25 Things to Do When You Need to Get Out of the House

Ready to get out of the house?

You know you want to go somewhere and do something. You just haven’t figured out what that something is yet.

Consider this your idea list.

We’ve rounded up 25 ways to get out, change up your usual routine, and enjoy yourself. Go solo, invite your girls, grab your person, bring the family, or choose depending on the day.

See what sounds good and give it a try.

1. See What’s Happening at a Museum

Museums have a lot more going on than quietly walking through galleries. Look for special exhibitions, evening hours, live performances, artist talks, workshops, and other special events.

Many museums also offer free or discounted admission days, so check the calendar before you go.

2. Catch Some Live Music

Big concerts are great, but smaller venues can be just as much fun.

Check out a jazz lounge, local band, outdoor concert, open mic, acoustic set, or live music at a neighborhood restaurant. You may even discover a new artist to add to your playlist.

3. Go to a Comedy Show

Sometimes a good laugh is exactly what you need.

Find a comedy club, improv show, touring comedian, or local open mic. Grab a friend, make it a date night, or go on your own and enjoy the show.

4. Spend a Morning at the Farmers Market

Grab a coffee or tea and take your time. Sample something you’ve never tried, buy yourself flowers, pick up something good for dinner, and explore what local vendors have to offer.

Farmers markets can be especially fun when you give yourself permission to wander instead of treating the trip like another grocery run.

5. Take Yourself to the Movies

Choose exactly what you want to see. Get your favorite snacks. Sit where you want and settle in.

If you’ve been curious about doing more things on your own, a movie is an easy place to start.

6. Check Out a Festival

Food festivals. Music festivals. Cultural celebrations. Art festivals. Film festivals. Book festivals. Street fairs.

There’s usually something happening, especially during the warmer months. Check event calendars for your city and surrounding communities and see what catches your attention.

7. Take a Class

Pottery. Pasta making. Floral arranging. Painting. Photography. Dance. Sewing. Candle making. Mixology. Jewelry making.

Choose something you’ve been curious about and give it a try.

You don’t have to be good at it, and you don’t have to turn it into your new hobby. You can simply enjoy the experience.

8. Visit a Botanical Garden

Spend a few hours at a botanical garden, arboretum, sculpture garden, conservatory, or public garden.

Walk around, take pictures, sit for a while, and enjoy the surroundings. Visit again during another season and you may have a completely different experience.

9. Browse a Bookstore

Give yourself time to explore the shelves without looking for anything in particular.

Pick up a book you’ve never heard of. Read a few pages. Explore a section you normally skip.

Independent bookstores are also worth checking for author talks, book clubs, readings, and other events.

10. Have Afternoon Tea

Beautiful tea, tiny sandwiches, desserts, and a few hours to enjoy them can turn an ordinary afternoon into something special.

Go with friends, your mother or daughter, your partner, or by yourself. Get dressed up if you feel like it.

You don’t need an occasion to make a reservation.

11. Explore a New Neighborhood

Pick a neighborhood you’ve never really explored and spend a few hours getting to know it.

Find somewhere good to eat. Browse local shops. Visit a gallery. Look at the architecture. Stop for dessert. Walk around and see what you discover.

There may be plenty of places close to home that still feel new to you.

12. Let the Food Be the Destination

Finally try the restaurant that’s been sitting in your saved folder for months.

Explore a food hall. Try a cuisine you’ve never had. Visit a Black-owned restaurant you’ve been meaning to support. Track down a place known for something you love.

Choose somewhere that makes you excited to leave the house and eat.

13. See a Live Performance

Look beyond the biggest theaters and concert venues in town.

Community theaters, university productions, dance companies, spoken-word events, small theater companies, and cultural organizations can offer plenty to see throughout the year.

Check their calendars and pick something that interests you.

14. Go Roller Skating

Find a skating rink, lace up, and see how much muscle memory you still have.

Roller skating is one of those activities that can bring back memories while giving you a completely different way to spend an afternoon or evening.

And yes, holding onto the railing until you get your balance back is perfectly acceptable.

15. Try a Trivia Night

Grab a few friends and put all that random knowledge to use.

Restaurants, cafés, and community spaces often host trivia nights covering everything from general knowledge to music, movies, television, sports, and pop culture.

Pick a theme your group loves and make a night of it.

16. Browse a Flea or Vintage Market

Give yourself a budget and see what you find.

Vintage jewelry. Records. Art. Books. Furniture. Clothing. Home décor. Something completely unexpected.

Even if you leave empty-handed, browsing can be half the fun.

17. Spend Some Time Outside

Find a walking trail. Rent a bike. Visit a park. Walk along the waterfront. Go kayaking. Take an outdoor yoga class. Pack a picnic.

Choose something that fits your energy level and the kind of day you want to have.

18. Go Somewhere With a Great View

Find a rooftop, observation deck, scenic overlook, waterfront, garden, or restaurant with a view.

Go around sunset, bring someone along or enjoy it by yourself, take a few pictures, and give yourself some time to simply take in where you are.

19. Have a Game Night Out

Bowling. Mini golf. Arcade games. Bingo. Pool. Darts. Escape rooms. Board-game cafés.

Choose something you haven’t done in a while and invite people who will enjoy it with you.

A little friendly competition can make for a very good night out.

20. Explore a Local Gallery or Art Walk

Look for gallery nights, open studios, art walks, and exhibition openings in your area.

You don’t need to know much about art to enjoy seeing something new. Wander, take your time, and pay attention to what catches your eye.

21. Go Dancing

Find somewhere playing music that actually makes you want to move.

Salsa night. Line dancing. Afrobeats. Old-school R&B. A live DJ. An outdoor dance event.

Take a lesson if you’d enjoy one, or simply find somewhere you can listen to good music and dance.

22. Take a Tour

Food tour. Architecture tour. Historic neighborhood tour. Street-art tour. Ghost tour. Garden tour.

You can even take one in your own city. There’s a good chance you’ve passed interesting places dozens of times without knowing much about them.

23. Check Out a Pop-Up

Temporary exhibits, seasonal installations, chef pop-ups, markets, immersive experiences, and limited-run events can give you something different to experience.

Keep an eye on local event calendars and social pages for things that are only around for a short time.

24. Take a Little Road Trip

Choose somewhere 30 minutes to two hours away that you’ve never explored.

A small downtown. A waterfront town. A historic district. A farm. A great restaurant. A scenic area. A small museum.

Put on a playlist, grab some snacks, and make the drive part of the day.

25. Let Someone Else Choose

Sometimes you want to go out, but making one more decision sounds exhausting.

Ask a friend to plan the outing. Let your partner surprise you. Put a few ideas in a bowl and draw one. Search what’s happening nearby and choose something that catches your attention.

Taking the decision off your plate may be all you need to get moving.

Which One Feels Good? Go With It!

You don’t need to turn this into a 25-item checklist.

Which idea made you pause and think, “That sounds good”?

Start there.

Check the calendar. Invite someone if you want company. Make the reservation. Buy the ticket. Or take yourself.

And when you discover something you really enjoy, remember it. Keep a note in your phone, save the place, or start your own list of things you’d happily do again.

Over time, you’ll have your own answer ready whenever you find yourself thinking that you need to get out of the house.

What’s Going On?

Finding something fun to do should eventually be even easier.

As Love YU grows, What’s Going On? can help you discover events, activities, experiences, and places worth checking out, so you can spend less time searching for something to do and more time actually doing it.

For now, you’ve got 25 places to start.

See what sounds good and go have some fun.