The weekend arrives.
You have finished work, there are no appointments in the diary and nobody has messaged asking if you fancy doing something.
At first, having absolutely nothing planned can sound brilliant.
Then Saturday afternoon arrives and you realise you have spent three hours scrolling through your phone wondering what everybody else is doing.
If that sounds familiar, you are certainly not the only one.
Having a quiet weekend does not mean you need to spend the whole thing sitting indoors. There are plenty of things to do alone at the weekend, and some of them might even introduce you to new places, hobbies and people along the way.
Here are 21 ideas worth trying.
1. Explore Somewhere Local You Have Never Visited
You do not need to travel across the country to have a day out.
Most of us have places surprisingly close to home that we have never properly explored.
Search for:
- local parks
- nature reserves
- historic buildings
- markets
- riverside walks
- independent shopping areas
- nearby villages
Pick somewhere you have never visited and give yourself a couple of hours to wander around.
You might be surprised by what is sitting almost on your doorstep.
2. Go for Coffee Somewhere New
There is something strangely refreshing about sitting in a café you have never visited before.
Take a book, listen to a podcast or simply sit somewhere with a coffee and watch the world go by.
Independent cafés can also be a good way to discover what is happening locally because many display posters advertising classes, events and community groups.
3. Take Yourself Out for Breakfast
Going for breakfast alone can feel much easier than going to a restaurant alone in the evening.
Find somewhere that does a good breakfast, leave the house early and start your weekend properly.
You might discover that doing things by yourself is much less awkward than you imagined.
4. Find a Local Walking Route
Walking is one of the easiest ways to get out of the house without needing much planning.
Look for routes around:
- local parks
- canals
- woodland
- rivers
- lakes
- countryside trails
You can listen to music or a podcast while you walk, or simply enjoy having some time away from screens.
5. Visit a Local Market
Markets are perfect when you want to go somewhere without needing a specific activity.
You can browse food stalls, handmade products, antiques or local businesses without feeling like you need to stay for hours.
Food markets are particularly good because you can make lunch part of the trip.
6. Go to the Cinema
The cinema might be one of the easiest activities to do alone.
Once the film starts, nobody is talking anyway.
Choose something you genuinely want to see rather than waiting for somebody else to be interested.
You may quickly realise that you have been missing films simply because your friends did not fancy watching them.
7. Start a Personal Weekend Project
Not every weekend needs to involve going somewhere.
Choose something you have been meaning to do and turn it into a project.
It could be:
- reorganising a room
- building something
- starting a website
- sorting old photographs
- creating a garden area
- learning basic photography
- finally finishing a book
The important thing is choosing something that feels satisfying rather than another chore.
8. Try Geocaching
Geocaching is essentially a giant outdoor treasure hunt.
People hide small containers in locations around the world and record their coordinates online.
You then use your phone or GPS to find them.
There are likely to be plenty hidden surprisingly close to where you live.
It is a good excuse to explore somewhere new while having an actual objective rather than simply wandering around.
9. Visit a Museum or Gallery
Museums and galleries are another activity that works extremely well when you are alone.
You can spend as much or as little time as you want looking at something without worrying about whether the person you are with is bored.
Many museums around the UK are also free.
10. Discover a New Hobby
A free weekend is a good opportunity to try something you have always been curious about.
That could include:
- photography
- drawing
- cooking
- gardening
- gaming
- cycling
- running
- fishing
- crafts
- learning an instrument
You do not need to immediately invest hundreds of pounds.
Try something simple first and see whether you actually enjoy it.
11. Find a Local Event
There are events happening in towns and cities every weekend that most people never hear about.
Search for things like:
- food festivals
- comedy nights
- live music
- exhibitions
- community fairs
- car shows
- craft markets
- sports events
- outdoor cinema
You might discover that your area has far more happening than you realised.
12. Visit Somewhere You Normally Drive Past
Most people have one of these places.
You drive past it regularly and think:
“I should go there sometime.”
Then you never do.
This weekend, go.
It could be a garden centre, park, restaurant, historic building or walking trail.
Sometimes the easiest ideas are the places we have been ignoring for years.
13. Learn to Cook Something Completely New
Instead of making your usual dinner, choose something you have never cooked before.
Find a recipe that looks interesting, buy the ingredients and make an evening of it.
Try a dish from a country whose food you rarely cook.
Even if it goes slightly wrong, you have still done something different.
14. Go for a Long Drive With No Particular Destination
Pick a direction and explore.
You could stop when you see somewhere interesting, find somewhere for lunch or discover a town you have never visited.
Obviously, plan sensibly and make sure you know roughly where you are going.
But not every trip needs a detailed itinerary.
15. Photograph Your Local Area
You do not need an expensive camera.
Your phone is more than enough.
Give yourself a challenge to photograph ten interesting things around your local area.
Architecture.
Nature.
Street art.
Animals.
Interesting buildings.
Sunsets.
You start noticing things you normally walk straight past.
16. Visit a Bookshop or Library
Even if you are not a huge reader, libraries and bookshops can be surprisingly relaxing places to spend an hour.
Browse something completely outside your usual interests.
You might find a new hobby, subject or author you had never considered before.
17. Try a Fitness Class
Gyms and leisure centres often run classes where people simply turn up and join in.
It could be:
- yoga
- spinning
- boxing
- circuits
- swimming
- climbing
- martial arts
You get something productive from your weekend and there is also a social element without the pressure of having to introduce yourself to everybody.
18. Volunteer for Something Local
If you regularly find yourself wondering what to do at weekends, volunteering can be a brilliant option.
Local charities, animal organisations, community projects and events often need extra help.
You get out of the house, contribute to something worthwhile and naturally spend time around other people.
19. Join a Local Activity Instead of Waiting for an Invitation
One of the easiest traps to fall into is waiting for somebody else to organise your social life.
Instead, look for something already happening.
That might be:
- a walking group
- board game night
- running club
- football group
- photography walk
- pub quiz
- book club
You do not necessarily need to know anybody before you arrive.
Everybody had a first visit at some point.
20. Message Someone You Have Not Seen in a While
Sometimes the simplest weekend plan is sitting in your contacts already.
Think about somebody you used to enjoy spending time with but have gradually lost touch with.
Send them a message.
You do not need a dramatic reason.
Something as simple as:
“It’s been ages. Fancy grabbing a coffee sometime?”
can restart a friendship that had simply gone quiet.
21. Find Somebody Nearby Who Also Wants to Do Something
There is another possibility.
You might not actually want to spend the weekend alone.
The problem might simply be that the people you normally know are busy, live too far away or are not interested in the same things.
There are plenty of people in exactly the same position.
Somebody near you might also be looking for a walking buddy, someone to grab coffee with, a gaming friend or somebody to go to a local event with.
Friends Nearby is designed to help people across the UK discover others locally who are genuinely looking for friendship.
You can find people based on location and shared interests, start chatting and see whether there is something you would both like to do.
There is no need to force anything.
Sometimes a weekend plan starts with nothing more complicated than:
“Fancy a coffee?”
Stop Waiting for the Perfect Plan
One of the biggest reasons weekends disappear is because we wait for something exciting to happen.
Sometimes you have to create the plan yourself.
You do not need a huge group of friends.
You do not need an expensive day out.
And you definitely do not need every weekend to look impressive on social media.
Pick one thing from this list and do it.
The worst that happens is you discover it is not for you.
The best that happens?
You find a new favourite place, discover a hobby, meet somebody interesting or simply have a much better weekend than the one you would have spent sitting on the sofa.
