Women, younger than 50 usually meet new friends with similar lifestyles. If you are raising children in the suburbs/city you’ll most often meet people:

1) Neighbors
2) PTA meetings
3) Neighborhood meetings that deal with your town issues
4) Groups your children attend like the Scouts (girls and boys)
5) People from work
6) Pot luck dinners with people you’d like to gather together
7) Women’s organizations
8) Car pools for children
9) Neighborhood playgrounds
10) Community and private pools
11) Lessons and activities for children like sports, music, bands, and the like
12) A religious institution – usually there is a social room for gatherings
As we age and children are grown, in college or developing their careers, adults become more isolated. There are circumstances that come up such as moving; job transfers, downsizing, economics, caretaking ill parents, friends drifting away, retirement and so many other reasons for leaving old friends.

Now we must find other means to meet new friends. I recommend looking for those who are in similar circumstances and similar interests first. You might start a book club, engage in quilting, sewing, financial meetups, retirement discussion groups, political discussion clubs, dining clubs and gourmet clubs done in homes and dinners with newbies around the holidays. You can fill in the blanks to align with people who share your interests. On the other hand, you might seek out those who have dissimilar interests and from different cultures for the chance to learn something new. Perhaps you love dancing. There are many opportunities to do that whether lessons or simply meeting up with people who enjoy shaking their booties. Tennis anyone? Great social game on any playing level. Gyms, yoga, mediation are another way to meet people.

Retirement homes offer many choices and they are already packaged for you. Perhaps they have social gatherings in their leisure rooms, lecturers or clubs already in existence. If you are downsizing and moving into an apartment/condo complex, investigate the degree of social activities they offer. Stay away from those that seem less accommodating socially if you are looking to meet new friends. You can ask the director or other tenants.

Find a library where you might get together to discuss books or you perhaps organize a movie night and discussion afterward.
You might want to look into community centers that are sponsored by your township for activities. Wine tastings if that is to your liking (people could be a bit more jolly). Speaking of jolly you can meet people at a local comedy/improv club. Many cities and town will have ongoing classes for adults that provide a variety of subjects; history, politics, opera, comedy, computers, movies etc. Eager to write your memoir? Learn how to write, learn a new languages, and learn the craft of art. Usually, these activities are welcoming for people to discuss their new-found talents.

Those institutions for adult (50 plus) are numerous across the country. Many are associated with local colleges and universities as well as free-standing. You need to do some research. I find this is an excellent way to meet up with new people and it also makes for stimulating discussions in off times. Keep on moving about and searching. It takes some work and very little will fall into your lap. So get those feet out there.

Copyright, 2025, Frances Metzman
Share your thoughts below!