Run clubs, book circles, and hobby communities are becoming the new matchmakers for a generation exhausted by dating apps
For years, dating apps promised endless possibilities. A swipe here. A match there. A late-night conversation that might lead somewhere meaningful. But for many Gen Z singles, the reality has felt far less romantic.
Instead of excitement, many users describe dating apps as emotionally draining, repetitive, and strangely disconnected. Endless profiles blur together. Conversations fade before they begin. And chemistry often disappears the moment two people meet in real life.
Now, a growing number of young adults are walking away from swipe culture entirely — and toward something surprisingly simple: shared hobbies.
From run clubs and book groups to hiking meetups and knitting circles, Gen Z is rediscovering the idea that connection grows more naturally when people actually do things together.
The trend isn’t just anecdotal. A 2024 Forbes survey found that more than 75% of Gen Z users feel burned out by dating apps. That exhaustion is fueling a major cultural shift away from curated profiles and toward communities built around real-world interests.
And honestly, it makes sense.
Meeting someone while discussing a favorite novel, training for a 10K, or laughing through a pottery class feels far more human than trying to decode someone’s personality from six photos and a one-line bio.
The beauty of hobby-based dating is that the pressure disappears.
Nobody has to open with a perfect pickup line. Nobody has to “sell” themselves. Instead, people bond over shared experiences first — and romance develops naturally afterward.
That’s why platforms originally designed for hobbies are suddenly becoming unexpected social hotspots.
Fitness app Strava has seen massive growth in club participation, while reading communities like Goodreads, StoryGraph, and Fable are evolving into spaces where friendships — and relationships — flourish.
Meanwhile, crafting platform Ravelry now connects millions of knitters and crocheters who gather around creativity instead of curated dating profiles.
And unlike traditional dating apps, these communities allow people to observe each other naturally over time.
You see how someone communicates. How consistent they are. Whether they show kindness, patience, humor, or curiosity. Those qualities are hard to fake in real life.
Book clubs, in particular, are emerging as one of the strongest alternatives to app-based dating.
A 2025 survey conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks found that nearly one in four book club members had met someone they were romantically interested in through their reading group.
Even more interesting? Nearly half of Gen Z respondents said they would rather meet someone at a book club than on a dating app.
Barbara Hagen, vice president of marketing at ThriftBooks, explained the deeper appeal perfectly:
“Not only are reading groups having a significant impact on readers’ romantic lives and friendships, but they’re also hugely beneficial for book club members’ mental health.”
She added:
“In the survey, we found that readers are meeting in-person, online, in hybrid in-person and online settings, and even on social forums. They’re also reading a diverse span of literature from recently-released titles to the classics and making friends and romantic connections along the way.”
Run clubs are seeing a similar transformation.
What once looked like a simple fitness trend is now becoming one of the most talked-about social scenes among Gen Z singles. According to research from LADbible Group, around 72% of Gen Z participants said they joined run clubs specifically to meet new people.
And unlike dating apps, where conversations can drag on endlessly without ever leading anywhere, hobby communities immediately create shared momentum.
You show up. You participate. You talk naturally.
That structure removes much of the awkwardness modern dating has become known for.
The shift also says something bigger about Gen Z itself.
Despite growing up online, many young adults are craving more authentic offline experiences. They want relationships built on shared interests instead of algorithms. Shared routines instead of endless texting. Shared memories instead of carefully edited bios.
In many ways, hobby-based dating feels less like a new trend and more like a return to how people connected before smartphones dominated romance.
Through communities.
Through activities.
Through simply spending time together.
Ironically, after years of technology trying to optimize love, Gen Z may be rediscovering that chemistry works best when it isn’t optimized at all.
Modern dating may still be complicated. But for Gen Z, the solution increasingly looks refreshingly old-fashioned: find something you genuinely love doing — and meet someone there.
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Across social media, many users have shared enthusiastic reactions to the rise of hobby-based dating:
“Run clubs are the new dating apps and honestly the vibes are way better.”
“Meeting someone through a shared hobby feels more natural than swiping for hours.”
“Book clubs are romantic because you already know the person has depth.”
“People are tired of performing on dating apps. Real-life interaction is coming back.”
“The best conversations happen when nobody is trying too hard.”
Source:
- https://youtu.be/aWMJjr8OaCc?si=tjRsevTz0P9Gt32F
- https://www.aol.com/articles/rise-hobby-based-dating-why-160600991.html
- https://chatgpt.com/
- https://aistudio.google.com/
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