Friendship Building Group Activities for Adults

The right group activities for making new friends shouldn't feel like networking at all. At Camp Social, women experience this firsthand. They often meet on day one through an activity and leave the camp with real plans to stay in touch.

If you’ve ever thought, “I need more new friends,” this guide will help you connect in a natural, low-pressure way.

Why Group Activities Work Better Than “Just Putting Yourself Out There”

We’ve all heard the advice: Just put yourself out there.

But put yourself out there where, exactly?

The advice sounds like you’re supposed to walk into a room full of strangers and, somehow, leave with a lifelong friendship.

You still have to show up, yes, but there’s a big difference between showing up alone and showing up in a group.

When you join a group, whether it's a creative class or a book club, you're stepping into a setting designed for connection. Plus, there's repetition included, so you’ll see those like-minded individuals again and again.

And that’s usually when social connections begin, making it easier to make friends as an adult.

The Best Group Activities to Make Friends (Adults Edition)

Let's get into what actually works. Below are group activities that adults keep showing up to, not out of obligation, but because they want to.

1. Join a sports league (even if you’re “not athletic”)

Recreational leagues in most cities are full of adults who, at some point, thought, “You know what? I miss playing.”

Here’s why a team sport works so well for making new friends:

• You see the same people every week

• You're working toward a shared goal (even if that goal is just surviving the game)

• You have easy conversation starters

• You often end up hanging out afterward, be it Friday night drinks or post-game tacos

2. Try board games and trivia nights

Not everyone wants to sprint across a field after work.

Some of us would rather sit with snacks and argue passionately about whether Lincoln was the capital of Nebraska.

Board games and trivia nights are some of the best group activities at our summer camp because they get adults out of “polite small talk” mode. You see how people think, how they react to winning (or losing), and whether they can laugh when they’re wrong.

At a board game café or a Friday night trivia event, you get:

• Built-in teams (instant conversation)

• Shared wins and exaggerated groans

• A reason to laugh together with strangers

• Something to focus on besides "Do they like me?"

3. Volunteer with groups and community projects

If you’re looking for kindness, look for those who decided to show up and help.

Some great volunteer ideas that you can try:

• Community garden cleanups

• Food bank shifts at the farmer's market

• Animal rescue organizations at dog parks

• Local charity runs

• A neighborhood fundraiser

Volunteer groups and community projects are also an incredible option if you're new in the city and don’t know many people yet. Service cuts through the awkward stage fast because everyone’s focused on the mission, not on impressing anyone.

4. Take creative classes and skill-based workshops

No one walks into a pottery class thinking, "I must impress everyone and make three new best friends tonight". They walk in thinking, "I hope this bowl doesn’t collapse".

That’s part of why creative classes work so well. People are relaxed and open to chatting while their hands are busy.

Think:

• A weekly painting or photography course

• A beginner dance class where everyone is counting under their breath

• A cooking class that ends in a shared dinner

• Horseback riding overlooking the sunset

• A writing workshop where you read your stuff out loud

• A ceramics studio that meets every Wednesday night

You don't need to be super talented, and this is something we tell our women at our adult sleepaway camp all the time.

You just need to show up, and in your case, decide to go back next week.

Your interests, at the end of the day, are usually the fastest path to finding your people. Check out our guide on hobbies to make friends for more inspo.

5. Become a regular somewhere (yes, even at a coffee shop)

Do you have a go-to place?

Maybe it’s:

• A Saturday morning coffee shop

• The same farmer’s market stand every week

• A weekly fitness class

• A neighborhood dog park (if you love dogs, it leads to instant conversation)

Pick a spot and visit it more often. It’s much easier to connect with new friends when you’re not a one-time face in a crowd, but part of the rhythm of a place.

When you notice the same person three weeks in a row, it can feel almost natural to say, “Hey, you’re here every Friday too, right?”

6. Say yes to a weekend retreat

Sometimes, all it takes is 48 hours away from your regular life to realize how much easier friendship can feel.

And spoiler alert: adult weekend retreats are way better than middle school camp.

Because now:

• You're adults, so nobody’s telling you lights out at 9 p.m. (unless that’s your vibe)

• You travel together, so bonding starts before anyone even arrives

• You wake up in the same place as everyone else

• You have an activity board with tons of things to do (chilling and doing nothing absolutely counts as activity, too)

• You end up at a DJ dance party and have fun with the other ladies

• You grab a mocktail or cocktail at happy hour, and the conversation shifts from light to unexpectedly honest

When you spend a full weekend laughing, trying new things, and sitting side by side with the same like-minded people, the “stranger” phase barely has time to exist.

PS: Camp Social has surprise programming alongside the scheduled activities (no spoilers).

7. Find a run club

Most meet weekly, cost nothing, and you can show up solo without anyone blinking.

8. Join a climbing gym

Belaying puts your safety in a partner's hands, so trust builds faster than small talk ever could.

9. Start a book club

Small, easy to host, and the book hands everyone something to say before they've even warmed up.

10. Book an escape room

One hour of locked-in teamwork tells you quickly who you click with under a little pressure.

11. Play rec or beach volleyball

Low skill floor, outdoors, and it works just as well for a big group as a handful of people.

12. Grab a bowling lane

Indoors, forgiving, and fine for any group size, whether it's three of you or twelve.

13. Sing at karaoke night

Nerve-racking for about four minutes, then it breaks the ice for everyone in the room.

14. Host a supper club

A small group, a shared table, and food doing most of the talking for you.

15. Take an improv class

Structured play that quietly dissolves social anxiety by making everyone look a little silly together.

16. Throw a murder mystery party

Everyone's in character, so nobody has to feel shy as themselves.

17. Run a scavenger hunt

Teams form on the spot, and a big group splinters into instant partnerships.

18. Try axe throwing

Indoors, a little ridiculous, and the novelty hands everyone something to react to.

19. Take a mixology class

Hands busy, drinks to taste, and conversation that flows on its own.

20. Tour a local brewery

Casual, friendly for a large group, and low pressure by design.

21. Join a weekly yoga class

Same mats, same faces, and a familiarity that builds quietly over a few weeks.

22. Plan a group camping trip

Setting up camp together bonds people faster than a dozen sit-down dinners.

23. Walk with a hiking crew

Side by side on a trail, talking comes easier than it does face to face.

24. Take a dance or group fitness class

Low talk required to start, and the regulars turn into friends before you notice.

25. Sign up for a womens-only weekend camp

You can come alone. At a women-only adult summer camp, 99% of campers do exactly that, so arriving solo is simply how it starts.

Clubs to Join to Make Friends

A club works because it keeps meeting. You show up, the same faces show up, and familiarity does the rest. Pick one that matches something you already like:

• Book clubs, for readers who want a reason to talk
• Run or walking clubs, for a standing weekly meetup
• Hiking clubs, for side-by-side conversation outdoors
• Supper or dinner clubs, for small-group cooking and eating
• Board game clubs, for low-pressure regular game nights
• Craft or maker clubs, for knitting, pottery, or building things together
• Rec sports clubs, for a team that needs you back next week

Most cost little or nothing, and the recurring schedule means you're not restarting from zero every time.

Social Group Activities for Adults: Small Groups vs. Large Groups

Group size changes what works. Small groups reward depth, while large groups reward energy and take the pressure off any single conversation.

Small group activities for adults, meaning two to six people, give everyone airtime. An escape room, a supper club, a board game night, or a book club all fit this size well. You'll actually remember each other's names by the end.

Large group activities for adults, meaning eight or more, spread the social load around. Trivia night, beach volleyball, a scavenger hunt, or a murder mystery party keep a crowd moving. Nobody has to carry the room, so quieter folks or introverts trying to make friends can warm up at their own pace.

Summer Group Activities for Adults

Warm weather makes group plans easy. Daylight runs long, everyone's more willing to be outside, and the activities practically pick themselves.

Think lake days, outdoor volleyball, a group hike, kayaking, or a patio dinner that runs late. Add a bonfire and the conversation tends to stretch past midnight.

A women-only summer camp packs that whole menu into one weekend: lake inflatables, archery, high ropes, horseback riding, and evening bonfires, with hundreds of new friends already there for the same reason you are.

Where to Meet New Friends as an Adult

Knowing you want more friendship is the easy part. Figuring out where to actually meet new friends is where most of us get stuck, and it's a big reason adult life can start to feel a little lonely.

Start with the kind of setting you want. Some settings do the social work for you:

• Rec leagues and run clubs, for a weekly cadence you don't have to organize
• Climbing gyms, for partner-based trust that skips the small talk
• Volunteer orgs, for a shared mission that turns strangers into teammates
• Classes and workshops, for busy hands that keep conversation low-stakes
• Camps and weekend retreats, for a whole batch of connection at once

Once you know the type of setting you want, finding a specific group takes an afternoon. Our guide to social hobbies that turn into real friendships covers where to look and how to vet a group before you commit, so you don't waste a season on one that never gels.

You can also skip the slow build. A girls trip, a group getaway, or a weekend retreat drops you into a ready-made friend group for a few days, no scheduling required.

That's what a women-only adult summer camp is built for: dozens of like-minded women with shared interests, all showing up to connect.

You don't need to bring anyone. Most women arrive on their own, so walking in solo is simply how camp starts.

Why Showing Up Matters More Than Being Interesting

One of the most reliable findings in social psychology is the “mere exposure effect,” which shows that people tend to develop warmer feelings toward those they see regularly.

A one-time event requires immediate chemistry, but a weekly sports league, book club, volunteer shift, or class gives relationships room to develop gradually.

There is also what researchers call the “liking gap”, the tendency for people to underestimate how much others enjoy their company.

After a group activity, it is common to assume that no one particularly noticed you. But in reality, others may have walked away with a more positive impression than you realize.

Returning the following week builds on that impression.

Consistency does something charisma cannot. It allows conversations to move from surface-level to personal without forcing the transition. And that's exactly what we adults need.

Turn the First Hangout into a Friendship

Here's the part nobody tells you: one great afternoon doesn't make a friendship. Bonding happens through repetition, so the goal after any first hangout is simply a second one.

Make the follow-up easy on yourself. Before you leave, suggest a specific next thing instead of a vague "we should do this again." Trade numbers, then actually text within a day or two while the connection is fresh. If you hit it off over a shared interest, use it. "There's a trivia night Thursday, want to come?" is far lower pressure than an open-ended hangout.

The real trick is building in a cadence. A standing invitation does the heavy lifting for you. Host a monthly potluck, claim a weekly coffee, start a walking club that meets every Sunday. When something recurs, nobody has to keep bravely reaching out, and casual acquaintances quietly turn into friendships.

Most friendships don't fall apart from a bad first meeting. They fade because nobody sent the second text. Be the person who sends it.

Try These Friendship Building Activities for Adults 

Being interesting might capture attention for a moment, but showing up at group activities (repeatedly) is what allows a relationship to take shape.

So if you want new friends in your life, start where your interests already are.

Community is rarely accidental in adulthood, but it is possible, and often closer than it seems.

FAQs

How long does it take to make friends through group activities?

Research suggests it takes about 50 hours to move from acquaintance to casual friend, around 90 hours to become friends, and 200+ hours to form close friendships.

What if I don’t click with anyone the first time attending a group activity?

The first meeting is often the most awkward. People are cautious and still figuring each other out, so give it a few sessions before deciding.

How do I start a conversation with someone in a group activity?

Start with the shared interest you’re already doing. Comment on the game, the class, or the project. Shared activities remove pressure because you already have common ground.

What are good group activities for adults who don't drink?

Plenty. So much of adult socializing gets built around happy hour, but the best group activities have nothing to do with what's in your glass. Think daytime and hands-on: a cooking or pottery class, board game cafés and coffee-shop trivia, an escape room, mini golf, or a group hike or kayak trip.

Volunteer shifts and creative workshops are especially good, because everyone's focused on a shared task instead of a drink, and alcohol-free settings tend to be lower pressure anyway, which makes it easier to actually talk and connect.

If you want a full weekend of sober-friendly fun, an adult summer camp packs a whole activity board into a few days, no bar required.

What's a fun activity for a large group of friends?

Pick something with built-in structure so nobody has to host the whole night. A trivia night, a scavenger hunt, a murder mystery party, beach volleyball, or a bowling lane all keep a big group moving. For a weekend-sized answer, a group camping trip or a women's camp gives everyone shared plans and downtime both.