Best Days Out for a Group of Friends (UK)

Getting a group of friends out for the day is one of the best things you can do — and, let's be honest, one of the hardest to actually pull off. The secret is picking something that suits a group: a shared activity with a bit of built-in fun, easy logistics, and a good spot for food and a drink afterwards. Here are ideas that keep everyone happy, sorted by the kind of day you're after.

Low-key and cheap

• A coast or country walk, then a pub lunch. The reliable classic — free, flexible, and the pub at the end does the socialising. Pick a circular route with a good pub roughly two-thirds of the way round.
• A market crawl. A big food or vintage market — Borough in London, the Bristol or Manchester markets, a farmers' market — grazing your way round with coffee and pastries.
• A picnic in a great park or garden. Bring games, bring dogs, claim a spot for the afternoon.
• parkrun followed by a big breakfast. Do the 5k (or walk it) as a group, then decamp to a café. Free and weirdly bonding.

Active days out

• Escape rooms — brilliant for a group of four to six; teamwork, laughs, and an easy "we did it / we absolutely did not" story for the pub after.
• Bouldering or a climbing wall — beginner sessions are social and low-commitment.
• Bowling, mini-golf or an activity bar — darts, shuffleboard, ping-pong bars; low-effort, high-fun, food and drink on tap.
• A guided kayak, paddleboard or bike hire day — a step up, and a proper adventure for a keen group.

A bit more special

• A brewery, distillery or winery tour with a tasting. Great for a group, easy to book, and the tasting keeps everyone chatty. English vineyards, city breweries and Scottish distilleries all do group tours.
• A cook-along or cookery class. You make (and eat) a meal together — hands-on, sociable, and you leave having actually done something.
• A theme park. Alton Towers, Thorpe Park or Blackpool Pleasure Beach for a proper adrenaline day — best value with a group booking.
• A day at the races, a festival, or an outdoor gig. Big-occasion energy; book early and sort travel in advance.

Keep the organising easy

The reason group days out fall through is logistics, not enthusiasm. A few things that help:

1. Pick somewhere easy to reach — near a train station, or with straightforward parking, so nobody's put off by the journey.
2. Book ahead for anything popular — escape rooms, tastings and theme parks sell out at weekends, and group rates usually need booking in advance.
3. Have one anchor, keep the rest loose — one booked thing (a tour, a table, a session) plus free time around it means the day has a shape without being over-planned.
4. Sort food early. Book a table or pick a spot in advance; a hungry group with no plan is where afternoons unravel.
5. Share the load. One person books the activity, another sorts food, another the travel — nobody carries the whole thing.

For inspiration on what's happening near you, check our What's On listings and browse the full venue directory by type and region.