Amazing Hobbies for Women in Their 30s
In their 30s, many women may be looking for a new hobby to focus on themselves, meet new friends, or build a new skill. But it can be a little scary to start a new hobby as a full on adult! When you’ve spent a lot of your time in recent years on your career, your relationship, your kids, or all of the above, it’s hard to know what you like and what you want to do.
There are clearly hundreds of hobbies you could choose from, depending if you’re looking for a hobby that is active vs. creative, one you can do at home vs. one that gets you out of the house, and hobbies to do while you socialize vs. ones that allow you to focus. And, of course, any hobby is fine for someone of any age, gender, and lifestyle. Here, we’ve simply rounded up the most popular hobbies for women in their 30s. And because it’s tough to get started, we’ve offered some suggestions for the best starter kids and beginner’s guides. Enjoy!
Fitness Hobbies for Women in Their 30s
Hiking is a great and inexpensive way to spend some time outdoors and get in touch with nature. It may sound intimidating, but hiking is actually a great workout that can get your heart rate up and give you an all-over body workout. Hiking is also a great active thing to do with friends, or a great way to meet people if you join a local hiking group. Check out these beginner or mid-range hiking boots and our recommendation for the best lightweight hiking backpack.
Dancing is an awesome fitness hobby, but also a great way to feel better in your body, make time for yourself, and meet friends. There are so many options too – from ballet to hip hop to pole dancing, there’s seriously something for every person and every dance preference.
Weight Lifting is an empowering and badass hobby to work into your schedule. It’s one of the only hobbies that make you better at just about every other physical thing in your life. It’s so inspiring to see your self getting stronger, and the best side benefit – you’ll look fierce in a swimsuit come summer. Pickup some dumb bells or kettlebells to start lifting at home, and make sure you’re wearing flat shoes for lifting, like Chuck Taylors or Vans – they’re really good for stability.
Yoga & Meditation Yoga is one of the many mindful hobbies that women in their 30’s can benefit from. Yoga can help keep women in shape while also keeping them calm and relaxed. And meditation is a powerful tool that anyone can use to live a more fulfilled life. The benefits of meditation are unique for everyone because it is tailored to your individual needs. Check out our guide for getting starting with a yoga hobby, including all the best beginner’s gear!
Rock Climbing is an awesome and empowering hobby for women in their 30s. It can be empowering, challenging, social and fun. It also gives you the chance to get outside and be active while getting a beautiful view of nature! Rock climbing is a broad category that includes bouldering, sport climbing, alpine climbing and more – so the equipment you need will vary. Because it’s a technical hobby and there are so many types of climbing, the best way to get started is to find a climbing class through REI or your local climbing gym.
Creative Hobbies for Women in Their 30s
Tie Dye is an awesome DIY craft. This fun, easy process will create an amazing, one-of-a-kind piece of clothing or accessory. When you tie dye, there are many ways to be creative with the process. Use different types of fabrics, shapes and colors for a unique look. To get started quickly, you can get a kit like this desert-color tie dye kit. But if you’d like to know more about using different types of dyes or different tying methods for your projects, checkout tie dye classes online or at a local craft shop.
Learning an Instrument as an adult does not have to be like it was when you were a kid. You don’t have to have innate musical talent, you don’t have to play in recitals, and you don’t have to play boring music while you learn. You can play violin just for yourself in your living room, play trumpet an all-girl ska band, or just bring your guitar along and play while you hangout with your friends. I recommend going to your local music shop for lessons. If you already have beginner skills or want to practice on your own, online classes can help you build confidence.
Drawing or sketching is a great hobby for people of all ages. It is a good way to express one’s emotions and it can be quite therapeutic. Sketches can also be turned into paintings if one wishes to pursue their talent in the art world. You can start sketching with nothing but a sketchpad and a set of pencils, but if you want to get better foundational skills, checkout a drawing class from a local art studio or an online drawing class.
Cross Stitch is a great hobby you could start on a Sunday morning and have a finished piece by the end of the afternoon. And this is not your grandma’s cross stitched flowers and puppies. You can create a beautiful design on your own, or you can use one of the many modern and funky patterns available online.
Sewing is one of the best hobbies for women in their 30s that could also turn into an awesome side hustle. Start by upcycling clothes you don’t love anymore, progress to making personalized versions of designer pieces you can’t afford, and maybe you’ll even want to do commission work or sell your clothes!
Life-Changing Hobbies for Women in Their 30s
Traveling is a hobby that can impact your life like no other, and once you’re in your 30s you may be interested in a different type of travel than when you were younger. Traveling with the goal of exploring new cultures, immersing yourself in new environments, and getting outside of your comfort zone can be so rewarding that it becomes your new obsession.
Learning a Language, especially if you’re currently monolingual, will open up your world in ways you can’t imagine. Not only will you be able to communicate with people across cultures, but you’ll be flexing your brain in a whole new way. Learning a language is one of the best hobbies for women in their 30s, especially when combined with travel, as it will make for richer experiences in new cultures and it something you can build on over time.
Journaling While the last two hobbies were all about expanding your world view, journaling instead takes you inward, learning more about yourself in an effort to grow as a person. You can use journaling to explore your past and work through trauma, to plan your future and understand your ambitions, or to simply chronicle your life along the way.
Volunteering is a hobby for women in their 30s who are trying to make an impact on the world. While you’ll experience self growth while volunteering your time, it’s more about the value you can bring to your community. Volunteering as a hobby can be very rewarding, inspiring you to be a force for positive change in your world.
Social Hobbies for Women in Their 30s
Book Clubs are one of the best social-circle expanding hobbies for women in their 30s. Especially if you love to read, book clubs tend to bring together like-minded people and you’re able to learn a lot about one another through the discussion of your favorite (or not so favorite) books.
Recreational Sports Joining a local recreational sports team can be a super fun and active way to meet people in your area. There are tons of options too, from soccer to softball to kickball – you’re bound to find something that piques your interest. There are often weekly games, which keep the social engagement going, and you can even join with a friend if you’re a little shy!
Board Games Joining a Meetup or other local group to play board games is an awesome social hobby. Often you may play a different game each time, and the focus on the games keep things from getting awkward as you get to know people. There are game groups for all types of interests from Spades to classic or Euro board games to Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering groups.
Crafting Clubs Many craft shops and yarn shops hold regular knitting and crocheting clubs that you can join if you already know something about either of these crafts. Some even hold beginners workshop. These are both great ways to meet and socialize with people in a relaxing environment – while getting work done on your projects!
Food Hobbies for Women in Their 30s
Baking is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. There are many different methods to try, from quick breads to complex sourdough bread, cookies to make with kids or cakes with elaborate fondant icing. The diversity in baking makes it accessible and enjoyable for all levels of bakers.
Cooking is a time-consuming, but rewarding hobby. It offers flexibility to people of all ages and lifestyles. Whether you are looking for a way to spend quality time with your children or you’re trying to treat yourself, cooking is perfect for you!
Fermenting is such a cool hobby, as it’s super versatile and rewards you with tasty food to eat and share with your family and friends. Once you start to learn about fermentation, it’s really versatile too – you can make pickles, kombucha, hot sauce or kimchi! There’s something really satisfying about watching basic ingredients transform (with science!) into a tasty treat.
Cheese Making has become a popular hobby in recent years. Making cheese is a surprisingly simple process, but the world of cheesemaking is actually broad and complex. There are thousands of varieties of cheese, each with its own specific flavor and texture, so you can go as deep as you’d like with this hobby. Best of all, you’ll always end with a tasty treat to share!
Wine Tasting is a fun hobby to do with friends or a partner. Wine tasting will help you get to know what types of wine you like and how it’s produced. You can visit the winery to get a taste, tour the vineyard, and sometimes speak directly with the wine maker. Knowing more about wine and the qualities of different varietals is really helpful when you have dinner parties or when you bring a wine gift to a friend too!
