Things to Do with Friends.

Some newer friends of ours recently delighted us by proposing a trivia night. They’ve also invited us to a Bingo event with our children, a UVA football game, and an outdoor brewery afternoon — itinerary stops outside our usual “let’s meet up for dinner” routine. I aspire to their creativity and love the emphasis on shared experiences. I mean, meals are beautiful, but there’s so much else to bond over. (I also know that the wife has some dietary restrictions, so perhaps that constraint has pronated her toward non-food activities — just another reminder that necessity is the mother of invention.)

What are some other ideas for things to do with friends that don’t involve going out to eat?

I’ve started to keep a list; many of these are pegged to the DC area, but I’m certain you can find comps in your home town:

+Author event at a bookstore — sign up for your local bookstore’s newsletter / follow your favorite authors to check out their events! I follow a ton, but would start with Politics and Prose and Wonderland Books. (This is one of my favorite things to invite friends to do!)

+Hike Great Falls or walk along the Canal Tow Path; lower key: walk the Little Falls trail or any of Rock Creek Park’s trails

+Birding excursion with Nature Forward — they have family-friendly options

+Board game night — Wavelength is a fun one for a group, or go with old faithful, Trivial Pursuit; our best friends like to play a family card game called “O Hell” with us

+Glen Echo (aquarium, carousel) — family activity

+National Zoo — family activity

+Bowling

+Lawn games — we have a badminton set, corn hole set, etc

+Mini golf (Upton Hill, Arlington)

+Snacks and movie night at home — I do this at least once a year with my girlfriends, usually around the release of some Netflix rom com

+Musical performance — lots of good acts visiting The Anthem, and the venue is nice! We also love Wolf Trap (outdoor music venue) in the summer.

+Ice Skating (Sculpture Garden, Cabin John)

+Museum — I like Kreeger and Phillips; they’re smaller, and for us, easier to get to; they also run various events that are worth staying on top of; for example, Kreeger offers outdoor yoga and live music

+Embassy events — DC is lucky to be home to so many embassies! I signed up for the French Embassy newsletter and they often have musical events, French film showings, etc.

+Kayaking on the Potomac — family activity

+Puzzles and wine — my best friend and I love doing this; we call it “buzzling” lol

+Sports game — Caps, Nats, Commanders! (DC also hosts tennis matches and golf tournaments in the summer.)

+Pottery painting — family activity

+Take on a cooking or baking project together

+Volunteering — at school, Church, local non-profit, etc (having a buddy to do this with can be extra meaningful)

+Craft class that interests you both — watercolor, wreath-making, floral arranging, pottery, etc

+Sailboat afternoon — try the Woodwind or Selina in Annapolis!

+Have a “salon” — we sometimes do this with our best friends, where we all read an article or short book or come up with some debatable topic and plan to discuss it over wine

+Karaoke

+Day trip to St. Michael’s (they have a charming Maritime Museum) or Baltimore (Aquarium!) — family activity

+Lower key: farmer’s market visit, manicure/pedicure, neighborhood walk, get blowouts together, do a synchronous Peloton ride, take a hot yoga or spin class, ask for companionship to pick out a gift or dress or something specific (i.e., “would you come with me to pick a bracelet for my sister’s birthday?”)

What other great ideas do you Magpies have up your sleeves?

Post-Scripts.

+Lighthouse friends. (Thanks Kelly for coining this term!)

+How do you support a friend going through a difficult time?

+Advice from older sister types.

Shopping Break.

+Great basics: a striped long-sleeved tee, a simple white turtleneck, this boxy tee in a fun seasonal color, and everyone’s favorite $15 tee.

+La Ligne mini marin sweater on sale!

+You’ve been loving this plaid skirt; this one is also super cute. Style on its own or with the matching top.

+Obsessed with this striped knit, on super sale at VB. Would look so good with wide leg jeans.

+While you’re there, my favorite jacket from this year is now discounted. It’s so unexpected and unusual — I love it.

+30% off Hotel Lobby gift sets with code SCENTWITHLOVE. This Hamptons one is such a great gift as a house guest…or for yourself.

+Found my favorite bronzer stocked in two lighter colors — this has been really hard to find! I wear shade 2.

+I just mentioned how much I like Cadence capsules the other day, and then they launched a surprise sale! Treat yourself to a few of these in a color you like. Great for carrying advil/vitamins/small amounts of hand cream or serum in your purse.

+Pretty new arrivals at Quince: shagreen decorative boxes, tufted wool rug, floral bedding set (ordered for my daughter).

+My two favorite sweatshirts: this half-zip from Alice Walk (I own in blue, and I’ve also purchased these for my mom and MIL) and this AYR (trendier feel; looks and feels so good with classic straight leg jeans).

+Charming peter pan collar sweater and mini bag.

+Cool snowboots for girls.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.

Image via.