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

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

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Open house snooping - Adopt a character and go check out all the homes for sale in your area.

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Get into nature - 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.

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Cooking night - 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!

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Celebrate a weird holiday - There are tons of seemingly random holidays, and you can celebrate one nearly every day of the year.

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Teach someone a skill - 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.

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Game nights - 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!).

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Volunteer - 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.

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Walk through town -

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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Get lost - 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.

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Shift your social time -

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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Escape rooms - These are pure magic for bonding.

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Take up a class - 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.

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Plus ones - Bring someone as a plus one to an actual event or party.

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Bake things -

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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High tea - 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!

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

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Drawing party - 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.

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

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Go to a comedy club - You can laugh at things that are actually funny without drinking!

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

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Collaborate on a want-to-do spreadsheet -

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

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

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Start a book club - It doesn’t matter if you’re reading Dostoyevsky or the latest erotica—call upon those bookworms.

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Go to a concert - 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.

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Find a sober bar -

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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Make sober friends -

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

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