11 Fun Things To Do With Your Friends Besides Dinner And Drinks

Listen, no one loves going out for dinner and drinks with their friends more than I do. Trying out new restaurants, drinking fine wine, and eating delicious food is always a good time, but it’s not always the most interesting way to spend time with your friends. It can also quickly turn into a very expensive evening (have you seen the cost of food prices these days?!).

Here are a few ideas to switch things up and spend time with your best girl friends where you can all learn a new skill, try a creative activity, and even give back to those in need – all while having fun.

Scour a Vintage Market or Flea Market

Instead of hitting up the mall on your next shopping trip, try finding a local vintage or flea market instead. Shopping for new items can be pretty expensive, so if you’re looking to save a little bit of money before the holidays, then thrifting is a great option. Plus, finding good deals is always more fun when your friends are there to help you scour the racks in search of cute items!

Attend Trivia or Board Game Night at a Local Pub

Put your useless knowledge skills to the test by heading to trivia night at a local bar or restaurant! Lots of bars typically offer trivia night or a game night at least once a week, and they’re always a good time, especially if you and your friends are competitive. There’s nothing like the thrill of competition in the air at trivia night to really get your adrenaline pumping. If you don’t drink (or are taking a break from drinking), order a fun mocktail or sparkling water instead. 

Host a Themed Movie Night

You know what’s even better than having a movie night with your friends? Having a themed movie night with your friends! It’s a fun way to get a little festive while still having a cozy night in. You could do a Harry Potter night and drink butterbeer, eat chocolate frogs, decorate your place with some witchy decor, and see how many movies you can make it through in one sitting. If Notting Hill is more your vibe, then string some Union Jack flags around your living room and pour some orange juice (or mimosas). The theme possibilities are endless!

Take a Cooking Class

If you’ve never taken a cooking class before, then you are missing out! They’re a great way to learn new skills, try exciting cuisines, and make memories with your friends. You could learn how to make things like pasta, dumplings, or sushi. If you happen to live in a small town that doesn’t offer many (or any) options, you could host some friends and try a new recipe together as a sort of DIY cooking class! Even if you mess up, you’re still pretty much guaranteed to have a good time (and you can always order pizza if things go awry). 

Get Crafty

Even if you don’t consider yourself a particularly crafty person, having a crafting night with your gal pals is still a great activity for you! You don’t have to make anything that requires a lot of skill – it could be as simple as making charm necklaces or painting ceramics or even decorating mini cakes. If you want to get more advanced and work on crafts like knitting or needlepoint, then all the more power to you! But you can still keep it simple and have a great time. 

Go Glamping 

There are few things better than spending time in the great outdoors with your closest friends, and now you don’t even have to sleep in a cramped tent to do it! Instead of going camping, try going glamping. Glamping is exactly what it sounds like – glamorous camping – and it’s a leveled-up version of camping. You can even glamp in the comfort of your own backyard to make things easier, just make sure to deck your tent out with a comfy bed, cute decor, and maybe a charcuterie board and champagne to make sure the evening is truly glamorous!  

Have a Clothing Swap

Want to give your wardrobe a refresh and hang out with your friends at the same time? Host a clothing swap! You and all of your friends bring the clothes you never wear anymore and swap with each other. You’ll get to clean out your closets and have a full fashion show try-on to get a second opinion on what should stay vs. go. In the space of a single evening, you get to clean out your closet, acquire some new items for free, and have fun with your friends. Talk about multi-tasking!

Volunteer Together

Volunteering with your friends is a great way to socialize while also helping out in your community. There are so many ways to volunteer, whether you’re cleaning up a public park, serving food for the homeless, or walking dogs at the local animal shelter. Look up local shelters or nonprofit organizations in your town and see what types of volunteering opportunities they have available. Then, call up your friends and spend a few hours of your weekend giving back. A bonus perk is that you might even make some new friends among fellow volunteers! 

Have a Scrapbook Party

You know all those old pictures you have lingering on your camera roll that you’re not sure what to do with, but also don’t want to delete? Let me reintroduce you to good, old-fashioned scrapbooking! Admittedly, scrapbooking was a lot more popular before the advent of the digital camera (and now iPhone), but it’s such a fun way to relive old memories and create something meaningful. Just print out all your favorite pictures from the year or your summer vacation, grab some craft supplies and scrapbooks, invite your girlfriends over, and spend the night reminiscing. You’ll thank yourself later!

Go for a Hike or Nature Walk

So often, hanging out with friends feels synonymous with spending money. Those brunches, dinners, and shopping trips add up fast! If you’re looking for a way to spend time with your friends without spending a dime, try getting out in nature and hitting the trails! You can chat, get a little exercise in, and soak up Vitamin D all at the same time. 

Take a Workout Class Together

Speaking of working out, another fun way to spend time with your friends that doesn’t involve eating or drinking is to take a workout class together. Working out with a buddy is always more fun than working out on your own (misery loves company and all that). It’s also a great time to try a new class or workout that you’ve never done before because you won’t be doing it alone. Pilates, yoga, kickboxing, spinning, martial arts – there are so many different exercise options out there, and working out is less painful and intimidating when you do it together.