Heading to a coffee shop to have some good conversation is a classic move, but I love finding uniquely fun things to do with friends. There are so many good ideas that go far beyond the usual movie night or going to a new restaurant.
And whether you want to stay at home, head out for the night, save money, or you need a great weekend plan, I think my list of things to do with friends will help you plan out your next hang.
I love getting creative and looking back at the fun activities I’ve done with my besties. I have such good memories of my social outings with friends and enjoying each other’s company while staying in or going out. And if you want some fresh + fun ideas to do with friends, then here are some ways you can spend time together.
It’s time to take your ideas out of the group chat and into real life, so plan out your next get together and enjoy some time with your friend group.
In This Article:
- Things to Do With Friends at Home
- Things to Do With Friends at Night
- Things to Do With Friends When You’re Bored
- Free Things to Do With Friends (No Money Needed)
- Chill Things to Do With Friends on the Weekend
- Creative Things to Do With Friends
Things to Do With Friends at Home
1. Host a bad movie, serious commentary night. Pick the worst-rated movie you can find (or the worst movies you personally know) and treat them like you’re legit film critics. Pause to overanalyze, take notes, and give awards. Honestly, this probably one of the most fun things to do with your friends on this list.
2. Do a pantry “Master Chef” challenge. You can only cook using what’s already in your kitchen. No running to the store and weird combos are definitely encouraged. Also, it’s just a fun, cozy way to spend time together without breaking the bank.
3. Make a shared life playlist. Each person adds 10 songs (or however many you want) that define the different important eras of their life. Then play them and tell the story behind each song.
4. Themed (or non-themed) dinner parties. Whether it has a theme like tapas in Madrid or it’s just a chill gathering that lasts late into the evening, dinner parties are one of the funnest things to do. I did multiple of them within the last year and it’s such a nice way to enjoy really good food and company. Definitely at or near the top of my personal list of favorite activities to do with friends.
5. Create PowerPoint presentations on (very) ridiculous topics. Examples: “Why Dave Wouldn’t Survive in Medieval Times” or “Ranking Our Personal Red Flags.”
6. Have a themed snack board night. So think only orange foods, only childhood snacks, only things you forgot existed, or only French sweets. It’s a fun way to get creative and eat really good food.
7. Do a personality test night. Whether it’s the love languages, attachment styles, enneagram, or weird online quizzes, you and your friends all get to analyze and then compare results like it’s actual serious research.
8. Start a dinner and movie club. Pick out a movie and either make a really good meal to enjoy before or while watching it, or make a full dinner that works with the theme of the story. So for instance, if the movie takes place in Italy, make dishes from that region. Or if it takes place in a fantasy world, make recipes you think those character would like.
9. Recreate that childhood sleepover energy. Put blankets on the floor, eat junk food, tell scary stories, keep phones away, and stay up way too late for no reason.
10. Do unique tastings. People typically think of wine when it comes to tastings, but it can be so much more than that. You could do a Portuguese cheese tasting, floral honey tasting, Bolivian coffee tasting, or even a chocolate tasting from a specific artisanal brand. It really is a great way to get everyone to hang out and enjoy really good food and drinks.
Things to Do With Friends at Night
11. Go on a night walk with some kind of mission. Pick a random, oddly specific goal like “find the prettiest house,” “spot 5 cats,” or “rate restaurant signs.” It turns a normal walk into a bit of a mini adventure.
12. Do a late-night drive with a dramatic playlist. Windows down, music up, and no destination. Just take turns picking songs that feel like the end credits of a movie and enjoy some good conversation.
13. Have a candlelight snack + story hour. Turn off all the lights, light some candles, eat tasty snacks, and tell weird, funny, or slightly spooky stories from each of your lives.
14. Do a deep talk roulette. Write random but deep questions on pieces of paper. Then when you pull one out every 10 minutes, everyone has to answer honestly.
15. Make midnight comfort food together. Whether it’s grilled cheese, pancakes, ramen, brownies, or really good chocolate chip cookies, make something that would get you scolded by a parent for eating too late.
16. Stargaze from the yard, balcony, or window like you’re in a coming-of age-movie. Lay out blankets, look at the sky, maybe put on a good playlist, and talk about life like you’re in a movie scene.
17. Do a trip to a city that’s 30 minutes to 1 hour away. Pick 1-3 fun things to do in a nearby city that’s 30 minutes to 1 hour away. It’s far enough to feel like a real outing, but not so far that’s you’re gonna hate driving back when you’re tired.
18. Dress up for legit no reason. Put on full outfits, perfume, nice shoes, and then… sit in the living room, drink something good, and talk like you’re at a fancy party.
19. Order the most random food you can find on a delivery app. Get something none of you would normally order and then rate it like you’re all food critics.
20. Sit in near-darkness and talk about conspiracy theories, ghost stories, or really weird experiences. Nighttime kinda makes everything 10x more interesting.
Things to Do With Friends When You’re Bored
21. Do a cafe crawl. Choose the cafes you wanna hit up and try a new drink, pastry, or even a savory dish at each one. Maybe even get it to-go and enjoy it all at a park and turn it into a picnic. 🧺
22. Rearrange one small area of a room and give it a mini glow-up. Whether it’s a cute shelf, coffee table, or a desk, give it a glow up and change up the vibe/aesthetic. Then take some before and after photos like it’s a makeover show.
23. Google the weirdest (or coolest) holidays happening today. Celebrate it immediately with whatever you have on hand or make a quick stop at a store and make a day of it.
24. Play a game of rate my camera roll. Scroll back to a random month + year and explain what was going on in your life. Then each of you can rate that month/year’s camera roll and the person with the best one wins a random prize.
25. Try inventing a new snack combo. Try making a tasty snack combination that’s something oddly specific like sweet + salty + crunchy.
Related: Here are some more good ideas for when you need things to do when you’re bored.
26. Do a draw each other without looking at the paper challenge. The results are probably gonna be terrible but definitely funny.
27. Make a list of fake business ideas you’d never actually start. The more ridiculous and over-serious your pitches are, the better. Also, feel free to debate and ask cliche questions like, “Why should we invest in your company?”
28. Narrate each other’s actions like you’re in a nature documentary. “Here we see Sarah approaching the fridge for the fourth time…” Bonus points if you do it at random times throughout your hang-out session.
29. Look up houses for sale in a random country. Then once you have one picked, start planning out the imaginary life you’d live there.
30. Create a fake award ceremony for yourselves. Create categories like “Most Likely to Forget Why They Walked Into a Room,” “Eats the Most Servings” award, and anything else you can think of.
Free Things to Do With Friends (No Money Needed)
31. Go on a photo walk that has a theme. Pick just 1 or 2 prompt like shadows, red things, or interesting doors and then compare shots at the end. Could also use those photos at the end of the year and make it apart of a year-in-review friend scrapbook.
32. Do a skill share for 30 minutes (or however long you want). Each friend teaches something tiny they know really well. So think pretty hairstyles, folding fitted sheets, phone photography tricks, and anything else you can think of.
33. Start up a compliment circle. Go around and say one specific, genuine thing you really admire about each friend. It’s a nice way to pass the time while growing your bonds.
34. Wander a neighborhood with no end destination. Turn when you feel like it, make stops at pretty parks, and notice gardens, sounds, and tiny details you’d normally just miss.
35. Start a shared future list note. This is a space for you all to share places you wanna go, meals to cook, and things to try together someday in the future.
36. Play two truths and a lie but make it legit believable. Only choose lies that sound like they’re on par for you. You can’t make it anything obvious so always stay away from the fantastical or out of pocket lies.
Related: Want more fun game ideas? Here are some truth or dare questions to change things up.
37. Read your old journal entries or notes (if you have them). Laugh, cringe, reflect on past versions of yourselves, and enjoy some good questions and late night conversations.
38. Do a pretty sunset or nightfall watch. Walk to a pretty spot, sit quietly, and notice the light change. It’s a nice way to enjoy the colors, quiet, and maybe some good conversation if you’re feeling it.
39. Make up backstories for any strangers you see. One of my personal favorites to do with my best friend. Just sit at a park bench, balcony, or window and turn it into an improv storytelling moment.
40. Declutter one small drawer together. Weirdly satisfying, and it’s a nice opportunity to get creative with your organization and enjoy some good yap.
Chill Things to Do With Friends on the Weekend
41. Have a slow, no-rush breakfast in pajamas. Invite them over for some really good coffee, sourdough toast, fresh fruit, eggs, thick cut bacon, and talking for way longer than the food requires. Even better if you stay overnight either at their place or yours, wake up, and make said breakfast together.
42. Head to a high-end and/or historic hotel for coffee and dessert. I am always talking about this one and I will never stop. It’s so underrated and it’s one of my favorite things to do. Just find a beautiful hotel that feels like you’re in a different era or country; it’s an amazing way to romanticize your life.
43. Do a fun day trip and end it with a sleepover. Pick a pretty town or city that’s 1-3 hours away, make a total day trip out of it, and enjoy a good lunch and coffee. Then come back, order some delivery, watch a movie, talk, and have a sleepover. It’s a nice way to extend the fun.
44. Go to a farmers’ market and make a dish with what you buy. Buy that fresh bread, produce, and other artisanal goods and enjoy a really good meal together. Also, if you see pretty bouquets at the farmers’ market, grab one and put it in a vase to make your lunch or dinner feel a bit more special.
45. Journal next to each other. You don’t have to share what you’re writing, just enjoy some quiet time together and maybe make some nice drinks.
46. Make simple snacks, enjoy them slowly, and watch a foreign film. So think cheese, fruit, good bread, tea, coffee, nuts, nice jams, and high-quality butter. Let it feel European + unhurried and enjoy a really cool foreign film.
47. Read in the same room. Each person has their own book, maybe there’s the occasional comments, and perhaps there’s a nice playlist and some snacks. A very peaceful way to spend an afternoon or early evening.
48. Explore a small bookstore or a historic library together. Split up, then meet up to show your weirdest or best finds and talk about it.
49. Have a leveled-up picnic. Bring some wine glasses, non-alcoholic drinks, cheeses, fresh fruits, maybe some prosciutto, a couple Trader Joe’s snacks or desserts, a soft blanket, and you’re all set.
50. Do a botanical garden (or green house) and coffee date. Head to a really pretty botanical garden or green house in your area (or in the city over), enjoy your time there, and then head to a cafe that you know makes really good coffee. And lastly, just spend time having some great conversation.
Creative Things to Do With Friends
51. Paint small canvases with zero pressure. There’s no talent required, just make abstract blobs, whimsical patterns, pretty nature scenes, and anything else you want to paint. Then display them like it’s an art gallery afterwards.
52. Head to an arcade. Legit just spend hours at an arcade together, get some prizes, and then head to your favorite burger joint.
53. Create personal mood boards on the floor. This is just for the vibes, dreams, and aesthetic. Then once you’re all done, explain your board like it’s a TED Talk.
54. Write a short story together, one sentence at a time. Go around in a circle and each time it comes to a person, they write down the next sentence of the story. It always becomes unhinged and funny.
55. Do a baking session together. Each of you has your own recipe and you get to enjoy a little bit of everything at the end together. Just don’t forget the coffee.
56. Invite friends over for afternoon tea. It’s a cute, chill way to spend a few hours, you can take a bunch of pictures, you get to enjoy some tasty sweets and teas, and it makes for some fun memories.
57. Paint candles together. Grab some tea lights with different colors, light them so the colorful wax melts, and then use some paint brushes to dip into the wax and paint taller bigger white candles.
58. Choose your craft night. Have a few different craft ideas available at your place. So think gem art, shell candles, canvas wall art, air dry clay trinket trays, painting, and anything else you can think of.
59. Have a beach picnic. Yes, I’ve mentioned picnics above, but a beach picnic gives completely different vibes. So get the blanket and coats, grab something fizzy, cut up some watermelon, pack some really good sandwiches, maybe bring a baked good, and enjoy the sunset.
60. Consume multiple forms of art in one day. Pick a day and go to the theater, art gallery, a music concert, and maybe a museum. Then at the end, you can hang out, talk about it, and discuss your thoughts, feelings, and opinions over coffee (or something else).
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.