My Derby Stag Weekend: A Real Groom's Review

Editor's Note (December 2025): These real stories from past grooms and best men have been updated to ensure all travel tips and activity details are current for the 2025 season.

Choosing a stag do destination can be tricky. You want somewhere lively, affordable, and packed with unique activities.

Derby might not be the first place you think of, but it ticks all the boxes. We’ve compiled two real diaries from recent Derby stag weekends. Whether you want to drive tanks or feast like a king at a Medieval Banquet, here is exactly what to expect.

Review 1: The "Tank Commander" Weekend

The Vibe: Tank Driving, The Derby Mile Pub Crawl, and German Barmaids.

Friday: Arrival & The Olde Dolphin

My stag weekend in Derby was for my second marriage, so I wanted to push the boat out. We booked into the Jurys Inn, which was perfectly located right in the centre of the city with decent-sized rooms.

We started the Friday night at Ye Olde Dolphin Inne, which turned out to be Derby’s oldest pub (dating back to 1530 and apparently haunted!). It was a nice old-school start.

The next stop was The Standing Order, a massive Wetherspoon's where we took advantage of the cheap prices. We finished the evening at Popworld, dancing to cheesy hits until the early hours.

Saturday: Tank Driving Experience

After a hearty breakfast, we were picked up for the main event: Tank Driving. The tank centre was about an hour’s drive away through some fantastic scenery.

The driving itself was brilliant. We drove armoured personnel carriers—awesome beasts! We got three laps of the track: one with the hatch open, one with the hatch closed (using the periscope!), and a final choice lap. It was atmospheric and one of the major high points of the weekend.

Saturday Night: The Derby Mile

For the evening, my Best Man had booked us onto the famed Derby Mile pub crawl. He’d even hired a couple of "Bar Crawl Beauties" dressed as German barmaids to shepherd us along!

We started at The Travellers Rest, moved onto The Swan and Salmon, and then The Georgian House Hotel. The girls did an amazing job of ushering us to the next bars, including The Greyhound Inn and The Friary. We finished at Baby Platinum, a lap dance bar where I have a vague recollection of being dragged on stage!

Review 2: The "King for a Day" Weekend

The Vibe: Medieval Banquet, White Water Rafting, and Casinos.

Friday: The Medieval Banquet

I’m a Stoke lad, so I wanted a stag do close to home. Derby was perfect—far enough to behave however we wanted, but close enough to avoid hours in the car.

We checked into a central hotel and headed straight to a pub. Then, my Best Man Paul led us off into the unknown. We arrived at a venue filled with swords and shields—we were doing a Medieval Banquet! We got costumes to dress in, and my favourite photo of the weekend is me dressed as a King ripping a turkey leg off the bone with my teeth!

After the food, we hit the town. We abandoned our "traditional pubs" plan and popped into a cocktail bar for rounds of Espresso Martinis. They certainly energized us! We ended up in a late-night bar before finishing at a Casino, gambling until the sun came up.

Saturday: White Water Rafting

Paul had sensibly left the morning free for recovery. By 1 pm, we were off to our activity: White Water Rafting.

I’ll be honest, I was nervous. I’m not a boat guy. But as soon as we started guiding that raft through the rough waters, I realised how much fun it was. It was even better when one of the lads fell in! We spent a couple of hours there and really got our money's worth.

Saturday Night: VIP Clubbing

After a pizza dinner to refuel, we got dressed up for a big night out. We bounced from bar to bar before heading to a huge Derby nightclub. Paul had booked a booth and a drinks package, which was a great shout—especially for my mate Ian who was struggling to stand up by this point!

The Verdict

My Derby Stag Do was amazing. It was the perfect destination: affordable, fun, and packed with unique activities like tank driving and rafting.

The Stag and Hen Experience has been creating bespoke weekends since 2009. If you want to replicate these itineraries, get in touch on 01202 566100 or browse our Derby Stag guide to start planning.