The Time Is Now: 25 Fun Things to Do With Friends

Are you looking for fun things to do with your friends on the weekend or whenever you have time off?

From fun camping trips to leisurely walks and epic road trips, our best memories are often shared with our besties. 

Whether you’re an introvert or love socializing, the time you spend with your friends is priceless. After all, friends can turn a bad day into a magical one! 

Fun Things to Do With Friends

Here’s our list of free and paid activities to cater to all budgets and needs.

1. Tour Your City

If you live in a city or big town, chances are there are places you and your friends haven’t explored yet. You might be surprised by what you find in a small town. So, gather your friends one afternoon over the weekend and go on a bit of adventure in your backyard.

The great thing about this activity is that it’s free. All you need to do to plan the perfect city tour is jump on the internet and research to map out sites you’d like to see. 

Depending on what you and your friends like, you could include cultural and historical sites in your itinerary. And you could even add a few epic bars you haven’t visited yet to make it even more entertaining!

2. Play a Board Game

Board games aren’t reserved for families stuck in the house due to a rainy day. They can also be a great way to spend time with your friends. 

For instance, Taboo, Skull, Jenga, or Monopoly are all fun board games that are perfect for parties. Throw a couple of your friends’ favorite cocktails into the mix, and you have the ideal ingredients for an epic day or evening together!

3. Binge-Watch Your Favorite TV Show

Whether a new episode of your favorite reality TV show just came out or you love scary TV shows but don’t want to watch a new one alone, binge-watching popular Netflix shows with your friends will allow you to spend some quality time together and bond over your reactions and opinions. 

Also, for the ultimate fun evening, why not watch a comedy with them? After all, laughter is contagious, which could make for a hilarious night none of you will forget! 

4. Try New Recipes

Try new recipes with friends. Inviting them to try new recipes together ensures quality time while satisfying your taste buds. 

That’s because when trying new foods, the more, the merrier! 

For instance, you could choose a specific cuisine and whip up some of the most delicious meals a particular country offers. You could also revisit a classic you and your friends love or just make up your dish and give it a name!

Here are some great recipes from 10 different types of cuisine worldwide.

5. Organize a Sunset Picnic

Few experiences beat watching the sky turn yellow, orange, red, purple, or pink as the sun sets. And what’s even better is to marvel at a spectacular sunset while enjoying delicious food with good company. 

Organizing a sunset picnic with friends is an inexpensive way to spend time with them while creating unforgettable memories. So, pick a nearby park, pond, or tranquil outdoor space from which you can enjoy the view. Then, lay out a big blanket, and enjoy some cheese and wine while looking at the sky. 

Epic memories are guaranteed!

6. Host a Dinner Party

If the weather isn’t great and you’d rather enjoy food from the comfort of your own home, you could opt for hosting a dinner party instead. 

It’ll be a great way to show off your amazing cooking skills (or lack thereof) and catch up with everyone. And to make things even more exciting, why not set a theme like tacos, fiesta, high tea, or beach party? 

You could decorate the house to match the theme and even ask your besties to dress up to create the ultimate ambiance. 

7. Host a Murder Mystery Night

If you don’t find hosting a dinner party thrilling enough, and your friends are on board with role-playing, why not organize a murder mystery night? 

Here are three online murder mystery kits that will turn your evening into a spooky event your friends will talk about for years:

• Jazz Age Jeopardy
• Murder mystery game kit
• Hunt a killer

The key to organizing a successful mystery murder party is to plan it and get your guests involved early on. So, here are some tips on how to throw an epic murder mystery party.

8. Try New Hairstyles

If one of your friends is great at doing their hair, why not organize a “try new hairstyles” session at home? 

Take turns, use your hair straightener to curl your friends’ hair, or go wild using colored hair spray! And if you run out of inspiration, jump on TikTok or YouTube and look up how to make a low messy bun, get the loose beachy waves hair effect, and practice together!

As you watch tutorials, you might learn a thing or two. And worst case scenario, you’ll have a good laugh at some of the hairstyles that come out of your little hairstyling session 😉

9. Organize an At-Home Spa Day

Who said a spa day should cost a fortune? When it comes to relaxing, there’s nothing better than a pampering day at home with your closest friends. All you need to do is grab a few candles, a couple of manicure pedicure kits, some sheet masks, a bottle of wine (or two), throw on a calming playlist, and you’re all set!

And you could also find a great guided meditation video on YouTube to end the day on a very soothing note.

10. Host a Pajama Party

Slumber parties as an adult can be great fun. Hosting a pajama party will make you feel like a teenager again and really bring out nostalgic fun! 

For the ultimate pajama party, watch the classics, buy an excessive amount of popcorn, chips, pizzas, and wine and play competitive games like Pictionary or silly games like “Truth or Dare.” 

Big laughs guaranteed!

11. Go on a Camping Trip

Going on a camping trip is a great way to spend a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of life and reset in nature. And it’s also a fantastic activity to bond with your friends. 

As you walk toward your destination, you’ll be able to catch up with each one of them, away from distractions. After all, a camping trip with your friends is all about focusing on being present in the moment with them. 

And as you reach your destination, setting up camp together, cooking a meal around the fire pit, and sharing stories and laughs while watching the starry sky will make for a fun and memorable experience.

12. Go on a Fun Run

Ever heard of parkrun? These free weekly community events involve running 5 kilometers every Saturday morning with your friends and neighbors. So, having fun while improving your well-being, where do you sign right?

And the great news is that you don’t need to be an athlete to attend. You can walk, jog, hop or run. All that matters is that you all enjoy yourselves.

And if you don’t have a parkrun in your area, you can also organize your own. Set a goal, use a timer, and try to beat your record every time you run while keeping it fun and casual. 

Of course, after the run, grab a delicious coffee with your friends at the local coffee shop to reward yourself and reminisce about your exploits! 

13. Learn a New Language

Learning a new language can be difficult. So, why not make it easier by learning with your best friends? You can learn new words together, watch movies in the new language, practice and help each other stay motivated when things get less exciting. 

And once you’ve mastered the basics, you could even plan a trip to the country as a group. This vacation will be the perfect opportunity to put your language skills to the test!

14. Attend a Local Workshop or Event

Check your local council’s calendar to see what’s on this weekend or this month, pick a workshop or event, gather a few friends, and learn a new skill together! From free wine tastings at a local bottle shop to beginner photography courses and cooking classes, chances are you’ll find a fun activity together. 

You can also google “workshop in” and add your town or city’s name to see what’s on in the area. 

15. Visit an Escape Room

Visiting an escape room with your friends can make for a fun day and allow you to create unforgettable memories as you solve mysteries together. 

Escape rooms are designed to combine challenging and thrilling adventures with social interactions. And this, in turn, makes it the perfect way to spend time with friends. Besides, even if there isn’t any escape room near you, you can still organize your own at home!

There are plenty of escape room puzzle ideas online and tutorials on setting up an immersive escape room at home.

16. Book a Cocktail-Making Class

From birthday and bachelorette parties to corporate team events, hands-on cocktail-making classes are always a hit. So, if you’re looking for ideas for fun things to do with friends, you can’t go wrong with that one! 

Sure, cocktail-making classes are a great way to learn new skills and familiarize yourself with the history behind some of your favorite cocktails. But most importantly, they’re an excellent way to unwind with your friends and bond over something fun you all enjoy. 

So, time to gather a bunch of your closest friends, put your aprons on, and learn how to pair flavors, stir, shake, and garnish like a pro before enjoying your creations! 

17. Go Stargazing

What more magical way to spend an evening than sitting in a quiet park or by the beach with friends and looking up at the stars? 

If you want to see a beautiful starry sky, plan your little night stargazing session on a day when the moon isn’t shining too brightly. For instance, a couple of days after a full moon could be a great time. Also, make sure to pick a spot away from street lights. 

And to learn all about the constellations and planets above you, download a stargazing app like Star Walk 2. 

18. Go Bowling

Bowling is a great activity because you can play casually with a small group of friends or team up and add a little healthy competition to the game with a bigger group. 

These days, bowling alleys often have a bar area and offer other amenities such as darts or pool tables. 

This way, you can mix things up and make an entire day out of your little outing!

19. Organize a Karaoke Night

Whether you want to visit the local karaoke venue to show off your incredible voice or organize a karaoke night at your place, singing your favorite songs to your heart’s content is another fun activity to enjoy with your friends. 

And it’s as easy as creating a Spotify or YouTube playlist of your favorite songs, plugging your phone on speaker, and rocking the night away as you take turns on the mic!

20. Make It an Arcade Night

There’s nothing like a stroll down memory lane like a night at the arcade. Find a local Dave and Busters or Chuck E Cheese food and family fun. 

21. Visit a Local Museum

Learn something new at a local art museum or museum of natural history. Check out unseen sculptures, historic keepsakes, and breathtaking exhibits. You’re sure to discover something new every time you go–even if you’ve been before. 

22. Make a Time Capsule

We kept the time capsule for last because it represents the promise of a lifetime friendship.

Not only will making a time capsule with your friends spark joy as you do it, but it will also give your future selves plenty of laughter as you reminisce about this moment and look at the capsule content a few years later.

Here are some ideas of items you can place in your time capsule:

• A love letter to your friends.
• A journal containing the story of your friendship and highlighting the fun adventures and experiences you have shared so far.
• Your bucket list.
• Polaroid pictures of you and your friends on the day you buried your capsule.
• A list of your favorite food, songs, movies, or anything you like.

23. Plan a Vacation

Friends can make the best travel partners. Set expectations up-front and plan a group trip based on common interests, budgets, and personalities. 

Look into everything from the perfect staycation to cruises and resorts abroad. You may find exciting things to do within 100 miles from home. Check out day-trips and national landmarks in your backyard. Perhaps you’re more interested in outdoor activities or sightseeing. You have lots of options. 

24. Checkout the Skyline

Many U.S. cities have a unique skyline to take in. With famous buildings and skyscrapers, dazzling lights, and iconic features, skylines can be breathtaking. So take a moment to rest and appreciate your city by taking a stroll downtown to look at the skyline.

25. Take a Guided Tour

There’s someone somewhere that knows something that you don’t know. Take a walking tour of a city with your friends to learn something new and be active. There are things to see everywhere.

In Conclusion

And this concludes our list of the top 20 fun activities to do with friends. So find fun things to do with your besties and have the time of your life experiencing them with your friends.