40+ Fun & Memorable Things to Do with Your Best Friend

Live life to the fullest with your best friend at your side using this list of creative ideas

Co-authored by Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: March 6, 2023 References

Looking for exciting activities to add to your bucket list of things to do with your best friend? Luckily for you, the options are just about endless! From exploring unfamiliar places to learning new skills and hobbies together, there’s always something for you and your best friend to do together. But, if the sheer amount of possibilities feels overwhelming, the handy list of activities below may help you figure out exactly what you want to do with your BFF next.

Things You Should Know

Try a few activities in the comfort of your own home, like a game night, spa day, or movie marathon with your best friend.
Get outside and do outdoorsy things with your best friend. You could go to a bonfire, go hiking, or go camping together.
Visit thrilling new places with your best friend. You could try a new restaurant, go on a quick road trip, or plan an entire vacation abroad with your BFF.

1

Do a themed movie marathon.

Make an entire day out of watching your favorite movies with your BFF. What’s more fun than kicking back on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and one of your favorite people in the world? Choose a theme for your movie marathon, and put together a list of movies that fit in with that theme. Then, spend the day (or night) watching them all!^{[1]
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- For example, you and your BFF might decide you’re in the mood for a day of disaster thrillers, so your watchlist might include Twister, San Andreas, and 2012.

2

Have a spa day.

Kick back with your favorite spa treatments in the comfort of your home. Confer with your BFF and figure out what kind of spa treatments both of you are in the mood for. For example, the two of you could apply face masks, give one another manicures, or soak your feet in bath salts. All in all, having a DIY spa day can be a relaxing escape for both of you.^{[2]
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- If you have the funds, you could make it a real spa day! Pick a spa and book a couple of treatments you can do with your best friend there.

3

Binge-watch a TV show.

Pick a show you’ve been wanting to watch and enjoy it with your BFF. Do you and your best friend have similar tastes in TV shows? If so, start a show you’re both excited about (or re-watch an old mutual favorite). To complete the experience, bring a few of your favorite snacks and drinks, and have your bestie do the same.^{[3]
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- Even if you and your best friend don’t always watch the same shows, you could treat this as an opportunity to introduce one another to your favorite shows and take turns watching one another’s TV picks.

4

Pick up a brand new hobby.

Try something that both of you find exciting and want to learn about. Luckily, there are so many different hobbies out there for you and your best friend to try. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a few different activities until you find one you can both enjoy together and keep doing on a regular basis.^{[4]
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- This brand-new hobby could be anything, from an artistic activity like painting, making pottery, or playing guitar to physical activities like archery or martial arts.

5

Go on a hike together.

Enjoy the great outdoors, either on a new trail or an old favorite. If you and your best friend are outdoorsy types, head out on a nearby hiking trail and spend a few hours out in the woods (or up in the mountains). Bring some snacks and plenty of water so the two of you can enjoy a makeshift picnic while you’re out on the trail, too.^{[5]
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6

Have an all-day shopping spree.

Expand your wardrobe with your best friend’s help. There are lots of ways to make shopping fun! You could pick out clothes for one another to shake things up, try on wild new clothes you normally wouldn’t think to wear, or just be there to give one another encouragement as you try on clothes. You can even help one another pick out the best outfits to take home at the end of the day.^{[6]
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- While you’re shopping, why not pick out matching BFF jewelry? You could get bracelets, necklaces, or some other token to represent your friendship.

7

Learn a new language.

You and your BFF can motivate one another to keep learning. After all, picking up a new language takes time and practice—but with your BFF egging you on and learning at the same pace as you, you’ll both be able to stick with it. Pick a language that both of you are eager to learn more about, and start teaching yourselves using an app like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone.^{[7]
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- If you aren’t sure what language to learn, there are plenty of ways to make a decision. You could pick a language based on your heritage (or your BFF’s), or choose based on a country you’d like to visit together.

8

Have a board game night.

Board games are a fun and easy way to pass the time with your BFF. On a board game night, come prepared with a pile of your and your best friend’s favorite games—plus snacks and drinks, of course. Work your way through the stack of games (and, if you both tend to be competitive, keep track of your wins and losses as you play).^{[8]
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- Are video games more your thing? Have a video game night with your bestie rather than a board game night, and play fun, exciting 2-player games like Mario Kart or Overcooked.

9

Play games via video call.

Game virtually with your BFF when you can’t meet in person. Whether you live far apart or just can’t meet in person at the moment, games can help you stay connected despite the distance. You could play a board game if both of you have the same one, play a game of cards online using the Playing Cards website, or play an online game like Fortnite or Minecraft together.
- You could also use an app like Words with Friends or Yahtzee with Buddies.
- If you’d rather skip the apps and online games, you could play a game of “Would You Rather?” or “Truth or Dare?” while on a video call.

10

Take a class together.

Scheduled classes are a great way to see your BFF regularly. Find a class you’re both interested in taking and sign up together. You could look for classes at a local community college, take an online course, or look for listings based on the skill you want to learn—like running an online search for a cooking class in your area, for example.^{[9]
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- There are plenty of online classes you can take using platforms like Skillshare and MasterClass.

11

Read the same book at the same time.

Start your own book club with your BFF and discuss what you're reading. Do you and your BFF both like to read? If so, there’s no better activity for bookworm besties than a two-person book club where you can pick booths you’re both interested in, quietly read together, and talk about how much you liked (or disliked) the book afterward.^{[10]
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12

Have a picnic.

Picnics are a simple, relaxing way to get out of the house with your BFF. First, plan the picnic. Choose the menu and talk about what kind of food you want to bring; then, coordinate with your bestie to decide who’s bringing what. Meet up (or go together) to your picnic spot of choice, lay out a blanket, enjoy your food, and bring a few games or some music for added fun.^{[11]
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- The great thing about picnics is that you can have them just about anywhere. Are you and your BFF fans of the beach? Head there! Do you live near a charming local park? That’s another perfect spot.

13

Try a new restaurant.

Visiting new restaurants can help you get out of your comfort zone. Plus, you never know when you’ll find your next favorite breakfast cafe or delicious hole-in-the-wall burger joint! Agree to go to one new restaurant every month with your BFF; that way, you’ll have regularly scheduled time with your bestie and a chance to try new foods.^{[12]
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- Alternatively, on days when both of you are looking for comfort food, you could go to your favorite restaurant together.

14

Go camping together.

Sleep out under the stars and take a break from the real world. If you and your BFF need a little break from your daily lives, camping can be the perfect getaway. You can set up tents, cook hot dogs around a fire, and spend the night in the great outdoors. Or, if you need a little luxury, you could always rent a cabin (or camper) and go glamping together.^{[13]
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- Come up with some activities you can do while camping, too. You could go fishing together, catch fireflies, or do some stargazing when night falls.

15

Go to a bonfire.

Roast marshmallows, tell ghost stories, and enjoy the warmth of the fire. Even if camping isn’t your thing, it’s always nice to sit outside around a roaring fire and spend quality time with your best friend. Find a local bonfire to attend, or, if you have access to a safe and secure fire pit, you could always light your own bonfire instead.^{[14]
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- If you live near the water, plenty of local beaches host bonfire nights.
- While you and your BFF are seated around the fire, there’s still plenty for you to do! You can make s’mores, stargaze, or sing a few of your favorite campfire songs.

16

Watch a movie while video-calling each other.

Start the movie at the same time, so the two of you can watch it together. Even when you’re not sitting on the same couch, watching a movie with your bestie can be lots of fun. Pick a movie and play it while on a video call, and simply keep the video call running for the entirety of the movie.
- Be sure to pause it when either of you gets up for a bathroom break or snack, so you can start and finish the movie together.

17

Have an arts and crafts day.

Pick a few different artsy activities you’d like to try with your BFF. All you need to do is clear away some space on your floor or kitchen table for crafting and get your hands on any materials you’ll need. You could do anything from designing your own bracelets to making DIY soap or building a suncatcher for your window. The world is your oyster when it comes to planning an arts and craft day!^{[15]
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18

Bake something delicious together.

The best part of baking with friends is sharing a sweet treat afterward. Choose a recipe you’d like to try, whether it’s an old standby or something brand new. You could bake and decorate a cake, make a sweet fruit pie, or bake a few batches of your favorite cookies. When you’re finished baking, kick back and dig into your baked goods with your BFF.^{[16]
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- If you’re in the mood for something savory rather than something sweet, you could always cool a brand-new recipe for lunch or dinner with your friend instead.
- There are also plenty of ways to find recipe ideas. For example, you could consult a cookbook or look for viral recipes on social media platforms like Tik Tok and Pinterest.

19

Visit the nearest beach (or pool).

Chill beach days are the perfect summer activity. When there’s warm weather in your area, why not grab your bestie for a day at the beach? Lay out on the beach, chat and play games, and of course, go for a swim in the water. Depending on where you live, you could go to a seaside beach, head to the beach at a nearby lake, or go to a community pool if you prefer.^{[17]
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20

Go on a road trip together.

Road trips are great for exploring new places and unknown routes. If you and your BFF are the types to plan everything to a T, take some time to plan out your car route and the stops you’d like to make along the way. If you’re a more spontaneous duo, throw some essentials in your bag and see where the road takes you!^{[18]
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- It’s completely up to you whether you want to take a weekend-long road trip or a two-week-long road trip. Sometimes, even a short vacation can be the perfect little getaway.

21

Spend a day exploring the nearest city.

Discover new attractions and shops with your BFF at your side. Whether you’re a couple of hours away from the nearest city or live right in it, there’s always something new to see or do; that’s the magic of a city! Make a day out of exploring sites and places that neither of you has ever been to—and make a list of your new favorite attractions at the end of it.^{[19]
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22

Have a sleepover.

Recreate those amazing sleepovers you used to have as a younger child. Bring all your favorite sleepover junk foods, or simply order some food for delivery. Spend the night catching up with your BFF, reminiscing, and doing all your favorite sleepover activities—from watching movies to setting up a pillow fort in your living room.^{[20]
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- You could even pull an all-nighter. Stay awake from dusk until dawn with your bestie…but be prepared to take a nap the next day.

23

Visit a drive-in movie theater.

Drive-ins offer a fun, unique experience in contrast to traditional theaters. If you and your BFF like movies, go see a movie in style at the local drive-in theater. Since you’ll be sitting inside your own car (or on the hood of your car with a blanket), you and your bestie can chat, snack, and joke around all you want during the movie.^{[21]
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- Some towns and cities also offer outdoor movies in local parks, where you can sit on a blanket or lawn chair and watch the film. Check your local listings to see if there are any drive-in (or outdoor movies) available.

24

Go bowling together.

Bowling is fun and engaging, regardless of your skill level. Whether you’re uncannily good at scoring strikes or just get nonstop gutter balls, hitting the bowling lanes with your bestie promises to be a good time. You can have a friendly competition, enjoy a few snacks and drinks, and level up your bowling skills together.^{[22]
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- Bowling can also be a fun double date option if you and your BFF both have significant others (or, at least, people you’re dating).

25

Make playlists for one another.

Show your BFF how much you love them by creating a playlist. First, think about all the songs they love most. What songs do they listen to when they need cheering up? What songs remind them of good times with you? Compile a list of their favorite tunes—with a few of your own favorites tossed in. In short, make a playlist that tells your BFF how important they are to you.
- Think about songs that might be significant to the two of you and your friendship, specifically. Maybe there’s a song you used to jam out to at school dances or a song they recommended to you that you really loved.
- The more meaningful each song in the playlist is, the more meaningful that playlist will be for your BFF.

26

Go on a dessert crawl.

Spend the day sampling sweet treats with your bestie. What’s even better than a pub crawl? A dessert crawl! Pick several dessert restaurants or bakeries in your area that you or your BFF have been dying to try, then visit them all one after the other. This is a great way to eat delicious food and find your new favorite dessert places for the future.
- At each dessert spot, you and your BFF could each order something and then sample one another’s picks. You could even rate them after all is said and done and decide which dessert was the cream of the crop.
- Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned pub crawl, either. If you and your bestie prefer grabbing drinks to grabbing dessert, hit up a few local bars instead.

27

See your favorite band together.

Concerts are more fun with a friend who loves them as much as you do. Are there any musicians you and your best friend both absolutely adore? If the answer is yes, then keep an eye out for concert tickets and see if your BFF would want to go see that musician with you. After all, the one thing better than belting out the lyrics to your favorite songs at a live show is doing it with your friend right next to you.^{[23]
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- You could also look for music festivals for you and your BFF to go to together, and spend a few days chilling outside while listening to live music.

28

Plan a trip abroad.

Traveling with your BFF is a great way to make lifelong memories. Have you and your best friend ever wanted to explore outside your home country? Turn that dream into a reality and plan a trip abroad together. You might not be able to jet off right away, but after some budgeting and preparation, you and your bestie could get out there and see the world.^{[24]
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- Don’t worry if you don’t have the funds to book a trip right away. Start by doing some research on potential places you could go together and find out roughly how much it would cost.
- Then, after saving your money to the point that you and your BFF can afford the trip, go for it! There's no better way to spend time together than to visit a place you've always wanted to see together.

29

Sign up for a fitness challenge together.

Doing a fitness challenge with a friend can help you stick to your regimen. Plus, it’s more fun when you’ve got a buddy! Commit to a long-term fitness challenge or goal that you and your friend could reasonably do. It could be anything from running a half marathon to deciding to do 100 pushups every day.^{[25]
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- Consider downloading a fitness tracking app on your phone that allows you to share your fitness activity with friends and track each other’s progress as you go.

30

Have a BFF photoshoot.

Taking selfies is a great way to preserve memories of your friendship. You can always snap a few simple selfies of you and your BFF, or turn it into a full-fledged photoshoot if you have the time! Come up with a photoshoot theme and stylish outfits to wear, and find a spot with a cool backdrop for photos.^{[26]
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- Once you have your photos, you could even print and frame one for your BFF (or to keep in your room, alternatively).

31

Sing a few karaoke duets.

Karaoke gives you the chance to let loose and party with your BFF. After all, it doesn’t matter how good a singer you are—karaoke is about committing to the song and belting out the lyrics in front of you with wild abandon. Thus, it only becomes more fun when you have your best friend doing the exact same thing next to you!^{[27]
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- You could also set up a karaoke machine at home for you and your BFF and have a DIY karaoke night.

32

Visit an amusement park.

Spend the day zipping around on roller coasters and other thrill rides. Even the most intimidating rides can seem more doable when your bestie is there next to you, right? Go to an amusement park with your best friend, and—if both of you are roller coaster people—make a point to ride all the biggest, craziest coasters together.^{[28]
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33

Volunteer for a cause you both believe in.

Volunteering is a great way to bond with your BFF and make a difference. Maybe you and your BFF both feel strongly about animal welfare, or you’re passionate about the environment. If there’s a common cause that unites you, why not find volunteer positions together? You could volunteer once a week or once a month and spend some time giving back to your community as a team.^{[29]
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- For example, if you and your BFF are both animal lovers, you could always see if your local animal shelter has a need for volunteers.

34

Host a barbeque.

Work together to plan and throw the perfect summer cookout. First, find a space to host, like a nearby park or one of each other’s backyards, and a date that will work for all your guests. Then, decide who’ll be responsible for each food and drink you plan on bringing to the event. You’ll need more than just meat; figure out who can bring sides like a potato salad, roasted vegetables, and iced beverages.^{[30]
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- If you like fancier parties, you could host a dinner party together instead. Dress up, invite all your friends, and cook a feast for dinner with your friend’s help.

35

Go wine-tasting.

Drinking wine with your BFF is the perfect way to spend a lazy weekend. Schedule an appointment at a winery that’ll allow you to spend the day taste-testing their selection. Alternatively, go to a wine-tasting event at a local restaurant or festival that you can attend together. Just make sure you call a taxi afterward or bring a designated driver.

36

Write each other letters to open in the future.

A heartfelt letter to your BFF will bring you even closer in time. You’ve heard of time capsules—so why not try a version of that with just you and your best friend? Write letters to one another expressing your dreams for the future and how you hope your best friend will be involved in your life. Then, seal up your letters, exchange them, and decide how long you’ll wait to open them.^{[31]
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- The amount of time you wait is totally up to you and your BFF. You could hang onto the letters for 10 years, 20 years, or more.
- If you like the idea of a full-fledged time capsule, you could do more than just write letters. You and your best friend could place a few sentimental items in a jar or airtight container, and agree on a date to open the capsule again.

37

Give one another a makeover.

Test your makeup and fashion skills and give each other a new look. Use your makeup supplies to help your best friend try out a new style, and combine (or swap) your wardrobes to create fun new outfits. You could even turn each makeover into a challenge—for example, you could limit the makeup colors to a specific set or do each other’s makeup blindfolded.^{[32]
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- If a makeover with makeup and clothing isn’t your cup of tea, you could try a different kind of makeover—like rearranging or redecorating one of your bedrooms, for example.

38

Try an extreme sport together.

Extreme sports can give you and a thrill-seeker BFF an adrenaline rush. Do you and your best friend both enjoy activities that really get your blood pumping? Then try an extreme sport you haven’t yet dipped your toe into. For example, you could try zip-lining or cave diving—or, if you prefer, you could find an indoor rock climbing or skydiving facility for an adrenaline-packed adventure closer to your neighborhood.
- You could even turn your mutual love of extreme sports into a getaway trip, and travel to spots where you can knock off some bucket list activities like wakeboarding, parasailing, or mountain boarding.

39

Make signature cocktails for one another.

Personalized drinks can show your BFF how well you know them. Choose their preferred alcoholic beverage for the base, whether it’s Scotch or flavored vodka. Then, pair the spirit with some ingredients, mixers, or liqueurs your BFF might enjoy. Once you’ve tested and made the cocktail, give it a name! Be sure to theme it after your friend—maybe their nickname or an inside joke that reminds you of them.
- If you aren’t sure what to mix with the base spirit, look up recipes online using that spirit to find compatible ingredients.

40

Make a scrapbook of your best memories.

Scrapbooking your friendship can be nostalgic and fun for both of you. Start by gathering up anything sentimental related to your friendship that could fit inside a scrapbook: photos, drawings, pressed flowers, ticket stubs, and so on. Then, arrange everything in the scrapbook with your BFF so that you both have a treasured memento of your time together.^{[33]
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- You could each make your own scrapbook—or, if you prefer, you could take turns holding onto a single scrapbook that the two of you make together.