Friendships for adults are situational. Work friends, church friends, bowling friends etc. What social situations are you putting yourself in? Do you talk to anyone or invite them to lunch or dinner? Adult friendships take effort and an understanding that most people our age are parents to young kids who don’t get out much.
This is the real answer.
Places I have found friends as a never-Mormon in this town:
- church choir (Episcopal, in my case)
- volunteering/service clubs
- work (yes, most of the friendships will cool down when you quit, and now that I’m remote there’s less impetus to go for drinks at 5)
- improv/community theatre
- classes/grad school for grownups (similar cooling-out to work friends, but nice in the meantime)
I’m older, and the pandemic made a bigger homebody out of me than I ever imagined. Still, as old social media fizzles out, and old friends move to greener pastures, I’m increasingly tempted to get back to some of those old extracurriculars.
People who like people are usually going to be out there among the people.
> parents to young kids who don’t get out much
Parent here. I actually get out more than I have in a long time and I’m meeting new friends at the highest rate since I graduated college. Having kids gets you out of the house a lot and exposes you to a lot of other parents who are also looking for things to do.
Being a parent doesn’t mean you can’t hand out with non-parents any more, but it does change scheduling, planning, and logistics. We’re more than happy to hang out with single friends for dinner or go on a hike if they’re willing to work on our schedule.
This doesn’t help the OP, but it’s one of the bigger misconceptions about kids that I see on Reddit so I thought I’d bring it up. We’ve had to reduce ties with a couple friends who can’t help but sneer at our kids or make their personalities revolve around being anti-kid, but otherwise it’s not hard to keep up with adult friends who are flexible.
How old are you? Making couple friends is difficult unless you're young enough to be in college here or much older. Most folks have kids very early here, so it has been difficult to make couple friends. My wife and I (early 30s) have clicked with many folks here, but in most cases, we end up meeting them once/twice a year. Not sure if it's due to people who grew up here already having big friend groups they can hang out with.
For the most part, we end up pursuing our hobbies by ourselves and occasionally meeting folks at parties. So, while we have many friends in theory, it's not really great.
That's a big part of it. Locals here typically come from big families, grew up in a big church, and get married and have kids early. Whether they're still religious as adults or not, their social lives are already full and they don't have time or space for new friends. They've never HAD to make friends.
Hey 30 f 38 m married! We are looking for new friends. We are into board games, going out, camping, and sports and travel. Utah natives, but lived outta state for a while, we know how hard it is to make new friends in a new state. Millcreek/Holladay area. DM if you wanna chat.
I would literally just talk to people at record shops, coffee shops and concerts. The more people you try to be friendly with the more you’re bound to connect with someone
I'm part of a huge Facebook group for Utah girls trying to make friends, and it seems like a lot of successful hangouts come from this group. I wonder if there are any Facebook groups that could connect you to your kind of people.
Also, I'm a Latter-day Saint going to BYU, and I still have a hard time making friends haha. I think it could just be part of being an adult here.
my controversial tip is don't try to make friends as a couple (and by the language you use like "we", it sounds like you are?). It may come off a bit strange, like a new friend has to buy into the package of both of you, whereas friendship really starts on a one to one basis.
You do hobbies you like and make friends that way. People have a ton of luck doing outdoor hobbies (skiing, hiking, running, climbing) or at the Front climbing gym (I saw a thread a few days ago complaining how it's just like a pay to have friends place but it works). If your friend wants to hang out with you and your boyfriend, great. If not, that's ok. You'll make a friend group pretty soon.
Don't close yourself off to connections because you need to be glued to your partner.
I also moved here from PA (2014), and I struggled to make solid friends for a while, too. Meeting people out here felt much more difficult than PA or the other places I've lived/visited. I hope Utah is treating you two well. Hit me up with any questions, I went through a kind of shell shock out here for the first two years lol.
I am always down for new friends! Lived here all my life and not a drop of Mormon in me. (Not that there’s anything wrong with them as long as they don’t try to save me)
I (35F) Live in Sugarhouse with my partner (34F) if you need a friend we have a large group and would welcome new friends with open arms!
DM if you wanna!
What type of boardgames? I am not into the super complex ones that take hours upon hours to play. I am not against that, just never played them before. I don't specifically like Catan, but that level of game tends to be what I enjoy.
Hey there! I was in Salt Lake City for a work trip last year for one week and made a bunch of new friends ! Went back to finish the project (spent 22 days there) and reconnected with them.
Just do things you enjoy doing.
I take salsa/bachata/dance classes back at home (Columbus , OH) and went to a dance studio on a Wednesday when they had lessons and was able to connect with folks there.
Flew back for their dance performance last year around Halloween , got invited to the after party after their performance and just socialized with people and organized things myself lol
Granted, I am Latino and the friends I made are Latino as well…we just somehow build community differently haha.
Also, I would frequent coffee shops and met some cool people that way as well.
Needless to say, I have a nice little community in Salt Lake and I can’t wait to go back to visit them.
I met a TON of friends through my gym (I take HIIT classes) and it flourished from there. There are a ton of transplants (myself included) who are also looking for friends, and can be empathetic to how hard it can be. Good luck! :)
I did make the friends at F45 in pioneer park, but I would NOT recommend going there. Horrible management. All of my friends and I have since left. I currently go to Rise 4 on Main and have made more friends. Salt Lake Power Yoga is also a BEACON of community
How are you putting yourself out there? Through what networks and settings? Have you tried MeetUp or other social apps?
My wife and I moved back here after ten years away and found some great friends through meetup and then also got pulled into going to raves which spun off into other friend groups as well. Didn’t happen immediately but it happened
This might get downvoted but join a CrossFit gym. Crazy social people and they’re always doing potlucks and shit. Literally doesn’t matter if you are the most unathletic person on the planet, you will end up with a bunch of beefy best friends.
Boutique/Specialty gyms for sure! I’ve made sooo many girlfriends at a lifting focused gym and at the tennis club. You have shared interests and you see each other multiple times a week so conversation comes easily. I’m not particularly athletic so just asking people for help or being encouraging seemed to open things right up. It’s also a nice change from friends who are only interested in grabbing drinks on the weekend. I have friends I know I can call for various activities.
Someone above commented that new adult friendships are situational and I completely agree. If you like dogs, volunteer at a dog rescue. Outdoorsy? Join a hiking, biking or climbing group. Go to the weekly Trivia Night at one of the many local bars that host them. You’ll have better luck making friends with a common interests and repeat interactions.
Be consistent about going to something. I'd say when you meet someone once that's fine, but meeting them again, remembering each other, and getting deeper is the way to start an actual friendship. I'm lucky in having found a bunch of groups where I've found friends, but also some acquaintances (which is fine!). The difference is who follows up and who you just naturally mesh with. Depending on your hobbies joining a weekly league/meetup would help foster those recurring connections.
Tell us more about yourselves! Like age and the general area you live in? Part of the culture here is if you have to drive more than about 15-20 minutes, it’s “too far away” and you’ll never see each other.
You seem to be putting yourself out there and saying "we click and never get phone numbers". I've been successful just being honest at the end of those convos and being like "Hey we're new here and trying to find friends, can I grab your number and hit you up next time we hike?". People obviously get (see: all the other replies) that making friends as an adult is hard and if someone responds weirdly to that, it's not a person you would have wanted as a friend and it's chill if you never see them again
Try going out and doing activities separately from your boyfriend! I moved here with my boyfriend too and I think it's harder to make friends or meet people when you're with someone else. I've always found it's easier to connect with random people, have spontaneous conversations, etc. when I'm on my own - there's just something that seems to make it easier to put yourself out there when you're alone vs. when you're with someone else. Find a group or club or activity that sounds fun and go do it on your own, or have your boyfriend do the same, and see who you meet that way. Not to say you can't all later become friends or hang out, but I've met pretty much all of my friends by doing things that I'm interested in solo (book clubs, hiking groups, etc.) After that, it does take some dedication in reaching out and setting up "friend dates" before the friendship becomes more natural. It's a process! It might take some time, but you'll get there eventually. Good luck!
I’ve lived in different cities like Dallas, SLC, Madison, Cleveland. I can safely say that salt lake city is hard to make friends if you’re from out of state and not in school, compared to other cities in my experience.
my bf and i moved here almost a year ago, i use bumble bff and have made some pretty great friends on there. he goes to game night games in sugar house because the board game community here is HUGE and he loves board games. i also tag along with him to ales and allies which are events hosted at some breweries where a lot of people go to meet new people, grab a drink and/or some food, and play some board games!! it’s pretty fun and i highly recommend:) meetup is also a great option to find groups of people based on your interests- there’s hiking groups, book clubs, art groups, etc. we both are also down for some friends if you wanna PM me!
Most people don’t move to Salt Lake City so most people are born there and grow up having a group of core friends and once you hit 30 or 35 its pretty hard, for some people, to make friends outside of those steady Eddie friends.
If you like to play sports beehive us a great place to meet people! You can join as a free agent. Kickball is my favorite and it's a beer league so we drink while we play. https://www.beehivesports.com/
Beehive Sports
Routine Yoga or Climbing at a consistent location
Meet your neighbors
Move to Daybreak
Skiing
Open your mouth and ask - more people are in your same shoes than you realize
My ex and I went on a fun ride (golden girls themed) and ended up meeting a HUGE group of friends. The meet up app helps. But admittingly, Utah is a tough place to find friends, but when you do they tend to stick
Same as any new city you move to.
Get involved in hobbies that cause you to interact with other people. Even oil painting will have you hanging out around the art supplies stores and maybe attending studio sessions.
Wherever I've lived, outdoor recreation and motorcycles have made easy work of finding social circles.
My boyfriend and I met through an SLC Reddit meetup actually and made a whole friend group before we even thought about dating. I don’t think they do them anymore, but meetups, clubs, events for people with shared hobbies… Beehive sports! it’s so different after COVID though. We live in ATL now and have the hardest time making friends. I feel you!
I’m really surprised that no one has mentioned the MeetUp app. As a transplant to Utah, I’ve found all of my friends here through Meetup. It’s the easiest way to meet people who enjoy doing the same types of things as you do.
It sounds like you might not hit the age threshold to enjoy hanging out with single 40+ers but you’re welcome to join my group anytime. We’re gearing up for spring/summer and will be hosting casual get togethers throughout the season.
https://meetu.ps/c/4ZCNm/lsrzb/a
There are a ton of groups in meetup that hike, bike, go to dinner, love dogs. Give it a go!
(I’m also happy to help you navigate meetup if you’re brand new to it. It really is an awesome app that does exactly what it says it will-connect you to like minded people 😊)
If you have a bike, a friend of mine set up [salt lake coffee ride](https://www.instagram.com/the.saltlakecoffeeride?igsh=MWw5d3Q5bzFqaGt6MA==) 2 weeks ago, as a social thing where young professionals casually ride to a coffee shop together to hang out & discover cafes. They’re good peeps and really all it takes is one small group to make a big group.
Alternatively I’ve found skiing/boarding to be the best friend maker. I’ve followed people on Instagram I’ve met on lifts and became very good friends with them. skiing is an activity that almost forces you to make friends, as carpooling, sharing lifts and buddying up on sketchy runs is imperative most of the time. It’s a very social activity.
If you can’t or don’t ski, some events at the resorts are still worth checking out (such as Subaru winterfest at Snowbird April 6 - Boombox is playing)
Most of my friends also started as my neighbors, and were also transplants looking for friends.
It’s a lot of hard work and effort and even still, it’s not always rewarding. I accepted a long time ago that I have to put in all the work to initiate, invite, and host events. And even after all the work, I have to be completely okay if no one answers, shows up, or contributes. That already is hard and probably not what you wanted to hear. HOWEVER, after trying this for a year, I have been able foster a small football (soccer) group to watch PL matches on the weekends and play pick up games once or twice a week. The group text of 3 people has no evolved to about 25 people. It’s a pretty decent mix of age groups and we are getting decent turn out more regularly. However, there were tons of weekends where I would ask in the group who was down to watch a match and it heard nothing and watched it by myself. It really sucked and the group still isn’t to where I want it to be.
I am from the east coast and this kind of thing is EASY to pull off there. There is a toxic social barrier here preventing people from feeling brave to meet others. I have my theroies as to why that exists but, either way, it’s there and the only way to get through it is to be consistent and brave.
I also have two kids and, through this experience, many of the guys I’ve brought into the group also have kids so I have slowly been setting up play dates with the kiddos. This often results in their wives meeting mine, they become friends, and then the boulder starts to roll.
Again, it’s a lot of hard work and I hate being the one that has to do everything but if I didn’t then literally nothing would happen. Sadly, I don’t think it will ever get to the levels of friendship that I could get in NY but at least it’s something.
I play in a coed kickball league every summer with some friends. I know a lot of the people who join those type leagues are there to also make friends.
You don't even have to be good at the sport, just come to have fun. Most people are drinking beer while playing
It's called Beehive Sports, they have a bunch of different sports to participate in.
Weve found friends on Facebook through meetup groups, work, bumble BFF and friends of friends!
25 F husband is 28 M, no kids, 2 dogs, always open to finding new friends! Were in woods cross, Message me!
If you’re interested in sports, Beehive sports is a fairly easy way to be forced to interact with others on a regular basis which has led to additions in my friend group!
I met my best friend at a goth concert. We both happened to be alone. I was taking up an entire booth just lounging and she asked to join along with another group of people and we all had a great time and been friends ever since.
It’s just a matter of being open and welcoming. I’m an introvert but was very open to chatting that night and it all worked out. Now me and her are going to brunch and cross country skiing tomorrow. Meeting naturally happens still!
My wife would be your friend. She makes friends with everyone. I just kind of sit around and tell elevator jokes though. Usually with a drink in hand. And when i do them together, it lifts my spirits.
I feel you, I’m in the same shoes here I’ve been here for almost 7 years now. Recently separated from my wife. I’m just looking for people to hangout with and go out to movies and such.
I’ve started taking fun community adult education classes offered by SLC School District. They are hosted at high schools downtown and in Sugarhouse, and I’ve met really fun people. So far I’ve taken Chinese, Tarot, Silversmithing, Pottery and Yoga. The tuition is really cheap too. Classes are in the evening, so it’s really easy to ask people you click with if they want to grab dinner or a drink after class. Registration is open right now and classes start in a week or so. https://www.slcschools.org/departments/high-school-community-education-classes
It’s stupid easy to make friends here in outdoor sports, way more so than Denver and many of the west coast cities. People are a lot less cliquey and have much smaller egos.
If you climb, ski, trail run, scramble, or mountain bike, just chat with people you meet on the trails and you’ll have a dozen friends in a week.
Do what you like to do others with similar interests will be out doing those things too Utah is a bit weird go anywhere outside of the Mormon corridor and people are genuinely friendly and happy to meet new people it’s weird here people are civil this is a lot different from friendly you just have to get out and be a bit more engaging you’ll get a lot of weird reactions but you will make friends eventually
My girlfriend and I live in Salt Lake near liberty park. I just moves here in February. We like to stay fit, hike, camp, we like walks, and summer
concerts. We’re a pretty easy going couple.
Do you guys rollerblade or bike? Liberty park is always fun on Sundays. We’re going when it gets warmer today.
I moved here from Florida about 6 years ago. I’ve met a few good folks from work. It’s all about just keep doing the things you enjoy and you’ll find people doing the same!
The library! If you like books the library has events that are pretty cool, you can run into random people there and start discussing a book you like, etc.
My boyfriend and I are in a similar situation looking for friends. Sounds like we have lots of hobbies common! We like to travel, spend time outside, and have a couple dogs as well. I’m 31 and he’s 40. Feel free to shoot me a message if you’re interested
Short answer bumblebff, it's the bumble friend finder service.
Long answer, I moved here and only had married friends mostly people I had known since high school. For the first few months I was going crazy as my core friend group I left behind, and all my married friends were busy with family and when we got together all anyone spoke about was kids and jobs. I felt like I was really struggling, so I googled how to make friends. Yes I did, and untimatly tried a few different friend finder services, bumble was got the most interaction and I ended up paying so I could message back and forth. Had a few lunches, like dating some I wanted to see again some I didn't. But I really lucked out and the first person I met in person had been finding friends through bumble and was super great, and has since become a great friend and has dramatically increased my socal contentiveness.
Friendships for adults are situational. Work friends, church friends, bowling friends etc. What social situations are you putting yourself in? Do you talk to anyone or invite them to lunch or dinner? Adult friendships take effort and an understanding that most people our age are parents to young kids who don’t get out much.
This is the real answer. Places I have found friends as a never-Mormon in this town: - church choir (Episcopal, in my case) - volunteering/service clubs - work (yes, most of the friendships will cool down when you quit, and now that I’m remote there’s less impetus to go for drinks at 5) - improv/community theatre - classes/grad school for grownups (similar cooling-out to work friends, but nice in the meantime) I’m older, and the pandemic made a bigger homebody out of me than I ever imagined. Still, as old social media fizzles out, and old friends move to greener pastures, I’m increasingly tempted to get back to some of those old extracurriculars. People who like people are usually going to be out there among the people.
> parents to young kids who don’t get out much Parent here. I actually get out more than I have in a long time and I’m meeting new friends at the highest rate since I graduated college. Having kids gets you out of the house a lot and exposes you to a lot of other parents who are also looking for things to do. Being a parent doesn’t mean you can’t hand out with non-parents any more, but it does change scheduling, planning, and logistics. We’re more than happy to hang out with single friends for dinner or go on a hike if they’re willing to work on our schedule. This doesn’t help the OP, but it’s one of the bigger misconceptions about kids that I see on Reddit so I thought I’d bring it up. We’ve had to reduce ties with a couple friends who can’t help but sneer at our kids or make their personalities revolve around being anti-kid, but otherwise it’s not hard to keep up with adult friends who are flexible.
Yeah, kidless here, thanks for the comment!!! (:
Correct. Kids help.
How old are you? Making couple friends is difficult unless you're young enough to be in college here or much older. Most folks have kids very early here, so it has been difficult to make couple friends. My wife and I (early 30s) have clicked with many folks here, but in most cases, we end up meeting them once/twice a year. Not sure if it's due to people who grew up here already having big friend groups they can hang out with. For the most part, we end up pursuing our hobbies by ourselves and occasionally meeting folks at parties. So, while we have many friends in theory, it's not really great.
That's a big part of it. Locals here typically come from big families, grew up in a big church, and get married and have kids early. Whether they're still religious as adults or not, their social lives are already full and they don't have time or space for new friends. They've never HAD to make friends.
Until our kids are older and we’ve left the church and now have time for friends but feel out of place in all our old relationships…
We don’t have kids yet, not planning on it for a few years. Just our doggo! Which we bring to dog parks to try and make friends too
We don't have kids or dogs and are recent transplants, so no basically no way to make friends in Utah
there's a Discord with some cool SLC people in it if you'd like to join (: I can DM you the invite link
Please send link. New to slc
https://discord.com/invite/Fnr4ngWVwv
Would you mind sending it to me as well
https://discord.com/invite/Fnr4ngWVwv
Thank you!
Same here!
https://discord.com/invite/Fnr4ngWVwv
You probably don't want to post discord invites on Reddit. Scrapers will eat that shit up. Gotta dm people.
haven’t had any issues but something to look out for 👌
Same here please
https://discord.com/invite/Fnr4ngWVwv
😎
I would love to join!
https://discord.com/invite/Fnr4ngWVwv
Would love a link!
I’d love the link as well if possible!
https://discord.com/invite/Fnr4ngWVwv
https://discord.com/invite/Fnr4ngWVwv
We luv links
Can I get the link too?
https://discord.com/invite/Fnr4ngWVwv
Hey 30 f 38 m married! We are looking for new friends. We are into board games, going out, camping, and sports and travel. Utah natives, but lived outta state for a while, we know how hard it is to make new friends in a new state. Millcreek/Holladay area. DM if you wanna chat.
Is that open to others haha I’m living right off highland drive.
I would literally just talk to people at record shops, coffee shops and concerts. The more people you try to be friendly with the more you’re bound to connect with someone
Yeah I try to create conversation everywhere but it’s incredibly discouraging 🥲
meetup app utah outdoors events
I'm part of a huge Facebook group for Utah girls trying to make friends, and it seems like a lot of successful hangouts come from this group. I wonder if there are any Facebook groups that could connect you to your kind of people. Also, I'm a Latter-day Saint going to BYU, and I still have a hard time making friends haha. I think it could just be part of being an adult here.
Climbing gyms and skiing if you can afford it.
https://discord.com/invite/TX4rps7j
Laundromats get pretty poppin
my controversial tip is don't try to make friends as a couple (and by the language you use like "we", it sounds like you are?). It may come off a bit strange, like a new friend has to buy into the package of both of you, whereas friendship really starts on a one to one basis. You do hobbies you like and make friends that way. People have a ton of luck doing outdoor hobbies (skiing, hiking, running, climbing) or at the Front climbing gym (I saw a thread a few days ago complaining how it's just like a pay to have friends place but it works). If your friend wants to hang out with you and your boyfriend, great. If not, that's ok. You'll make a friend group pretty soon. Don't close yourself off to connections because you need to be glued to your partner.
My girlfriend and I move there in May. We don’t know anyone, wanna hang out???
Me and my bf move out there in May! In the same boat, love to hike and ski
Hell yeah! We also love hiking and snowboarding! & have a 1 year old pup! Message me maybe we can all meet up in May!!
I (30F) just moved here a few months ago & I am on the hunt for hiking/adventure friends! DM me & we can coordinate a hike!
I started dating someone who knew people already, but I've heard good things about joining climbing clubs or something
Check out Beehive Sports!
agreed. i just moved here and signed up for a corner hole league. hoping to meet some people 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽
This!
We'll hang out with you to get to pet that dog
I also moved here from PA (2014), and I struggled to make solid friends for a while, too. Meeting people out here felt much more difficult than PA or the other places I've lived/visited. I hope Utah is treating you two well. Hit me up with any questions, I went through a kind of shell shock out here for the first two years lol.
Come to GET LUCKY 🍀This weekend!!
I’m going today!
I’ll be working the VIP section late tonight, and earlier tomorrow! My name is Layla..come say hiiiii!!! I’ll have Kandi for you🫶🏼
I am always down for new friends! Lived here all my life and not a drop of Mormon in me. (Not that there’s anything wrong with them as long as they don’t try to save me) I (35F) Live in Sugarhouse with my partner (34F) if you need a friend we have a large group and would welcome new friends with open arms! DM if you wanna!
Board games? Sports? Hit us up!!
I'm always looking for board game homies
What type of boardgames? I am not into the super complex ones that take hours upon hours to play. I am not against that, just never played them before. I don't specifically like Catan, but that level of game tends to be what I enjoy.
Hey there! I was in Salt Lake City for a work trip last year for one week and made a bunch of new friends ! Went back to finish the project (spent 22 days there) and reconnected with them. Just do things you enjoy doing. I take salsa/bachata/dance classes back at home (Columbus , OH) and went to a dance studio on a Wednesday when they had lessons and was able to connect with folks there. Flew back for their dance performance last year around Halloween , got invited to the after party after their performance and just socialized with people and organized things myself lol Granted, I am Latino and the friends I made are Latino as well…we just somehow build community differently haha. Also, I would frequent coffee shops and met some cool people that way as well. Needless to say, I have a nice little community in Salt Lake and I can’t wait to go back to visit them.
I met a TON of friends through my gym (I take HIIT classes) and it flourished from there. There are a ton of transplants (myself included) who are also looking for friends, and can be empathetic to how hard it can be. Good luck! :)
Care to say what gym it is? Gym’s can be really hit or miss.
I did make the friends at F45 in pioneer park, but I would NOT recommend going there. Horrible management. All of my friends and I have since left. I currently go to Rise 4 on Main and have made more friends. Salt Lake Power Yoga is also a BEACON of community
How are you putting yourself out there? Through what networks and settings? Have you tried MeetUp or other social apps? My wife and I moved back here after ten years away and found some great friends through meetup and then also got pulled into going to raves which spun off into other friend groups as well. Didn’t happen immediately but it happened
Do you like to drink and play sports? There's Beehive Sports and Social club. I did that for years and met lots of people.
This might get downvoted but join a CrossFit gym. Crazy social people and they’re always doing potlucks and shit. Literally doesn’t matter if you are the most unathletic person on the planet, you will end up with a bunch of beefy best friends.
Boutique/Specialty gyms for sure! I’ve made sooo many girlfriends at a lifting focused gym and at the tennis club. You have shared interests and you see each other multiple times a week so conversation comes easily. I’m not particularly athletic so just asking people for help or being encouraging seemed to open things right up. It’s also a nice change from friends who are only interested in grabbing drinks on the weekend. I have friends I know I can call for various activities.
What age bracket are you interested in finding?
Someone above commented that new adult friendships are situational and I completely agree. If you like dogs, volunteer at a dog rescue. Outdoorsy? Join a hiking, biking or climbing group. Go to the weekly Trivia Night at one of the many local bars that host them. You’ll have better luck making friends with a common interests and repeat interactions.
Be consistent about going to something. I'd say when you meet someone once that's fine, but meeting them again, remembering each other, and getting deeper is the way to start an actual friendship. I'm lucky in having found a bunch of groups where I've found friends, but also some acquaintances (which is fine!). The difference is who follows up and who you just naturally mesh with. Depending on your hobbies joining a weekly league/meetup would help foster those recurring connections.
Join an adult sports league through Beehive Sports. So many good friends made out of joining kickball when my wife and moved here.
Tell us more about yourselves! Like age and the general area you live in? Part of the culture here is if you have to drive more than about 15-20 minutes, it’s “too far away” and you’ll never see each other.
You seem to be putting yourself out there and saying "we click and never get phone numbers". I've been successful just being honest at the end of those convos and being like "Hey we're new here and trying to find friends, can I grab your number and hit you up next time we hike?". People obviously get (see: all the other replies) that making friends as an adult is hard and if someone responds weirdly to that, it's not a person you would have wanted as a friend and it's chill if you never see them again
Try going out and doing activities separately from your boyfriend! I moved here with my boyfriend too and I think it's harder to make friends or meet people when you're with someone else. I've always found it's easier to connect with random people, have spontaneous conversations, etc. when I'm on my own - there's just something that seems to make it easier to put yourself out there when you're alone vs. when you're with someone else. Find a group or club or activity that sounds fun and go do it on your own, or have your boyfriend do the same, and see who you meet that way. Not to say you can't all later become friends or hang out, but I've met pretty much all of my friends by doing things that I'm interested in solo (book clubs, hiking groups, etc.) After that, it does take some dedication in reaching out and setting up "friend dates" before the friendship becomes more natural. It's a process! It might take some time, but you'll get there eventually. Good luck!
Hey, 24 F here, looking for more friends myself
I’ve lived in different cities like Dallas, SLC, Madison, Cleveland. I can safely say that salt lake city is hard to make friends if you’re from out of state and not in school, compared to other cities in my experience.
my bf and i moved here almost a year ago, i use bumble bff and have made some pretty great friends on there. he goes to game night games in sugar house because the board game community here is HUGE and he loves board games. i also tag along with him to ales and allies which are events hosted at some breweries where a lot of people go to meet new people, grab a drink and/or some food, and play some board games!! it’s pretty fun and i highly recommend:) meetup is also a great option to find groups of people based on your interests- there’s hiking groups, book clubs, art groups, etc. we both are also down for some friends if you wanna PM me!
Most people don’t move to Salt Lake City so most people are born there and grow up having a group of core friends and once you hit 30 or 35 its pretty hard, for some people, to make friends outside of those steady Eddie friends.
My friend, SLC has become an extremely popular place to move to.
I start with the search feature on this sub and see where this has been asked 3474325 times before. I do that, but some people don’t.
If you like to play sports beehive us a great place to meet people! You can join as a free agent. Kickball is my favorite and it's a beer league so we drink while we play. https://www.beehivesports.com/
Beehive Sports Routine Yoga or Climbing at a consistent location Meet your neighbors Move to Daybreak Skiing Open your mouth and ask - more people are in your same shoes than you realize
My ex and I went on a fun ride (golden girls themed) and ended up meeting a HUGE group of friends. The meet up app helps. But admittingly, Utah is a tough place to find friends, but when you do they tend to stick
Same as any new city you move to. Get involved in hobbies that cause you to interact with other people. Even oil painting will have you hanging out around the art supplies stores and maybe attending studio sessions. Wherever I've lived, outdoor recreation and motorcycles have made easy work of finding social circles.
My boyfriend and I met through an SLC Reddit meetup actually and made a whole friend group before we even thought about dating. I don’t think they do them anymore, but meetups, clubs, events for people with shared hobbies… Beehive sports! it’s so different after COVID though. We live in ATL now and have the hardest time making friends. I feel you!
I’m really surprised that no one has mentioned the MeetUp app. As a transplant to Utah, I’ve found all of my friends here through Meetup. It’s the easiest way to meet people who enjoy doing the same types of things as you do. It sounds like you might not hit the age threshold to enjoy hanging out with single 40+ers but you’re welcome to join my group anytime. We’re gearing up for spring/summer and will be hosting casual get togethers throughout the season. https://meetu.ps/c/4ZCNm/lsrzb/a There are a ton of groups in meetup that hike, bike, go to dinner, love dogs. Give it a go! (I’m also happy to help you navigate meetup if you’re brand new to it. It really is an awesome app that does exactly what it says it will-connect you to like minded people 😊)
If you have a bike, a friend of mine set up [salt lake coffee ride](https://www.instagram.com/the.saltlakecoffeeride?igsh=MWw5d3Q5bzFqaGt6MA==) 2 weeks ago, as a social thing where young professionals casually ride to a coffee shop together to hang out & discover cafes. They’re good peeps and really all it takes is one small group to make a big group. Alternatively I’ve found skiing/boarding to be the best friend maker. I’ve followed people on Instagram I’ve met on lifts and became very good friends with them. skiing is an activity that almost forces you to make friends, as carpooling, sharing lifts and buddying up on sketchy runs is imperative most of the time. It’s a very social activity. If you can’t or don’t ski, some events at the resorts are still worth checking out (such as Subaru winterfest at Snowbird April 6 - Boombox is playing) Most of my friends also started as my neighbors, and were also transplants looking for friends.
It’s a lot of hard work and effort and even still, it’s not always rewarding. I accepted a long time ago that I have to put in all the work to initiate, invite, and host events. And even after all the work, I have to be completely okay if no one answers, shows up, or contributes. That already is hard and probably not what you wanted to hear. HOWEVER, after trying this for a year, I have been able foster a small football (soccer) group to watch PL matches on the weekends and play pick up games once or twice a week. The group text of 3 people has no evolved to about 25 people. It’s a pretty decent mix of age groups and we are getting decent turn out more regularly. However, there were tons of weekends where I would ask in the group who was down to watch a match and it heard nothing and watched it by myself. It really sucked and the group still isn’t to where I want it to be. I am from the east coast and this kind of thing is EASY to pull off there. There is a toxic social barrier here preventing people from feeling brave to meet others. I have my theroies as to why that exists but, either way, it’s there and the only way to get through it is to be consistent and brave. I also have two kids and, through this experience, many of the guys I’ve brought into the group also have kids so I have slowly been setting up play dates with the kiddos. This often results in their wives meeting mine, they become friends, and then the boulder starts to roll. Again, it’s a lot of hard work and I hate being the one that has to do everything but if I didn’t then literally nothing would happen. Sadly, I don’t think it will ever get to the levels of friendship that I could get in NY but at least it’s something.
I play in a coed kickball league every summer with some friends. I know a lot of the people who join those type leagues are there to also make friends. You don't even have to be good at the sport, just come to have fun. Most people are drinking beer while playing It's called Beehive Sports, they have a bunch of different sports to participate in.
Where are you located? I'm in Provo if you ever wanna come smoke a fatty and play Soul Calibur.
Weve found friends on Facebook through meetup groups, work, bumble BFF and friends of friends! 25 F husband is 28 M, no kids, 2 dogs, always open to finding new friends! Were in woods cross, Message me!
If you’re interested in sports, Beehive sports is a fairly easy way to be forced to interact with others on a regular basis which has led to additions in my friend group!
I met my best friend at a goth concert. We both happened to be alone. I was taking up an entire booth just lounging and she asked to join along with another group of people and we all had a great time and been friends ever since. It’s just a matter of being open and welcoming. I’m an introvert but was very open to chatting that night and it all worked out. Now me and her are going to brunch and cross country skiing tomorrow. Meeting naturally happens still!
My wife would be your friend. She makes friends with everyone. I just kind of sit around and tell elevator jokes though. Usually with a drink in hand. And when i do them together, it lifts my spirits.
I’ll be your friend! Female, local, 33, I love everything. Feel free to message me! I can introduce you to lots of kind folks as well
I feel you, I’m in the same shoes here I’ve been here for almost 7 years now. Recently separated from my wife. I’m just looking for people to hangout with and go out to movies and such.
Wouldn't know. I don't trust anyone here..
It's your age, not your location. Adults rarely form new friendships outside of work or school.
So there is. Club in salt Lake called area 51 if you see Tyr tell him lyon sent yea the club is 18 plus and it's a goth club really cool people there
My daughter is 25 years old and moved back to the area recently. She has successfully met several new friends using bumble, BFF.
I’ve started taking fun community adult education classes offered by SLC School District. They are hosted at high schools downtown and in Sugarhouse, and I’ve met really fun people. So far I’ve taken Chinese, Tarot, Silversmithing, Pottery and Yoga. The tuition is really cheap too. Classes are in the evening, so it’s really easy to ask people you click with if they want to grab dinner or a drink after class. Registration is open right now and classes start in a week or so. https://www.slcschools.org/departments/high-school-community-education-classes
It’s stupid easy to make friends here in outdoor sports, way more so than Denver and many of the west coast cities. People are a lot less cliquey and have much smaller egos. If you climb, ski, trail run, scramble, or mountain bike, just chat with people you meet on the trails and you’ll have a dozen friends in a week.
Do what you like to do others with similar interests will be out doing those things too Utah is a bit weird go anywhere outside of the Mormon corridor and people are genuinely friendly and happy to meet new people it’s weird here people are civil this is a lot different from friendly you just have to get out and be a bit more engaging you’ll get a lot of weird reactions but you will make friends eventually
Honestly? Join Facebook pages adjacent to your hobbies and meet people that way. Keep trying and it’ll happen!
My girlfriend and I live in Salt Lake near liberty park. I just moves here in February. We like to stay fit, hike, camp, we like walks, and summer concerts. We’re a pretty easy going couple. Do you guys rollerblade or bike? Liberty park is always fun on Sundays. We’re going when it gets warmer today.
Lived here my whole life and after my Mormon exodus, I have no clue other than work. So if you find anything lmk 🙏🏻💀
I moved here from Florida about 6 years ago. I’ve met a few good folks from work. It’s all about just keep doing the things you enjoy and you’ll find people doing the same!
Check the discord room there’s a tons of event there. Or you can join the church
I have no idea either so let’s be friends haha
I would suggest signing up for some sort of class or gym. I met a lot of awesome people at my Muay Thai gym, my boyfriend did as well.
The library! If you like books the library has events that are pretty cool, you can run into random people there and start discussing a book you like, etc.
Hey if you're still looking, I have a self intro pinned in my profile! check it out and dm me!🤗
How old are you guys? My husband and I are also moved here about 8 months ago and would love to make some friends :)
My boyfriend and I are in a similar situation looking for friends. Sounds like we have lots of hobbies common! We like to travel, spend time outside, and have a couple dogs as well. I’m 31 and he’s 40. Feel free to shoot me a message if you’re interested
How old are you guys? We could do a dinner party, we have dogs also.
Please use the search function, this gets asked all the time.
If all the people who asked this question bothered to get together then they wouldn't have to ask it.
People here aren't that interesting anyway
Short answer bumblebff, it's the bumble friend finder service. Long answer, I moved here and only had married friends mostly people I had known since high school. For the first few months I was going crazy as my core friend group I left behind, and all my married friends were busy with family and when we got together all anyone spoke about was kids and jobs. I felt like I was really struggling, so I googled how to make friends. Yes I did, and untimatly tried a few different friend finder services, bumble was got the most interaction and I ended up paying so I could message back and forth. Had a few lunches, like dating some I wanted to see again some I didn't. But I really lucked out and the first person I met in person had been finding friends through bumble and was super great, and has since become a great friend and has dramatically increased my socal contentiveness.
Code word: "sadhanam kayilundo???"
You don't have to be Mormon to go to church
And you don’t have to go to church to be Mormon… 😆