Fun Things to Do with Friends for Free

What fun things can you do with friends for free?

Spending time with your friends is essential to staying connected.

But going out every weekend can quickly get expensive.

Finding fun things to do with friends for free is one of the best ways to keep your budget in check while still having fun.

But coming up with ideas of free things to do with your friends can be difficult week after week.

With the help of this big list of free activities to do with friends, you and your friends can stay busy without spending a dime!

things to do with friends on the weekend

    

Fun Things to Do with Friends in Your Community

Your community can be a great resource when it comes to finding fun things to do for free.

Use the help of community events and activities to enjoy time with your friends without the need to spend any money.

From free festivals to volunteer opportunities, there are a variety of great events that are perfect for spending time with your friends.

1. Check your community calendar.

Head to the website for your town and the towns surrounding you to find community events and activities happening this month on the community calendar.

Or visit city hall to see if they have a list of upcoming community events.

You’ll probably be surprised to see there are a variety of great free events your friends can enjoy together in the near future.

2. Look for free admission days.

Did you know that some local museums, art galleries, and zoos will host events where there is no admission fee? 

​Well, they do!

You can plan a fun day at one of these events, and it won’t cost you a dime! 

Everything from interactive exhibits to cultural events and guided tours is offered for free!

These can be great places to hang out with friends for free!

3. Tour your city.

There’s no need to pay a tour company to go on a tour of your city.

Do a little research and create your own city tour for your friends to enjoy together.

Whether you check out cultural sites throughout your town or visit historical locations in your city, make the tour special to your group of friends to really have some fun together.

Plan your tour ahead of time, then head out to explore your city for free with your friends.

4. Take advantage of your local library.

Your library isn’t just a great place to check out a new book.

It can also provide your friends with free activities to enjoy together, including book clubs, author readings, lectures, and concerts.

Or simply check out a free movie to watch together at home.

5. Visit a museum or zoo.

Do a little research to see if any of the museums or zoos near you have free admission.

Or find out if they have free days where people can enjoy the museum without paying the admission charge.

what are fun things to do with friends

6. Take a free class together.

Find a free class to enjoy together with your friends to learn something new while having fun.

Stores, like Michaels and Hobby Lobby, offer classes to make craft projects together or learn to bake.

Home Depot has free classes where they teach home improvement projects.

Or check your local community college to see if they offer free courses to members of the community that might be of interest to you and your friends.

7. Watch a concert.

Listen to live music for free with your friends by keeping an eye out for free music festivals and outdoor concerts in your area.

Check your city’s website for an events calendar or visit your local community center to find free concerts available in your area.

Facebook events are another easy way to find free concerts in your area.

8. Go for a drive.

Taking a quick road trip with your friends is a fun way to enjoy the day together while seeing a new place.

You can find a nearby city or town with free activities or stay in your car and enjoy the sights along the way.

Either way, a drive together is a fun way to hang out with friends for free.

9. Volunteer with your friends.

Giving back to your community is a great way to spend time with friends and do some good at the same time.

In addition to spending quality time with your friends, you also get a chance to improve your community and help the people that live there.

Find a local organization that needs volunteers, then organize a group of friends to volunteer together.

You could volunteer at your local animal shelter, help serve food at a community kitchen, or organize an event for your favorite charity.

You’ll be able to help others in need while spending quality time with your friends for free!

10. Check out open houses.

You don’t have to be in the market for a new home to browse local open houses.

Walking around homes for sale is a fun way to spend time with friends and get inspiration for your own home.

But the best part about this fun community activity is that it’s totally free.

where to go with your friends

Free Things to Do with Your Friends at Home

You don’t have to leave your house to have fun with your friends!

When you’re looking for free ways to spend time with your friends, staying at home is one of the best ways to avoid spending money.

These fun at-home activities are a great way to enjoy the company of your friends without the need to spend any money.

11. Play board games.

Board games aren’t just for kids!

There are a variety of great adult-friendly board games your friends can play together and have a great time inside.

Make some snacks and grab some drinks and have a board game competition at home with your friends.

You could play a traditional game like Chess, Checkers, Clue, Yahtzee, or Twister.

You could do a crossword puzzle book together.

Or you could play a recently popular board game like Codenames.

I played this at a staff party earlier this year. It’s a strategic word association game.

They also have a 2 player version available if you’re playing it with a friend at home.

12. Learn something new.

Thanks to the internet, you and your friends can learn a variety of new skills together without paying a thing.

Simply decide what skill you all want to learn together, then search for videos and tutorials on the subject.

Skillshare has a lot of FREE courses available online that teach a variety of topics from music to photography to film & video to interior design to productivity to business.

There are also premium courses available at a cost. However, you can sign up here and get the first 2 months of Skillshare premium for FREE.

13. Bake together.

If your friends enjoy spending time in the kitchen, why not have fun baking together?

In addition to getting to spend time together, you’ll get to enjoy a sweet treat after you’re finished cooking.

If baking seems like too much work, you could keep it easy and have an ice cream sundae party with your friends.

It’s perfect for a hot summer day!

Each friend can bring an ice cream bucket they already have at home to keep it free. If you have toppings and syrups, it’ll make the event extra fun!

14. Or cook a meal.

Instead of going to your favorite restaurant to eat dinner together, invite your friends over to eat at your house.

You could cook the meal or let your friends help in the kitchen to cook and eat the meal together.

Instead of a cheap meal, you could do a tasting in 1 category like chocolate, candy, beer, wine etc.

For example, if chocolate is the theme, each friend can bring a box of chocolates they possibly already have lying around the house from a previous holiday (so it’s free).

Each friend can rate the chocolates and you could have a group discussion after about them.

If you prefer to do a savory category, you could do hot sauces.

Put a bit of hot sauce on anything from chicken nuggets to fries!

Don’t forget to film your friend’s reactions to the hot sauce!

15. Host a book club.

Do your friends love to read?

Organize your own book club at your house.

Pick a book, give everyone time to read it, then meet at your house to discuss the book together with your friends.

You can even get your book from the library to avoid the need to purchase a new book each month.

If your friends prefer to listen to books, you could suggest using Audible, an Amazon company that has the world’s largest selection of digital audiobooks.

Audible has a 30 day trial where you can get 2 books for FREE.

Even if you cancel within the trial period, the books are yours to keep!

A neat feature I love about Audible is that you can increase the speed of the narration. That way, you get to listen to books faster!

things to do with your friends at home

16. Play a card game.

Grab a deck of cards and sit around the table playing cards with your friends for some free fun at home.

There are a variety of great card games you can enjoy together, like hearts, spades, bridge, and canasta.

It’s a great way to pass the time while still being able to have a conversation at the same time.

You could also play a card game like Uno.

17. Have a movie marathon.

Turn on your favorite streaming service or ask your friends to bring their favorite DVD for a movie marathon at home.

Pop some popcorn and grab some drinks, then settle in for a fun night with friends at home.

Nothing beats the joy and comfort of a good old-fashioned movie night!

18. Play video games.

Are your friends fans of gaming?

Turn on your favorite video game and play together.

You don’t even have to be in the same room to enjoy each other’s company and play together thanks to online gaming.

19. Make vision boards together. 

Looking for a free Saturday night activity that you can do from the comfort of your home with friends?

You could gather and make vision boards together! 

Vision boards are a great way to visualize what you want in life. It’s also a fun way to do something creative with your friends.

All you need is some poster board, scissors, glue, and magazines or printed images. 

Also, make sure you have plenty of snacks and drinks at the ready. 

20. Put together a yard sale.

Help your friends declutter their houses and make money by hosting a yard sale together.

Offer to hold the yard sale in your yard, then let your friends bring over the stuff they want to sell.

You can sit outside and sell your unwanted stuff while catching up with each other.

On top of being a free activity, you’ll probably make a little extra spending money when this activity is over!

Related Article: Tips On How To Host A Successful Yard Sale

stuff to do with your friends

If you don’t have time to read the entire article, here’s a video summary of these free things to do with friends:

free things to do with your friends

21. Watch your favorite TV show.

Do your friends have a favorite TV show you always talk about when you’re together?

Why not watch the show together to enjoy each episode in each other’s company?

Invite your friends over for a viewing party for some free at-home fun.

22. Host a crafting party.

Do you have a ton of craft supplies lying around your house?

Make use of all those supplies with a crafting party with your friends.

Lay out all your craft supplies and let your friends get creative together making something new while spending time together.

You can make friendship bracelets, paint rocks, or create other personalized keepsakes.

23. Have a clothing swap.

Who needs to buy new clothes when you have friends?

Invite your friends over to your house and tell them to bring over any clothes they don’t want to keep any more.

Then, you can all browse the clothing options to see if you like any pieces your friends are finished wearing.

It’s a great way to declutter and save money at the same time.

Related Article: How To Host A Clothing Swap Including What Rules To Set

places to go with friends

24. Host an art party.

Art parties are popular ways to spend time with your friends.

But when you go to a commercially hosted art party, you’ll end up paying a ton of money!

Instead, host an art party at home with your friends.

Ask your friends to bring their own canvasses, paint and brushes, then sit together and create a work of art at home.

You could also YouTube “Paint Night” or “Painting Tutorial” and have all your friends follow along.

25. Have a sleepover.

Slumber parties aren’t just for teenagers!

Have fun with your friends at home with an old-fashioned sleepover.

You can watch romantic comedies, eat snacks, do makeovers, and have fun laughing with your friends all night long.

26. Set up a DIY spa day.

Going to the spa with your friends can be a pretty expensive event.

Instead, create a spa at home with the help of a few fluffy robes and face masks.

Or you can make your own DIY beauty products and relax together as you pamper each other without spending any money (if you have these ingredients in your pantry).

Here’s how you can make a DIY face mask:

free hangout ideas

27. Have an online meetup.

Whether you have friends who live out of town or you just can’t leave your house to see your friends, you can still stay in touch without the need to travel.

With the help of online meeting platforms, like Zoom, you can catch up with your friends using your webcam.

Invite your friends to join your meeting, then have fun chatting with your friends via video call for free.

28. Tackle DIY projects.

I bet all your friends have small projects around their houses that they would love to finish up.

Set up a list of DIY projects each of you wants to complete, then take turns visiting each other’s homes and helping out with the projects.

From giving a room a fresh coat of paint to hanging a gallery wall in the living room, there are a variety of simple projects you could complete together to improve the look of each of your friends’ homes.

free things to do with friends

29. Take turns decluttering.

When you’re finished doing DIY projects at your friends’ houses, you can help them declutter their homes.

Take turns heading to each of your friends’ houses as a group to assist in decluttering.

Help your friends clear out items they don’t want and reorganize their home to ensure it stays neat and clean when you’re finished.

You could use Marie Kondo’s decluttering book as a guide on how to see which possessions should be kept and which ones should be thrown away.

30. Do some yoga.

Help your friends achieve Zen together by hosting a yoga class at home.

Tell your friends to bring their mats, then lead your friends in a relaxing yoga class.

Or search for a good yoga routine on YouTube to help you guide your friends through each pose.

31. Host a recipe swap.

Finding great meals to cook your family can get tedious – unless you have a great group of friends.

Get together to swap your favorite recipes every once in a while to help give your friends some new dinner ideas.

You could even try cooking one of the recipes while you’re hanging out to see how it tastes.

32. Start a podcast together. 

Believe it or not, starting a podcast with your friends is actually pretty easy and super fun! 

You can use free recording software to record your conversations, then post them on the podcast hosting platform of your choice for free.

Think of what topics you want to discuss each week, invite your friends over and start talking! 

Not only is this something fun you can do together every week, but it could also be a great way to express yourselves and share your opinions with the world. 

Plus, there’s always the potential of monetizing the podcast down the line if you want to make a little extra money from your conversations.

Outdoor Things to Do with Friends

Spending time outdoors is a great way to enjoy time with your friends.

You get some fresh air and have fun with your friends at the same time.

These outdoor activities are free ways to spend time with your friends while enjoying nature.

33. Go for a hike.

Hiking is a great way to enjoy nature with your friends.

Find a hiking trail to match your abilities to have fun walking with your friends for free.

fun things to do with friends near me

34. Visit a park.

If hiking is too strenuous, consider taking a stroll around the park with your friends instead.

You’ll still get to enjoy nature without a strenuous walk in the woods.

35. Go to the beach.

Do you live near the ocean or a beautiful lake?

Enjoy some time with your friends at the beach for a fun free activity.

All you need are some beach chairs and drinks to soak in the sun and listen to the waves as you relax on the beach with your friends.

36. Enjoy a picnic.

Pack a lunch, grab a blanket, and enjoy lunch together with your friends in the park or backyard.

Sit on the grass and catch up while you eat lunch and relax.

Most of these parks offer nature trails, scenic views, and a way to enjoy the great outdoors. 

If you don’t live near a national park, you can also look nearby for state parks.

37. Geocaching. 

Go on a treasure hunt by participating in geocaching with your friends.

Geocaching is an outdoor activity that involves using GPS coordinates to find hidden containers (geocaches) at specific locations worldwide.

38. Visit a nearby national park.

If you’re up for a day trip somewhere, you should visit a national park. 

39. Start a garden.

Gardening is a great way to get outside and grow your own food.

And it’s also a great way to enjoy the company of your friends.

Pick a spot to start your community garden, then get planting.

Working together to plant the garden will make the work more manageable, and you’ll have fun spending time with your friends in the process.

cheap things to do with friends

40. Plan a scavenger hunt.

Organizing a scavenger hunt is another great way to have fun with your friends for free. 

Divide into teams and start the search! 

You can set up a list of items for each team to find or keep it simple by having each team try to find as many items listed on the scavenger hunt card in an allotted time period. 

You can even add a twist and make it into a photo scavenger hunt. 

Have each team take a picture of the item they found as proof that they have completed the task. 

Whichever team finishes first wins the game!

41. Go window shopping.

Shopping is a fun way to spend time with your friends.

And you don’t have to spend money to enjoy shopping time with your friends!

Instead of going into the stores, head to the mall or local shopping district and window shop.

Peak inside the stores to see if you find items you like or watch the people shopping in the area for even more free entertainment.

42. Go camping.

Enjoy a night in nature with your friends by going camping.

Set up a tent and sleep under the stars while spending some time outdoors with your friends for free.

43. Play a sport.

Do you have a group of athletic friends?

Get together to play your favorite sport together.

There are so many great sports you can play as a group, like basketball, golf or tennis.

You can do this free hangout idea at your local park or school.

Most neighborhoods have tennis courts that you can use for free.  

Or find a local league for your favorite sport to join others in weekly games.

You could do this on a Saturday morning and then follow it up with brunch at home.

places to go with your friends

44. Go on a bike ride.

Going for an afternoon or evening bike ride is a great idea. 

Put on your helmets and hit the streets. 

Choose a route of around 10-15 miles that you can all do comfortably. 

Remember to pack water and snacks so you can have a little refreshment break along the way. 

You could even plan for lunch or dinner at one of your favorite spots and make a day of it. 

45. Clean up the neighborhood.

Help keep your neighborhood clean while spending time with your friends by organizing a neighborhood cleanup.

Grab some trash bags and take a walk around your neighborhood picking up trash to help keep your streets clean while hanging out with your friends.

46. Go to a farmer’s market.

You don’t have to buy anything to enjoy some time at the market.

Take a walk around your local farmer’s market to check out the fresh vegetables and crafts available.

47. Visit a flea market.

Alternatively, you could visit a nearby flea market, where you’ll find an eclectic mix of items. 

You can browse through the different booths and check out vintage furniture, antiques, clothing, and so much more. 

And even if you don’t find something to buy, it’s still a fun way to spend time with your friends wandering around the different stalls. 

48. Visit the botanical gardens.

Look around your area to see if there are any free gardens you can visit. Many garden centers offer free tours and are open to the public to enjoy.

Take a stroll through the gardens with your friends to see some beautiful greenery while you chat.

You could also use this time to take photos with pretty flowers and trees as a fun memory with your friends

49. Have a barbecue.

Who doesn’t love barbeques? 

Set up a grill in your backyard or neighborhood park, then invite your friends over for a free lunch. 

Make sure everyone brings their favorite side dish to share with the group for an even more delicious meal. 

50. Go to an open mic night. 

It doesn’t cost a thing to go to an open mic night.

Support your local music scene and enjoy some live entertainment with friends for free.

You can also participate in the open mic night if you’re feeling brave enough to show off your talent! 

51. Watch the sunset.

Head outside to enjoy the beautiful colors of the sunset together as you enjoy each other’s company.

52. Check out the stars.

And while you’re outside, why not take a look at the night sky after the sun goes down?

You can try to find different constellations and watch for shooting stars while you hang out with your friends outdoors.

fun things to do with a friend

53. Photography adventure

Go on a photo-walk through your town or city and take turns capturing interesting sights and scenes.

Compare your shots afterward to see different perspectives.

If you’re looking for a quick recap, here’s a printable that has this list of free things to do with friends. There are blank and pre-filled versions. It’s editable in PDF.

things to do with friends for free

Final Thoughts on Fun Things to do With Friends For Free

There are many fun things you can do with friends for free.

Try all of these things or just a few that you feel comfortable with.

Remember, the best experiences with friends often come from stepping outside the norm and trying new things together.

So, embrace spontaneity and have fun exploring these free activities with your friends!

Resources for Saving Money

Looking for other ideas to save money?

Here are my favorite money saving resources:

Rakuten

Rakuten (formerly Ebates) allows you to get cash back for shopping online at over 2500 stores – many of which you would normally shop at like Amazon, eBay, Macy’s, Kohl’s etc. It’s FREE to sign up.

To top it off, for U.S. residents, Rakuten will give you a welcome bonus of $10 after making your first online purchase of $25 or more.

For Canadians, it’s a $5 welcome bonus for signing up.

You can read more about how to use Rakuten here!

Honey

Honey is an application that looks at the items in your cart and helps you search for coupon codes. If it finds relevant codes, it enters them AUTOMATICALLY! You never have to search for coupon codes online again!

It also has other money saving features like cash back, price drop notifications, and a price history. It’s also FREE to use.

Sign up for Honey here!

Here’s my detailed review on Honey here.

$5 meal plan

If you spend hours meal planning every week only to stress out some days and eat out, you might be interested in the $5 meal plan. For $5/month, they send you a weekly meal plan where every meal will cost approximately $2/person! They save you time and money so that you can focus on doing things you enjoy like hanging with your kid!

They offer a 14 day FREE trial (approximately 40 recipes) – regular or gluten-free – that you can cancel at any time with no questions asked.

Amazon Prime

This membership has 2 great benefits: free 2 day shipping and free access to movies, TV shows, music and books. You no longer have to worry about last minute items. You can cancel your other movie, music and book subscription services. You can also get 20% off diapers and baby food when you have more than 5 subscriptions.

Get the Amazon 30 day FREE trial here. You can cancel at anytime. No questions asked.

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