Fellas, we get it. You love your friends, but as we get older, we all realize how hard it is to regularly see them. People move away, get busy jobs, start families. The guys you used to spend all your free time hanging out with are relegated to the group chat.
What to do, then, when you do have precious time to hang out? You say yes, obviously, but then comes the planning. Hitting them with the standard “Let’s get a drink and catch up!” can feel impersonal, and also has a tendency to put the friendship in a rut. One catch-up over drinks begets other catch-ups over drinks, spinning you into the vicious cycle of once-quarterly beers that never feel that distinguishable from one another.
What you need, men of the world, are some new ideas. Seeing the boys should, at least occasionally, feel fresh and exciting, not a who, what, where, when, why report of the past few months of your lives, interspersed with a Guinness or three. As you continue to age, you’ll also surely have friends who give up drinking, or simply don’t want to congregate in dingy neighborhood dives anymore. This is why we’ve compiled an eclectic group of activities that aren’t just Going to the Bar for Two Hours. We’ve also asked some guys like Colman Domingo, Michael Gandolfini, and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino about what they like to do with their guys. Consult this list when you need something new, whether when hanging with long-lost fraternity brothers, coworkers from three jobs ago, or people who are actually your partner’s friends’ boyfriends.
1. A live sporting event
Yes, it’s one of the top things that comes up when you search for stock photos of men hanging out. But it’s a classic for a reason—going to the game is always going to hit. Or, invite the boys over to your place to watch the game. Think about how many people you consider close friends who have never been to your home.
2. A concert
You can keep sending each other YouTube videos of obscure live sets your favorite band did in Tulsa two decades ago, or you can see if they’ll be in town soon! The power of live music—and, sometimes, simply getting out of the house—is very real. Then, when you’re old and gray, you can also say you were at that set when it gets uploaded to YouTube.
3. The movies
We won’t dare weigh in to the insufferable discourse about going to the movie theater alone (it rules), but we will suggest that you organize some cinema dates with your platonic friends. Some movies are meant for a solo trip to the arthouse, some are meant to be seen with a significant other, and some are inarguably for the boys.
4. Dinner
Men need more activities where they actually talk to one another! While a concert or a movie is a fantastic way to spend an evening, it’s not inherently social. Once the show starts, you’re not having full-fledged conversations (and if you are, never do that again as long as you live), whereas a nice dinner has the potential to produce two hours of face-to-face connection. This could, of course, also be breakfast, lunch, or brunch, or even just a coffee shop hang.
5. Take a trip together
For whatever reason, the girls’ trip has become a staple of American culture that they make movies about, but a group of men going on vacation together seemingly only happens for bachelor parties. That need not be the case! This is a perfect move to organize with your hometown crew, college friend group, dad friend group, or anyone that you don’t get to see as much as you used to. Even finding just three or four open days on everyone’s calendar for a trip can lead to some of the best memories of the year.
Click here to read 39 more things to do with your boys, featuring ideas from Coleman Domingo, Lukas Gage, and more.
