Don’t get me wrong, I love going to the pub with my friends – but at the same time, not everyone wants to have a drink. Besides the pub can become stale if that’s the only thing you do week in, week out.
If you and your friends are craving a little more excitement, here are 6 group activities you can do that aren’t the pub!
1. Games Night
You’ve got two options here. You can either get a Tabletop game (like Dungeons and Dragons) or you can grab a few controllers and turn on the PlayStation. Whether you share the sofa and play party games, or load up Call of Duty with rules of 1 life per player, there are loads of ways you can customise your games night to properly enjoy yourselves.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can set up two teams, each with a console and TV, in different rooms and play against each other. Alternatively, have one room for videogames, and another for tabletop games. Decide as a group what you want to do and how you want to do it.
Your aim is to spend quality time with each other, and playing games together is one of the best ways to do that.
2. Bowling
Bowling is one of those activities where everyone can have fun, regardless of how good they are at it. Personally, I’m terrible at it – but it doesn’t stop me from enjoying myself. There are usually multiple things to do at a bowling alley too. The most recent one I visited had both a pool table and an arcade, so there should be something for everyone to enjoy.
When it comes to bowling, the bigger the group, the better. That’s not to say smaller groups can’t have fun, but being able to break away to grab a snack without dividing up the group makes the experience much better.
3. Escape Rooms
If you’re looking for a challenging but rewarding activity that you and your friends can all do together, then an escape room might be just what you’re looking for. Relying on good communication, teamwork, and puzzle-solving skills to find your way out, escape rooms are a brilliant way to spend time with your friends.
There are usually loads of different mysteries to solve, each with their own setting. So whether you’re a fan of 1920’s noir or looking for a mystery in the 60’s, there’s bound to be something that suits you and your friends.
4. Dinner Parties
This doesn’t need to be a fancy, high-class evening. It can be totally relaxed, or even have a specific theme. If you want your night to be a costume event, so be it. Whatever you decide to settle on for your evening, the most important aspect is that you want it to be fun.
The best way to make the most of this is to get a group of between 4-6 friends together, and take turns cooking and hosting for each other. Set the menus ahead of time, and organise an interesting entertainment for your guests.
Don’t stress if you’re not a pro at cooking, you can find beginner recipes online. It’s not about creating the perfect evening, but just having a good time with your friends.
5. Picnic
This is a good one, and combines really well with Go Exploring. Organise a picnic with your friends, and get everyone to bring 1 or 2 things for the picnic. One person can bring sandwiches, one can bring something sweet, another can bring drinks. Spread it out and let people choose what they want to bring.
Then when you’re all together, get all the food out and enjoy yourselves. Sit in the sun and chat while munching on cheese and biscuits. Alternatively, if someone brought a ball or a game then there’s something else for you all to do.
6. Go exploring
You don’t have to travel far to go exploring. You can go wandering around the streets of your town or city, or head slightly further out. Maybe there’s a national walking trail nearby, or perhaps there is a secret spot you know about that none of your friends do.
Exploring your local area is loads of fun, and you can even find a regular hang out spot. If you end up visiting the same location over and over, why not customise it naturally? Turn a fallen tree into a bench, or tie a rope swing over a lake. Just make sure you clean up after yourself, in case you unintentionally damage the wildlife in the area.