Looking for a new hobby or something rewarding to do with your free time? You’ll find them on this list of hobbies for guys, from outdoor hobbies that improve your body and mind to unique interests that fascinate your guy friends. All the leisure activities other men do are on this list of hobbies for men.
No one wants to see a massive list of jumbled pastimes, so I’ve categorized them. Find a hobby you’re interested in using the links below.
Table of Contents
- Essential Hobbies Every Man Must Do
- Popular Hobbies Men Love Right Now
- Different Hobbies No One Else is Doing
- Artistic and Creative Hobbies for Every Man
- Relax: Self-Care Activities for Men
- Millionaire Hobbies for Rich Men
- Active Hobbies Men Enjoy
- Work with Your Hands
- Collecting
- Sophisticated Hobbies for Men
- Enjoy Your Leisure Time
Essential Hobbies Every Man Must Do
With all the great hobbies for men on this list, how should you know where to start? Well, that’s easy. These two hobbies are the foundation of all the others, so start here. If you don’t have time to work out or learn more through reading, you shouldn’t consider doing crafts or other hobbies.
Workout
I’m not saying you need to look like Arnie or even hit the gym, but every man needs to use his body. If you don’t use it, you lose it. And that’s true of so many things, especially your physical abilities. Being able to run or lift something heavy might one day be the difference between life and death.
That doesn’t mean you must spend hours on the treadmill or lifting. There are a thousand ways to get exercise. You just need to find one you enjoy. Here are some you may have never considered:
- Juggling
- VR Gaming
- Dog Walking
- Strongman
- Construction
Check out the Getting Active Section Below for more.
Read
Reading is the best way to get information into your brain. At an average of about 200 words per minute, it’s not very efficient, but it’s the best we have until AI brain implants are a thing.
You don’t have to go out and pick up Jane Austen if you don’t want to, but if you’re not reading anything regularly, you won’t be increasing your knowledge base. More knowledge for an early man meant more options and a better survival rate. For example, the humans that learned how to use tools and fire survived.
The same is true now. You’ll produce better work if you have more ideas to work with, and you’ll be a better husband and father. You’ll make more informed financial decisions and give better advice to your friends. Reading will improve every aspect of your life.
- Blogs (like this one!)
- Classics (They are classics for a reason)
- Self Help Books
- Books Every Man Should Read
- Listen to audio versions
Dance
Don’t ask me why, but social events all involve dancing. Whether in a nightclub or at a wedding, people expect you to get up and dance or feel the wrath of all the extroverts present. So you can either go through life telling people, “I don’t dance,” and sitting at the empty table watching everyone’s handbags, or you learn to dance. It’s not like you have to know every style or step of ballroom dancing. Just pick something you enjoy, learn it, and you’re set for life.
Popular Hobbies Men Love Right Now
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Jiu-Jitsu is popular right now. Everyone from Joe Rogan to Keanu Reeves and Usher practice jiu-jitsu. It exploded when the Gracies showcased its effectiveness against every other martial art at the original Ultimate Fighting Champion.
It wasn’t until everyone started learning jiu-jitsu that anyone stood any chance against them. Nowadays, you expect every MMA competitor to be proficient in jiu-jitsu so they can fight on the ground.
Archery
Archery is the national sport of Bhutan, often reported to be the happiest country in the world. However, it only started broadcasting television in 1998! This may be why young and old still love the ancient tradition of archery.
Archery isn’t just about hitting a target with an arrow. It’s a way to train the body and mind to be still. It’s also a great way to reconnect with your ancestors. For many cultures, archery was more than a pastime. It was a way of survival.
If you just want to be cool like Robin Hood, that’s fine too.
Hunting and Fishing
Hunting and fishing are having a resurgence, partly because people are becoming more conscious of what they put in their bodies and how animals are treated on farms.
If you want to ensure you’re eating the best fish or meat, you must catch it yourself.
Drone Photography
Not too long ago, if you wanted an aerial shot, you had to hire a helicopter and go up there with your camera. Now, however, it seems like every Youtube video you see has an epic aerial intro. Drones and drone photography have come a long way in the short few years they have been with us.
Now they are affordable and great fun to play with. Do you really need that drone shot of your family picnic? Probably not, but it’s fun to take!
Retro Gaming
There’s something magical about the video games you played as a kid that the latest consoles can’t quite live up to. Luckily you don’t have to only play those childhood consoles in your memories. Retro gaming is easy to set up on your laptop or a dedicated raspberry pi. Use the chart below to find which emulator you need to play all the games from your childhood.
| Console | Emulator |
|---|---|
| NES | FCEUX |
| SNES | Snes9x |
| Nintendo 64 | Mupen64Plus |
| Gamecube/Wii | Dolphin |
| Sega Master System | GearSystem |
| Sega Genesis | Genesis Plus GX |
| PlayStation | PCSX Reloaded |
| PlayStation 2 | PCSX2 |
Different Hobbies No One Else is Doing
Geocaching
If you’ve never heard of geocaching, don’t worry; most haven’t. It’s a new outdoor hobby, part treasure hunting, part Pokemon Go.
Caches are hidden in locations worldwide, and your job is to go find them. To play, you need to download the app, which will help direct you to the nearest cache. When you find it and open it up, who knows what you’ll find inside, most have a log book you can sign to prove you found it.
Hydro-Foiling
It’s either physics or witchcraft, and I’m not sure which yet. However, this gen z hobby is the closest thing to hovering over water you can achieve easily. It’s a blade that you can attach to a surfboard or wakeboard that lifts the board above the water, giving the feeling of hovering.
Training Bonsai Trees
In ancient Japan, the art of training bonsai trees was something men did. It taught them lessons about how to live their lives. Patience and planning are the most important things you’ll learn from growing bonsai trees.
While waiting for it to take on the shape you want, it still makes a beautiful piece to sit in your living room.
Artistic and Creative Hobbies for Every Man
Musical Instrument
These instruments are the most useful if you want to join a band or write songs.
- Piano
- Guitar
- Drums
If you’d rather play something more unique, why not learn to play one of these instruments:
- Er Hu
- Theremin
- Hang Drum (Tim Ferriss plays this)
Drawing
Drawing and painting are great activities that calm the mind and can continue to bring you joy for the rest of your life. They are also practical skills for work and life. For example, ever wanted to sketch something out when explaining a complicated point to a friend? It would be helpful if you knew how to draw in that circumstance.
At work, you might have an idea for a logo, an ad campaign, or a new product if only you could draw it to show your colleagues, clients, or boss what you meant.
The ability to draw something that looks the way it should is a powerful tool that will impress and make your idea much more substantive.
- Technical drawing (think blueprints and plans)
- Still life
- Charcoal
- Watercolors
- Chinese brush painting
Pixel Art
Unless you’re planning on creating a video game 30 years ago, there’s really no need for making pixel art. This one is just for fun!
You can use some cool pixel art applications to make the creation process more straightforward. Check these out:
Relax: Self-Care Activities for Men
Wet Shave
The experience of picking up your electric razor and running it over your face every morning while holding a piece of toast in the other hand. Leaves a lot to be desired.
Not long ago, getting a shave was a relaxing experience similar to what women get when they go for a facial.
You meet a friend at the barber and sit chatting while hot towels open up the pores on your face. The barber then came over with a brush and a straight razor and shaved you closer than you can imagine. The experience would end with moisturizers and facial massage. Then, you and your pal were ready to go out for coffee.
Times may have changed, but you can still find a barber who offers wet shaves near you. So next time you want a little pampering, make an appointment. Or make it a regular thing with your buddies.
Massage
Learning to give a good massage will earn you brownie points for the rest of your life! Take your partner to learn with you so she can return the favor.
- Thai Massage
- Indian Head Massage
- Sweedish Massage
- Sports Massage
Prayer & Meditation
With the busyness of our lives, it’s easy to forget to take time out for prayer and meditation, but these ancient practices are essential, more now than ever.
- Express gratitude
- Empty your mind
Ice Bath
You must try it if you’ve never tried taking an ice bath!
Studies show that 11 minutes per week in an ice bath is enough to gain a whole host of benefits, and once you get over the initial shock, it’s quite fun too. Is it a hobby or just something to do? Once you jump in, it won’t matter.
- Increase energy and focus
- Improves your mood
- Increases your metabolism
Sauna
Heat exposure is just as good for you as cold exposure, so find a gym or spa with a comfortable sauna and make a regular trip there each week just for you.
Saunas are pretty affordable, so you could just set one up in your garage and never need to worry about going to get your sauna time.
Millionaire Hobbies for Rich Men
Millionaire hobbies are not something most of us mere mortals will be able to do, but it’s fun to dream. Setting your sights on a millionaire hobby is a great way to motivate yourself to put in those extra hours required to build your income.
Piloting
Flying a plane is something most people could achieve. The road to getting your pilot’s license and flying an airplane solo for the first time isn’t as long as you might think, just 40 hours of flight time. And though it isn’t cheap, it’s not as expensive as you think.
Sailing
The ultimate luxury is sitting on the deck of a shiny white yacht with a calm, open ocean all around. There’s a reason why it’s the sort of image you see in magazines.
Without the money to fund your own fleet, you might think you’re stuck on dry land, but renting a luxury boat for the day can cost as little as $1,500, so even if you haven’t earned your first million yet, you might be able to take your friends out for the day.
Art Collecting
When Sinatra sings, “The best of everything, that’s what I wish for you…a Rembrandt hanging on the wall.” He’s pointing to the idea that art somehow becomes something more than the sum of its parts. And that for someone who wants the best in life, art is a must.
It’s rich people that make art worth so much money. Canvas and oil paints worth millions boggle the mind, but the prices would drop if the wealthy didn’t buy them.
Having beautiful art on the wall is something we can all achieve, however, whether it’s just by hanging a reproduction or finding an artist more in your price range.
Horse Riding
Horses are expensive to keep, train, house, and feed. Once the mode of transport for most people, now, horses are a luxury most of us simply don’t need. Luckily, if you are interested in learning to ride a horse, you don’t need to buy one. Instead, find a riding school and take some lessons.
Sure, you might ride next to some little girls obsessed with ponies. Just keep telling yourself you’re a cowboy!
Hunting
Before the birth of tech millionaires and other forms of new money, most rich people came from wealthy families. These families usually held tradition as an essential part of life. Few activities have a longer tradition than hunting.
Part sport, part survival, and part social, hunting became a way of life for many wealthy families, such as the upper classes in England.
Today hunting is more of a divisive issue. The obvious cruelty and violence turn some off. But whether or not you agree with the idea of hunting, to do it on horseback with hunting dogs costs money most of us don’t have.
Skiing
Skiing certainly isn’t only for the super-rich, but it is a hobby that they enjoy. Swap out the private villa for the lobby of a cabin hotel, and your skiing trip won’t be that different from the wealthy folks on the other side of the mountain.
Active Hobbies Men Enjoy
A good mix of aerobic exercise and strength training is ideal for physical health, but you don’t have to go to the gym every day to be an athlete. Many hobbies promote regular physical activity, which all have health benefits.
Hiking
Hiking is simply the more manly word for walking. It sounds rougher and more demanding, but really it’s just walking. So find some hills or rough terrain and get your exercise today through walking, errr, I mean hiking!
Weight Lifting
The benefits of lifting weights are obvious: you look better and get stronger, but social and professional benefits also come from this hobby. People want to be
Running
Any cardiovascular exercise is good for fighting heart disease, but jogging is more than just a way to get your cardio in for the day. Road running or cross-country running teaches discipline and mastery over your mind. Ultramarathon runners such as David Goggins are often known more as mental than physical athletes.
Being able to force yourself to run one more mile is an ability that will transfer well to other areas of your life. Use a training plan to help you achieve your first marathon.
Martial Arts
As a man, you are traditionally seen as the family’s protector, so you must know how to defend yourself. Martial art classes are more than just learning to fight. There is a huge social aspect. Over the years of attending the same class, you’ll get to know and make friends with others students. There are so many martial arts to choose from, so pick something that appeals to you.
- Boxing
- MMA
- Jiu Jitsu
- Taekwondo
- Kung Fu
- Karate
- Wrestling
- Muay Thai
Sports
Most people spend their childhood regularly playing their favorite sports, but that slowly dies off as you become an adult and start thinking about work and family. But there’s no reason you can’t still enjoy an afternoon on the pitch or the court. So find a group that plays at the local sports center and find out about joining.
- Soccer
- Softball
- Basketball
- Touch Football
- Tennis
- Squash
Climbing
If the thought of being Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible has ever crossed your mind, you could get one step closer by learning how to climb. Rather than starting on a bare cliff face, you could start on a beginner’s wall at your local climbing club. Then, slowly build up your skills and grip strength until you venture out and scale somewhere spectacular.
Work with Your Hands
Woodworking
Woodworking is artistic and physical, so you can explore your creative side while making something functional. Before going out to buy a garage full of power tools, look online to see if a woodworking group is nearby. You can use their tools and workshop while you learn the basics.
Blacksmithing and Metalworking
Like woodworking, the art of blacksmithing has been around for centuries. You can participate in that timeless tradition by learning the fundamentals of blacksmithing and metalworking, such as forge work, hammering, and heat treatment.
Good tools and equipment, including a forge, anvil, hammers, and tongs, don’t come cheap, so take some classes and ensure it’s the best hobby for you before committing.
Car Restoration
Be prepared to invest time and effort into restoring a car. It can be a challenge, but the result of seeing a classic car brought back to life is well worth it if you love cars. Depending on the car you are restoring, you will need a good set of tools, including wrenches, pliers, and a range of specialized equipment.
- Start by selecting the car you want to restore. You probably already know if this hobby interests you.
- Next, gather the tools you need as you work on the vehicle. This way, you won’t buy tools you don’t need and can spread the cost out over time.
- Ensure you have a garage or space you can use until the project is complete.
- Contact people online who have restored similar cars when you need help. They may be able to point you in the right direction for parts or technical advice.
Collecting
Finding that final piece to complete a collection is a feeling like no other, especially if you have been chasing it for years. As a child, you naturally collected various things: baseball cards, stones, stickers, and other things you took affection to.
You can still find some of that joy by returning to your childhood and building a collection again. Imagine displaying a complete set of one of these:
- Stamps
- Coins
- Antiques
- Trading cars
- Vintage toys
- Memorabilia
- Antiques
Sophisticated Hobbies for Men
Chess or Go
The ability to play chess well is evidence of a superior mind. Chess forces you to predict the next few moves of your opponent and then quickly analyze which will bring you closer to victory. As a result, playing chess will make you more thoughtful and help you make more well-thought-out decisions in your personal life and business.
Board games similar to chess include the ancient Chinese game of go. Players also rely on the ability to read through potential sequences of moves. However, go is much more complex than chess, as the possible number of moves is vastly higher. So if chess isn’t challenging enough for you, learn to play go instead.
Reading Classics
They’re classic for a reason.
Great minds, generation after generation, have decided that those books are worth reading. Will the most intelligent people in 500 years be recommending you read Harry Potter? Probably not. But they will still be reading these authors:
- Homer
- Virgil
- Shakespeare
- Milton
Cigar Smoking
Cigar collecting and smoking is not the healthiest hobby on this list, and I would never encourage anyone to take up smoking. Why do so many men love this unhealthy hobby?
Sitting outside alone for an hour with your thoughts is something everyone should take the time to do each week. However, most people need a reason to do it, and a cigar is the reason for many men.
They love collecting them and the smell of cigar leaf and Spanish cedar. But they also crave a little time away from the madness of their lives in quiet contemplation.
Wine Appreciation
Must it be wine? Is craft beer, whiskey, or cocktails not an option? It doesn’t really matter. Drink whatever you like.
Wine tasting and drinking simply has a longer history and was the hobby of the ancient Romans and Greeks. But the history of whiskey is equally fascinating.
Any kind of alcohol appreciation is just about developing your sense of taste. Can you differentiate subtle notes in a drink that most people miss? It’s about perfecting a very specific skill.
- Join a wine appreciation society
- Visit vineyards
- Put on your own wine tastings
Fashion
Sophistication isn’t only about what you do and what you know. You have to look good too. So sophisticated men make it a habit to wear fashionable, quality clothes. That won’t happen by accident. Knowing what goes with what, where to buy your clothes, and which fashions are in right now takes some dedication, but if you’re interested in this hobby, it will take you to places like Paris and Rome.
On the other hand, if you find a decent tailor, you can let him make the choices for you.
Enjoy Your Leisure Time
We all start as beginners or amateur hobbyists before turning something we’re passionate about not a great hobby. I hope the hobbies and interests on this list help in detecting your new favorite hobbies. Bookmark it for later, and don’t waste your spare time!
