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Another bank holiday, another chance to shake things up! Whether you're looking for fun things to do this weekend with friends or you're planning a solo adventure, we've pulled together 17 brilliant ideas to help you make this one count. From getting your hands dirty for a good cause to learning a skill your ancestors would be proud of, there's something here for every kind of bank holiday mood.
Give back to the planet
Nothing feels quite as good as making a positive splash in the world around you. This bank holiday, give the earth some love with these planet-friendly adventures!
1. Get your hands dirty in a botanical workshop
Step into a greenery-filled gardening class! Whether you're learning how to build a self-sustaining terrarium, propagate plant babies, or grow your own food from scratch, you’ll leave with green fingers and some new earthy skills.
2. Join a local coastal or woodland cleanup
Grab a bag and head out into nature for a rewarding beach or forest sweep. Fresh air, stunning scenery, and leaving your favourite local spots cleaner than you found them? That’s a total win-win.
3. Learn an eco-friendly lifestyle skill
Ditch single-use plastics and chemical nasties for good by picking up a sustainable craft! Hop into an eco-friendly workshop to craft your own reusable beeswax wraps, blend natural soy candles, or make zero-waste solid soaps.
Connect with your community
Bank holidays are made for bringing people together! Dip into your local scene, make new friends, and celebrate the power of community.
4. Support a social enterprise
Book a creative or culinary workshop led by people who love to give back. You’ll pick up plenty of great skills, meet new people and help support important projects in your local area – we think that’s a win-win-win! Try any of these classes with heart:
- A jewellery making class from Vanilla Ink CIC in Glasgow, whose profits are invested back into a programme that offers creative experiences to disadvantaged and vulnerable people.
- A kintsugi class from Art4Space in London, a not-for-profit CIC who provide creative experiences for vulnerable people in deprived areas of Lambeth, and have been working for social justice since 1999.
- A tea blending workshop from Hackney Herbal in London, a social enterprise who use profits to fund free nature-based events for the local community.
5. Pitch in at a community garden
Find a neighbourhood allotment or community growing project and offer a helping hand! It’s a wonderful way to get outdoors, learn a few gardening skills and chat with local plant lovers.
6. Throw a neighbourhood street party
Dust off the bunting, whip up some refreshments, and invite your neighbours out for a long afternoon of laughter, music, and shared sweet treats.
Press pause and prioritise yourself
Long weekends are tailor-made for hitting the pause button! Slow down, recharge your batteries, and pour a little love back into your own cup this bank holiday.
7. Melt into a soothing cacao ceremony
Swap your morning coffee for a heart-opening cacao ceremony and sound healing experience in London. It’s a soothing, spiritual experience designed to calm a busy mind and spark inner joy.
8. Take a mindful woodland walk
Leave your phone on 'Do Not Disturb' and get lost in nature. A slow, meditative wander through a sunlit forest or along a windswept shoreline is the ultimate antidote to everyday stress.
9. Take yourself on a solo date
Who says you need a partner to have a romantic day out? Book yourself into a cosy craft class, grab a fancy coffee, and spend a few uninterrupted hours doing exactly what makes your soul happy.
10. Gather your favourite people
Great memories are always made when shared with others! Gather your partner, parents, or best pals for a creative workshop – there’s nothing quite like sharing laughs and learning something new together.
Discover a time-honoured craft
Unplug from the notifications, step away from your screens, and travel back in time by trying your hand at an authentic craft and learning a few hands-on heritage skills.
11. Throw your first pot
One of the oldest skills around, you’ll connect with centuries of craftsmanship as you shape the clay using time-honoured pottery techniques.
Try these:
London: Pottery wheel throwing taster class
Manchester: Slurp and sculpt class
Scotland: Handbuilding pottery workshop: Create and decorate
12. Channel your inner blacksmith
It doesn’t get more traditional than blacksmithing! Step into a real working forge, hammer glowing metal on an anvil, and forge your very own iron bottle opener, hook, or custom tool.
Try these:
London: Blacksmithing taster class
Manchester: Beginners blacksmith course
Scotland: Blacksmithing class
13. Play with fire at a glassblowing studio
Guided by a master artisan, you’ll learn age-old techniques that have been passed down through generations – harnessing heat, gravity, and breath to sculpt molten glass into a stunning piece of custom glassware.
Try these:
London: Lampwork glassmaking creative class
Manchester: Glassblowing experience: Colour spheres
14. Weave a masterpiece with basketry
Unwind with the rhythmic, tactile art of basket weaving. Using natural willow or cane, you’ll pick up ancient techniques and walk away with a rustic piece to show off at home; think plant supports, baskets and bird feeders – the list is endless!
Try these:
London: Beginners basket making workshop
Manchester: Willow weaving workshop
Embrace something a bit quirky
Life is too short for boring bank holidays! Add a dash of eccentric fun to your long weekend with these gloriously out-of-the-ordinary ideas.
15. Spend an afternoon on a houseboat
Shake things up with an unusual maker experience in one of the coolest settings in London. Tere and Colin (and their ragdoll cat, Tippi) offer vegan afternoon tea experiences, spanish cooking classes and chocolate making workshops from their beautiful houseboat, moored in Canary Wharf.
16. Turn the lights down for a neon paint and sip
Swap classic canvases for glowing UV paints! Sip your favourite cocktail (or soft drink) while painting under blacklights for a high-energy, colourful party atmosphere you’ll never forget.
17. Wander off the beaten track at a quirky museum
Skip the massive national galleries and search out the wonderfully weird, hidden gem museums. We think these sound like some of the most interesting places to spend the bank holiday:
- The eclectic, chaotic Sir John Soanes Museum in London, filled with architectural drawings, paintings and various oddities and antique treasures.
- The Pen Museum in Birmingham, the only museum in the UK dedicated to the world of pens, and the historic Birmingham pen trade.
- Hat Works in Manchester, the only museum in the country dedicated to the history of hats and headwear.
- The Museum of Magic, Fortune-Telling and Witchcraft in Edinburgh, which preserves the memory of the witch trials and holds a collection of occult-related artefacts. Not one for the faint hearted!
Ready to make this long weekend one to remember?
Bank holidays don't come around very often, so don't let this one slip away on the sofa! Life is made of memories, and the best ones are created when you try something brand new. So turn on that out-of-office, step outside your comfort zone, and treat yourself to an extra-special bank holiday experience – because come Tuesday morning, when everyone else is trading stories about how quiet their weekend was, you'll have one worth telling!
