The Best Apps for Finding Local Events and Activities
That "I wish I had something to do" feeling? There's an app for that. Actually, there are several.
The Essentials
#Meetup
The OG of finding your people. Search for groups by interest—hiking, book clubs, photography walks, adult water balloon fights (yes, really). You'll find:
• Regular recurring events
• One-time gatherings
• Free and paid options
• Every interest imaginable
Best for: Finding your tribe. The same people show up regularly, so you actually build relationships.
#Eventbrite
Where Meetup is about communities, Eventbrite is about events. Concerts, workshops, conferences, classes—if it has a ticket (free or paid), it's probably here.
Best for: One-off events and ticketed experiences.
#Facebook Events
Even if you don't use Facebook socially, the Events section is goldmine. Restaurants, bars, and local businesses post promotions and happenings here. Your city probably has an "Events" page aggregating local activities.
Best for: Hyper-local happenings and restaurant/bar events.
For Travelers
#TripAdvisor
Not just for reviews anymore. The "Things to Do" section shows activities, tours, and experiences wherever you are. Great for discovering hidden gems in unfamiliar cities.
#Like a Local
Recommendations from actual residents, not tourists. Find the coffee shop where locals go, not the one in every guidebook.
#AllEvents
Massive database spanning 40,000 cities worldwide. Useful when you're somewhere new and want to see what's happening.
Niche Picks
#CouchSurfing Hangouts
Even if you're not looking for a free place to sleep, the Hangouts feature connects travelers and locals for activities. Pub crawls, city tours, language exchanges.
#10times
The best platform for professional events, conferences, and trade shows. If you want to mix networking with travel, this is your source.
Pro Tips
1. Set notifications: Let apps tell you when interesting events appear
2. Look ahead: Popular events fill up. Check 1-2 weeks in advance
3. Go alone: It's not weird. Everyone's there to meet people
4. Say yes first: RSVP, then figure out logistics. Otherwise you'll talk yourself out of it
5. Try everything once: You don't know what you'll love until you try
The hardest part is the first event. After that, you'll wonder why you waited so long.
#
Meetup
The OG of finding your people. Search for groups by interest—hiking, book clubs, photography walks, adult water balloon fights (yes, really). You'll find:
• Regular recurring events
• One-time gatherings
• Free and paid options
• Every interest imaginable
Best for: Finding your tribe. The same people show up regularly, so you actually build relationships.
#Eventbrite
Where Meetup is about communities, Eventbrite is about events. Concerts, workshops, conferences, classes—if it has a ticket (free or paid), it's probably here.
Best for: One-off events and ticketed experiences.
#Facebook Events
Even if you don't use Facebook socially, the Events section is goldmine. Restaurants, bars, and local businesses post promotions and happenings here. Your city probably has an "Events" page aggregating local activities.
Best for: Hyper-local happenings and restaurant/bar events.
For Travelers
#TripAdvisor
Not just for reviews anymore. The "Things to Do" section shows activities, tours, and experiences wherever you are. Great for discovering hidden gems in unfamiliar cities.
#Like a Local
Recommendations from actual residents, not tourists. Find the coffee shop where locals go, not the one in every guidebook.
#AllEvents
Massive database spanning 40,000 cities worldwide. Useful when you're somewhere new and want to see what's happening.
Niche Picks
#CouchSurfing Hangouts
Even if you're not looking for a free place to sleep, the Hangouts feature connects travelers and locals for activities. Pub crawls, city tours, language exchanges.
#10times
The best platform for professional events, conferences, and trade shows. If you want to mix networking with travel, this is your source.
Pro Tips
1. Set notifications: Let apps tell you when interesting events appear
2. Look ahead: Popular events fill up. Check 1-2 weeks in advance
3. Go alone: It's not weird. Everyone's there to meet people
4. Say yes first: RSVP, then figure out logistics. Otherwise you'll talk yourself out of it
5. Try everything once: You don't know what you'll love until you try
The hardest part is the first event. After that, you'll wonder why you waited so long.
Where Meetup is about communities, Eventbrite is about events. Concerts, workshops, conferences, classes—if it has a ticket (free or paid), it's probably here.
Best for: One-off events and ticketed experiences.
#
Facebook Events
Even if you don't use Facebook socially, the Events section is goldmine. Restaurants, bars, and local businesses post promotions and happenings here. Your city probably has an "Events" page aggregating local activities.
Best for: Hyper-local happenings and restaurant/bar events.
For Travelers
#TripAdvisor
Not just for reviews anymore. The "Things to Do" section shows activities, tours, and experiences wherever you are. Great for discovering hidden gems in unfamiliar cities.
#Like a Local
Recommendations from actual residents, not tourists. Find the coffee shop where locals go, not the one in every guidebook.
#AllEvents
Massive database spanning 40,000 cities worldwide. Useful when you're somewhere new and want to see what's happening.
Niche Picks
#CouchSurfing Hangouts
Even if you're not looking for a free place to sleep, the Hangouts feature connects travelers and locals for activities. Pub crawls, city tours, language exchanges.
#10times
The best platform for professional events, conferences, and trade shows. If you want to mix networking with travel, this is your source.
Pro Tips
1. Set notifications: Let apps tell you when interesting events appear
2. Look ahead: Popular events fill up. Check 1-2 weeks in advance
3. Go alone: It's not weird. Everyone's there to meet people
4. Say yes first: RSVP, then figure out logistics. Otherwise you'll talk yourself out of it
5. Try everything once: You don't know what you'll love until you try
The hardest part is the first event. After that, you'll wonder why you waited so long.
#
TripAdvisor
Not just for reviews anymore. The "Things to Do" section shows activities, tours, and experiences wherever you are. Great for discovering hidden gems in unfamiliar cities.
#Like a Local
Recommendations from actual residents, not tourists. Find the coffee shop where locals go, not the one in every guidebook.
#AllEvents
Massive database spanning 40,000 cities worldwide. Useful when you're somewhere new and want to see what's happening.
Niche Picks
#CouchSurfing Hangouts
Even if you're not looking for a free place to sleep, the Hangouts feature connects travelers and locals for activities. Pub crawls, city tours, language exchanges.
#10times
The best platform for professional events, conferences, and trade shows. If you want to mix networking with travel, this is your source.
Pro Tips
1. Set notifications: Let apps tell you when interesting events appear
2. Look ahead: Popular events fill up. Check 1-2 weeks in advance
3. Go alone: It's not weird. Everyone's there to meet people
4. Say yes first: RSVP, then figure out logistics. Otherwise you'll talk yourself out of it
5. Try everything once: You don't know what you'll love until you try
The hardest part is the first event. After that, you'll wonder why you waited so long.
Recommendations from actual residents, not tourists. Find the coffee shop where locals go, not the one in every guidebook.
#
AllEvents
Massive database spanning 40,000 cities worldwide. Useful when you're somewhere new and want to see what's happening.
Niche Picks
#CouchSurfing Hangouts
Even if you're not looking for a free place to sleep, the Hangouts feature connects travelers and locals for activities. Pub crawls, city tours, language exchanges.
#10times
The best platform for professional events, conferences, and trade shows. If you want to mix networking with travel, this is your source.
Pro Tips
1. Set notifications: Let apps tell you when interesting events appear
2. Look ahead: Popular events fill up. Check 1-2 weeks in advance
3. Go alone: It's not weird. Everyone's there to meet people
4. Say yes first: RSVP, then figure out logistics. Otherwise you'll talk yourself out of it
5. Try everything once: You don't know what you'll love until you try
The hardest part is the first event. After that, you'll wonder why you waited so long.
#
CouchSurfing Hangouts
Even if you're not looking for a free place to sleep, the Hangouts feature connects travelers and locals for activities. Pub crawls, city tours, language exchanges.
#10times
The best platform for professional events, conferences, and trade shows. If you want to mix networking with travel, this is your source.
Pro Tips
1. Set notifications: Let apps tell you when interesting events appear
2. Look ahead: Popular events fill up. Check 1-2 weeks in advance
3. Go alone: It's not weird. Everyone's there to meet people
4. Say yes first: RSVP, then figure out logistics. Otherwise you'll talk yourself out of it
5. Try everything once: You don't know what you'll love until you try
The hardest part is the first event. After that, you'll wonder why you waited so long.
The best platform for professional events, conferences, and trade shows. If you want to mix networking with travel, this is your source.