MeetUps in the Denver area (insurance, live, costs)

[Quietude]

I've found some good groups, but they're Denver (metro) centric. Just a bit of a drive for a coffee meetup or such.

[Count David]

I found two home poker games there. I still go to them.

[Left-handed]

Originally Posted by Quietude

I've found some good groups, but they're Denver (metro) centric. Just a bit of a drive for a coffee meetup or such.

Check out the one I linked to. They host them all over the place, including downtown. That's where I met my fiance and most of my friends.

Feel free to drop me a DM as well. If you're a dude, I'm also in need of quality guy friends. I'd grab a beer with you.

[harrison21]

I moved to Denver about 5 1/2 years ago and meetup was a lot more active then. With many of the groups, I found that it got me out of the house and I generally had a good time, but didn't really make any "real" friends. I used to go to the fun young adults one linked above back then, and I found that I met nice/fun people at the events, but never consistently saw the same people from event to event, so I couldn't actually make friends from going.

A few years ago, I joined a women's group (I'm female, my username is a place) that had very frequent events- several per week. I put the effort into going at least once per week and made an amazing group of friends. After a year the group was moved to FB and we kept in touch that way. Unfortunately, over the years almost all of them have moved away or had life changes that have made them less social (i.e., had babies). One of my remaining friends tried to restart the group last summer on meetup to bring in new people, and it wasn't the same as it was a few years ago at all. She posted tons of events, but no one RSVP'd. Often, it was just 1-3 people who didn't actually show to the event.

Within the past year, I've tried to start going to meet ups again to make new friends and just haven't been successful at all. Like the OP said, most groups aren't very active. Those that are tend to have events only on week days, which doesn't work for my work schedule. I look just about every weekend to see if there is anything fun to go to, and there almost never is (I have no interest in hiking). I've been to a few very isolated events that were fun, but again, never saw those same people again after the first meet up.

[Left-handed]

Originally Posted by harrison21

I moved to Denver about 5 1/2 years ago and meetup was a lot more active then. With many of the groups, I found that it got me out of the house and I generally had a good time, but didn't really make any "real" friends. I used to go to the fun young adults one linked above back then, and I found that I met nice/fun people at the events, but never consistently saw the same people from event to event, so I couldn't actually make friends from going.

A few years ago, I joined a women's group (I'm female, my username is a place) that had very frequent events- several per week. I put the effort into going at least once per week and made an amazing group of friends. After a year the group was moved to FB and we kept in touch that way. Unfortunately, over the years almost all of them have moved away or had life changes that have made them less social (i.e., had babies). One of my remaining friends tried to restart the group last summer on meetup to bring in new people, and it wasn't the same as it was a few years ago at all. She posted tons of events, but no one RSVP'd. Often, it was just 1-3 people who didn't actually show to the event.

Within the past year, I've tried to start going to meet ups again to make new friends and just haven't been successful at all. Like the OP said, most groups aren't very active. Those that are tend to have events only on week days, which doesn't work for my work schedule. I look just about every weekend to see if there is anything fun to go to, and there almost never is (I have no interest in hiking). I've been to a few very isolated events that were fun, but again, never saw those same people again after the first meet up.

The key is to find a person or group at one particular event and branch off. I agree, the same folks don't always show up at the events, so it's difficult to build rapport. But if you get some phone numbers and start hosting your own events, it seems to work a lot better. That's how it's always worked for me and the friends I made at those MeetUps.

Also, I advocate for co-ed sports leagues. If you get yourself on a free agent team, it's very possible that you build rapport over the course of a season and continue hanging out beyond the co-ed league. I've made lots of friends that way through kickball and softball leagues.

[Quietude]

Originally Posted by Left-handed

Which ones are you looking at? And how old are you?

I had some pretty good success with this one: https://www.meetup.com/funadults/

Older than that group, unfortunately. Um, fifty-mumble.

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I found two home poker games there. I still go to them.

Does anyone play real poker any more, or just that communal speed game with all the weird terminology that plays so well on TV? All my poker circles were left behind when I moved; none of the current ones have any idea how to play individual-hand games. (Another wholly obsolete skill on my list of interests...)

Originally Posted by harrison21

Within the past year, I've tried to start going to meet ups again to make new friends and just haven't been successful at all. Like the OP said, most groups aren't very active. Those that are tend to have events only on week days, which doesn't work for my work schedule.

It's even worse for the non-thirty-something crowd - if it's for "over 50" there aren't many under 60 or so that can make the weekday events. It's really code phrasing for "retired and bored."

The alternative being the 40-50 groups who do everything to prove they're still 30 - 14ers, rugged hikes, volleyball etc. I'm not a slug but I'm not really up to/into that any more.

I look just about every weekend to see if there is anything fun to go to, and there almost never is (I have no interest in hiking). I've been to a few very isolated events that were fun, but again, never saw those same people again after the first meet up.

So, what are you doing this weekend?

But yeah, I can't seem to find a group that is (1) active but (2) not athlete-active and (3) more or less my age group but (4) not significantly older.

So any ideas for a social/connect group of the active, not jock-y, 45-55 crowd would be appreciated...

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Quietude

Does anyone play real poker any more, or just that communal speed game with all the weird terminology that plays so well on TV? All my poker circles were left behind when I moved; none of the current ones have any idea how to play individual-hand games. (Another wholly obsolete skill on my list of interests...)

Yes, but it's not too common. No Limit Texas Hold 'Em is still the game of choice, but there is a group I play with that will play Omaha, Stud, Draw, and other variants as well. I recently heard about a game full of really old guys who played some of the older variants only.

[Quietude]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I recently heard about a game full of really old guys who played some of the older variants only.

Gee, thanks. Why don't you just give me a nice paper cut and pour some lemon juice on it?

[Left-handed]

I went on Meetup last night and typed in '50' and a bunch of groups popped up that center around people in their 50s, or older.

Not sure how active they are, but it's worth a shot.

[hillr]

Originally Posted by harrison21

I moved to Denver about 5 1/2 years ago and meetup was a lot more active then. With many of the groups, I found that it got me out of the house and I generally had a good time, but didn't really make any "real" friends. I used to go to the fun young adults one linked above back then, and I found that I met nice/fun people at the events, but never consistently saw the same people from event to event, so I couldn't actually make friends from going.

A few years ago, I joined a women's group (I'm female, my username is a place) that had very frequent events- several per week. I put the effort into going at least once per week and made an amazing group of friends. After a year the group was moved to FB and we kept in touch that way. Unfortunately, over the years almost all of them have moved away or had life changes that have made them less social (i.e., had babies). One of my remaining friends tried to restart the group last summer on meetup to bring in new people, and it wasn't the same as it was a few years ago at all. She posted tons of events, but no one RSVP'd. Often, it was just 1-3 people who didn't actually show to the event.

Within the past year, I've tried to start going to meet ups again to make new friends and just haven't been successful at all. Like the OP said, most groups aren't very active. Those that are tend to have events only on week days, which doesn't work for my work schedule. I look just about every weekend to see if there is anything fun to go to, and there almost never is (I have no interest in hiking). I've been to a few very isolated events that were fun, but again, never saw those same people again after the first meet up.

I plan on moving this summer! I’m definitely looking for a way to make new friends.