Vancouver BC is a unique option for a destination bachelorette party. The very first thing you will realize when you begin this journey is that in Canada, they don’t say “bachelorette” but instead say “Stagette”. Do as the locals do, and refer to your group as a Stagette Party from this moment on! If you live in Washington state, Vancouver is a quick drive across the US/Canadian border. If you’re outside of Washington, then a trip to Canada for your bachelorette is a way to surprise your guests and do something out of the ordinary.
This year, I only had one wedding that I was a part of. Good news for me, since I was the Maid of Honor and could dedicate time and energy wholeheartedly into it. This bride was steadfast on doing everything out of the ordinary and providing a unique experience for her guests. So to follow that theme, she decided to do her bachelorette party as a girls’ weekend away in Vancouver. Being that the bride and her friends are from San Diego, none of them had ever been to Canada, so I took the reins and planned our whole itinerary for the weekend.
Below you’ll find a lot of the activities that we did, as well as some other suggestions if your bride/group wants a different feel than what we were going for. One of my favorite reasons for doing a Vancouver Stagette weekend is because there is so much to do in one area and activities to meet all styles of brides.
Ideas for a Stagette (Bachelorette) Party in Vancouver BC
- For a more Sporty-Bride: Bike Ride through Stanley Park. Our hotel actually offered free bike rentals to their guests at a first come first serve basis. Another great option is Reckless Bike Stores for bike rentals (rumor has it they might be willing to decorate the Bride’s bike, so mention you are a Stagette party or buy a few things to decorate it yourself)
- Scavenger Photo Hunt – if you visit Vancouver, Granville Island Market is a must-see in my opinion. A way to make it a fun interactive activity for a Stagette party is to break up into teams and do a scavenger hunt. I’ve linked to my Stagette Scavenger Hunt on Granville Island list of photos to take, but you can make it your own. Make sure to give everyone a time-limit, meet up location (I suggest the local brewery to review the photos over drinks) and the rule that at least one team member needs to be in each photo. This will give everyone a reason to explore the island and leave you with funny pictures of everyone.
- One morning our bike excursion fell through, but we were still wanting to burn off some of those extra poutine and beer calories from the weekend. We researched local hikes and fell upon Grouse Mountain Grind. This is not the hike for the faint of heart but if your group is in shape and wants to get out and enjoy nature, it is truly one of a kind. The hike is a well-maintained wooden staircase switchback all the way up the mountain. UP is the key-word here. This particular hike, you may only walk up the mountain, so no opting-out halfway through. You must walk to the top where you will not only have spectacular views, but a gondola ride back down!
- If you want an outdoor adventure on your itinerary but don’t feel the whole group is physically up to hiking a mountain or a few mile bike-ride through the park, I’d recommend the Capilano Suspension Bridge. A main tourist attraction, the suspension bridge is a great photo opportunity and the tree-top walking paths are unique and enjoyable.
- High Tea or Afternoon Tea – There are several traditional (and more modern) tea houses in the city that can fit a wide range of budg
ets (Googling it will bring up 15+ results). Personally, we chose to do the High Tea at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver because they were doing a Mad Hatter theme that season and we decided to dress up to the theme with fascinators and everything. Every season they have a different theme, the food and tea were incredible; it is a must-do. - Eat Poutine! Canada is known for this delectable cuisine known as Poutine. It is basically gravy and cheese over French fries. If you haven’t had it before, I definitely suggest finding a local pub to experience this truly Canadian menu item and a few beers or shots to celebrate the Bride!
- Dress up dinner at the Teahouse in Stanley Park – Make sure you get reservations and if it is during the Spring/Summer time, I highly recommend looking at their website to see when sunset is to get the best view from your table.
- Splatter or abstract painting party – 4 Cats in Vancouver offers painting and pottery classes. Our group did the splatter class for Stagettes. It includes a small canvas for each individual and then the group makes one large canvas for the Bride. This was one of our most memorable events of the whole weekend. We had a blast throwing paint.
- For a Bride with a wild side: Pole dancing or lap dancing class. Several years ago we did a pole dancing class in Vancouver as part of a bachelorette party and it was a very fun adventure for all levels. They usually allow you to bring in liquid courage and you get to play in a dress up box. It was a fun experience and great photo op for everyone.
- Ready to be that out-of-control Stagette party?! If you are looking for the stereotypical phallic items I suggest that your first stop be at The Roxy. If you email/call and reserve a table they will set your bride up with a goodie-bag full of silly stuff to celebrate and a bottle of champagne. There are several other clubs in the area who help you celebrate as well. Start at one of these and bar-hop down the strip, picking clubs based on your musical preferences.
Additional Ideas:
*This list is not exhaustive. There are more options that I could even find/list here. But this should be a good starting place for your research. Don’t forget to make reservations and do your restaurant/bar research ahead of time so you aren’t wasting valuable time finding places to eat!
My very last suggestion if you are planning any Bachelorette weekend away… Plan a movie one afternoon- or free time at the hotel pool. You’ll need some down time to recover and take a break from all the activities. Or in our case, we had to rearrange our itinerary one day and the “free time” allowed for us to make up a much anticipated activity that we would have otherwise missed out on.