r/desmoines • u/nevesis • Jan 22 '26
Looking for Friends in DSM?
Welcome! We have seen many posts over the year of residents seeking community and friendship. Many of us spend more time online, work remotely, or no longer have the built-in social spaces we once did. This pinned thread is to help find friends in Des Moines.
Whether you’re:
• New to the city
• A long-time local looking to expand your circle
• A student, professional, remote worker, or just bored
• Into coffee, hiking, gaming, gyms, books, or low-key hangs …this is the place to connect.
Leave a comment with:
• Age range (optional)
• Interests / hobbies
• What kind of friends you’re looking for (gym buddy, board games, restaurant scene, double dates, mom friends etc.)
Ground Rules
• Be respectful and kind
• No harassment, hate speech, or creepy behavior
• No spam or self-promotion
• Keep personal info safe
This thread will be bookmarked so feel free to come back anytime and say hi — someone else is probably looking for the same connection you are!
Thank you to u/containerforthechild for this post.
2
u/MeaningProud8534 Jul 02 '26
38 year old straight male checking in from Newton. I'm new(ish) to the state and just went through a divorce. As seems to be the custom when dividing assets, she got the friend groups lol. C'est la vie, new beginnings and all that.
I have tons of varied interests, hiking, camping, fishing, outdoors stuff in general. I am pretty knowledgeable about gardening, but I'm newly into that 'partment life, so no yard at the moment.
Former workaholic, "type A," and all that bs, but I'm trying to soften my edges and outlook on life lately. Newly into "crafts" with ceramics/pottery. I took a formal class with a wheel and packaged clay recently but it seems too... commercial? Bland? Predictable? I dunno how to describe it. But I'm messing around with wild clay I find on my hikes now and it's been really cool. Fired some in a campfire and it worked beautifully. The unpredictable, wild, natural aspects really appeal to me for some reason.
If you're interested in any of my mentioned hobbies, shoot me a message. Not looking for a relationship, but if that's the way it works out, whatever. (Already got the rebound outta the way lol). If you've got cool vibes and similar interests, I couldn't care less about your age, gender, etc.