You know how the saying goes: when life gives you pineapples, make piña coladas. 

The rich history of cocktail-making can be traced back all the way from Ancient Greece to Shakespearean times, when tankards of “sugar sack” (a warm blend of ale, sherry, eggs and mace) were all the rage. Fast-forward to the present day, and our appetite for a good cocktail shows no signs of abating – only now we want to make as well as taste them. 

Luckily, this is exactly the kind of activity the guys at Virgin Experience Days excel at. True spirit aficionados, their platform is brimming with fun experiences that celebrate the art of cocktail-making, including molecular food pairings, luxury DIY kits, gin-tinted cruises, and more.

Better still, as a member of Virgin Red you can earn 12 points for every £1 spent with Virgin Experience Days. What does this mean? It means that you can fill your boots with cocktail-fuelled experiences, all while earning points to spend on more Virgin Red treats: whether that’s a fancy scented candle (7,600 points), a one-way flight to Paris (from 4,000 points + taxes, fees and surcharges*) or so much more besides. 

Here are a few of our favourite cocktail activities from Virgin Experience Days to do across a range of locations and budgets. All experiences are for at least two people so you can bring a guest along for the ride. Bottoms up!

Ready to go boating with a boozy twist? This two-hour foray down the Leeds and Liverpool canal has your name on it. You and your guest can soak in the timeless scenery from a Luxury Dalesman Canal Boat, while tasting your way through some truly terrific tipples. Speciality cocktails, along with a selection of whiskeys and gins, are all on the cards for a cruise like no other.

This experience is £70, book via Virgin Red

If 2020 gave us a taste for at-home cocktails, this experience luxury cocktails at home experience dials it up a notch with a decadent at-home kit for two. Turn mixologist for the weekend and prepare to dazzle your dinner party guests, as you find out how to make three signature cocktails: the Sweet Orange Nojito (spiced rum, marmalade and sweet syrup), Jolly Time (vodka, blood orange syrup and zippy ginger beer) and Raspberry Crush (raspberry gin, triple sec and sweet syrup). An education not to be missed. 

Enjoy this experience for £50, book via Virgin Red

If the thought of a chocolate cocktail makes your heart skip a beat, this one’s for you. London’s Chocolate Cocktail Club is the first of its kind in the UK, and home to the truly scrumptious “chocotini”. Two moreish and creamy chocolate creations are yours for the taking in this cocoa-scented outing for two. 

Book this experience for just £39, book via Virgin Red

It’s Prohibition era in the bootleggers district of underground Soho. You and your fellow thirsty scoundrel will be tasked with helping the boozy black market stay one step ahead of the old bill, following a fast-paced challenge at London’s 1940s-themed bar Cahoots. Race against the clock and put your brains to the test in a breakout experience that ends in a lip-smacking cocktail masterclass of Cahoots classics. 

Put your brains to the test and earn some cocktails for £104, book via Virgin Red

Cocktail-making is a science as much as an art – as this fabulously bonkers experience attests. The evening takes place at ABQ London, which is set in a retro RV van: a great venue for the chemistry experiment to come. You and your guest will get dressed up in hazmat suits and goggles, before creating your own molecular cocktails with dry ice, foam, and bubbles. Pizzas follow in a mesmerising, and unique, night out. 

Get your geek on for £92, book via Virgin Red

Calling all Brighton-ites: this private coastal masterclass for four is destined to delight and thrill. Based at Brighton’s Socialite Restaurant, it’s led by the team’s head mixologist, who’ll show you how to shake and stir with the best of ‘em. Discover the secrets behind your favourite concoctions in a 90-minute session that includes cocktails aplenty, along with a selection of small plates. 

Become a cocktail master for £140, book via Virgin Red

The Oxford-based Mad Hatter speakeasy bar is where things get truly eccentric, disappearing down the rabbit hole in this Alice In Wonderland-themed venue, after solving a string of riddles to enter the Mad Mixology Masterclass. An award-winning mixologist will then guide you through three cocktails served in sharing teapots, in a lesson that will become curiouser and curiouser as the minutes roll on. 

Follow the white rabbit for £70, book via Virgin Red

Want more delicious delights in your life? Find out more about Virgin Red, the reward club for Virgin, and become a member for free. 

P.S. We always do our best to include the most up to date information but Virgin Red offers do change from time to time. Click on each offer for the current points rate and all the details.

*Taxes, fees and carrier imposed surcharges apply to all Virgin reward flights. Points quoted are based on standard season rates for a one-way Economy class flight from London to Paris. Different cabin classes, ticket types and routes will earn a different amount of points. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club membership required.