Want to meet people in Washington, DC, and start making friends? This article is for you. The city where the Presidents reside is rich both in history and diversity, this unique city has no shortage of opportunities to find your “tribe” and make some lasting friendships.
If you have chosen Washington, DC as the place to call home, work, and live, you are truly fortunate to live in a world-class city. With the mighty Potomac River dominating the capital, Washington is not just the political center of the country. A melting pot of culture, arts, and culinary destinations, all of which attract loads of people make these venues ideal to meet people and make friends. No two evenings need even be the same in Washington, where you will find some of the most interesting people in wonderful places in town.
Best Ways To Meet People in Washington and Make Some New Friends
1. Meetup groups are very popular to make friends
Some other groups you can explore in town are: https://www.meetup.com/cities/us/dc/washington/
2. Photography classes are great to meet new folks
Photography is a wonderful hobby and if you have a passion for the art, Washington has plenty of great photography clubs and studios, where you will get to fraternize with other photographers. There are so many historical, natural, and cultural spots to click away, making the city a haven for photography. Join a club or class of photography and you will get to hone your skills, meet and discuss the finer nuances of the art, and get updates about the latest equipment and techniques of photography.
3. Get creative and make friends in the process
Writing is a wonderful way to express one’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions. If you love writing and feel the need to improve your creativity, a writing workshop would be a great place to join. You will get to bump into other established and aspiring writers, which will help you to grow and improve as a writer. Whatever genre of writing you enjoy you will get exposure to it, and if you have a knack for the craft may be able to see your name in print!
4. Food and friends are a great way to socialize
Working as a volunteer with the community you live in is a sure way to meet new people and make friends. It also is a good way to make your contribution to the neighborhood or the community you call home. Food and Friends is one such organization serving the Washington area, which offers home-delivered meals to critically ill patients in town. When you join as a volunteer you meet plenty of other people with a shared passion to serve the community, a great way to make friends in town.
5. Be part of a movie club
Movies are a great way to escape the drudgery of our routine lives. These help to provide a temporary escape into a world of celluloid fantasy, which motivates and moves us in different ways. When you become a member of a movie club or society you meet other members with a shared love for movies. This offers a great opportunity to bond and fraternize at various events and screenings organized by the movie club. With a plethora of movie-related events, workshops, and activities you will have a very busy and fulfilling social life.
6. Explore the biking trails in and around Washington
If you are someone who enjoys the outdoors and related activities, Washington offers you plenty of such experiences. There are fabulous biking trails all across the city and plenty of biking clubs. When you become a member of a biking club, you meet other avid bikers and get to enjoy a load of group-based biking activities. While making new friends you hit the best bike trails in and around the city, which satisfies your need for outdoor adventure and offers you a chance to buddy up with new people.
7. Become a volunteer teacher
If you enjoy teaching in your free time and sharing your knowledge you will enjoy becoming a teaching volunteer in DC. Teaching is a very emotionally satisfying experience, where you get to share your expertise and knowledge with young people, who have limited access to educational resources. You get to connect and bond with other volunteer teachers while doing something altruistic for a change. Knowledge Commons DC is one such volunteer-run floating school, which is doing outstanding work for the community. Join up and be a part of bringing social change and gaining new friendships along the way.
8. Get to hone your carpentry skills
Would it not be great to hone your woodwork skills and make friends along the way? If you like to tinker and create items from wood, joining a woodwork class will enhance your creativity to new levels. There are a number of woodwork classes where you get to learn from professionals in a very friendly and conducive environment for learning. You get access to different kinds of tools, which normally are not available at home. Enjoy the camaraderie of fellow woodwork enthusiasts and give your carpentry skills a new fillip!
9. Consider a Fitness Social Group
If you’re a fitness lover, or you’d like to work out or go for a run but not alone, then consider joining a DC social group that’s about fitness. This could be a great way to meet new motivated friends.
When joining a social group of this sort, be sure to make conversation about a variety of subjects. Don’t get stuck talking about fitness or working out only. Venture into other subjects to get to know the people better. This will create a more solid base for creating friendships. They need to see you as a potential friend instead of just a “workout friend” they meet only to work out together.
Consider the November Project’s DC Social Group.
Meet New Friends In Washington Or Anywhere You Go
With all the choices, it might feel overwhelming to meet people in Washington and find the right friends. What you can do is focus on the niches and the sub-cultures you’re more likely to find the people with whom you can get along and hopefully keep in the long run. If you want to be equipped with the right techniques, social skills, and principles to help accelerate your social life, we invite you to check out our training.
See you there!