Apps are good for a lot of different things. They can direct you from San Francisco to Chicago, find your favorite new bakery or even give you a new game to play. More importantly, apps can help you find a new hobby you’ll love. Whenever I’m looking to find something new to do or an activity to try, I’ll hop on one of the apps and get to searching. They’re convenient, free to use and house a lot of different businesses, classes and lessons to choose from. Check out these 6 apps if you are looking to find a new hobby or if you looking to reignite the passion you had for an old one.
Adventure Lab
Adventure Lab is a geocaching app that allows you to go on community-generated scavenger hunts. This app is available in both the Google Play Store and Apple Store, so Android and iPhone users can explore together if they choose to do so. Through the app, you can explore hidden gems throughout the city and discover new trivia. You might come across a new dance studio or start attending trivia game nights by the time you finish your first scavenger hunt. You can explore different themes like art, storytelling, technology, music and wildlife and keep track of the scavenger hunts you’ve completed.
Groupon
Groupon is a great place to find new hobbies to pick up due to the wide range of businesses offering deals to those who purchase through the app. I’ve tried a variety of new activities by looking through the Things to Do section in whatever city I’m in. Trapeze, pottery, surfing, indoor rock climbing and cooking are examples of some of the lessons and classes you can purchase. Some businesses even offer virtual lessons if you want to learn something new in the comfort of your home. In addition to the deals, Groupon usually always has some type of coupon you can use. You can keep up with all the cool hobbies you come across by liking the activity and it will be stored in a convenient list for you to peruse at your convenience.
Google New Hobbies to Try
We all know the Google app very well. It is the most common and popular search engine people use so it’s no wonder that you can find interesting hobbies through a simple search. You can find informational articles, such as the one you are reading now (wink wink), how-to videos and other useful resources to get started on your hobby search. One of the most helpful tools within Google is the review feature. It’s always nice to get an idea of how a studio or instructor will be especially when looking to start something new. If you want to take a more self-taught approach or you don’t feel like taking a class, search for hobbies near your location, and Google will bring up a list of hobby stores that you can visit to find something you enjoy.
Eventbrite
Eventbrite is one of my favorite apps to find different events happening in a city. I found my Intro to Improv class through Eventbrite, but they have a lot of different organizers and events that you can look through. You might just be able to find free workshops and classes as well. I like that you can filter for paid or free events, the date of the event, organizers you follow and specific categories like Active, Learn, Arts & Entertainment and Fashion. You can “heart’ the events you’re interested in to keep track of and if you register or buy tickets, you can add it directly to your calendar. Eventbrite will even give you recommendations for events you may be interested in so you don’t have to go through that long list. Depending on the city you’re in, you can find yourself going through pages upon pages.
MeetUp
The main purpose of MeetUp is to help people meet new people, but it can also be a good source for finding fun hobbies. MeetUp has different categories of groups you can join whether it be a foodie group for finding and trying new restaurants or a board game group. You can join as many groups as your heart desires, but some of them do require you to pay dues or a membership fee so be sure to pay attention to that. It’s a pretty easy app to use and you can keep track of the different events you decide to attend and they can easily be added to your phone’s calendar. So if you are looking to meet new people and find different hobbies to try, MeetUp would be a great app to try.
Instagram is a good app to use due to people posting everything that they do. You’ll find all types of hobbies on your explore and search pages in no time. This is where you’ll get a look at common hobbies that you may have already considered and some out-of-the-box ones that you’ve never heard of. Just in case you aren’t familiar with Instagram, it is an app that allows you to share photos and videos with people who choose to follow or not follow your account. It’s a great way to come across new activities and businesses in your city as well as document your journey once you come across a hobby that you love enough to commit to.
What are some hobbies that you’d like to try? Do you think these apps will help in starting a new hobby journey? Share in the comments!
Header photo: by David Švihovec on Unsplash
