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A Boiseans’ Guide to Making Friends

Posted on February 27, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Adrian González

Adrian González

With isolation and loneliness at epidemic levels, friendships can take serious effort and intent. (Mostak / Getty)

With isolation and loneliness at epidemic levels, friendships can take serious effort and intent. (Mostak / Getty)

Making friends as an adult can be challenging. Perhaps it’s part of why we’re experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. We gathered some tips on how and where to make new friends in Boise.

Find a Group Activity

I love to cook and I love to eat. That’s why I used to take myself to local cooking classes when I was in college (way back in the mesozoic era). The structure of group activities cuts through social awkwardness like a hot knife through butter. It’s also a great way to meet new people with similar interests.

  • 🥘 Take a cooking class: Season + Taste Cooking School is a great place to start.
  • 🤝 Join a club, whether for introverts or single parents, or a reading group.
  • ⛹️ Join a sports league — Boise is an outdoorsy place, and that means there’s opportunity to meet people outside. There are running clubs, fly-fishing clubs, and so many more.

Sign Up to Volunteer

Volunteering for local organizations is undoubtedly a great way to give back to your community — the friends you make along the way are a nice bonus. I met one of my good friends during a volunteer painting event at an elementary school years ago. Here are some volunteer opportunities to get you started.

City Cast

The Secret to Making Friends in Boise

00:00:00

My best recommendation for making new friends is by starting with your interests and reaching out to people or groups that are also interested in those things.

Want more event recommendations? Check out our list of curated events in Boise.

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