What comes once every 24 hours, scares the sun away and switches on a huge light bulb?

If you guessed the night, then give yourself a pat on the back because you’re bang on!

The time where some millennials wake up and others seek adventure. As with everyone, you have your favourite watering hole but sometimes it can get overdone and tiresome. Here is a guide for those days when all you want is an alternative night out.

Solve a murder

image by Sophie Davis via Flickr

Calling all Sherlock Holmes fans! (and maybe criminology students) If you’ve always wanted to solve a murder but never had the actual stomach for it, then this is your chance. Murder mystery nights are a narrative where you role-play and interact with the actors to get clues to solve a murder. Tickets start from £39 which includes food and drinks.  For more information, search ‘Murder Mystery Night Bristol’ to find a package that best suits you. Don’t forget to pre-book if you’re interested. The soonest murder mystery night is on March 16, held at Bristol Hippodrome.

Nerd out

If you keep losing FIFA to your mate who passed across the keeper in the 95^th minute and it led to you apologising publicly on Facebook, it’s understandable that you might want a change of scene. Still keeping it competitive, challenge your friends to an arcade tournament at Kongs. They have games from the 1980’s and 90’s such as Donkey Kong, Double Dragon, 1942, Street Fighter 2, Pac-Man and Final Fight. Each machine takes £1 for two credits. Our suggestion would be that the winner gets a night of free drinks from the losers, or a public apology on Snapchat.

#feedthehomelessBRISTOL

Feel like helping someone out? Join Feed The Homeless for a walk around Bristol to help distribute food and essentials like clothes and sleeping bags to people sleeping rough on the streets. The walks start at 6.45pm at Bristol Central Quakers Meeting House, BS2 9DB every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Not only is it a great cause, if you go along and take a mate, we can help spread the word and increase support. Visit neighbourly.com/FeedTheHomelessBristol/feed to register for the walk and find additional information.

Bend your mind with some magic

 

image by Atomic-fish via Flickr

Prepare yourself for a night of mouth gawping and feelings of bafflement caused by magic. Don’t worry though, it’s not a night of Dynamo impossibility making you forget your pet cat’s name before he makes it appear out from behind the bar, nor is it an intense Derren Brown-esque hypnotic tone depriving you of the ability to smell. Smoke & Mirrors and Illusions have free weekly classic magic shows. There is a one drink minimum to help support the acts, but what’s a night out without a bit of drink? Shows at Illusions start at 8pm from Wednesday to Saturday. Smoke & Mirrors alter their magic show dates weekly so visit smokeandmirrorsbar.co.uk to see what’s coming up.

Play ping pong

Need to practise before the Durdham Hall social at the Badger Bar? Every Tuesday, The Ping Pong Parlour holds a ping pong social at All Hallows Hall. It starts at 7pm till 11pm with a £5 entry. They provide the ball and bat at their 9 ping pong tables. Plus, no booking is needed so you can just show up. Solo players are also welcomed. For more information, visit their Facebook page: facebook.com/thepingpongparlour.

Catch a rubbish movie

Join Bristol’s Bad Film Club and feast your eyes on unbelievable animations, shaky acting and flawed storylines. They screen movies that are 'it’s so-bad-it’s-amazing’. So if you love irony, this club should feel like home. They will be screening Karate Vs Mafia on the 15^th of Feb at Bristol Improve Theatre. Tickets are £5. Keep an eye out on their website to see upcoming screenings: bristolbadfilmclub.co.uk.

Bring out your kinky side

Fancy getting handcuffed and flogged? Or maybe watch someone begging on their knees? Then check out South West Alternative Market and Party (SWAMP), a monthly fetish event. However, they do abide by strict rules and dress code so make sure you read up on it prior attending the party. Entrance is £10 on the 11^th Feb at OMG from 1pm to midnight. Go to swampinbristol.org.uk for more info.

Let your vocal chords run wild

We all think we’re the best singers on the SWX cheese floor at 2m on a Saturday morning, but what if there was a way to find out for sure? Well, Lollipop on Park Row is a Japanese-styled karaoke where you and your friends are allocated a private room for all your singing needs. It is £20 per person for a two-hour session, which is inclusive of five drinks. They start operating at 6pm with their last entry being at 12.30am. Call 0117 929 0002 to book now.

Get out before your time’s up

Head over to PuzzLair and try your luck at escaping their game room. You and your friends must work together to overcome puzzles to progress and escape within an hour. This live game can accommodate 2-6 people, and there’s another opportunity to do a similar thing at Locked In A Room, just off Park Street. The price per person depends on the number of participants of the game. There are differently themed rooms for you to try and escape from, but be warned: the pressure of being disintegrated by a scientist’s failed experiment will bring out your true side. We react in strange ways under stress… For more information and to book, visit puzzlair.co.uk

Try to become the next Tiger Woods but not really

image by Catalin Munteanu via Flickr

Think golf but the cuter and less intense version. Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf is a mini golf course, situated at the top floor of Cabot Circus. They have two 18 hole courses with prices ranging from £5 - £9.50 for students. Once you’ve finish golfing, take advantage of their bar and assortment of games such as air hockey and pool table. Another of our suggestions: golf drinking game. Every time someone takes longer than five shots to finish, (let’s face it, most of us would), drink. It may just turn into Tipsy Golf.