Paradise Stag Weekend Package
2 nights awaywith
- 2 nights accommodation
- Full Day Paintball with 100 paintballs
- Guestlist Nightclub Entry & Q-Jump
Bring all that Playstation practice to bear as you play shootem up for real with paintballs. Then it's back, showered and out for a night out to sample the best of Cardiff nightlife.
Cardiff Paint the Town Red Stag Do
Day packagewith
- Paintball
- Bierkeller
- Walkabout - Beer, Spirits & Shots
- Pryzm Guestlist Entry
Your stag do just got colourful - it's time for the Paint the Town Red package. Put it all to the test with paint-splattered war at outdoor paintball, and embrace the German way of life at the legendary Bierkeller - with additional food. You've even got entry to Walkabout and Pryzm to celebrate until the early hours.
Cardiff Booze Cruise Stag Do
Day packagewith
- 3 hour booze cruise
- BBQ
- Cash bar
- Party music
- VIP Nightclub entry
It's all aboard for a stag party booze cruise. Top bar on-board, with party deck, BBQ and cool music playlist. Then top off your evening with entry into one of the city's premier nightclubs.
Cardiff Coasteering Stag Do
Day packagewith
- 4 hour session
- Caving, Traversing, Plunge Pools and Cliff Jumping
- Wetsuits, Helmets, Buoyancy Aids
- Experience instructor
Take a deep lung full of salty sea air and get ready for some serious thrills at the coastline. An invigorating choice for your Cardiff stag weekend.
Cardiff Game for a Laugh Stag Do
Day packagewith
- Welsh Games
- Walkabout - Food & Beers
- Comedy
Experience all of Cardiff with the Game for a Laugh stag weekend package. The Welsh Games are packed full of hilarious challenges that will test even the hardest of men, but the food and beers at Walkabout will ease the pain… You'll then finish the night with a professional funny person at Glee Comedy Club.
Cardiff stag do guide
Forget the stereotypes about male voice choirs and sheep and find out what’s occurring. Sandwiched between the sea and the hills, Cardiff has everything close at hand: no endless tube rides here, just pubs, clubs, venues and eateries that are mostly within walking distance or a short taxi ride of each other.
Where to go out
The city’s hot spots split roughly into four areas, each with its own vibe and all minutes apart, which makes for some interesting pub crawls.
- The Friary: a major party zone for students and young gadabouts. Some bars err towards the trendy, with less tolerance for stags in Teletubbies outfits. For live music, the Live Lounge has acts on every night of the week and is open into the wee hours.
- The West End (St Mary Street to Mill Lane): the central hub of Cardiff’s night-time partying. Start at the Prince of Wales, the Wetherspoons on the corner of St Mary Street and Wood Street, a large old building that has been a theatre and, most famously, a cinema of the very adult variety. Across the road, the purpose-built Brewery Quarter makes a handy meeting point. For something more traditional, head down the side streets to old Brains pubs like the City Arms on Quay Street, a classic boozer steeped in Cardiff history and a bustling favourite on rugby match days. At the lower end, Mill Lane’s café quarter is a good place for a cold beer on a sunny afternoon (yes, the sun does sometimes shine in Cardiff).
- The Castle area: you’ll know it by the great big castle. Nearby, for a traditional local vibe, try the Old Arcade or the Owain Glyndwr, one of the oldest pubs in the city. And to do something properly Welsh, Clwb Ifor Bach is very Welsh and proud of it, and one of the coolest venues for touring bands.
- The Bay (Mermaid Quay): a short taxi or bus ride to the waterfront, with a different feel to the city centre. It’s a great place to while away an afternoon with a few Brains and the view, so treat it as a spot for daytime drinks rather than the end goal. Dock Bar & Kitchen (formerly the Terra Nova), a big pub with a distinctive triangular shape, sits right on the waterfront.
Daytime
- Rugby weekends: nothing brings Cardiff to life like a Wales home match. The Principality Stadium (the old Millennium Stadium) sits improbably in the heart of the city, all roads lead to it and every bar is fit to burst with a sea of red, Brains Bitter, Guinness and badly tuned but delightfully harmonised renditions of Delilah. Time the stag for an international weekend for some distinctive memories. No game on? Book a stadium tour to see behind the scenes at the venue that has hosted everything from a World Cup Final to the Rolling Stones.
- Golf: there are excellent courses in the city at Whitchurch, Cardiff, Radyr and Creigiau, plus the Vale of Glamorgan resort a few miles along the M4. Twenty minutes away by car is the Celtic Manor Resort, host of the 2010 Ryder Cup and one for any golf lover’s to-play list.
- Paintball: Delta Force in Pentyrch is the closest venue to the city centre, ideal for stags wanting to get nicely bruised before the night begins.
- Coasteering: Cardiff is a short distance from some spectacular, rugged coastline, so the real adventurers can go scrambling over rocks and jumping off cliffs. It sounds terrifying until you try it and find it to be, as they say round here, epic.
- Racing at Chepstow: about 40 minutes away, Chepstow Races holds meetings throughout the year on the flat and over the fences. Always a winner on a stag do (unless you lose).
Nightlife extras
If your stag do requires a lap-dancing venue, and let’s face it many do, Cardiff can accommodate. The oldest club in town is the Fantasy Lounge on St Mary Street, with The Playhouse just along the street and For Your Eyes Only on Church Street, all within the main night-time hub.
Where to eat
The Brewery Quarter has the standard chain restaurants. But we can’t talk about Cardiff without mentioning the (in)famous Chip Alley. Otherwise known as Caroline Street, it’s a row of chippies that stay open into the very small hours, feeding a congregation of staggering post-party people queuing for doner kebabs and chicken curry half ’n’ half (half rice, half chips, obviously).
Speak the lingo
When you cross the Severn Bridge you’re entering a foreign land (of a sort), so have a few key phrases to hand. And don’t be giving it all that Iechyd Da stuff, that won’t wash.
- A’righ: hello
- Tidy: great
- Lush: absolutely amazing
- Now in a minute: soon
- Boggin’: not very nice
- Chopsy: argumentative
- Tampin’: very annoyed
- Where to?: where?
- Yur: here, ear or year
- Never?: really?
- Cwtch: cuddle
Things to do on a Cardiff stag do
The activities you can book in a Cardiff stag package with us right now, most popular first. Each one has my guide to what’s involved.
- Comedy 15 packages
- Paintball 11 packages
- Casino 11 packages
- Bubble Football 9 packages
- Go Karting 9 packages
- Quad Biking 7 packages
- Clay Pigeon Shooting 6 packages
- White Water Rafting 5 packages
- Beer, Whisky and Gin Tasting 1 package
- Boat Party 1 package
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for a Cardiff stag do?
Time it for a Wales home rugby international and the whole city turns into one big party. Check the fixtures before you book though, because hotels fill up fast on match weekends.
Can you wear fancy dress on a Cardiff stag do?
Be careful in The Friary. Some of its trendier bars have less tolerance for stags in Teletubbies outfits, so a costumed group may get a frosty welcome there.
Where should a stag group drink in Cardiff?
St Mary Street and Caroline Street are the heart of the night out, and the Prince of Wales Wetherspoons on the corner of Wood Street is a handy start. For something calmer, take a short taxi to Mermaid Quay in Cardiff Bay for daytime drinks by the water.
