How to Make Friends in NYC, According to New Yorkers

We can all collectively agree that making friends as an adult is…tough. Honestly, it was easier making pals on the playground. And when you live in a busy city, it’s even harder to build new relationships. But, my dear reader, you are not alone. We asked the best (and most trusted) folks who have been through the trials and tribulations of building friendships in the five boroughs.

Whether you're looking to add a new hobby to your schedule, find stress-free get-togethers with other introverts or discover fun events (and learn more about the bustling city), we have a list for every type of New Yorker. If you’re a native city dweller or just moved here, here’s how to make friends in NYC.

Speaking of meet up events, if you want to meet different people that are not tied to a specific interest group, there are big meet ups always happening around NYC. For starters, you can check out No More Lonely Friends, a group hangout that frequently meets in Central Park and that a fellow PureWow editor tried out last summer. There’s also Gather, a non-profit organization that seeks to create spaces and events for women in their mid-20s. “We basically started the org to fill the gap of adult women not being able to find friendships. When you’re just graduating college or moving to a new city for a job, it’s so hard to find deep, meaningful friendships. What we do is open our homes and host events for women to be joined in community and to have vulnerable and authentic discussions,” explains Kim Caputo, social media strategist at Gallery Media Group. 

NYC is home to so many diverse communities with rich culture and histories in every borough. Learn more about your background by finding groups and events dedicated to celebrating your heritage. "I found Cultura Takeover on Instagram and it's a commuity that connects Latinxs together for fun activities (like making your own vision board to visiting a museum together). I'm going to my first event soon and I'm so pumped to be surround by fellow POCs from the area and dabble in learning more cultural things in the city," says Chelsea Candelario, associate editor at PureWow.

Break a sweat and make friends at the same time. Join a Soulcycle class, bust a move in a Zumba class or try your hand at pickleball. There are plenty of classes out there to try out. Go on Classpass, YMCA or search your local neighborhood for an activity you’ve been eyeing lately. A helpful tip: The best time to chat it up is before a class. You can ask someone if they’ve been to this specific class and spark a conversation by asking for tips on how to navigate the session. Or spend time afterward recapping on what you thought about the class and maybe schedule a future sweat sesh with your new workout buddy. 

Another great example is City Girls Who Walk (CGWW), a club that went viral on TikTok for bringing New Yorkers together. This group gives participants the chance to enjoy a lovely stroll by the water, while also connecting with others at the same time. “CGWW is a walking club for girls to make new friends while also getting some steps in! I started CGWW because I was feeling a little lonely and wanted [to find] a way to connect with other girls around the city,” says Brianna Joye, founder of City Girls Who Walk. “Our walks have anywhere between 100 to 700 girls show up so you can always count on leaving with a friend or 10!”

Speaking of dating, there are a ton of dating apps out there, but did you know there are apps that help friends connect in NYC? A popular option is Bumble BFF, where you can match with other people around the world. It’ll also let you filter by location and interests, so you can find your forever friend. There are also other apps like Lex that can connect you with a new set of friends. “I found a TON of community through an app called Lex that brings together queer women, nonbinary people, and other LGBTQ+ identities to find community, friends, love, etc.” says Delia Curtis, assistant editor at PureWow. 

There are a bunch of apps dedicated to showing you events and activities happening in the city. From Geneva to The Nudge, these specific apps can point you in the right direction (and give you some neat plans for the weekend). "One of the coolest things that I’ve discovered in the last couple years was a texting service called Nudge that sends you texts of things to do, see and experience in NYC. I’ve been on the app since I moved to NY and it’s led me to try all kinds of fun things. They also have “Nudger” (their affectionate name for the app users) only events where you can meet other app users. Overall, it’s a great experience," says Curtis.