30+ best ways to make friends in Charlotte

Whether you're a fitness fiend or a foodie, Charlotte has a community for you.

Socialize over cocktails at CLT Social Club hangouts.

What to expect: Charlotte native Katey Shehan founded CLT Social Club for people wanting to expand their social circle.

• The club, which has amassed an Instagram following of over 30,000, hosts popular day parties and other social events at local bars for those aged 25–40.

If you go: Follow them on Instagram for upcoming event details.

Go deeper: "I hated living here": A Charlotte native learns to love her city by helping others find friends

(Cold) plunge into Charlotte's fitness community

Charlotte has a thriving social wellness scene, from run clubs to booze-free day parties. Here are a few standouts:

• Mad Miles Run Club: The Tuesday evening run at Camp North End attracts the largest crowd. Plus, it ends with a dance party and live DJ. The club also meets in Plaza Midwood on Mondays and Elizabeth Park on Saturdays.
• Morning Miles: For early risers and more seasoned runners. Meet at 6am on Thursdays for a run, followed by coffee at Giddy Goat Coffee in South End.
• Chilly Coffee Club: A monthly booze-free day party featuring cold plunges and house music.
• Y Happy Hour: This monthly happy hour is open to anyone looking to connect with others in Charlotte's fitness community.

Go deeper: I hate running, but I'll exercise with Mad Miles Run Club

Join a local networking group

Build your network and connect with other professionals with these local groups:

• Become a member of Charlotte Business Group, which starts at $29.
• Become a member of the Charlotte Young Professionals Group, or check out one of their quarterly socials open to nonmembers.
• Use your professional skills to mentor aspiring young people through The Dean's List.
• Make connections with shared interests through Linxy, a Charlotte-based app its founder describes as "LinkedIn meets Pokémon Go."

Check out a local sports league

From pickleball to volleyball, Charlotte is home to numerous sports organizations that offer opportunities to stay active and make friends. Or use Charlotte-based app VRV Athletics to help you connect with other people through sports.

Leagues to join:

• Stonewall Sports Charlotte is an LGBTQ+ friendly sports org with bowling, dodgeball, kickball, volleyball or sand volleyball leagues.
• SportsLink offers adult leagues for football, kickball, pickleball, soccer, softball or volleyball.
• Black Pickleball & Co. hosts events and clinics that create a space for Black and minority folks to connect through the fast-growing sport.
• Rally Pickleball in Lower South End hosts numerous social events, including Courts and Coffee, Singles Socials, and Rookies Socials.

Link up with other Charlotte sports fans

Find other supporters who share a common love for our home teams.

Fan bases to join:

• Join Panthers fans through Roaring Riot for $40.
• For Hornets fans, check out The Crown Club. Membership starts at $33.
• Cheer on Charlotte FC with supporter groups like Carolina Hooliganz, Blue Furia, QC Royals and Mint City Collective. Find more here.

Chitchat over a meal at a local dinner series

Food is a common love language, so you'll likely bond over a tasty meal at recurring dinner events.

Options to try:

• The Friday Table hosts monthly family-style, pop-up dinners where you're seated with people based on shared interests and personalities.
• Serving the Culture is a hip-hop-inspired 8- to 10-course meal with themed cocktails.
• DishCourse's dinner parties, hosted at local restaurants, are designed to help you connect with strangers over a meal.
• Base aims to connect professionals and artists over curated experiences and dinner parties at upscale restaurants in Charlotte.
• The Timeleft app uses a personality algorithm to bring six strangers together over dinner.
• Women of Whiskey is an intimate monthly dinner party series at Artisan's Palate in NoDa that celebrates women distillers from around the world.

Join a volunteer group

Connect with others passionate about making a change in our community with groups like:

• SHARE Charlotte: This local organization maintains a searchable database of over 700 nonprofits, allowing you to find volunteer opportunities.
• Charlotte Coffee Club: This social group meets monthly with two main goals — making new friends and supporting Charlotte's unhoused population.

Spark new ideas with fellow creators and artists

• Charlotte Is Creative: Meet other creatives through the group's Creative Mornings, a free monthly breakfast lecture series featuring local speakers and live music.
• Content Sunday: A social group for Charlotte content creators and creatives.
• Fresh-squeezed Craft Club: A creative wellness craft club by Limoncito Goods and La Bodeguita that hosts free gatherings in Camp North End.
• Skillpop: Take an expert-led class on a variety of topics, from floral arranging to calligraphy.

Use your furry friend as a conversation starter

Check out these dog-friendly bars, parks and social groups:

• Lucky Dog Bark & Brew:This popular dog bar has locations in west Charlotte and Steele Creek.
• Skiptown: An off-leash dog bar and park in South End.
• Carolina Corgi Club hosts corgi-centric events, fundraisers and parties while supporting local rescues.

Go deeper: 6 dog-friendly things to do in Charlotte

Find your girl group

These three locally founded social clubs are hosted by the girls for the girls.

• Create Space: The social group partners with SkillPop to provide consistent in-person time with a small group of people in SouthPark.
• The Soft Black Girl Club: This social club, with events such as spa retreats and dinner outings, is dedicated to "empowering and uplifting soft black girls everywhere," its Instagram bio states.
• Inner Circle CLT: Charlotte influencer Nicole Smith hosts monthly happy hours, pop-up experiences and themed parties for women across the city to meet and build community.
• The Charlotte Table: A social club with monthly meetups, calling itself a "girl group for Charlotte women in their 20s."
• Girls Room: The LGBTQ+ friendly pop-up that hosts shows and parties is curated by queer women.

Learn a new language and make new friends at South End Spanish Club

What to expect: A social club for Spanish speakers of all levels, from beginners to native speakers.

• Socials are free to attend and are typically held on the third Thursday of the month in South End.

If you're interested, check out the club's meetup page for details on upcoming events. Meetup is also a great resource for finding other language clubs in the area.

Find friends in the park

Touch Grass is a pop-up picnic-style meetup where local DJ and organizer Darryl McNeil spins R&B tunes. The event was created to offer a third place for those looking to make friends.

• Meetups are typically free and held monthly on a Sunday. Find the next event on his Instagram.

Go deeper: Charlotte is flocking to these laid-back park meetups

Connect with readers at a book club

Several local bookstores offer book clubs, whether you're looking for people to gush about your book boyfriend (hello, romantasy) or people who share your passion for food.

Book clubs to join:

• Park Road Books: Romantasy, foodie, banned books, "geek" and mystery.
• Trope Bookshop: Romance.
• Troubadour Booksellers: Drama, sci-fi, romance, horror, memoirs and biographies, queer-themed and more.
• That's Novel Books: Silent book club and Oh, You're Reading Again Book Club.

Go deeper: Independent bookstores in Charlotte — and a few more within driving distance

What should you do with your new bestie? Check out 16 BFF date ideas to get you out of your brunch funk.

Editor's note: This story was last updated June 25, 2026.