But it’s not always easy coming up with ways to spend your time together. Luckily, we’ve rounded up some of our top picks for things to do with friends to help inspire your next outing.
Create charcuterie boards
Good things to do with friends almost always involve food, and the charcuterie board challenge is no different. Gaining a lot of traction in the social media world, the concept of the challenge is pretty simple - each participant makes a themed sharing platter. Popular interpretations include a cheese board with various types, dessert boards, sushi boards and beyond. It’s a great way to get everyone involved and channel their creativity.
Build your own cocktails
When it comes to things to do out with friends, hitting the same old cocktail bar can get a little repetitive. Level up your cocktail night by trying out another popular trend frequenting the social media verse: host your own cocktail party…with a twist. Each attendee makes their own cocktail, gives it a fun name and brings one for everyone. Of course, the cocktails are not your run-of-the-mill drinks, they’re elaborate affairs with dry ice, sweet additions and more.
Play Monopoly Live
Fun things to do with friends doesn’t get more iconic than playing the classic game of Monopoly. But the board game can sometimes go on for HOURS, right? Not to mention the inevitable arguments. Rest assured, Monopoly Live is everything but tiresome. Across 80 minutes of exhilarating life-sized Monopoly gameplay, players must complete mind-bending escape room style puzzles whilst moving across the board.
Go ziplining
Nothing says spontaneous things to do with friends like flying down a zipline. The ideal day out for thrill seekers, soar through the sky together as the world unfolds beneath your feet. We’re particular fans of Zipworld’s Velocity 2: the fastest zipline in the world; but the good news is if you can't get to Wales anytime soon, there are plenty of zipwire opportunities awaiting in the UK.
Top Tip:
Check out our guide for spontaneous things to do for more off-the-cuff ideas.
Host a Potluck dinner
Potlucks gather everyone together for one reason: to eat. One of the most popular things to do with friends, a potluck is a dinner party where everyone brings a course or dish each, thus taking the pressure off having one single host. It doesn’t need to break the bank either - just make sure you all communicate so you don’t end up with six pasta dishes.
Get crafty together
From blacksmithing to jewellery making, there are hundreds of ways you and your pals can get creative together. You can do this on the cheap by heading to your local craft hub and picking up some fun supplies or booking yourselves a studio workshop with an expert. Chances are they’ll have something fizzy to help fuel the creativity.
Go ape together
Go Ape is the perfect adventure activity for friends. With multiple locations dotted around the UK, get your adrenaline pumping at the thrill seekers’ mecca. Take on tree-to-tree crossings, Tarzan swings and more - just make sure you have a head for heights.
Top Tip
Go Ape is also a great choice for hen and stag dos, guaranteed to give your friend a send-off they’ll never forget.
Have a friendly bake-off
Whether you’re inner star bakers or not, a friendly bake-off at home with your gang can prove to be an entertaining day for all. Decide on a theme, gather the essentials and get your bake on. The end result is an array of baked goods that you can feast on together (when all’s said and done).
Play a round of golf
Whether you’re new to the sport or seasoned golfers, playing with friends is what it’s all about. Pick a stunning golf course near you, fill a bag with some snacks and drinks and just embrace the competitive spirit that inevitably comes when doing an activity with friends.
Go on a spa day
Quality time together during a relaxing spa day? Who could resist. Contrary to popular belief, spa days are something that can be enjoyed by everyone and not just girls. With a wide span of packages on the market, from luxurious spa days in award-winning venues to more humble affairs tucked away from the bustling streets of a city, we’re truly spoiled in terms of the UK’s decorated spa scene.
Delve deeper into the world of chocolate
As if you needed one, this is your sign to go on a chocolate tasting with your friend. Take your love of the sweet treat to new levels as you learn a chocolatier’s best-kept secrets and sample a range of delicious mouth-watering chocolate. At the end of the day, it’s all research, right?
Luxury Chocolate Making Workshop Including Martini and Bubbly for Two with My Chocolate
Prepare to be wowed with this luxury chocolate making workshop, hosted by some of the best chocolatiers in the business, which will see you Martini making, chocolate tasting, decorating and experimenting.
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Go fruit picking
Going fruit picking is one of the best things to do with your friend, particularly during summer. It’s relatively low-effort and expense, and there are PYO farms across the country with generous offerings of strawberries, cherries and apples. Most farms also have a cafe for you and your pals to soak up the tranquil vibes - and who doesn’t love walking around with a basket filled with fruit?
Plan a camping trip
As far as things to do with a friend go, you can never go wrong with a camping trip. Enjoy the serenity of nature away from digital devices, turn up the music and spend the night sleeping under the stars. Whether you head to a designated camping site or even just in your garden, camping is sure to be an adventure.
Embark on a treasure hunt
Experience your city in a brand new light or redefine sightseeing and unveil a new town in a uniquely entertaining way. Plan your own and create a list of things to find in the city (the more rogue the better) or team up with your gang and try to solve the puzzling clues of a ready-built one.
The Great UK Outdoor Treasure Hunt for Four
Get ready to experience a city in unique style, with an Outdoor Treasure Hunt for four people. This fun and challenging experience lets you test your detective skills in any one of more than 50 areas across the UK of your choice. You’ll work as a team to undergo a challenge of mental and physical tests, including strategy, logistics and lateral thinking. See if you have what it takes to crack the puzzles and win the treasure!
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Go paintballing
Have you and your friends tried paintballing? A chance to forget the stresses of daily life, spend some time with your pals running, dodging and navigating your way through a course while paintballs fly at you. With centres available up and down the country offering numerous games and perks, paintball is an activity you won’t be able to stop talking about.
Challenge each other to kart racing
Go karting is a fabulously versatile activity with a myriad of exhilarating formats to keep the adrenaline flowing. Channel your inner racers and compete against each other in knockout laps, time trials and qualifying heats. With access to some of the country’s most demanding circuits, throw on those overalls and get racing.
Go shopping
You may feel like you’ve exhausted going shopping together, but there are many ways you can freshen up your shopping routine. Pick out an outfit for each other, challenge each other to find bargains, see what hidden gems you can find in the lesser known stores - the options are endless.
Go on a Dessert Crawl
For those with a sweet tooth, dessert is the highlight of the day - so why not make it a main attraction? Grab your friends, pick a couple of places to visit and satisfy those sweet cravings. From ice cream parlours to creperies to bakeries and beyond, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to sourcing your sweet treats.
Go kayaking
Kayaking has had a surge of popularity lately, mainly because it’s a fun way to simultaneously be outdoors and socialise with friends. If you happen to already have a kayak then you’re sorted, but otherwise many companies offer you the chance to rent a kayak for a very reasonable price. Kayaking newbies can also get an introduction to the sport together with tasters led by some of the leading kayaking experts.
Head on a weekend getaway
Weekend getaways aren’t just for couples. The UK has plenty to offer when it comes to staycations and we all know they’re easier to plan than far-flung trips abroad. Once you’ve settled on the date, all that’s left to do is decide the type; an active city break? A tranquil hot tub break? Spa retreat? You name it.
Host a Wine & Cheese night
Looking for fun things to do with your friend from home? Hosting your own wine and cheese night is a guaranteed fun night in. Go with what you know and pick up a selection of bottles you love or book a night in with a box sent from a company filled with a selection of new wines and cheeses for you to discover.
Challenge yourselves to an escape room
Escape rooms have exploded onto the scene, proving to be a great way to spend time with friends. They require you to challenge yourself, think differently and be creative. There’s also a variety of themes on offer, from zombies and post-apocalyptic, to prison breakout and beyond, guaranteeing there’s something to match you and your friends’ interests.
Start the day in style with brunch
We all love a good brunch. What better way is there to toast to the weekend than spending a morning catching up with your friends? And it’s no small affair either - most feature free-flowing fizz, picture-perfect plates and the finest décor around. Those who love nothing more than getting creative in the kitchen can even host their own brunch feast.
Hit the karaoke bar
Whether you’re songbirds or not, singing your heart out together at a karaoke bar is never a bad idea. From private karaoke rooms to outlandish bars with lively staff, there’s no shortage of venues who’ll host your night. Alternatively, if you’re looking to do things on the cheap, there are plenty of karaoke tracks online and you can have your own concert in your room.
Enjoy an open mic night
Keeping with the theme of live music, the vast majority of bars host an open mic night. These allow aspiring musicians the opportunity to hone their craft in front of a live audience and you get to experience some epic live music. Who knows? You might get to experience the world’s next biggest star.
Explore street food
Forget your diet and spend the day sampling street food pop-ups. Whether you head to the street food giants like Boxpark, food markets like Borough Market or even just the ones hosted in your local high street, it’s a great way to sample new food and have fun with your best friend. Alternatively, food tours are a fun activity to spend time with each other and make new culinary discoveries.
Have a trivia night
We’re sure over the various lockdowns, you and your friends became experts in the craft of creating Zoom quizzes. Brush off those forgotten skills and get everyone together again for a good old trivia night. Create various categories, prizes, anything that’ll help make your quiz distinctive and entertaining for everyone.
Try a new restaurant
We get it, your go-to restaurant can never do you wrong, but isn’t it time to spice things up? Gather your pals, decide on a cuisine you all like and research the local restaurants offering your desired food - who knows, you might even discover a new favourite.
Go to a comedy show
It’s often said that laughter is the best medicine and this rings true for going to a comedy night with friends. From hilarious theatre performances to stand up comedy shows, there’s all kinds of ways to get your comedy fix.
Have a BBQ
There’s no better way to entertain in the summer months than inviting all your friends over for a BBQ in the garden. Set up a grill to barbecue some steaks, create some expertly crafted drinks and enjoy lots of fun gossip. Barbecuing is undeniably the best form of cooking there is.
Go around a museum
Soak up a little culture together by spending a day at a museum of your choosing. With a great majority offering free admission or an entry price that you know will go towards furthering the museum’s research, there’s plenty of types to enjoy from art galleries to history focussed to sports like football and motoring.
Catch up over afternoon tea
Pretend like you’re royalty and book in for afternoon tea with your friends. Think dainty sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, delicate sweet treats and the finest of tea and coffee offerings. If you want to add some sparkle to the occasion, Champagne or prosecco afternoon teas are sure to do the trick.
Fortnum & Mason Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two in The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon
Since 1707, Fortnum & Mason has grown from an exceptional grocer in the heart of London to one of the world’s preeminent destination stores. Over the past 300 years, the tradition of taking tea has formed an integral part of life at Fortnum & Mason, and now you and a lucky guest can experience this iconic British treat by taking Afternoon Tea in Fortnum’s elegant Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
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Grab a coffee
As cliche as it sounds, going to get coffee is one of the easiest things to do out with friends. Order your favourite beverage, treat yourself to a little slice of cake as you catch up with your pal on everything they’ve missed since you last spoke. If you’re a tea or coffee connoisseur, you could even host your friend and introduce them to your barista secrets.
Have a picnic
Going to the park is a seriously underrated thing to do with friends. Invite your gang, arm yourselves with sweet and savoury snacks or turn it into a potluck affair and get each person to bring something. The end result is a delectable feast surrounded by great people.
Go to a festival
There are always cool low-key festivals popping up in the cities from food to music themed and beyond; the icing on the cake is that these festivals also tend to be free. But if you’re looking for bucket list things to do with a friend, you can’t go wrong with a festival like Glastonbury.
Summary
If you’ve made it this far, you should hopefully have a handful of ideas for things to do with a friend. Check out our full range of experiences to help make some of those plans a reality.
