How to Find Fun Things to Do in Your City

Learning how to find things to do in your city is one of the most useful dating skills nobody teaches. When you know what is going on around you, you always have a date idea ready, you always have a reason to leave the house, and you keep running into new people. Most cities have far more happening than you would guess. You just have to know where to look.

How to find things to do in your city: search smarter

A plain "things to do" search gives you the same tourist list everyone sees. Get specific and you will find the good stuff.

Add a time. "Things to do this weekend in [city]" or "events tonight in [city]."
Add a vibe. "Free," "outdoor," "live music," "trivia night," "dog friendly," "21 and over," "LGBTQ+."
Add a neighborhood. Searching by area finds smaller, local events the big lists skip.
Search the activity, not the event. "Pottery class," "salsa lessons," "run club," "open mic." Then look at what pops up near you.
Check the map. Search a category like "board game cafe" or "climbing gym" in your map app and read the recent reviews.

Local calendars most people forget

Some of the best listings are not on any app. They are on local websites that update every week:

Your city or county parks department. Free concerts, movie nights, festivals, classes and holiday events.
The public library. Talks, book clubs, workshops, game nights and author events, almost always free.
Your city's tourism or visitors site. It covers the big stuff, and often has a calendar of festivals and cultural events.
Local news and alt-weekly papers. They usually publish weekend picks and "best of" lists.
Colleges and universities. Lectures, performances, art shows and sports, often open to the public.
Museums, theaters and venues you like. Join their email lists so events come to you.

Apps and social media that actually help

Event and ticketing apps let you search by date and category and save things you like. Group and meetup apps are great for recurring activities, like hiking groups, language exchanges and board game nights. Neighborhood apps and local community groups on social media are full of yard sales, pop-ups and small events.

A few tips to get the most out of them:

Follow local venues, breweries, coffee shops and comedy clubs. Small places post their events on social first.
Turn on notifications for two or three favorite spots, not fifty.
Look for anything that repeats weekly. Going to the same thing twice is how you go from stranger to regular.

Free things to do in your city

You do not need a big budget for a big social life. Look for:

Free museum days and gallery openings.
Art walks and first-weekend events in arts districts.
Farmers markets and night markets.
Outdoor concerts, movies in the park and holiday light displays.
Open mics and comedy nights with no cover.
Volunteer days with community gardens, shelters and cleanups.
Hiking trails, scenic drives and sunset spots.

Things to do in Las Vegas beyond the Strip

Las Vegas is a great example of a city with two sides. Everyone knows the big shows and casinos, but locals know about the other side too: monthly art walks in the arts district, food halls and food truck nights, farmers markets, desert hikes in the cooler months, free outdoor attractions, comedy open mics, trivia nights, and local festivals throughout the year. Searching by neighborhood and following local venues will turn up more than any tourist list. If you want a head start on the social side, browse our guide to singles events in Las Vegas.

Make it a weekly habit

The people who always seem to know what is going on are not lucky. They have a routine. Try this:

Pick a planning time. Ten minutes every Sunday night or Monday morning.
Check three sources. One calendar, one app, one local social feed.
Save three ideas. One for you, one for friends, one that would make a good date.
Commit to one. Put it on your calendar and invite someone.

Keep a running note on your phone called "Date ideas." Every time you see something fun, add it. When someone says yes to a date, you will never have to ask, "So, what do you want to do?" And when a friend asks what you have been up to, you will have a good answer.

Bonus tip: invite one person you would like to know better to each new thing you try. Shared plans are how acquaintances turn into friends, and how friends introduce you to the people you date next.

Go where the single people are

If part of the point is meeting someone, pick events where people mingle: classes, trivia, group activities and anything with "singles" in the name. Now or Never is our speed dating in Las Vegas for everyone 21 and over: short timed dates, a lesson from Dawn first, and a room full of people who came to meet someone. New dates are coming soon, so register free to hear first. And if you want to sharpen your conversation skills before you go, our learn how to date page is a great start.

Your turn

Will you spend ten minutes this week using one of these tricks, and put one new event on your calendar?

Keep the love going

This article first appeared on Now or Never Speed Dating, part of The Love Effect family of sites.