5 Ways to Meet New Friends in Vancouver
Some newfound friends meeting for the first time at The Secret Soirée in Vancouver, hosted by Common Ground (formerly Mix & Mingle).
“Why is it so hard to meet new people here?”
- Literally Everyone, Vancouver, 2023
It’s funny — the one thing that connects everyone in this city is the fact it’s so hard to connect with anyone in this city. The irony is palpable. Meeting new people & making new friends in Vancouver can feel as challenging as finding a parking spots at Kits beach on a hot summer’s day, but luckily for you we’re all in the same boat — and there’s safety in numbers. There are thousands of people in this city facing the same problem, you just need to know how to find them.
Step 1: Friendship-Focused Events
Now, here's the twist: beneath the surface, Vancouver is actually a super social city. There are dozens of social groups that organize events specifically for meeting new people. Common Ground (formerly Mix & Mingle) is one of these groups — we host events twice a month specifically designed for fostering new friendships. While our events are open to everyone, there are also several groups on Instagram that focus on specific demographics, like Black Women Connect and She.Sparks.Impact. Common Ground is also a platform where you can find events & experiences from multiple different hosts.
💡 You can check out Common Ground’s upcoming events, plus a sneak peak at our previous ones, right here.
Ship, Sip & Social - A Common Ground boat party to meet new friends from last summer.
Step 2: Social Run Clubs
Run clubs have exploded in popularity in the last couple of years, and for good reason: the runner’s high is great for a little social bonding. Don’t be mistaken – run clubs are not just for runners. Sure, each one has at least some members who run marathons just for fun, but most people who join run clubs are there for the ‘club’ way more than the run.
💡 If you’re interested in finding a club that’s the right pace & the right neighbourhood, check out our guide to Vancouver’s Best Social Running Clubs
A Very Good Run Club, is one of Vancouver’s up & coming run clubs. Find the right club for you in our breakdown of Vancouver’s biggest & best run clubs.
Step 3: Websites & Apps
You’ve probably heard of MeetUp and Bumble BFF. MeetUp is a website where people host communities around different hobbies & interests. Our personal opinion of MeetUp is that despite there being loads of groups, it can be really hard to find likeminded people there.
Then there’s Bumble — it started as a dating app, and now they’ve applied the same model to friendships. Swipe through profiles & find your fit. We’re not entirely sure if this is the most natural way for friendships to form, but it’s a great option for finding people to hang out with on demand.
And if using an app to find friends feels weird to you, just pretend. 22% of people on dating apps are actually looking for friendship — so setup a profile on Hinge or even Tinder, make it clear that’s all you’re after, and see what happens (this is controversial advice but hey it’s worked for us).
Step 4: Sports Teams
Where do people make friends? School, work & sports are by far the most common answers, and sports teams are a lot easier to join on a whim than getting a new degree or a chancing a career change.
Vancouver is home to a whole world of social sports: Urban Rec is a social sports league that features all sorts of sports including volleyball, dodgeball, and even — this is Vancouver afterall — spikeball. If you’re fit & active and want to meet new friends in Vancouver who are the same, then this is a great place to start.
But in the world of sports, there are some watchouts: some kinds of fitness are notoriously unsocial. Avoid activities that are solo in nature - yoga, commercial gyms & competitive meditation aren’t your best bet. There are some fitness studios that build social & community into their models, such as most CrossFit gyms and studios like Feel Good Fitness.
💡 Common Ground also run regular sport & fitness events, such as our Secret Sweat series where we take you for a group workout at a secret venue somewhere in the city. You can check out our previous ones, right here.
The Secret Sweat - A Common Ground series: meet new people & make new friends while getting swole 💪
Step 5: Hobby & Activity Groups
You’re likely to find people you get on with by simply doing the things you love to do anyway. But it helps if those things are happening in intentionally social spaces. If you love the outdoors (and let’s face it, most people do in this city) Chasing Sunrise is a group that brings people together to enjoy Vancouver’s world-class nature, while meeting new friends in the process.
You could also try something brand new. Art from the Heart runs social art workshops for people to connect & meet new people in Vancouver while awakening their inner artist.
💡 Common Ground doesn’t host events, it hosts Experiences, so it’s also a great chance to try something new. From hikes, to paddleboarding, to comedy nights, we have something for any & every interest. You can check out our previous events, right here.
Bonus Step: Dog Parks
Okay, bear with me on this one. There are only two conditions under which it’s universally acceptable to interrupt someone on the street: if you’re lost & need directions, or if they have a cute dog. Luckily for you, Vancouver is full of cute dogs.
Now this method is the biggest roll of the dice because someone owning a dog doesn’t necessarily mean they’re also looking for new friends, but you never know. Spend some time hanging out in Vancouver’s most populous dog spaces (like dog beaches & dog parks), wait for a dog to run up to you, and spark up a conversation with their owner. Just don’t be weird about it — remember, it’s a dog park!
Hikes & Homies - A Common Ground social hiking experience (with a bar at the top for added fun 🍻)
Go forth & meet new friends in Vancouver
So there you have it - all the tools you need to meet new people & make new friends in Vancouver. At Common Ground we’ve been running events here since February 2023, and every single one has sold out (so far!). Vancouver’s a much more social city than it gets credit for — you just need to find the right people.
Looking forward to meeting you,
Zuki
Chief Extrovert
Common Ground (formerly Mix & Mingle)