▲Whether it's going to a dog park or an animal shelter, these cuties always provide a good time.

▲Games tend to ease any shyness and get everyone involved, plus you still get to know the more intimate parts of people (like perhaps how competitive they are!).

▲There’s so much to see and talk about, plus you’ll feel cultured instead of hungover the next day.

▲Everyone could use a good dose of nature, which likely has the opposite effect of alcohol on your body and yet can provide the same kind of release.

▲Bring someone as a plus one to an actual event or party.

▲Most people go out for drinks because it’s an easy shared interest, but you likely share other interests as well, so find out what they are—maybe thrift shopping or painting—and trade skills.

▲You can commit to the theme as much as you’d like, but it’s much better when everyone comes a little dressed up to sip tea… and spill it!

▲Getting together to make a delicious meal gives people things to do, and you get to eat it at the end. What a sweet deal!

▲Adults don’t often get the opportunity to express creativity just for the sake of it, so you’ll find that even if people need a bit of encouragement, they’ll be thankful for the chance.

▲Adopt a character and go check out all the homes for sale in your area.

▲Whether it’s building something, cleaning up a park, or helping with an event, volunteering is a casual way to bond with people over a mutual interest.

▲There are tons of seemingly random holidays, and you can celebrate one nearly every day of the year.

▲This is an adrenaline-inducing activity where you sneak into hotels to use their pools and/or hot tubs.

▲You can laugh at things that are actually funny without drinking!

▲Hanging out and helping each other run errands is an extremely productive activity. Plus, it turns your boring Saturday into a fun one.

▲It doesn’t matter if you’re reading Dostoyevsky or the latest erotica—call upon those bookworms.

▲These are pure magic for bonding.

▲You’ll be getting out of the house, plus no one will mind if you chatter through the movie in your car.

▲Go for a drive and each of you take turns calling out directions. You can get lost when you’re drinking too, but this way is much more enriching, and safe.

▲It’s great if it’s a mutually adored artist, but sometimes it’s fun to pick a random, cheap show and try it out.

▲Whether it’s organizing a tournament or putting money down on a real league, put some skin in the game.

▲Taking dance lessons or improv classes leave you with the giggles in the same way that booze can, but you’ll walk away with an improved skill instead of a damaged liver.

▲Don’t worry about how much money it costs, because you probably would’ve spent the same amount on drinks!

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Moving your social time out of traditional drinking hours will take away that feeling of missing out, especially because you’ll likely have filled your daytime so much that you won’t care if people are out drinking at night.

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Get together for an afternoon and bond over sweet goodies, then part with treats that are a much more satisfying kind of calorie than booze.

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This way you're not doing all the work, and you won't put each other in situations with alcohol.

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This is especially useful at work if you’re not sure who wants to be friends. Everyone puts things like restaurants they want to try or games they want to attend on the sheet, and anyone can RSVP.

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With people-watching and window displays, a walk offers plenty of potential conversation starters, and acts as a social-lubricant just like alcohol.

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Yes, there are bars that are for people who are staying sober! All the ambiance, with none of the booze-deluded connection.

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When it comes to socializing, many people rely on alcohol to make them feel more comfortable and to coax out an easier friendship, so much so that "going for a drink" has been embedded in many cultures' socialization. It can be a rite of passage, a post-work ritual, and it can also be more casual than a full dinner, so it has its perks, but alcohol is not the only option.

There are lots of good reasons to stop drinking—to cut calories, improve your immune system, have a clearer mind, more energy, etc.—but whatever the reason, there are tons of engaging, playful, and bond-strengthening social activities that could work for you. Click through for some inspiration.