Manchester stag do

Manchester has everything a big city stag needs. The nightlife is enormous, the food is excellent, there's football at two of the most famous clubs in the world, and the city is easy to get to from almost anywhere in the country.

It suits groups who want variety. You can spend Friday in the Northern Quarter's small bars, Saturday at a match or an activity, and Saturday night in the bigger clubs around Deansgate, all within walking distance of each other.

Mancunians are proud of their city and generally happy to see visitors enjoying it. Stag and hen groups are everywhere on a weekend, so you won't stand out, and most bars and pubs are used to them.

There's one area where you should think before you go. Canal Street is the heart of Manchester's Gay Village, one of the best-known LGBT nightlife areas in Europe. For years the community has complained about straight hen and stag groups treating it as a novelty night out, and some bars run door checks as a result. If someone in your group genuinely wants to go, go and enjoy it respectfully. Don't take a stag there as a joke.

Big groups of men struggle to get into the better bars and clubs on a Friday or Saturday night, as in any big city. Split into groups of four to six before you reach the door, and you'll find it much easier.

Dress codes vary a lot by area. Northern Quarter bars are relaxed. Spinningfields and the smarter Deansgate venues expect you to make an effort, and sportswear and football shirts will get you turned away almost everywhere on a weekend night.

Fancy dress is fine in the more stag-friendly bars and at activities, but it'll close a lot of doors in the evening. A matching T-shirt or one outfit for the groom keeps your options open.

Northern Quarter

Small independent bars, craft beer, cocktails and great food. Relaxed doors and a mixed crowd. The best area for a first night.

Deansgate and Deansgate Locks

Bigger bars and clubs under railway arches, busy and loud at weekends. Where a lot of big nights end up.

Spinningfields

Smart bars and restaurants with a dressier crowd. Good for a nicer dinner or pre-drinks.

Ancoats

A short walk from the Northern Quarter. Some of the best restaurants and bars in the city, in old mill buildings.

Printworks

An entertainment complex with bars, restaurants and a cinema under one roof. Easy for a big group, if not very characterful.

Football

Manchester United at Old Trafford or Manchester City at the Etihad. Tickets for both are very hard to get for most games. Stadium tours run on non-match days and are a good fallback.

Darts, crazy golf and shuffleboard

Manchester has plenty of social gaming bars, which work well for a big group on Saturday afternoon and get competitive quickly.

Brewery tours and taprooms

The city has a big craft beer scene, with several breweries opening their taprooms at weekends.

Comedy

Manchester has a strong comedy circuit. Check each club's policy on stag groups before you book, as some won't take them.

Outdoor activities

The Peak District is under an hour away for clay shooting, quad bikes, paintball or a proper walk to clear heads.

Friday

Arrive at Piccadilly and start in the Northern Quarter. Dinner in Ancoats or the Northern Quarter, then stay local or head to Deansgate if the group wants a bigger night.

Saturday

Brunch, then the match, a stadium tour or an afternoon of darts and shuffleboard. Dinner in Spinningfields, then a big night around Deansgate.

Sunday

A long breakfast, a final pint in the Northern Quarter and the train home.

There are hundreds of hotels and serviced apartments in the city centre, and big apartments sleeping ten or more are easy to find. Stay near Piccadilly or Deansgate, so everything is in walking distance.

Check the football fixtures and the concert calendar before booking. Big home games and stadium gigs push hotel prices up across the whole city.

Prices change, so check before you book.

• Keep an eye on drinks and phones in the busiest clubs. Manchester is no worse than other big cities, but busy weekend nights attract pickpockets.
• On derby days the city is tense and heavily policed. Unless you're going to the game, it's not the best weekend for a stag.
• Use licensed black cabs or an app. Don't take unmarked cars from outside clubs.