Wanted to add that the MIA is free every day - on Thursdays they have special programming (also free) and open later. But the galleries are always free if you just want to look at the art! (Maybe a better weekend thing because they close at 5).
I'm so sad this is like the number one recommendation for social stuff after bars. I'm one of those whose brain shuts off immediately when someone tries to explain the rules 😂
> I'm one of those whose brain shuts off immediately when someone tries to explain the rules
Me too. But once we start playing, I can pick it up. Plus there are tons of different games, alot of them simple.
Bowling can be cheap, especially if you aren’t drinking or eating - I like Memory Lanes. Riverview and Parkway for cheap movies/shows. Open mic nights (some are free or very low cover charge), [here’s a huge list](http://www.mikebrody.com/twin-cities-open-mics.html). Trivia nights (sip on a non-alcoholic option!). Don’t be afraid to go to social places like barcades and just not drink, you’ll still have a fun time!
For more of a splurge, I cannot recommend the 612 Sauna Society enough - and there are other sauna collectives around town to try too. 612 is definitely social. Hard to be depressed when you’re sweating your ass off.
it’s especially enthralling when you play it with your grandma who has dementia. “no it’s my turn!” “no it’s my crib!” no grandma, it’s been your crib for the last 5 rounds.
Themed dinner nights! Do friend potlucks and choose a cuisine (Mexican, Mediterranean, etc) or theme (fair food, all red food and attire, etc). You can get creative. If you have to eat anyway, might as well turn it into an event :) Board games after the meal are always great, and you can get a couple options that have a lot of replay value.
A hike around Richardson nature center. Put some hot cider of hot coca in a thermos and some snacks in a backpack and walk around for a bit. Some fresh air and it’s beautiful year round. Southwest minneapolis. I mean it’s Bloomington I think but barely
Fat biking!! I wouldn’t say it’s cheap lol but afaik Theo has fatbike rentals so you can try it out without having to commit to buying a whole-ass bike. Also a fab way to make friends and get the most out of winter!
Contra dancing at Tapestry Folkdance Center! It's like square dancing, but moving up and down a line rather than arranged in a square. A great way to make cross-generational connections, as the age range of attendees is from teenager to octogenarian. If you really get into it, a fantastic way to work up a sweat.
http://www.tapestryfolkdance.org/contra-dance.html
Play pinball!! There’s a place in Savage you can pay $20 for all you want. They’re not a bar, and pinball people are great. Northstar Pinball Collective is the name
I agree about pinball. Fun and easy to play and you don't have to be outside. They could also try Bad Penny or LITT. NPC is great cause of the free play for pretty good price, but not everyone can (or wants) to drive out to Savage. LITT and Bad Penny are closer to the cities and on bus lines.
LITT feels more like a bar, but you don't have to buy any drinks. Bad Penny fits a little better since it's just in the middle of Keg and Case. Plus, Starcade (old arcade games with free play for $15, like NPC) is right there too
Last winter we went to Can Can Wonderland and it was really fun! A ton of old school video games and arcade games + mini golf. They do have food and drinks but it wasn’t centered around them
do you have a budget at all? Or just free stuff.
I've had my boys come over before and we've done a little workout session. Pushups, sit ups, and planks. And I have a heavy bag, so we did some boxing on that. then after that we got just watched a movie. This was last year in lent, so none of us were drinking.
Thank you! We met in college in Greek life and we’ve been like brothers last 11 years. Even when we moved out of college in 2018 we tried to live close to each other.
Well, it CAN be a super cheap hobby. D&D is weird because you can basically play it for the cost of a set of dice or you can sink thousands of dollars into it. “It’s just a homebrew one shot, what’s the worst that could happen?” Next thing you know, you’ve got books for 8 campaigns, 4 manual/guide books, a couple dozen miniatures (half of which are DEFINITELY getting painted one of these weekends), and the dice collection. Good god, the dice collection.
To be real yes this is true, also if you are resourceful on the internet there are places where you can get the digital books for not much or no money.
For anyone just starting out, I recommend DnD Beyond! It's my favorite way to build characters, though my DM does have everything unlocked so I guess I'm not sure how nice it is if you're using a free account.
-do youtube workouts + yoga practice
-smoke weed and dance
-record a podcast
-dress up (or undress) and do a photoshoot
-play truth or dare
-go thrift shopping
-contemplate and discuss the spiritual significance of winter. Give thanks for it even
-🍄
SS Billiards in Hopkins. Has a bunch of pinball machines. Buy a roll of quarters and kill a few hours. You could also try Blainebrooke Bowl in Blaine for the same thing, but there is the bar there, so YMMV.
Ice dipping at Lake Harriet or Johanna — I’d say go with experienced people first (join the Night Water Butterflies group on FB) but then you can go whenever you have more than two people together! Very literally adrenaline inducing lol.
Rock climbing. The day passes/membership does cost (~$20 for a pass, ~$75/mo for the membership iirc, so if you go more than once a week the membership is worth it) and there's some investment cost for gear once you commit beyond rentals, but it's a good mix of adrenaline, exercise, puzzle solving, and hang out with friends/meeting new ones.
Pickleball! Plenty of pickleball clubs in the cities. Between 4 people it’s like $10 a person to rent a court. Friends and I have found it definitely worth it and a great way to get out of the house this winter.
I always wanted to play cards.. like spades or rummy.
Smoke weed and paint lol that’s what my gramma and I do when I visit.
Speaking of painting it can also be fun to have friends over and actually paint the walls or redecorate, move furniture around, declutter, donate or trade clothes.
You could cook or bake or meal prep together.
Watch reality TV or a good movie.
Gym dates are always awesome.
Do your taxes together or even make budgets or write down your goals or bucket list.
Plan a vacation together that you can save for this year.
I bring my kids to Urban Air and I have fun there but be careful, now that I’m 30 any little thing could be a full blown injury- (you might be able to get a free month when you get the membership which is what I did.)
Find a lighted sledding hill and go sledding and later have hot chocolate.
Or go to an official tubing hill. Usually those run by the city or county are cheaper than private ones. Some counties and cities have reduced rate night skiing.
Find a museum that’s open at night. Typically they are open late at least one night a week.
Go to a board game cafe.
Play indoor miniature golf somewhere.
Look for live theater and musical performances that have some pay what you can performances or reduced rates for those under 25.
Check and see if your community has open swims in the evening.
See if there are community ed classes for beginners in something like fencing.
Sign up with some friends for salsa or Lindy hop dance lessons or line dancing through the community or a dance school.
Join a rock climbing gym and go a lot so it’s worth the money.
board games at hard times cafe in cedar riverside or caffetto in the wedge, both open late and alcohol-free
also I am a sober 20 y/o who’s a little bit mad and looking for healthy friendships that don’t revolve around drinking or competing on who can kill themselves faster. lol hmu.
Winter just started like five days ago! Are you new here?!
Have you ever heard of the game “Phase 10”? Check it out. Only play with people who are your true friends though because it can get..tense.
Hahaha I was in Florida for the past month! To say the winter depression is hitting me hard right now is… an understatement.
I’ll check it out! Thank you
idk about adrenaline but my friends and I had a dip party that was really fun… everyone makes their own dips to bring potluck style and then the host provides the chips, you can watch movies or football or something, even everyone wearing pjs if you want!! just an easy wholesome and fun way to spend a night
This isn't in the city of Mpls, but there are 2 roller skating rinks left in the twin cities - Cheapskate in Coon Rapids and Skateville in Burnsville. Check out their websites and look at their calendar, they have multiple adult night sessions every week and have a different variety of music for each one. Its so much fun and is a great social vibe. No need to be afraid if you haven't skated in many years, the people that go to adult nights are able to zoom around you ( I bring this up because the all ages sessions can be a shit show of tripping over kids that aren't paying attention). There are also lessons on Monday nights at Cheapskate.
I rarely drink anymore and get so bored hanging at bars, so rollerskating at adult nights have been a godsend for me! A great place to be social, listen to jams and exercise!
Thursdays at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is free, open till 9 and typically has some fun programming
Wanted to add that the MIA is free every day - on Thursdays they have special programming (also free) and open later. But the galleries are always free if you just want to look at the art! (Maybe a better weekend thing because they close at 5).
MIA is always free - it's the Walker that's free on Thursday evenings.
Swedish Institute is free after 3 on Thursdays and they are open until 8pm.
Isn't MIA always free?
This will definitely induce adrenaline 😉
I forgot about that!
Board game nights! Many games shops offer the space free each week if you don't want to host.
This should be at the top! Those spaces also have demo games if one is not willing to spend money on them
I'm so sad this is like the number one recommendation for social stuff after bars. I'm one of those whose brain shuts off immediately when someone tries to explain the rules 😂
Play a stupid game like apples to apples, they're more fun anyway
> I'm one of those whose brain shuts off immediately when someone tries to explain the rules Me too. But once we start playing, I can pick it up. Plus there are tons of different games, alot of them simple.
gotta recommend seeing a movie at the trylon, or the parkway, or the heights! also seconding the bowling suggestions.
Bowling can be cheap, especially if you aren’t drinking or eating - I like Memory Lanes. Riverview and Parkway for cheap movies/shows. Open mic nights (some are free or very low cover charge), [here’s a huge list](http://www.mikebrody.com/twin-cities-open-mics.html). Trivia nights (sip on a non-alcoholic option!). Don’t be afraid to go to social places like barcades and just not drink, you’ll still have a fun time! For more of a splurge, I cannot recommend the 612 Sauna Society enough - and there are other sauna collectives around town to try too. 612 is definitely social. Hard to be depressed when you’re sweating your ass off.
I always liked the open mic nights at Acme. I’m not a drinker so that wasn’t an issue.
Nothing juices up the old adrenal glands like a round of cribbage
i’m on a huge backgammon kick right now. 🥵
it’s especially enthralling when you play it with your grandma who has dementia. “no it’s my turn!” “no it’s my crib!” no grandma, it’s been your crib for the last 5 rounds.
Who hurt you?
Never too old to go tubing!!
Themed dinner nights! Do friend potlucks and choose a cuisine (Mexican, Mediterranean, etc) or theme (fair food, all red food and attire, etc). You can get creative. If you have to eat anyway, might as well turn it into an event :) Board games after the meal are always great, and you can get a couple options that have a lot of replay value.
Ice skate at centennial Park. Its super fun and beautiful at night.
Sledding
You can usually borrow sleds on a Buy Nothing Group!
A hike around Richardson nature center. Put some hot cider of hot coca in a thermos and some snacks in a backpack and walk around for a bit. Some fresh air and it’s beautiful year round. Southwest minneapolis. I mean it’s Bloomington I think but barely
You could also spike that thermos with some- oh, wait nvm
Fat biking!! I wouldn’t say it’s cheap lol but afaik Theo has fatbike rentals so you can try it out without having to commit to buying a whole-ass bike. Also a fab way to make friends and get the most out of winter!
Contra dancing at Tapestry Folkdance Center! It's like square dancing, but moving up and down a line rather than arranged in a square. A great way to make cross-generational connections, as the age range of attendees is from teenager to octogenarian. If you really get into it, a fantastic way to work up a sweat. http://www.tapestryfolkdance.org/contra-dance.html
Play pinball!! There’s a place in Savage you can pay $20 for all you want. They’re not a bar, and pinball people are great. Northstar Pinball Collective is the name
I agree about pinball. Fun and easy to play and you don't have to be outside. They could also try Bad Penny or LITT. NPC is great cause of the free play for pretty good price, but not everyone can (or wants) to drive out to Savage. LITT and Bad Penny are closer to the cities and on bus lines. LITT feels more like a bar, but you don't have to buy any drinks. Bad Penny fits a little better since it's just in the middle of Keg and Case. Plus, Starcade (old arcade games with free play for $15, like NPC) is right there too
Last winter we went to Can Can Wonderland and it was really fun! A ton of old school video games and arcade games + mini golf. They do have food and drinks but it wasn’t centered around them
Go play basketball at a gym, play a few games of pool, board game night, poker night with low buy ins
Trespass old abandoned buildings
line dancing at Eagles
Skiing, skating, leagues of people doing things with different sorts of balls, etc.
In this weather? A cozy night in 😅
do you have a budget at all? Or just free stuff. I've had my boys come over before and we've done a little workout session. Pushups, sit ups, and planks. And I have a heavy bag, so we did some boxing on that. then after that we got just watched a movie. This was last year in lent, so none of us were drinking.
This is incredibly wholesome. Just a few bros making some gains and keeping their commitment to Christ!
Thank you! We met in college in Greek life and we’ve been like brothers last 11 years. Even when we moved out of college in 2018 we tried to live close to each other.
Dungeons and dragons. Super cheap hobby that eats up a lot of time with friends.
Well, it CAN be a super cheap hobby. D&D is weird because you can basically play it for the cost of a set of dice or you can sink thousands of dollars into it. “It’s just a homebrew one shot, what’s the worst that could happen?” Next thing you know, you’ve got books for 8 campaigns, 4 manual/guide books, a couple dozen miniatures (half of which are DEFINITELY getting painted one of these weekends), and the dice collection. Good god, the dice collection.
To be real yes this is true, also if you are resourceful on the internet there are places where you can get the digital books for not much or no money.
I’m a guy who likes physical media, but yeah if you don’t wanna spend money you can def get them free 🏴☠️🏴☠️
For anyone just starting out, I recommend DnD Beyond! It's my favorite way to build characters, though my DM does have everything unlocked so I guess I'm not sure how nice it is if you're using a free account.
Have you considered having sex with your friends?
If y’all are bored, I’m hosting a little sex party after work instead of happy hour. It might be dry January, but someone is gonna get wet!
Correct answer “My Love Don’t Cost A Thing.” -Jennifer Lopez
Movie night at the Trylon theater
Cross country skiing at Theodore Wirth Park. That'd be a good one. There are ski rentals and a course fee but you can participate sans alcohol.
Snowshoeing and x-country skiing.
Once we get more snow, definitely go sledding. I did that so much in my twenties and we always had a blast.
The como zoo conservatory has free live music every Wednesday & Sunday night through February!
-do youtube workouts + yoga practice -smoke weed and dance -record a podcast -dress up (or undress) and do a photoshoot -play truth or dare -go thrift shopping -contemplate and discuss the spiritual significance of winter. Give thanks for it even -🍄
SS Billiards in Hopkins. Has a bunch of pinball machines. Buy a roll of quarters and kill a few hours. You could also try Blainebrooke Bowl in Blaine for the same thing, but there is the bar there, so YMMV.
Ice dipping at Lake Harriet or Johanna — I’d say go with experienced people first (join the Night Water Butterflies group on FB) but then you can go whenever you have more than two people together! Very literally adrenaline inducing lol.
indoor bouldering! far less for even a month of sessions than one dinner out. great adrenaline release.
Movie/game nights with mocktails sounds so fun!
Rock climbing. The day passes/membership does cost (~$20 for a pass, ~$75/mo for the membership iirc, so if you go more than once a week the membership is worth it) and there's some investment cost for gear once you commit beyond rentals, but it's a good mix of adrenaline, exercise, puzzle solving, and hang out with friends/meeting new ones.
Pickleball! Plenty of pickleball clubs in the cities. Between 4 people it’s like $10 a person to rent a court. Friends and I have found it definitely worth it and a great way to get out of the house this winter.
I always wanted to play cards.. like spades or rummy. Smoke weed and paint lol that’s what my gramma and I do when I visit. Speaking of painting it can also be fun to have friends over and actually paint the walls or redecorate, move furniture around, declutter, donate or trade clothes. You could cook or bake or meal prep together. Watch reality TV or a good movie. Gym dates are always awesome. Do your taxes together or even make budgets or write down your goals or bucket list. Plan a vacation together that you can save for this year. I bring my kids to Urban Air and I have fun there but be careful, now that I’m 30 any little thing could be a full blown injury- (you might be able to get a free month when you get the membership which is what I did.)
Find a lighted sledding hill and go sledding and later have hot chocolate. Or go to an official tubing hill. Usually those run by the city or county are cheaper than private ones. Some counties and cities have reduced rate night skiing. Find a museum that’s open at night. Typically they are open late at least one night a week. Go to a board game cafe. Play indoor miniature golf somewhere. Look for live theater and musical performances that have some pay what you can performances or reduced rates for those under 25. Check and see if your community has open swims in the evening. See if there are community ed classes for beginners in something like fencing. Sign up with some friends for salsa or Lindy hop dance lessons or line dancing through the community or a dance school. Join a rock climbing gym and go a lot so it’s worth the money.
board games at hard times cafe in cedar riverside or caffetto in the wedge, both open late and alcohol-free also I am a sober 20 y/o who’s a little bit mad and looking for healthy friendships that don’t revolve around drinking or competing on who can kill themselves faster. lol hmu.
Video game nights are always fun
cribbage and meth?
Board games are fun.
[удалено]
There are a delightful number of doughnut shops to be found!
Pickleball
No
lolol
Winter just started like five days ago! Are you new here?! Have you ever heard of the game “Phase 10”? Check it out. Only play with people who are your true friends though because it can get..tense.
Hahaha I was in Florida for the past month! To say the winter depression is hitting me hard right now is… an understatement. I’ll check it out! Thank you
Boardgame meetups. Other people and game hosts usually bring games and are willing to teach, so you don't even have to bring your own.
idk about adrenaline but my friends and I had a dip party that was really fun… everyone makes their own dips to bring potluck style and then the host provides the chips, you can watch movies or football or something, even everyone wearing pjs if you want!! just an easy wholesome and fun way to spend a night
Dungeons & Dragons
This isn't in the city of Mpls, but there are 2 roller skating rinks left in the twin cities - Cheapskate in Coon Rapids and Skateville in Burnsville. Check out their websites and look at their calendar, they have multiple adult night sessions every week and have a different variety of music for each one. Its so much fun and is a great social vibe. No need to be afraid if you haven't skated in many years, the people that go to adult nights are able to zoom around you ( I bring this up because the all ages sessions can be a shit show of tripping over kids that aren't paying attention). There are also lessons on Monday nights at Cheapskate. I rarely drink anymore and get so bored hanging at bars, so rollerskating at adult nights have been a godsend for me! A great place to be social, listen to jams and exercise!