50+ fun things to do with friends

If you know exactly the kind of friend dates you’re planning, jump straight to some ideas to help:

• Have a relaxing spa night. Get some goodies like face masks, mani/pedi sets, lotions and candles to set the mood.
• Host an afternoon tea party.
• Have a board game night, or learn some new card games together.
• Bring a board/charcuterie sampling. My standout suggestion? Churro nachos topped with ice cream, chocolate syrup and sprinkles. Veggies and dips, wings and fries or the standard meat and cheese variety work, too.
• Put up an artsy gallery wall.
• Bake some treats without a recipe, and see who makes something actually edible.
• Have everyone bring their favorite cereal and watch cartoons.
• Sing your hearts out during karaoke. Need music recs? Check out some of our Spotify playlists here.
• Craft together! If you need inspo, we’ve got tons of arts and crafts to get started.
• Declutter together. Friends make everything more fun!
• Try canvas portrait painting. But first promise that you won’t get offended if it’s not art-museum-worthy.
• Think big at a vision board party. Use a poster board and magazine/online images to decorate it and map out your goals.
• Puzzle night. Snag some new ones here.
• Pick a random topic and make a fake podcast about it. Or start a real one—your call!
• Make a joint bucket list. Whenever my friends and I are bored, we just pull it out and check things off. You can make it seasonal or year-round.
• Or make a reverse bucket list full of stuff you don’t want to do.
• Rent a DVD (from the library) that you’ve never heard of (so retro).
• Make a joint scrapbook.
• Host a sleepover. Pizza, popcorn and pillow forts, please!

• Stargazing. A dreamier friend date doesn’t exist. 🥹 For maximum star viewing, check out a dark sky map to find a low-light-pollution spot in your area.
• Bonfire/fire pit party. S’mores are a MUST, so try some of these fun twists on ’em.
• Go out dancing. Make it really memorable (and probably hilarious) by trying a new style of dance.
• Take a boat ride. The views are especially magical at night.
• Karaoke. For shy singers, some venues have private rooms you can book to avoid the spotlight.
• Have breakfast for dinner. All of these recipes are yummy, but I HIGHLY recommend trying this one if you like blueberries.
• Catch up at a snazzy jazz club.
• Have an outdoor movie night. All you need is a projector and these yummy popcorn recipes.
• Find different spots to watch the sunset. This one’s for the friend who can’t see a beautiful sunrise or sunset without snapping the perfect pic.

• Have fun at a state fair or carnival. Honestly, the food alone is worth it if anyone’s not a fan of the rides.
• Go swimming. Cool down at your local pool, beach or waterpark.
• Go to a baseball game. It’s even more fun if you’re rooting for opposite teams and make the loser buy everyone nachos.      S-C-O-R-E!
• Drive go-karts.
• Book club. Have it somewhere in the sun like an outdoor patio or on the beach.
• Go to local craft fairs/artist markets.
• Garden. Help each other plant some new stuff in your yards or on patios.
• Yard game extravaganza. Try sack races, bean bag/ring toss or even a DIY mini golf course.
• Have a backyard barbecue.
• Rent a bouncy house. As adults, why don’t we do this more often???
• Try making homemade popsicles or other summer treats.
• Do a movie theater marathon to escape the heat. Or embrace it at a drive-in movie.
• Sweet treat meetup. Plan weekly outings to different dessert places and find your favorite.
• Join a local sports club/intramural group together.

• Have a cozy watch party.
• Try some crafting classes. Think rug tufting, watercolor painting, etc.
• Try indoor rock climbing or skydiving. Adventurous friends who love spontaneity, we’re looking at you.
• Go ice skating.
• Family recipe trade. Share your favorite ones and make them together—how sweet!
• Go to a ski village. It’s totally valid to stay inside, read and just enjoy the vibes, too.
• Sips up with a hot cocoa bar. Or try some of these other cozy drinks.
• Have an indoor s’mores competition. Go wild with different flavor combos and add-ins.
• Visit a botanical garden, conservatory or flower shops. This is my favorite way to escape the cold when it gets especially unbearable.
• Stroll through your fave museums.
• Go café hopping! Beat the winter blues together with warm pastries and drinks.

• Train for a marathon together. Whether or not you actually complete one, it’s a fun way to stay active and have a reason to treat yourselves with ice cream after.
• Bring skates/skateboards to a local park. With safety gear…I’m BEGGING.
• Attend an outdoor art festival.
• Tennis, anyone? Or maybe pickleball if you’re trendy.
• Go hiking. Don’t forget water and snacks for the journey.
• Visit a flea market.
• Try fishing. If you don’t want to buy equipment, try to rent some nearby.
• Play a fun sport. Think tennis, soccer, disc golf—whatever you like. Most disc golf courses are free to play and the only equipment you need is a frisbee.
• Ride bikes! For maximum bonding and hilariousness try a tandem one.
• Have a nontraditional “crawl.” Instead of bars, think places like bakeries, record stores, plant or perfume shops, etc.
• Start the morning at a farmers’ market.
• Outdoor yoga/meditation. My BFF and I did sunset yoga nearly every week last summer and let me tell you—it’s life changing!
• Go kayaking.

• Go to a concert or music festival together.
• Take a road trip. As besties, you can hopefully handle each other after that long in a car together.
• Plan and execute each other’s perfect day.
• Get tattoos together. That includes temporary ones!!!
• Make photo albums or scrapbooks together.
• Do a friend photo shoot with a photographer.
• Run errands together.
• Go through childhood photo albums/home movies together.
• Watch each other’s favorite childhood movies.
• Write a letter of appreciation for each other.
• Get lost in the city/town together. Just walk and see what you run into! (For the best friend who always needs concrete plans, though, maybe not).

• Have a picnic. Make sure you ask about any food allergies beforehand!
• Ask fun icebreaker questions. These gratitude conversation cards are great for getting to know someone and keeping the convo flowing.
• Explore nearby happy hours.
• Grab a coffee or treat. Personally, I think you can never go wrong with frozen yogurt.
• Grab dinner. And maybe see a movie before, so you’ll have something to discuss as an icebreaker.
• Paint pottery together.
• Try a place neither of you have ever been. Think art galleries, restaurants, museums, etc.
• Walk a nearby trail.
• See a live comedy show. Nothing makes a bond stronger than hearing each other’s ugly laugh.
• Play some arcade games.

• Inner child day! Spend some time doing your favorite childhood hobbies, like coloring in coloring books, painting, making friendship bracelets, etc.
• Take a pottery class.
• Have music appreciation parties. Everyone gets to show off their favorite artists, songs or playlists. No music snobs allowed (unless you bring dessert).
• Host a cooking contest. If your friend group likes to get competitive, pick a dish and see who makes the best version of it. Chili, cookies, carrot cake—get creative!
• Go to a local music gig.
• Watch football. Have everyone bring an appetizer or potluck-style dish.
• Pitch in for a staycation somewhere fun.
• Turn your home into a cozy coffee shop. Or any fun theme—a bakery, a cereal bar with childhood cartoons playing, etc.
• Book trade. Bring your favorite books to swap and discover a new favorite.
• Hobby exploration. From sports and watercolor painting to trombone playing, try each other’s favorite hobbies (the more niche, the better!).
• Color-themed potluck. Each person picks a color and has to bring foods that go with that color.
• Trivia night. Find somewhere local or create one yourselves at home.

• Visit a petting zoo.
• Make slime together. This is a fun excuse to make a mess for kids and a surprisingly relaxing activity for adults (minus the whole mess part).
• Have fun at a children’s museum. Contrary to the name, these can be equally fun for grown-ups!
• Spend an afternoon at the playground. Or just take a stroller walk there and back.
• Try finger painting.
• Visit the library. There are always special events going on, like story time/reading aloud, guest speakers and maybe even fun exhibits.
• Embrace your inner children. Pull out chalk, kites and bubbles for a day of fun.
• Go to the circus. Just make sure no one has a fear of clowns (and I’m not talking about the kids 😂).
• See a movie or play.

• Try a sensory activity together. Think sound baths, kinetic sand, painting, etc.
• Meditate together.
• Take a breathwork class.
• Do parallel play activities. For example, both gaming on own devices, journaling, etc.
• Try a new thing that you’d be scared to do alone.
• Do chores you hate doing alone. For example, if you have social anxiety, invite a friend to tackle the grocery store with you.
• Make playlists for each other.

We hope you save these for the next time you’re stumped for things to do with friends!

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