Quickly Grow Your Social Circles in Florida
Tips for seniors to make new friendships upon their Florida relocation
For many seniors, the thought of a better quality of life in Florida -- morning beach walks, toes in the sand and year-round sunshine -- also comes with anxiety and apprehension as they contemplate the thought of moving away from familiar faces and long-time friends to a new destination, often multiple states away.
Many wonder if they will be able to get connected in their new communities and to recreate the quality friendships they have come to know.
For those with type “A” personalities, meeting new faces and getting involved in new social circles may come easy, but for others, not so much…
Knowing ways to quickly get involved in your new community can be invaluable and can help to lessen any anxieties you may have about a future relocation to Florida.
Below are some of the best ways for seniors to get connected and to make new friendships quickly.
Best Ways to Meet Others
Seek a Master-Planned Community with Many Social Activities
When moving to Florida, master-planned communities are popular choices for many seniors due to their high-level of community interaction and social events that take place on a regular basis. While some of these communities are multi-generational and some are 55+, they embrace the concept high resident interaction through a full calendar of on-going social events, often within their walkable, centralized town center.
As an example, below are some of the common community events and social clubs that take place within the top-selling, master-planned community of
Lakewood Ranch in the Sarasota area. They even offer a Newcomers Club for people who are new to the community and are eager to meet their neighbors to start making lasting friendships.
Community Events
- Live Music Concerts
- Farmers Markets
- Community Bike Rides
- Yoga in the Park
- Classic Car Shows
Social Clubs
- Empty Nesters Club
- Senior Fitness Clubs
- Walking Clubs
- Wine & Dining Clubs
- Music Clubs
- Book Clubs
- Nationality-Specific Clubs
- Digitial Photography Clubs
- Tennis/Pickelball Clubs
- Card Playing/Bingo Clubs
Be sure to check out our
TOP 10 best-selling, master-planned communities page for a list of these popular communities around Florida.
Become an Active Volunteer
Volunteering in your new community is a great way to meet new faces while donating some time and effort towards a great cause! There are many wonderful non-profit organizations around Florida to get involved with whose missions are focused on animals, arts & culture, children, community, environmental, homelessness, housing, hunger, seniors, veterans, etc… To locate these volunteering opportunities, there are popular websites such as
Volunteer Connect and
Volunteer Match which will align you with volunteering opportunities in your local area of Florida based upon your interests and availability.
Join a Social Club or Meetup Group of Interest
Joining a local social club or Meetup group is another great way to meet others who share the same passions and interests as you. We have listed some of the many social groups that can be found on the popular
MeetUp website. Once on their site, just enter your city location to see all the exciting clubs and meetup groups that appear.
- Alumni Clubs
- Bicycling Clubs
- Boating/Sailing Clubs
- Bowling Clubs
- Dining/Brunch Clubs
- Fishing Clubs
- Golfing Clubs
- Investment Clubs
- Kayaking/Paddleboard Clubs
- Photography Clubs
- Technology Clubs
- Tennis Clubs
- Walking Clubs
- Widow/Widowers Clubs
- Yoga/Fitness Clubs
Get Involved in a Local Church
Getting involved in a local church upon your relocation is another popular way to meet new people who share a similar faith. Popular positions in churches include greeters, singing in the choir, community outreach committee, new member welcoming committee, kitchen staff for church dinners and/or assisting the elderly to and from church each week.
Contact Your Local Community Center
Contacting your local community center is a great way to meet other seniors in your area. As the name implies, these are centers that are organized for persons aged 55+ to gather for social interaction, to build friendships, and to be involved in their local community. Common activities at these centers include dances, lunches, dinners, fitness activities, theatrical and arts performances and the like. Often, there will be organized outings in the local community where seniors enjoy boat rides, tour local museums and attractions or gather at local restaurants of varying cuisines.
Become a Pet Owner
Studies show that dog owners are much more likely to meet more of their neighbors, and strangers, than non dog owners.
As your four-legged friend strolls down your neighborhood, around the city, or through a park, there's a high-probability that your best friend will act as a social "ice-breaker" and quickly engage you in friendly conversation with others. Besides increased social interactions, your four-legged friend will also provide you with increased excercise, companionship and overall improved psychological well-being.
Seek Part-Time Employment
Seeking part-time employment is another great way for seniors to get connected and to meet others in their new community. Besides supplementing one's retirement income, part-time employment allows many seniors to keep involved in their local community and to establish great friendships with their co-workers. Popular part-time jobs for seniors include tutoring, mentoring/coaching, concierge services, customer service and employment with non-profit organizations that they are passionate about.
Senior couple playing tennis outdoors
Senior woman enjoying her volunteer group
