Making friends as an adult can feel daunting.

Whether you are just itching to expand your friend group or are new to Bentonville, check out these ways to meet new people in your city.

📖 Books

Book lovers unite!

• Two Friends Books offers multiple book clubs based on genre. If you’re looking for like-minded individuals who appreciate a good horror novel or swoon over romance novels, check out Two Friends’s events calendar for your next meet-up.

• If you’re introverted, consider joining the Silent Book Club Bentonville, a group that silently reads together, with no assigned reading. After the reading hour, attendees can stay for optional socialization.

• The Bentonville Public Library offers three different book clubs – and the library provides the books for you. Join one, or join them all, and surround yourself with other readers.

🚴 Biking

Organizations across the city have started biking clubs that hit the trails together. Here are just a few of those clubs in Bentonville:

• Bentonville Ride Club

• Women of OZ NWA

• Phat Tire Bike Shop

• Bella Vista Bike Club

• Bike Bentonville

If you’re not comfortable on a bike yet, keep an eye out for Trailblazers’ Adult First Ride classes.

🏃 Running 

Maybe you prefer to hit the ground running over biking – there are clubs for that too! Rush Running Company has a list of running clubs for all skill levels – from novice to marathon runners. 

🚮 Volunteering

Giving back to your community is a great way to meet new people. The City of Bentonville’s website has a list of local volunteer opportunities.

For animal lovers, there are opportunities to volunteer at The Bentonville Animal Services & Adoption Center and Best Friends Animal Society. 

⚾ Sports

The city’s parks and recreation department hosts a wide variety of sports programs throughout the year. Whether you are a pickleball expert, enjoy a good game of kickball, or like to swim, these programs are a great way to meet other athletes.

👫 Social and Networking Clubs

There are several local clubs that aren’t interest-specific. 

• BlakeSt in downtown Bentonville is a members-only club offering social spaces, a pool and fitness center, and several bars and restaurants. The club hosts a multitude of events for members, including book clubs, craft nights, and nature retreats.

• NWA Newbies is a club focused on helping new residents make connections with people and the area.

• Rotary Club of Bentonville is an international humanitarian group with a chapter in Bentonville that offers social gatherings and service projects.

• Kiwanis Club of Bentonville & Bella Vista is a group dedicated to fulfilling service projects in the area.

🍻 Grab a drink

Bars and coffee shops are hotspots for people looking to hang out, and they often have events on their calendars. Check out these lists of coffee shopsand bars around Bentonville.

Bentonville also has a growing nightlife scene. Spend an evening visiting these nightclubs and lounges:

• Backroom Social Club

• Bentley’s Beach Bar

• One Eyed Jacks Fine Tobacco Lounge

• Night Owl Tavern

• Botanical at 8th & A

⛪ Join a church

In a recent survey, we asked how you – our dear readers – would go about making friends in town. Joining a church was the number one answer. To help you get started on your search, here is a list of churches.