Popular Interest Groups and Clubs to Stay Active and Connected

After retirement, socializing and finding your “tribe”—the people who share similar interests—can get a little tricky. This is because there are fewer opportunities for you to meet new people, especially those whose passions align with yours. Here’s where clubs and local interest groups for retirees come in. These communities comprise people who work together to achieve a common goal and, in doing so, build connections with each other organically.

Hobby Clubs

Whatever your hobby—photography, bird watching, gardening, pottery, reading, or something else—doing it with the right company can make a difference. You can learn new tricks, discuss challenges, and even share your opinions and ideas with people who care about the same thing.

Ceramic Arts Network (CAN)

If pottery and ceramic artwork are things that excite you, the Ceramic Arts Network is the perfect club to join. Regardless of whether you’re a beginner experimenting with clay for the first time or an experienced ceramic artist, the community will provide opportunities to learn, showcase your work, and connect with others who appreciate the craft.

BirdForum

BirdForum is a global online community of people who all share the same hobby: bird watching. The community allows its members to share useful information with others, whether sightings, tips, facts, or photographs, so that everyone can learn about different bird species from around the world. You can expand your interest in bird watching by planning meetups or group trips with other members in the community.

Travel Clubs

Joining a travel club gives you a chance to see the world while enjoying the company of other people who also take pleasure in exploring. A cool thing about travel clubs is that they take charge of organizing entire tours, be it weekend road trips or long international getaways. They often handle booking activities, excursions, and hiring guides, so you don’t have to deal with this.

Road Scholar

If you like the educational aspect of traveling and see every trip as a learning experience, consider joining Road Scholar. This community organizes expert-led tours to places with rich history, culture, and biodiversity. The tours cover meals, transportation, accommodations, and other services. Road Scholar also organizes online lectures, given by experts, on topics like art and archaeology.

ElderTreks

This trek-based social group is designed especially for older adults, as might be evident from its name. ElderTreks organizes tours for smaller groups, with a strength of 15-16 people, so that everyone can have a more personalized experience. Along with regular destinations, the club organizes more adventurous tours, including trekking through the Amazon rainforest, hiking in Madagascar’s national parks surrounded by wildlife, and exploring the ancient temples of Java and Cambodia.

Fitness Clubs

Joining a fitness club can be as much about friendships as it is about flexibility. Whether it’s yoga, swimming, dance, or light strength training, these clubs keep both your physical life and social life healthy.

SilverSneakers

SilverSneakers is among the most popular fitness-based communities for seniors. It has multiple gyms across the country, which is ideal if you travel often and like to stick to your working schedule. If you’re not a gym person, or if there isn’t a SilverSneakers gym nearby, you can access their online workout programs, which include live video classes. In this case, the community will connect you with members living near you, giving you a chance to meet and take online sessions together.

National Senior Games Association (NSGA)

If you love athletics and competitive sports, consider becoming a member of the National Senior Games Association. This organization conducts local, state, and national-level championships for seniors across a wide range of sports, including swimming, tennis, and track and field events. So here, you’ll not only have an opportunity to channel your inner Olympian, but also to meet like-minded competitors, and maybe even bring home a medal or two.

Volunteer Clubs

There’s more joy in giving than receiving. But giving does not always have to be about making monetary donations. Tutoring kids, helping out at a local shelter, or working towards saving the environment are other ways to help society. As a part of a volunteer club, you can get to do these things in the company of those who are equally eager about making a difference.

AmeriCorps Seniors

This government organization gives seniors an opportunity to help the community in different ways, based on their skills and expertise. To get started, you’ll have to create your profile with them, and then you can review what causes you can work toward. If you can’t find one, the organization will suggest volunteering activities based on your interests and skills.

Audubon Society

The National Audubon Society is a non-profit organization committed to saving birds and their habitats. By being a part of this community, you can participate in activities such as bird counts, habitat restoration, and educational programs, where you’ll get to work in groups alongside fellow volunteers.