Cambridge, United Kingdom
Cambridge Gin Laboratory: make your own gin in 2 hours
Hands-on gin making experience that beats typical Cambridge tours for adults wanting something interactive
Best things to do in Cambridge for adults who want hands-on fun
Cambridge isn't just punts and colleges. If you're hunting for things to do in Cambridge for adults that feel different, the Cambridge Gin Laboratory delivers something genuinely interactive. You walk in as a tourist, leave as someone who just made their own gin from scratch.
I booked this on a whim during a weekend trip. Figured I'd kill an afternoon learning about botanicals and sipping samples. What I got was way more involved and surprisingly fun. This isn't a factory tour where you watch other people work. You're actually making gin, blending your own recipe, taking home a full bottle you created yourself.
Why this beats typical Cambridge activities
Most Cambridge attractions are passive. You look at buildings, read plaques, take photos, move on. The Gin Laboratory makes you actively do something. If you're traveling with friends or your partner, this works perfectly because everyone creates different gins then compares results. My batch turned out completely different from the couple next to me even though we started with the same ingredients.
The two-hour window feels right. Long enough to learn properly and enjoy the process, short enough that you don't get bored. Plus you're drinking gin samples throughout, so the vibe stays relaxed and social. Perfect if you want to make your own gin Cambridge style and actually understand what's happening instead of just following orders.
Practical details that matter
Book ahead. They run small groups, maybe 8 to 12 people per session, and weekends fill up fast. Prices sit around 70 to 80 pounds per person, which sounds steep until you remember you're getting a full bottle of custom gin plus the experience itself. Cheaper than most distillery tours that give you a shot glass and some history.
Located close to the city center, easy walk from most Cambridge accommodations. Sessions run throughout the week, some evenings available. The space itself feels like a proper lab: copper equipment, botanical jars everywhere, that chemical-clean smell mixed with juniper. Very different from traditional pub experiences.
They're flexible with dietary stuff and non-drinkers can participate fully, just skip the tasting parts. The instructors know their stuff without being pretentious. They want you to have fun and leave with a gin you actually want to drink, not some educational torture session.
Should you book it
If you're asking yourself what to do in Cambridge beyond the usual tourist circuit, this is your answer. It works for couples, friend groups, even solo travelers since you'll chat with others in your session. Rainy day? Perfect activity. Sunny day? Still great because you're inside creating something.
The gin you make won't rival fancy commercial brands. But it's yours, you understand how it was made, and honestly mine tasted pretty damn good. I brought mine home, served it to friends, and had a story to tell instead of just another generic bottle.
Cambridge has plenty of history and architecture to explore. But when you want to make your own gin Cambridge offers and do something actually memorable, the Gin Laboratory delivers. Book it, experiment with weird botanicals, leave with a bottle and some bragging rights. You won't regret it.