My Reading Stag Weekend: A Best Man's Review

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

There is a perception with stag dos that they are much simpler to organise than hen dos. I don’t want to perpetuate stereotypes, but I’m pretty sure that’s true!

For Jake's stag do, I just paid what I was told and didn’t even remember where we were going until we got there! To be honest, all I needed was four walls, a bed to crash in, and directions to the nearest bar.

Friday: Pizza & Ping Pong

Jake couldn’t book Friday off work, so we didn’t leave until about five o'clock. That’s one of the reasons we’d picked **Reading** as our stag weekend destination; it was only an hour away, so the drive time was minimal.

We arrived at the hotel around half-past six, dropped our bags, and sank a few tinnies while getting ready. We headed off to a local pizza place to line our stomachs before hitting Reading town centre.

The best man had planned an "off the cuff" evening, which led us to the strangest and most fun bar I have ever been to – a bar that had **Ping Pong Tables** dotted around along with some amazing beers. We spent a couple of hours (and a lot of money) in there, before heading out to find somewhere "fun".

We ended up in a cheesy club (think *Saturday Night Fever* or Disco Stu!). It was a good time, and we bounced our way through the evening, getting back to the hotel at around 3 am when everyone had started to flag.

Saturday: Assault Course & Hovercrafts

It was a good job we got back when we did, as the next day was a big one. The best man had arranged a pair of activities for us, both outside and both quite physical.

Activity 1: The Assault Course

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did! I’m a reasonably fit guy, but I was still dreading it with a hangover. However, my competitive nature really came out. I was desperate to show these boys how unfit they were!

It didn’t take long before I was climbing walls, jumping through tyres, and crawling under nets. It was a whale of a time.

Activity 2: Hovercraft Driving

When I saw our next activity, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. We were driving **Hovercrafts**! I’d never been in one for real, let alone taken control of one.

Interesting fact: they are bloody difficult to steer until you get the hang of it. Luckily we all got a chance to practise before tackling the course. I had so much trouble to start with that I thought I’d be a candidate for the wooden spoon, but luckily some of my mates were even more rubbish than I was!

Saturday Night: The Big One

With those two activities done and dusted, we went back to the hotel for the traditional triple S (Shower, Shave... you know the rest). Then it was out for our big night out.

We went on a trek around a large number of bars before heading to a massive nightclub that I had been excited about all weekend. It did not disappoint! With two floors of music and dancing, there was something for everyone to enjoy. We stayed dancing and drinking until the sun came up, at which point we staggered back to the hotel.

The Verdict

Jake’s Reading stag do was an amazing success – everyone had great fun and the whole thing ran as smooth as clockwork. If you are thinking of going to Reading for a stag do, all I have to say is “Can I come?”

The Stag and Hen Experience has been creating bespoke weekends since 2009. If you want to replicate this itinerary, get in touch on 01202 566100 or browse our Reading Stag Guide to start planning.