Let’s get social: 10 interesting clubs to join in metro Atlanta

New to the city and looking to make new friends? Been here a while but want to reinvigorate your social life? Want to get off the dating apps and meet people in person?

No matter what your goals are, the good news is that Atlanta is a dynamic city with clubs and organizations that make it easy to network and meet others while learning something new and giving back to the community. The list below is comprised of social clubs that are very active, friendly and a great way to start if you’re looking to put yourself out there.

Atlanta Outdoor Club

Join the Atlanta Outdoor Club for opportunities to hike, bike, raft, climb, backpack, camp, kayak and more across Georgia’s stunning terrain with other fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Activities are hosted year-round and are divided into difficulty ratings for the more experienced adventurer to the newbie explorer. Membership is free, but make sure that you sign up ahead of time for a planned activity.

Website: atlantaoutdoorclub.com

Atlanta Social Club

Atlanta Social Club is a group that brings together women across Atlanta to develop lasting friendships that are “happy, healthy and helping.” Whether you just moved to Atlanta or have lived here for a while, you will find plenty of opportunities to grow your social circle thanks to a membership count of over 23,000 women and growing. The club promotes local businesses, job postings, roommates and housing, health and wellness events, volunteering and more.

Website: atlsocial.com

Atlanta Sport and Social Club

Get fit, competitive and social all at the same time when you sign up for a recreational sports league. Atlanta Sport and Social Club offers year-round sports leagues, from soccer, basketball and softball to kickball, ultimate frisbee and cornhole. Worried about your skill level? Leagues are separated into levels from A (competitive) to B (intermediate) and C (purely social and perfect for beginners). Off the field, get to know your teammates (and opposing teams) by grabbing a beer at several bars and restaurants that have special discounts for league members.

Website: atlantasportandsocialclub.com

Community Bucket

Experience “Service Made Social” with Community Bucket, a nonprofit organization focused on social volunteering and networking opportunities for young professionals. “Community” entails learning more about issues that are affecting local neighborhoods and giving back through service, while making new like-minded friends. The volunteer club started in Atlanta and has since grown to Austin and Denver, and hopes to continue expanding.

Website: communitybucket.com

CreativeMornings

CreativeMornings is an international organization focused on fostering a community of creative talent, located within 224 cities across 67 countries. The Atlanta chapter of CreativeMornings hosts breakfast talks at no cost, inviting creative movers and shakers across the Atlanta arts sphere to share their stories and inspire the city’s thriving creative scene. The CreativeMornings website also features a “social network” of member profiles to spark connections beyond in-person events.

Website: creativemornings.com/cities/atl

InterNations Atlanta

InterNations is an international networking organization with 420 chapters around the world dedicated to bringing together globally-minded people. Whether you just moved to Atlanta from another country, or were born and raised here and are interested in different cultures, consider joining the Atlanta chapter. Events include happy hour socials, as well as dinner groups and hiking activities.

Website: internations.org

M+M Ride

Calling all cyclists! Grab your bikes and head over to Georgia Beer Garden on Mondays to pedal with M+M Ride, a popular social cycling group. The ride begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. and is usually around 12 miles with a 10 mph average speed. Since the rides happen during the evening, don’t forget your helmet and lights. The ride also ends at the Georgia Beer Garden, where you can grab a post-ride beer and get to know your fellow cyclists and new friends.

Instagram: @mplusmride

Rotary Club of Atlanta Metro / Rotaract Club of Atlanta

The civic organization Rotary International lets you develop leadership skills, participate in service projects and make friends along the way. The Rotaract Club of Atlanta is primarily targeted at college graduates up to 32 years of age, while the Rotary Club of Atlanta Metro is targeted at young professionals above 32 (many events include a mix of both clubs). Rotary’s motto is “service above self,” so being a member of Rotary/Rotaract allows you to connect to over 1.4 million members around the world who are interested in making a measurable impact in their communities.

Websites: atlantametrorotary.org & atlantarotaract.com

Toastmasters International

When you join Toastmasters, you’ll gain confidence in public speaking and leadership while making new friends through thoughtful networking. There are over 14,000 clubs across 144 countries, so becoming a member lets you become connected to not just a local group, but a broader organization. Some Toastmasters clubs are specific to employees of certain companies; if your company has one, find out when they meet and attend a session (it’s a great way to meet coworkers). There are also many open clubs that meet across the Atlanta area. Find one near you and drop in; the first meeting is always free.

Website: toastmasters.org

Young Professionals of Atlanta (YPATL)

Meet other young professionals while exploring the city of Atlanta through YPATL (Young Professionals of Atlanta). Perfect for those who just moved to Atlanta or for those looking to network or make new friends, the organization hosts vibrant monthly socials across various venues across Atlanta (mostly ITP, with some OTP locations as well). Events include everything from raffles to free drink tickets to headshots to plenty of great people to mingle with across various industries and experiences.

Website: ypofatl.org