New to Seattle?
Welcome! Chances are you’ve had at least one person warn you about the Seattle Freeze. There is an ongoing debate whether it’s a real phenomenon or not, but essentially it has to do with the belief that people in Seattle are reserved, antisocial, and somewhat cold to newcomers and neighbors alike. If you feel like you’re having a hard time meeting people and making friends in Seattle, one thing is certain: you’re not the only one. Making new friends in any city can be hard! That’s why we asked our followers for their best tips and tricks for making friends in the Emerald City. Read on for their advice.
Here’s 12 helpful tips on how to meet people in Seattle, according to locals:
1. Become a dog person
Obviously don’t adopt a dog if you’re not ready for the commitment, but many Seattleites have found common interests and community through their beloved furry family members:
“Own a dog.”
“Get a dog – you’ll be greeted more often since it’s a very dog-friendly city. It also forces you to get outside regularly regardless of weather.”
“Have a dog with you.”
“Spend time at dog parks.”
“Borrow a friend’s dog and go to a dog park.”
2. Get into hiking
Meeting other people while hiking was another common suggestion, whether you join a group or strike out on your own:
“Go on a hike.”
“Hit any popular trailhead midday on a Saturday in June.”
“Join a mountaineering group.”
“Join a hiking group…striving along in mutual endeavors where you get to express personalities because you’re all kinds stuck together. Just keep going with the group or find a new one if you don’t click.”
3. Volunteer
Many Seattleites suggested volunteering. Even if you don’t meet your new best friend, you’ll spend some time socializing and you’ll feel good about doing good—a win/win.
“Do more volunteer work and attend social events.”
“Get involved in a charity.”
4. Get involved with your neighborhood and community
You don’t have to leave your neighborhood to make connections. Seattleites suggested being an active present in your immediate neighborhood, your local library (there are 27 locations of the Seattle Public Library!), and community gardens (also called P-Patches here).
“Go to the public library.”
“Library events, town hall meetings, etc.”
“Join a community garden.”
“Talk to your neighbors.”
“Get in community. Find local spaces, pop-ups, and trainings. There is a deep and sweet well of supportive community here, but you have to engage to find it.”
One Seattleite also recommended Club Cascadia, a community for women in Seattle.
5. Join a club
With just a little bit of digging, you’re sure to find a welcoming club in Seattle that speaks to your interests. Here are some suggestions from locals:
“Cold plunge parties at Alki and Magnuson!!! Join us!”
“Join Cascade Bicycle Club.”
“A book club.”
“I have met a lot of great people in the Seattle Cocktail group and the Silent Book Reading meetups.”
“Join a club, book club, soccer club, dance club!”
“Come hang out and play chess on Monday evenings!” (This person was referring to Chess Club.)
“Join a club, athletic or climbing, biking, wine tasting, etc. Anything with similar interests.”
“Find common interest groups and consistently show up and participate.”
6. Use social media
If you have a hard time putting yourself out there in person, start online. Here are some suggestions from Seattleites:
“Seattle Girl Group on Facebook.”
“Local Facebook groups (for parents/hobbies/etc).”
“Paddle Boarding; join the Seattle SUP Facebook page.”
“There’s a Meetup group called Seattle Thaw just for this purpose!!”
“When you come across people on socials that seem to be up to some cool things, reach out and see if they want to grab coffee/go for a walk/etc!”
“Met a lot of my WA friends through Instagram. Kinda crazy but it’s a small world. You’ll start to ‘know people’ from accounts you follow. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you make a connection. Hiking or grabbing a coffee is an easy first friend date.”
7. Sign up for a class
“Take some classes,” was a common suggestion from locals:
“Sign up for Underdog Sports, the Mountaineers, or other classes.”
“Take classes for anything that interests you. You’ll get to know a number of people with a similar interest. Same goes for volunteer work and sports.”
“Ballroom dancing, swing or tango.”
“Learn to dance at Century Ballroom. It’s such a friendly space with so many different styles to choose from.”
8. Hang out at local coffee shops and bars
Many Seattleites suggested using your nearest coffee shops for meeting other people, as well as your local bar:
“Talk to your barista.”
“Some of the coffee shops in Columbia city and West Seattle are good places [to meet people].”
“Go sit at a neighborhood bar on a weekday happy hour. Take a book. Ask your bartender how they’re doing. Be open to conversation with whoever sits down next to you, even if they’re not what you’re looking for. Meeting new people is a numbers game. Maybe it happens, maybe you get some reading done and have a nice drink. But keep trying.”
“My advice is your local sports bars – Buckley’s on Queen Anne is awesome, as is the Queen Anne Beerhall.”
“Fremont has some great local, friendly bars. Mr. B’s Meadry is a fun place.”
Here are some of the best coffee shops in Seattle according to locals, as well as Seattleites’ favorite bars.
9. Try sports
Many Seattleites recommended that you “engage in group exercise/sports” to meet other people:
“Seattle Bouldering Project is a great place to meet new folks!”
“Learn to play Pickleball—it’s very popular and attracts every age group.”
“PLAY DODGEBALL!!! Or any sport really. Even Crossfit. Or go to a climbing gym. Gravitate toward healthy fun activities and you’ll meet healthy fun people.”
“I met my best friend here playing golf as a single. Hard to have a terrible time playing a sport you love alongside other participants.”
10. Explore the Seattle nightlife and music scene
Even if you’re not a big partier, Seattle’s nightlife is worth exploring because of the diverse live music options and the people that you’ll meet.
“Go out to live music events.”
“There is so, so much awesome nightlife happening in the clubs in SoDo, Pioneer Square, Capitol Hill, First Hill and countless other neighborhoods.”
Check out our guides to the best live music venues in Seattle and the top Seattle nightclubs.
11. Be the thaw
Finally, many Seattleites said that you have to thaw the Freeze yourself:
“Do what you love. Go for walks. Sit in the parks. Join a protest. Support local restaurants, cafes. Go to farmers markets. Explore the waterfront. Go dancing. Remember only 35% of the local population is born and raised here. If there is a Seattle freeze, you can be the thaw.”
“You simply have to speak up. People will talk and they are friendly. I think the ‘freeze’ goes both ways.”
“Be an initiator. The one to plan coffees and backyard BBQs in the summer.”
“Show up to things, say yes, be an inviter. Whenever I invite people, they generally say yes!”
“Say hi. Honestly, I’ve met so many people just from striking up conversations with other parents at the playground. Personally I haven’t experienced any ‘freeze’ since moving here. Most people seem pretty friendly.”
“Talk to as many of us as possible and find the connection. I grew up here and the Seattle freeze is a thing, not because they are assholes but most people are introverted here and exclusive with their circle.”
“If you want something you have to initiate it. So being friendly, and being the person to initiate it, has been my secret.”
“Actually look people in the eye and start convos with them. Many people here are actually craving that connection too.”
“Compliment their dog or ask what their favorite hiking trail is.”
“Tell them they have a nice Subaru and awesome socks while wearing Birkenstock sandals.”
12. And if all else fails…
“Buy a boat,” one Seattleite suggested.
Do that, and you’ll have more friends than you can handle (in the summer, at least).