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National Friendship Day is Sunday, August 2nd. Which is a great excuse to get out there and make some new ones! Right now, uberPOOL is making it easier than ever to get around city (and meet new people) with $10 flat rates below 96th Street. The service matches you with people traveling in the same direction as you. So if you use it to get to these ten destinations, you’ll meet new people all night long. Get out of your shell and give these social NYC activities a try.
Get tipsy on a boat
North River Lobster Company is part seafood shack, part boat. The ship leaves harbor and takes 45-minute jaunts on the Hudson several times a day, so grab a table and a bucket of beers and enjoy the view. (Pier 81, W 41st St)
Watch true stories told live
The Moth’s storyslams might involve waiting in line to get a good seat, but the storytellers who hop onstage rarely disappoint. If you’re brave enough, you could even put your own name in the hat. (The next Manhattan slam is Aug 17 at Housing Works Bookstore Café, 126 Crosby Street.)
See the stars
If you think Manhattan’s lights are too bright for stargazing, think again. The Amateur Astronomers Association brings high-powered telescopes out on the High Line every Tuesday night after dusk. Meet fellow nerds while checking out the stars and planets. (High Line at W14th St)
Play ping pong
SPiN, a bar and ping-pong club near Madison Square Park, offers 17 tables, plus all the paddles and balls you need to get a competitive (or totally silly) game going. Book a table in advance to make sure you don’t have to wait. (48 E 23rd St)
Get sweaty outdoors
Chelsea wellness studio Circuit of Change offers its popular Mind Body Bootcamp in the waterside expanse of Pier 46. The outdoor workouts are broken into intervals that combine cardio, yoga, boxing and martial-arts moves. Be sure to register in advance, though—these work-outs don’t accommodate drop-ins. (Pier 46, West St at Charles St)
Crack up at a comedy show
Laugh your butt off—and make some new friends over a few beers—at Upright Citizen’s Brigade’s daily comedy shows. (307 W 26th St)
Try your hand at trivia
Every Wednesday night, Dempsey’s Pub turns into a great place to meet new people with their rowdy weekly trivia nights starting at 7pm. (61 2nd Ave)
Jam out to music in the park
Central Park is always a great place to hang with friends, especially in the summer. Take an UberPOOL to a SummerStage concert and you’ll meet plenty of fellow music lovers enjoying the gorgeous park. (Rumsey Playfield at Central Park)
Put your wits to the test
Fun, interactive game Escape The Room is a great activity for turning acquaintances into friends as you try solve puzzles to escape rooms modeled after an old theater or an NYC apartment. (107 Suffolk St)
Express yourself
Paint and Sip Studio puts on entertaining drinking and drawing classes. Not only will you go home with a few new friends, but an original work of art as well. (Just make sure it will fit in your uberPOOL on the way home) (246 W 80th St)