So you’re thinking of moving to New York City. Or maybe you’ve already bought your plane ticket, or maybe you’ve already arrived. One of the best things about living in New York City is just how much there is to do in the city at all times, whatever your interests and whatever your idea of a good time. The number of shows, restaurants, museums, concerts, shops, and other activities is seemingly endless. Which likely means you’re going to want some friends to explore the city that never sleeps with.
How to find community in New York City
Luckily, New York is full of ambitious, extraverted, continually on-the-go people, who want companions for their own adventures every bit as much as you do. And finding them doesn’t have to be difficult. New York’s plethora of institutions, from the social to the artistic to the athletic to the volunteer-driven, offers many ways for newbies to the city to connect with likeminded people. Here are a few tried and true ways for newcomers to New York City to find tribes.
Get involved with a cultural institution
If art, theatre, or public parks light you up, find community in New York by joining an institution that best represents your interests. There are several ways to get involved with museums, theatres, and park conservancies, so think about what best fits with your schedule, budget, and desired level of involvement.
Those who want to dip their toes in the water first might consider joining the institution as a member. Memberships usually entail not only free admission but invitations to members-only events, including lectures, readings, preview nights, and sometimes even gallery tours or other off-site events. You’ll find these events to offer natural topics of conversation – say, a new exhibition, or the life and work of a painter you’ve just heard a lecture on – you can strike up over wine and cheese at the reception. If you’re looking to get more involved, consider joining one of the city’s many cultural institutions on the board or junior committee. You’ll be asked to roll up your sleeves with other committee members to raise money, plan parties, and dream up programing and other events, which is an easy way to forge a bond.
And don’t just look at the obvious heavy hitters when it comes to deciding which institution to get involved with. Art aficionados can look beyond the Museum of Modern Art and the Met to the Neue Galerie, for German and Austrian art, or the New Museum or Pioneer Works for contemporary. Theatregoers can expand their horizons to St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn or the Public Theatre in Noho, whereas nature lovers might wish to look beyond the Central Park Conservancy to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or the Elizabeth Street Garden, depending on where they live. Smaller institutions may afford the opportunity to get involved more substantially, and offer a more intimate environment than big name institutions.
Join a social club
Whether you’re working from home or not, it’s nice to have a secondary office and social club to call a home away from home when living in New York City. New York City’s social clubs also offer an excellent way to meet new people. Most clubs allow and encourage members to bring laptops to work on during the day, and offer a range of programming and events at night. These events are often focused on an activity – say, flower arranging or cocktail making – or feature a public figure and member as a speaker. Many have bars and restaurants attached, making it easy enough to ask your seatmate at an event if they want to talk about the event over a cocktail or meal afterwards.
There’s a type of club to fit just about every personality and interest. Buzzy members clubs like Soho House and NeueHouse have outposts in the city and focus on creatives and entrepreneurs, and buzzy new club Zero Bond is also worth a look. For those involved in the arts, the Norwood Club bills itself as arts focused, and operates out of a lovely Chelsea townhome. Some of these clubs must be applied for, while some simply require enrollment. Either way, they offer an excellent way to meet people, and invite new friends from other realms for exciting events.
Get sporty
The athletically inclined have a wealth of fitness opportunities to choose from when living in New York, many of which offer the opportunity to meet other enthusiasts. New York is full of intimate Pilates and yoga studies that foster a community atmosphere, from New York Pilates, to East River Pilates, to Yoga Vida, to Modo Yoga. Many of these studios cap attendance at a relatively small ten or twelve per class, which makes for easy conversation. Those looking for an encompassing fitness-as-lifestyle environment can sign up for Equinox, which offers classes, juice bars, free weights, saunas, and spas, offering numerous opportunities to connect. And runners should look into New York City Road Runners, which hosts community runs, as well as races, which you can form a group to train for.
Volunteer
Finally, New York City offers a number of organizations to volunteer with, which offers a natural way to meet people while getting involved in the community and doing good. Find a cause that you’re passionate about, and volunteer to help out in person. For those who care about food equality, God’s Love We Deliver is a classic New York City charity that delivers cooks and delivers meals to those too ill to shop or cook for themselves. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation sponsors cleanup days for those who want to help out outdoors, and the AMA Animal Rescue has volunteers who take care of animals waiting to be adopted. And for those who want to go hyper-local with their volunteering, many neighborhoods in the city have mutual aid networks, where you can help with everything from food delivery to gift drives, getting to know your neighbors and neighborhood in one fell swoop.
Moving to any new city can be overwhelming. When living in New York City, you’ll have endless opportunities to connect with individuals from all walks of life and backgrounds. Creating a sense of community in The Big Apple is easy when you know where to go to find your tribe.
Related content
