Meetup Groups: A Great Way to Pursue Hobbies and Meet New People

Have you heard about Meetup groups?

Local groups are created online at www.meetup.com and are made up of people who are interested in specific activities. Meetups groups exist across the country.

There are 235 Meetup groups in the greater Charleston, S.C. area (and there may be more in your area). Local groups feature dancing, yoga, movies, crafts, dining out, creative writing, running, reading, golf, traveling, painting, swimming, music, wine drinking, sailing, tennis and much more. There are also several groups for mothers of young children.

Because there are so many diverse groups, it’s likely that you’ll find people who want to get together and do the things you love to do.

The groups are ideal for people in transition – empty nesters, new residents, newly divorced — or for anyone who wants to get out and have fun.

I’m a member of a local walking club, a women’s kayak group, a random acts of kindness volunteer group, a scrapbooking group, a yoga group, an art journaling group,  the Sierra Club and dining divas.

The walking group is my favorite and it’s very active. Walks are scheduled at locations around town on nights, holidays and weekends and different people show up every time; group size ranges from 3 to 20. We walk fast and cover about 4 miles each time.

It’s been a great way to exercise and  see sights I never would’ve seen  and meet people I never would’ve met. Everyone is friendly — and often, we have a cold drink or a meal after the walk. People are completely comfortable coming alone because the walkers make everyone feel welcome.

I recently formed my own Meetup group for local bloggers, and we held the kickoff meeting a few weeks ago. To form a group, you complete a write-up online and pay $19 a month to have it advertised to all local Meetup members and to maintain a website for your group. People can join, participate in online discussions, post photos and see the latest get-togethers on the site.

Meetup’s promotion is good, and the chances are great that you’ll connect with people who have common interests.

If you’re looking for adventure and want to make new friends, check it out and let me know what you think!

Related blog posts:

Big Talk Meetup Group: Great Opportunity to Discuss Deep Subjects

Walking Clubs: Great Way to Exercise, Enjoy the Outdoors, and Meet New People

Finding Female Friends Online: Don’t Laugh, It Works!

Dragon Boating: A Unique and Fun Team Sport

Starting a Mother’s Group Transformed My Life

The Joys of Joining a Book Club