Fun things to do at night with friends
The best night with friends has one clear plan and room for the night to go somewhere else. Pick by mood and budget: a game night or cook-off at home, a bar crawl, karaoke or a late food tour in town, or something cheap like a sunset picnic or stargazing.
Game night
Pick three games, put out snacks and keep score all night. Our game night guide has a plan for the evening.
Open the guideSwitch groups on and off to match the budget and the weather. Tap the card to draw again.
Below are 60 ideas in five groups. Tap the card to draw tonight's plan, and switch groups off to fit your budget, the weather and how much energy the group has.
- Ideas
- 60
- Groups
- 5
- Budget
- Free to splurge
- Group size
- 2 to 12
How to pick a plan for tonight
Most nights die in the group chat, not because nobody wants to go out but because nobody wants to decide. Answer three questions and the choice gets easy: how much energy does the group have, what can everyone spend, and is it warm enough to be outside?
| Mood | Low budget | Bigger budget |
|---|---|---|
| Cosy | Movie marathon, potluck | Cook-off with a proper shop |
| Social | Game night at home | Pub quiz, karaoke booth |
| Out and about | Night walk, viewpoint | Bar crawl, late food tour |
| Active | Night bike ride | Escape room, climbing |
| Something new | Open mic as the audience | Comedy club, dance class |
Keep the night
One polaroid per stop
Whatever you end up doing, snap your glass in Dronk at each stop: coffee, soda, water or beer. The app cuts it out like a sticker and prints a polaroid with the time, and the next day the night is ready as a video. It is a better story than forty blurry photos in the camera roll.
60 fun things to do at night with friends
Sorted into five groups, each with a one line how to. Ideas with a link have a full guide on this site.
At home
12- Game night: pick three games, put out snacks and keep score all night. Our game night guide has a plan for the evening.
- Murder mystery dinner: everyone gets a character and a secret, and the killer is sitting at the table.
- Themed movie marathon: three films that share an actor, a director or a famously bad sequel, with snacks to match.
- Cook-off: two teams, one secret ingredient, an hour on the clock and a blind taste test at the end.
- Homemade pub quiz: every friend writes one round of five questions and reads it out.
- Living room karaoke: a TV, lyrics videos and a hairbrush microphone. Everyone scores every song.
- $20 Draft: everyone drafts a team of anything for an imaginary $20 and the group argues about who won.
- Slideshow night: everyone makes five slides on a strange topic they love, then presents for three minutes.
- Blind tasting: crisps, chocolate or sodas without labels. Score sheets, then the big reveal.
- Paint night: cheap canvases, one tutorial on the TV and a gallery walk at the end.
- Deep talk night: candles, a stack of questions and a rule that nobody checks their phone.
- House party: invite friends of friends, make a playlist together and plan games for the slow moments.
Out in town
12- Bar crawl: four to six bars a short walk apart, with a theme to tie the night together.
- Pub golf: nine bars, nine holes, every drink has a par. Soft drinks count.
- Pub quiz: find a weekly quiz night, form a team of four and pick a terrible team name.
- Karaoke booth: book a private room so even the shy friend sings one song.
- Late night food tour: one dish at each spot, and the group votes on the winner.
- Live music: pick a small venue and a band nobody in the group has heard of.
- Comedy club: sit far from the front unless you want to be part of the show.
- Arcade bar: retro games, a leaderboard and a rematch at the end.
- Bowling league for one night: teams, shirts in one colour and a trophy from a charity shop.
- Late museum opening: many museums open in the evening with music and talks.
- Rooftop at sunset: arrive before the light goes, stay for the city lights.
- Dance class, then dancing: learn one routine at an evening class and try it out after.
Cheap or free
12- Sunset picnic: blankets, a speaker and food everyone brings from home.
- Stargazing: drive away from the city lights, bring a blanket and a star map app.
- Night photo walk: one phone each, a theme like neon or reflections, best photo wins.
- Potluck dinner: everyone brings one dish from a country they have never visited.
- Open mic night: be the audience. It's free or cheap, and the cheering matters.
- Free outdoor cinema: in summer many parks and squares show films after dark.
- City lights viewpoint: walk to the highest point in town and take the group photo.
- Thrift shop challenge: everyone gets the same tiny budget for an outfit, then wears it out.
- Late night diner: pancakes after dark and a booth for the whole group.
- The imposter game: one phone, one secret word, and one friend who has to fake it.
- Board game swap: everyone brings one game they own, and you play the one nobody knows.
- Night swim at the beach or lake: only where it is allowed, and always in a group.
Active
12- Night bike ride: lights on, a planned route and a snack stop halfway.
- Glow in the dark mini golf: loser picks the next place.
- Escape room: an hour, one locked room and a lot of shouting about a padlock.
- Climbing gym: most bouldering gyms are open late and rent shoes.
- Laser tag: two teams, sore legs and a rematch nobody can say no to.
- Night hike: a short, known trail, headlamps and hot chocolate at the top.
- Ice skating: hold hands, fall over, laugh about it.
- Trampoline park adult night: some parks run late sessions for grown ups.
- Evening swim: many public pools have late sessions with music.
- Bowling and burgers: the classic, and it works for any group size.
- Padel or table tennis: book a court for an hour, then go for food.
- Late run club: a slow 5k as a group, then breakfast for dinner.
Seasonal
12- Beach bonfire: a summer classic where it's allowed, with music and food on the grill until it gets dark.
- Festival night: even a small local summer festival, with the whole group in matching colours.
- First terrace night: the first summer evening warm enough to sit outside until late.
- Scary movie night: autumn horror films with a vote on who screamed loudest.
- Halloween party: the group picks one costume theme together and goes out as a set.
- Friendsgiving: an autumn dinner where everyone brings one dish and one game for after.
- Christmas market: a winter walk with hot chocolate or mulled drinks, and one ornament each.
- 12 pubs of Christmas: twelve December stops, twelve rules and a lot of jumpers.
- Christmas party: games for the moment after dinner when the energy drops.
- New Year's Eve: games until midnight and a countdown on the TV.
- First picnic of spring: even if it needs jackets, it counts.
- Sunrise mission: on a spring night, stay out late enough or get up early enough to watch it together.
Split up? See who is where
Nights with friends split up all the time: two people go for food, three go to the next bar. In Dronk you snap your glass and show up on the map for the friends you pick, so you can send a cheers or ask them to come over. It only shows while you're out, and you can hide from everyone anytime.
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How to plan a night out with friends
A good night out with friends needs less planning than you think, but it needs the right bits planned.
- Fix the date firstPut two dates in the group chat and ask for a thumbs up. The date with the most yeses wins, no more discussion.
- Draw or pick one planUse the deck above. One anchor is enough: a bar, a booking or a game. The rest can happen on the night.
- Say the budget out loudAgree on a rough amount before you go so nobody feels pushed into expensive rounds or tickets.
- Have a plan BRain, a full bar, a closed kitchen. Pick a backup nearby so the night doesn't end in the street looking at phones.
- Sort out getting homeLast train, a shared taxi or a sofa to sleep on. Nobody walks home alone.
When the night stalls
Every night has a quiet moment around the third hour. Have one game ready that needs nothing but a phone: the imposter game, The Bomb or a music round of Guess the Song. For a longer list, see our games to play with friends.
And when it is time to post the photos, we have 160 night out captions ready.
Questions people ask
What are fun things to do at night with friends?
At home: game night, a cook-off or a murder mystery dinner. Out: a bar crawl, karaoke or a late food tour. Cheap: a sunset picnic, stargazing or a night photo walk.
What can you do with friends at night for free?
Stargazing, a night walk to a viewpoint, a picnic, free outdoor cinema in summer, a potluck or a game night with a phone game everyone already has.
What are good night out ideas that aren't just a bar?
Karaoke, a comedy club, an arcade bar, a late museum opening, an escape room or a late night food tour. Pick one anchor and add a bar after if the group wants.
What can you do with friends at night at home?
Game night, a themed movie marathon, a cook-off, living room karaoke, a slideshow night or a homemade pub quiz where every friend writes one round.
How do you plan a night out with friends?
Fix the date first, pick one plan, agree on a budget, have a backup nearby and sort out how everyone gets home. The rest can happen on the night.
Is there an app for planning a night out with friends?
Dronk is made for the night itself: 16 party games for the table, and a map that shows you to the friends you pick while you're out, so the group can find each other. It is free on iPhone.
Keep the night going
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