The best way to meet singles is to go places you don’t normally go and do things that are a smidge outside your comfort zone.
A lot of us get into daily, weekly, or monthly patterns where we stop growing and striving. Go to work, hit the gym, run errands, hang out with friends, go home, repeat. Spend time around the same people day after day.
If that sounds like you and you’re single, it can be hard to get your relationship status to change.
However, we’re here to help break you out of that dating rut and find some hot dates in your area.
1. Dating Sites & Apps
Hands down, there’s nothing easier, quicker, cheaper, or more convenient for meeting singles than online dating. More than 40 million people have tried it, they have thousands of sites and apps to choose from. Most platforms offer free memberships, and you’ll receive matches within minutes of signing up.
Match has been around since 1993, and the site officially launched in 1995. It is one of the longest-running dating sites in the industry. That’s why Match is able to say it’s responsible for more romantic connections than any of its competitors.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Match doesn’t charge singles to create a profile, upload photos, view and like profiles, receive matches every day, and flirt with matches.
2. Local Events & Meetups
Most cities don’t leave their singles all alone hanging in the wind — most offer singles events and groups for everything from hiking, gaming, and mixology to watching movies, practicing karate, knitting, and kickball, among other things. You’re guaranteed to meet people if you sign up for some of these activities.
Meetup.com, Eventbrite.com, and Yelp are just a few sites worth visiting, or you can just enter a couple phrases into Google (e.g., “meetups near me” or “running groups in [city]”).
3. Volunteering Opportunities
Nonprofits, charities, shelters, churches, and other organizations usually welcome all the help they can get, so if philanthropy is an interest of yours, try volunteering. You’re killing two birds with one stone because you’re making a difference in your community, and you’re connecting with people who have shared beliefs and lifestyles.
We really like VolunteerMatch and GreatNonprofits because these sites allow you to sort organizations by type, location, and a ton of other filters. You’re sure to find the right opportunity for you.
4. Adult Classes & Educational Programs
We continue to become more well-rounded people if we keep learning even after we’ve graduated high school and/or college. That’s why we recommend that singles sign up for some educational classes in their area — not only to add a new skill set to their repertoire but also to come together with other interesting people.
It doesn’t matter if you’re into baking, painting, welding, yoga, ballet, or computer programming — there’s a class out there for you. And a special someone may be out there for you in one of those classes as well.
5. Co-Ed Sports Leagues
Practically every community college, university, rec league, and other similar organization has a variety of co-ed and/or intramural sports teams for softball, swimming, Ultimate Frisbee, flag football, lacrosse, hockey (both ice and street).
Again, Google really comes in handy here. In your search, include the sport you like, your city, and the word “co-ed” or “intramural.” You’ll have so many options that you won’t know what to do with yourself.
Another great aspect of joining a sports team is that someone will often mention grabbing drinks after a game or practice, so everyone can get to know each other on another level.
6. Parties, Clubs, Bars, Etc.
Going to a club, bar, or party is a tried-and-true way to meet singles. Even if you’re not a heavy drinker or a great dancer, you’ll find lots of opportunities for romance in these social settings. If you see someone you like, offer to buy them a drink, ask them to dance, or challenge them to a game of beer pong or Connect Four.
You can loosen up with a drink in hand and a cutie by your side at the local hot spot. It’s even easier to go up to a group of men or women if you’re also with a group of friends. There’s less pressure, and you can rely on your friends to be a good wingman along the way.
7. Social Media
This tip may seem a bit odd, but plenty of couples, including celebrity couples, have met on Tiktok, Facebook, X, Instagram, or another social media site. You’re interacting with a lot of people on these sites anyway, so why not try to make some of those interactions romantic in nature?
Now, you want to be careful with trying to meet a date on social media because your likes, comments, and messages can get creepy real quick. Start off slow, don’t stalk or harass people, don’t take things personally, and keep the conversation PG (unless you both want to go there).
There are Millions of Singles in the World — You Just Need to Know Where to Look
Routines are comfortable and can make life go smoothly — you just don’t want to go too far the other way, especially if you’re single. Know what I mean? One of the best ways to change your dating situation, if that’s what you’re looking to do, is to shake things up. To start off, you can simply try one of the tips above, see how it goes, and then try another when you’re ready. Good luck!
