Bond over books. Reading doesn’t have to be a solitary hobby. Join one of the umpteen book clubs in our area to find a friend who gets your wordy puns and can talk for hours on their favorite author. Folsom Public Library (library.folsom.ca.us) has monthly book clubs—including a YA club, which meets every month at Folsom’s Barnes & Noble Kitchen. They even offer “book club in a bag.” El Dorado Hills’ Face in a Book (getyourfaceinabook.com) has nonfiction and “travel and taste” clubs, where you can get 15% off on the selected works. Roseville Public Library (roseville.ca.us/library) also has a couple of monthly book clubs (like their popular “page turners” club) at the Maidu Library.

 

Meet other mommas (and dadas). One of the best ways to make friends if you’re a parent is through workout and activity groups. Fit4Mom Folsom Lake (folsomlake.fit4mom.com) offers Stroller Strides (a total body workout for moms with kids in tow), prenatal classes, Stroller Barre, a run club, and more at locations across Folsom and El Dorado Hills. Steve Wallen Swim School (wallenswim.com) in Roseville and El Dorado Hills offers baby classes and family swim classes for an enriching bonding experience, as well as the opportunity to meet other families. Other fun locales to meet families at are My Gym (mygym.com/folsom), Capital City Music Together (capitalcitymusictogether.com), Tricks Gymnastics (tricksgym.com), Roseville Academy of Dance (rosevilleacademyofdance.com), and Extreme Gymnastics (extremegymnastics.com), among others.

Join hands. Find a cause close to your heart and buddy up to build a better community through volunteer work. Whether it’s Friends of Folsom (friendsoffolsom.org), Placer SPCA (placerspca.org), Upper Room Dining Hall (upperroomdininghall.org), or through any of the other nonprofit organizations in our area, you’re sure to find purpose—and friends.
 

 

Man’s best friend. Grab your furry friends and head to the dog park. They could just help you make friends on—and off—the field. RRUFF Dog Park (rruffhealingheroes.org) in Rocklin offers a safe and fun environment to bond over pets with their numerous activities and events. The EDH Community Dog Park (eldoradohillscsd.org) is another good place for pets and pals, as are Paul J. Ryan (aka Hacienda) Dog Park (cameronpark.org/paul-j-ryan-memorial-park-dog-park) in Cameron Park, FIDO Field Dog Park (folsom.ca.us/government/parks-recreation) in Folsom, and countless parks in Roseville (Bear Dog Park, Hughes Dog Park, and Saugstad Dog Park).

 

Work that network. If you’re a small business owner, your local chamber of commerce can be more than just a handy resource. It can also be a great place to meet like-minded people and partake in some fun activities. Take, for example, the Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce (rosevillechamber.com) that offers a variety of opportunities to socialize—including happy hours, coffee chats, breakfasts, and luncheons (we’re sensing a foodie theme here!). The Folsom Chamber of Commerce (folsomchamber.com) has numerous mixers and gatherings while also hosting big events like the Folsom Women’s Conference. And The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce (eldoradohillschamber.org) supports young professionals and business owners while also hosting some of the most fun events in town—like the Art, Beer, and Wine Festival each spring.

 

Dance the night away. Dance classes are a great way to make friends over foot-tapping music and fancy moves. And if you attend with your significant other, there’s a good chance you’ll make another couple friend! Roseville Academy of Dance (rosevilleacademyofdance.com) has adult tap classes, Genovia Dance (genoviadance.com) offers salsa classes in Roseville, Arthur Murray Dance (arthurmurray.com) in Folsom and Rocklin (opening soon) teaches a host of ballroom dances, while El Dorado Dance Academy (eldoradodance.com) and Hawkins School of Performing Arts (hawkinsschool.com) offers adult jazz, tap, hip hop, and more.

 

Get outside. Crisp air and beautiful scenery make the perfect friend-making atmosphere. American River Conservancy (arconservancy.org) offers hikes and walks for groups that give great insight into the ecology and history of El Dorado County. Docent-led hikes at Deer Creek Hills Preserve (sacramentovalleyconservancy.org) in Sloughhouse and Effie Yeaw Nature Center (sacnaturecenter.net) in Carmichael also offer an opportunity to revel in the beauty of nature while in the company of others.

 

Take a ride. If you have a love for hitting the open road on two wheels, chances are someone else does, too. Cycle Folsom (cyclefolsom.com) is a versatile cyclist group that goes adventuring around the lake and beyond, and you’re guaranteed to make some great bike buds here. Folsom Bike (folsombike.com) also has Wednesday night team rides beginning in March while Roseville Cyclery (rosevillecyclery.com) offers weekend group rides.

Get “pally” over plants. There are umpteen opportunities to make hay while the sun shines. Placer County Master Gardeners (pcmg.ucanr.org) has a host of gardening workshops (including one on straw bale gardening) as does the City of Roseville (roseville.ca.us/residents/utility_exploration_center). Soil Born Farms (soilborn.org) in Rancho Cordova offers adult classes (like raising backyard chickens) while Sherwood Demonstration Garden (mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/demonstration_garden) in Placerville also offers classes “like good bugs vs. bad bugs” for your garden.

Geek out. Whatever you fancy, there’s always a fellow geek with the exact same interests as you. Discuss our galaxy at the Community Observatory (communityobservatory.com) in Placerville; swap cards at the regular Magic: The Gathering events at A-1 Comics (a-1comics.com) in Folsom and Roseville; or bring your creations to life with the 3D printers and programs at El Dorado Hills Library (eldoradolibrary.org/3d-printing) and Folsom Public Library (library.folsom.ca.us/services/3d-printing).