Alternative hens party ideas

Did you know that Retrosweat can haul the boom box to you? Hens, bucks or birthday, Shannon Dooley and her crew can bring the throwback aerobics to your house – day or night, indoors or out. Prices are calculated per head, cool-down cocktails included.

This Surry Hills bar has a private den that seats up to 40 guests, and each karaoke room fits up to ten people – including a box of fancy dress items. Order a round of whisky highballs and plate of Japanese bar snacks and get warmed up for ‘Run the World (Girls)’.

You can make flower crowns, take a Bollywood dancing class, decorate doughnuts, nurture your own terrarium… in fact, there are heaps of creative classes to choose from at this Redfern studio. You can hire the space at Work-Shop and take your pick from a list of popular hens or bucks activities – such as nude life drawing (oo-er!).

Sydneysiders are spoilt for choice when it comes to escape rooms, and many of them will accept group bookings. Our pick is Paniq Room in the Rocks – they have a max capacity of 14 people across two rooms (equally challenging) and the venue is close to bars like the Doss House for a post-panic whisky.

Founded by a former NSW firefighter, Men on Fire is an events company designed for somewhat classic hen's parties, without the strippers. Their party offerings include Fireman life-drawing classes and cocktail classes, with the option of setting up with a dinner at Barangaroo’s Bottega Coco or having the fireman and his equipment (read: drawing pads and pencils) come to you.

The team of men have graced more than 20,000 parties with their presence since launching almost a decade ago, and have honed a niche that bridal parties didn’t know they needed.

If you’re looking for a food-centric affair, QT Sydney’s high tea is a gloriously quirky take on the traditional tea and scone set-up. The QT kitchen have partnered with master pâtissier Adriano Zumbo to create an experimental selection of sweet and savoury treats – served with QT’s signature theatrics. Settle into the low-lit lobby and choose a bottle of Champagne from the 60 strong list – it’s high tea, but not as you know it.

Get wet and wild with the ladies (or fellas) and book a private surf lesson for your hens or bucks at Let's Go Surfing. You’ll walk away with hilarious pics and the person-of-honour surfs for free. Lessons last 1.5 hours; $85 per person.

This warehouse in St Peters attracts all sorts of people from hens and bucks parties to office outings. You’re not allowed to pin a photo of the mother-in-law to the target, but you are allowed to take a group of eight (and up to 45 people) to Maniax. $50 per person.

Loosen up with a dance class at Dance Central. They offer private tuition and floating classes to suit your choice of location on any of their regular classes, including hip hop, salsa, reggaeton, dancehall and belly dancing. It’s $170 for three-to-ten students or $17 per person for 11 or more people.

Sydney Trapeze School are old hands at running parties, from birthday bashes to team building events, and they have a special rate for hens parties. So long as you have a group of 12 or more, you can select two hours of flying trapeze lessons or classes in seductive silks and tissue (those suspended strips of cloth you can hang off) skills from $65 per person.

For a more hands-on alternative to high tea, sign the hens up for a group cooking class. Neutral Bay’s cooking school regularly cater to hens parties in their private dining area. Choose a cuisine like Mexican or Italian, or the Death by Chocolate Dessert Class. Tell them your budget and they’ll do the rest.