18 ways to meet new people in real life...
Your cheat sheet for making friends on the road (or at home).
Hey! I’m Emma from Where’s Ems? 👋🏼 I’ve been travelling full-time since 2023 while building my freelance writing business. Join to receive my regularly updated travel guides, covering things like trip planning, house sitting, working remotely, meeting people and more.
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Last updated June 2025
Travelling solo is brilliant, but it can get lonely if you’re not proactive about meeting people.
This is a growing list of ways to make new friends in real life — things I’ve either done myself or have saved for future trips. Some are free, some are paid, some are big and bustling, others are small and cosy.
As a Brit, there are quite a few London-based options here for now, but I’ll keep adding ideas from further afield as I go. And as the list grows, I’ll start sorting it into UK vs global to make it easier to navigate.
In the meantime, I hope it gives you a few new ways to feel less alone in a new place… or even in your hometown!
Got something to add? I’d love to hear it 👇🏼
🏃🏼➡️ Join the free, weekly Parkrun events held every Saturday morning worldwide. Whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer, or spectate the 5k route, you're bound to find a chatty crew at the post-run coffee spot.
🫱🏼🫲🏼 Meetup.com is a platform that connects you with group activities and networking events in your area, allowing you to mingle with people who share your interests. I always check the app when arriving in a new city to see what's happening.
👯♀️ UK ladies, have a look at Lonely Girls Club. They bring people together to hang out and explore fun places in cities such as London, Brighton, Nottingham, Manchester and more. From Sunday roasts to bank holiday cocktails, I've made several new Instagram friends through their events.
🟦 Facebook has plenty of local groups where you can connect with people nearby. I'm a member of a few ‘City Girl Networks’ like Bristol Girl and Brighton Girl, where organisers plan events or members post their own plans to rally some company. And this isn’t exclusive to the UK. I’ve had someone tell me before about ‘emergency beer’ groups in Finland😄
🚴🏼 Did you know Airbnb have experiences, too? They’re unique events organised by locals. I’ve done lots of quirky things on there, and they’re great if you’re new to the area and feel like being a bit of a tourist.
🐶 If you’re in the UK or Ireland, Borrow My Doggy is a great way to get out of the house and take a pup for a stroll around the neighbourhood. Perhaps you’ll bump into some fellow dog lovers en route or make friends with the owner.
🍝 Timeleft is a brilliant app that organises dinners with strangers worldwide every Wednesday. Complete a short quiz, and their clever algorithm will match you with five strangers ready to meet you over dinner in a local restaurant. I've had a blast at their dinners in Manchester, Dublin, Paris, Bristol, Edinburgh and others.
👩🏼💻 If you're a remote worker like me, joining a freelancer community could be your ticket to some much-needed human connection. I'm part of the Freelancer Magazine and Being Freelance crews. Our weekly coworking calls are a social lifeline, and both communities host in-person meetups throughout the year.
💼 Swap your home office for a coworking space and prepare to be surrounded by like-minded self-starters. Who knows, you might just land some new business buddies in the process.
👨🏼🍳 Migrateful runs cookery classes in London and Bristol, led by refugees and migrants sharing dishes from their home countries. It’s a great way to meet people, learn something new and support a brilliant cause.
🕺🏼Fellow Humans run quirky little meetups around the UK — vinyl painting, trifle parties, pub quiz nights, pasta making and more. Great if you’re after something a bit different. I’m hoping to try one soon.
🧑🏼🎤 This one came from (thanks, Melissa!): concerts. When you’re surrounded by people who love the same artist, striking up a conversation shouldn’t be too hard. And once you’ve made that first connection, future gigs are a good way to meet up again and again.
🍽️ One Monday a month, Kindred Community Dinner cooks one big meal for 100 strangers in London... for free. Solo diners are encouraged, phones are off, and everyone gathers around long tables with a few gentle icebreakers. I haven’t been yet, but it’s high on my list.
☕ Coffee Crawl Society hosts a relaxed walk across London every Saturday morning. The 4–5km route changes weekly, but the starting point is always a coffee shop, so you can grab something to go as you get to know your new friends. I did this in May.
🍺 The London Drinking Club is a free community meetup helping London feel a little less massive. They host casual drinks every Tuesday from 7:15pm — ideal if you fancy making a few new mates over a pint.
🎤 The Room Where It Happens is a musical theatre bar in London with singing servers and piano singalongs. I haven’t been (yet), but it’s on my list — surely belting out Mamma Mia! with strangers is a shortcut to new friendships?
✍🏼 began in London and now gathers writers from all over the world. They host daily Writers’ Hour sessions, weekly writing contests, interviews, workshops and offer a space to connect with fellow creatives.
🛌🏼 Choose hostels over hotels if you want guaranteed friends on arrival when travelling. They’re not just for 20-year-olds on gap years, and most are far lovelier than the horror stories would have you believe. Book through the Hostelworld app, which has a cool little feature showing what’s happening at or near your hostel.
Coming up soon:
How to start house sitting…
How to plan a 3-day cycle in Europe's borderless Moselle region…
How to keep yourself safe as a female solo traveller…
…and more!
Got any thoughts or questions?
Or is there a topic you’d love me to cover next?
Please let me know — the comment section is open!
Thank you for sharing this. I've found my circle of friends has really shrunk since hitting 30 and I find it so hard to meet new people. I'm going to try out some of your suggestions! x
for me, these days it's "coffee meeting" with people I meet i events and like.. It's a common practice in Denmark, and as an international living in this beautiful country, I am loving this way of knowing and meeting new people.