Introduction
Waterford City located in Waterford County is Ireland’s oldest city, famous for its crystalware and intriguing medieval history. Waterford was established in 914 by the Vikings. During the Middle Ages, Waterford was the second-largest city in the country – after Dublin.
This city attracts hen groups for many reasons: beautiful sandy beaches, the promenade, historical attractions and many great places to eat in and drink. Waterford is also a host of numerous fantastic seasonal festivals that brings hundreds of people from the whole country to Waterford city.
Local knowledge
One of the biggest attractions in Waterford is Reginald’s Tower. It is the oldest urban monument in Ireland and at the same time the oldest preserved monument from the Viking era.
Waterford City is also known worldwide for its crystal factory. Crystals have been produced in the city since 1783 and they make for a great souvenir of your hen do in this coastal haven. The Waterford Museum of Treasure is another great place to visit by Hen Do groups. It’s a museum for historical artefacts associated with the city of Waterford This city is a real treat for the hen group that loves history.
How to get to Waterford
The name of the train station in Waterford is Plunkett Station. The station is located across Rice Bridge on the north side of the city and is only a 5 minutes walk to the main Waterford street. The nearest airport is Cork airport which is located an hour and 20 minutes drive from Waterford or also the Dublin airport is around 2 hours drive.
From Dublin -170km
By car: Take N7 national road towards Limerick, followed by M9 towards Kilkenny, continue driving on M9 to Waterford. The journey takes approx 2 hours long.
By train: Train from Dublin to Waterford runs several times per day. It departs from Heuston Station in Dublin and takes approximately 2 hours and 30minutes to get to Plunkett station in Waterford. For more details please go to www.irishrail.ie.
By bus: There are several bus services available between Dublin- Waterford. Bus Eireann is the main provider. Departs from Busaras bus stop almost every hour to Waterford city. Dublin Coach departs from Dublin City- Burgh Quay every two hours and stops at Merchants Quay in Waterford. You could also hire a private coach company, for more details please check Rapid Cabs.
From Galway – 231km
By car: Take M6 motorway, followed by M8 towards Kilkenny. Take the M9 motorway towards Waterford. The journey takes approx 3 hours and 20 minutes.
By train: There is no direct train from Galway to Waterford. You will have to take a train from Galway train station towards Hesuton station and change trains on Kilkenny station toward Plunkett train station in Waterford, The journey will take around 4 hours  For more details, please check Irish Rail.
By bus: There is no direct bus from Galway to Waterford. You could take a bus to Dublin and from Dublin another bus to Waterford. You could also take a route to Waterford through Cork and Limerick but that involves 3 buses. The journey takes a similar amount of time, approx 5 hours long. For more details, please check Bus Eireann. You could also try to hire a private bus on Rapid Cabs.
From Limerick – 127km
By car: Take N24 national road towards Tipperary. Continue driving through N24 all the way to Waterford. This journey will take approx 2 hours.
By train: There is no direct train from Limerick to Waterford. If you would like to go for a hen weekend to Waterford by train, you will have to take a train from Limerick station towards Heuston station in Dublin and change trains at Kildare station to Plunkett station in Waterford. The journey will take approx 4 hours and 30 minutes long, For more details, pleased check Irish Rail.
By bus: The bus departs from Limerick Bus station and it’s Expressway route 55. There are 9 services each day from Limerick to Waterford. The journey takes 2 hours and 25 minutes. For more details please check the Expressway website.
You could also hire a private coach, for more information please go Piltown Coaches.
From Belfast – 331km
By car- take M1 motorway from Belfast towards Dublin, followed by M50 motorway towards Dublin, take exit 9 from M50 towards Kildare, followed by M9 and N9 to Waterford city. The journey takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes.
By train- There is no direct train from Belfast to Waterford but you could take a train from Belfast to Dublin Connolly station and from there take a Luas to Heuston station and from this station you could take a direct train to Plunkett station in Waterford. The journey will take around 6 hours long. For more details please check Irish Rail.
By bus – there is no direct bus from Belfast to Waterford, however, there are several bus services from Belfast to Dublin and Dublin to Waterford. It will take around 5 hours to get to Waterford from Belfast. For more information please check with Bus Eireann.
Accommodation
Treacy’s Hotel is a lovely 3-star hotel located very centrally. Only a few minutes walk to the most popular bars and restaurants in Waterford. This hen friendly hotel has its own pool, sauna and hot tub facilities, it’s perfect for those hen ladies that are looking for a bit of relaxation before a crazy night out. There is a free car park and free Wi-Fi for hotel guests as well.
The Viking Hotel is another hen friendly hotel located just a quick 5-minute spin from Waterford main street. This 3-star hotel offers spacious ensuite bedrooms with coffee/tea making facilities in each room. The hotel offers a wide range of room types, including interconnecting rooms in case the bride wants to be close all the time to her Hen Do Crew.
Travelodge Waterford like every other Travelodge offers comfortable and affordable accommodation and is located in a convenient location, only a few minutes drive from the main street in Waterford.
Daytime activities
Are there any fans of gin liquor in your hen group? I bet there are at least a few! Then I would definitely consider a gin tasting activity in Waterford to start a hen weekend with a nice taste of the classic drink. This activity takes place in a city-centre bar and you will have an occasion to try a wide range of delicious and unusual gins.
The Escape rooms are another fantastic activity to start your hen weekend with a bang and will prove who is the biggest thinker in your group! You will have 60 minutes resolve a case and escape from a room before the clocks hit zero.
If you are a fan of outdoor activities and would like to try something really amazing, book segway games for your hen group and you won’t be disappointed. During this activity, you will get to play a variety of games, like Segway Frisbee or Segway Jousting with battery controlled nerf guns. Additionally, there will be refreshments supplied on the day, tea, coffee, cooled water and cordials as well as biscuits and snacks. It’s a perfect hen activity to do in Waterford!
Nighttime activities
There is no way you can be on a hen weekend in Waterford and not see the Drag Show. It’s one of the most entertaining hen activities in Waterford that sure will make you remember this hen weekend for a long long time! The show is held in a central bar and it is 1,5 hours long with many great laughs and singing during the whole time.
The other great way of spending the evening on a hen weekend in Waterford is during Murder Mystery Drinks. You and your hen ladies will turn into detectives for the night and you will have to resolve serval clues to find you who is the murder! A professional actorwill be with you for the whole time.
Food options
2 Course meal with wine in one of the top bars in Waterford will definitely please everyone in your hen group. It’s held in a hen friendly bar right in the centre. This meal option includes a starter and the main, and you could pick between a few different dishes, including a vegetarian meal option. Every girl will also receive a glass of either red or white wine.
Conclusion
Waterford has a great and long history but it’s attractive to hen groups not only because of this. Waterford is located by the sea with an amazing sandy beach and who doesn’t love beaches? There are also various hen attractions that will appeal to any hen group which makes Waterford as one the most favourite hen destinations.
