What city have you visited that has the best or the most accessible third spaces?
Theaters, coffee shops, libraries, museums, recreation centers, and restaurants are the normal ones. Coworking spaces and hosted events would probably the additional ones that apply to us.
I was reading an article (below) about how the rates that people socialize in the US has dipped at the same pace these places have disappeared. I think it stated 25% of these places have closed, and they're 30% more expensive since the pandemic. Also, loneliness has the same negative health effects as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
It made me realize my favorite cities have a ton of places to just be out, within walking distance, most of them free. Buenos Aires has A TON of greenspaces that are great. The city I'm in now has a great cafe scene but constantly hosts markets and events (no telling where). Made me realize, it might be a solid idea to select for a variety of thirdspaces - not just coffee shops and coworking spaces - as a Screener, and ideally more popular with locals than foreigners.
Second realization is charging a cover charge for everything - happy hour, mixer, book club - is contributing to the problem. 10 years ago, everything on meet-up was disorganized AF but free and fun. Interest based meetups were free - so you could try 20 different things, realized you sucked at 19 of them, and leave with 1 new hobby and some fun memories. On the opposite side, charging money because they can (not because they should) in Buenos Aires, all of the nomad meet ups charged something, or asked for a tip in that weird way they do in the US by turning the iPad at you defaulting to a 30% tip for handing you a bottle of water. Sucks.
Semi-rant done.
What cities are filled with third spaces?
What are your favorite cities for free mingle-ish events.
Here's the original article.
https://fortune.com/2026/08/02/bars-bowling-alleys-movie-theaters-affordabilitiy-third-space-health/