Home Fashion + Beauty 14 Ways to Make Friends + Meet New People in Hoboken

14 Ways to Make Friends + Meet New People in Hoboken

by Jennifer Tripucka
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We all know that it gets much harder to meet new people once you leave school. Life gets busy, and apart from coworkers and maybe the occasional friend-of-a-friend at a party, there aren’t as many organic opportunities to grow circle. In fact, we often get the question of how to make friends and meet new people in and around Hoboken. Luckily, the Mile Square is chock-full of places to mix and mingle — from salons to fitness classes, there are tons of opportunities to expand your social circle. We’ve decided to do the hard work for you and round up the best ways to meet new people locally. Read on to find out where to make friends and meet new people in Hoboken.   

jane do trampoline

Where to Meet + Mingle

Hoboken can be a scary place when you don’t know many people at first — many people have mini-networks from college and high school in and around NJ that are hard to break into. Or, perhaps you’ve had a big group of friends and they’ve slowly migrated out of Hoboken to the burbs. Luckily, with the plethora of fun activities and exciting events, there are a ton of ways to meet some new friends.

1. Join a Fitness Class.

If you enjoy running, you’ll always catch joggers running along the piers. It’s a good area to be around people with similar interests — not to mention the exercise benefits that you’ll get at the same time. See our list of running clubs here.

Local Barre, Impact, Mess Method, Prime Body, and The Drip have some great fitness classes, as does Jane Do — which has trampoline classes (yes, trampoline classes) + dance classes. These fun and active classes are a great way to get active and meet new people at the same time — especially since a lot of people go to these classes solo.

Yoga is great, but you have to be very quiet, aka it’s hard to chat it up during class. Most likely, classes where it’s okay to laugh and talk are a better way to make a good friend connection. But you never know — so of course, had to list it, as we have a few HG Team members who have met their very best friends at local yoga spots.

Club Pilates 2023
The Station Hoboken

Read More: 15 Insider Tips to Navigating Hoboken {Like a Local}

2. Join a Networking Group.

Hoboken Lean In and Hudson Connections are two circles of professional + entrepreneurs from Hoboken and the surrounding area. They support the improvement of women (particularly Lean In) and others in the workplace and would be a great group to get involved in. See our list of Hudson County-based networking groups here. There are lots of ways to get involved!

Zap Fitness

3. Get a Mani/Pedi.

Team HG has met some very nice strangers in the pedi chairs and drying area at a nail salon. Just make sure they are not trying to majorly relax and recharge before initiating a convo.

4. Find a bar you like and park it there, SOLO.

Hoboken is home to dozens of bars, many of which host fun theme nights like trivia, karaoke, and more. Plus, happy hour always draws in large crowds. You never know who you’ll meet hanging solo for a cocktail. See our list of theme nights here and our list of the best happy hours in Hoboken here.

Plus, pro tip, if you’re looking to meet someone who may end up being a love connection — head to McSwiggan’s. You’re welcome.

5. Get a Dog.

We don’t suggest getting a dog solely for social purposes – they’re truly a blessing and a lifelong commitment. However, it’s a ton of work, so it may not be the best option for those who don’t spend a lot of time at home (you may want to ‘borrow’ a friends’ dog) – but taking a walk with a four-legged friend is a totally fun and a great way to strike up a convo with other dog parents in the area. We know a lot of people who have made lifelong friends through their dogs playing — plus, there’s no better excuse to hang out with a new friend than by setting up a pup playdate.

6. Join a Meetup Group for an interest of yours.

There are a lot of groups on Meetup.com such as photography, blogging, fashion, makeup artistry, etc. Hoboken is a hub for creative individuals. The world is your oyster, depending on your interest.

A great one in particular is a local hiking group — the NJR Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. The group plans fun hiking trips of various levels on weekends + occasional weekdays throughout New Jersey and the Hudson Highlands region of New York. There are a variety of hikes coming up this November that are worth checking out while the weather is still nice and some beautiful foliage is still visible.

The Meet Up Crew is another fantastic local choice that holds a variety of different events for locals to meet each other. Think meeting for drinks, playing bingo, watching football, and more. Hoboken Social Club is another great choice for adults who are looking to meet and connect with others.

8. Take a class you wouldn’t normally take.

Maybe it’s cooking, maybe it’s sewing, maybe it’s wine tasting, maybe it’s writing, maybe it’s meditation — the sky is the limit. See our list of cooking classes here, our list of writing groups here, and our list of other types of creative classes here.

9. Explore all that Jersey City has to offer.

Let’s face it – the world is bigger than the little bubble of Hoboken. In fact, Jersey City is pretty amazing for endless reasons – some being that it’s the most diverse city in the world, the food is truly next-level, and it’s a major art hub. There’s so much to do in Chilltown! See our Jersey City bucket list here.

10. Read our Events Guide posts to stay up-to-date.

Every Wednesday evening, we post a round-up of the best of Hoboken + Jersey City (and beyond) events happening on the weekend — some of which are great for making new friends. Keep an eye out for our weekly events guide for fun happenings in the area.

See More: Moving to Hoboken? Here Is Everything You Need to Know

11. Join Zog Sports or another local sports group.

If you have any athletic ability, it’s the perfect outlet. If you don’t, it’s the perfect way to make new friends. Truly a win-win (just make sure the league you’re joining isn’t a competitive one if you’re not athletically-inclined). Beyond Zog, check out other local intramural clubs – like Hive Athletic — that can be found locally here. There are also some fun walking groups like Girls Who Walk Hoboken – who you can find on Instagram.

hoboken sailing club

12. Join a local club.

There are many fun local clubs to join. Just a couple examples include: Hoboken Ski Club, which brings local skiers and snowboarders who love to have fun on the slopes, or the Hoboken Sailing Club.

Book clubs are another excellent way to connect with new people. You can find a list of local book clubs here.

13. Volunteer in town.

Hudson County is full of volunteer opportunities, many in Hoboken. Volunteering is always a positive way to get engaged in the community and make a difference while meeting new people while you’re at it. We publish a seasonal list of volunteer opportunities in Hudson County, but see here for a list of non-profits to give back to all year round.

14. Join our Hoboken and Jersey City Facebook Insiders’ Group.

Our insiders’ group is a great place to connect online with other locals and is an excellent resource for local news, happenings, and more. We have over 23K members and counting! JOIN HERE.

Regardless of how you try to make new friends, take advantage of every opportunity and follow up with people you meet (if you like them). It can be so easy to get into a rut or routine of feeling like you don’t have many friends in the area and just come home and watch TV + order takeout. Say hi to your neighbors, strike up a convo with a dog’s owner, chat with your local restaurant waitress… you never know where you’ll make a new connection.

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