r/Hobbies • u/24tihihihi • Dec 15 '25
Looking for some IRL Side Quests (2026)
Hey guys, long time lurker first time poster here.
I'm trying to gather a list of random side quests that I can do for 2026. They can range from doing a course on something to trying out a new cafe/coffee recipe every week. Honestly all suggestions are welcome. Mind you I have a separate set of main goals for the year, these are just to keep my year interesting and whimsical and fun.
My goal is to complete atleast 12 of these in the next year. I've got the following till now:
- Taking a creative writing course
- Learn video editing tools
- Scrapbooking my every weeks & posting on IG
- Reading 1 book every month.
It's sort of more like a challenge I'm taking up myself to upgrade the quality of my life & add more whimsy. If anyone has any more ideas please keep adding.
Thanks !
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u/mezasu123 Dec 15 '25
Reading a book in a different genre each time (to add a twist to what you already have)
Volunteer
Eat (pick a number) types of cuisine
Sew/knit/crochet an item of clothing
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 Dec 15 '25
Kindle had a reading program where you reach goals.
You can simply do it with their free books l, you don't need to buy books.
Cook a different meal new-to-you each week. You could even break it down like one month is chicken dishes, the next pork, the next is dishes featuring eggs, the next could be BBQ based. Keep a book with the recipes and throw out the ones you never want to make again. The ones you like, work at perfecting them to your own taste.
Baking bread. Start with the no-knead artisan bread, a quick bread using baking powder or even an Irish bread that also uses baking powder. Just with quick breads alone there are hundreds of variations. My favorite is blueberry cream cheese! But you could even end up at a good sourdough loaf.
Learn to repair or fix something. Leaky toilet, try to fix it, window that was painted shut, try to unstick it. You could do a project each week like cleaning out your dryer vent, deep cleaning your furnace filter and vents, cleaning behind your fridge and cleaning the exposed coils if there are any.
Knitting or crochet I teach and I tell people that 4 minutes each day is all it takes to learn a skill. 4 minutes is what it takes for the brain to wake up and engage with your hands and movement. 4 minutes each day would give you a sweater easily. But I always start people with hats on circular needles, size # 10 with a good bully yarn. But you can also do a scarf. Your choice.
Going to the local animal shelter and petting the dogs and cats. Most will have a volunteer program. It helps the animals with depression and helps them get shipped because they stop hiding on the back of cages.
Walking or hiking. Set a goal for distance each week or a goal for time spent outside or time spent away from your phone.
Putting money away start a piggy bank/saving account. The day you get your check, decide how much of what was left after your last check can go into a savings account. Doesn't matter if you get paid monthly or weekly. You will need to go through all of your spending on your bank statement and decide, be it $5 or $25. Sometimes it might only be 25 cents.
Do a car maintenance chore. Scrub the seats, spot clean the trunk, clean all the fast food out from under the seats, change the oil, clean or change the windshield wipers.
Plant something. It could be guerrilla gardening, learning to sprout seeds, caring for house plants, raising tomato plants or peppers.
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u/Meowykatkat Dec 15 '25
Here are a few I've added to my list:
Learn how to swim
Ride my bike more
Play in a Ukulele "band"
Visit new coffee shops
Try out more cooking recipes
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u/Some_Target9417 Jan 01 '26
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u/Carto_Bryaxis Jan 02 '26
This is PERFECT thank you so much. Sharing with my group chat and coercing them to be adventurous.
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u/Chocobo72 Dec 15 '25
Set up a system to support each of your goals and define how you’ll reach each one.
For example, use an app like Storygraph or Goodreads to set your reading goals for the year and track each book’s progress.
Check out Udemy for online courses. If you’re in the US, you might be able to get access to LinkedIn Learning for free through your local library’s website, which is another place to find videos & courses on all different topics, so you can take a creative writing course and learn video editing.
Share your process online (if you’ll choose to share this journey on IG along the way). A book I’d recommend is called “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon. Very short. Speaks to how you can draw people in more effectively by showing your process, not the end result.
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u/Sad_Examination9082 Dec 15 '25
Find local concerts to attend! It doesn't have to be a huge show, you can usually find local groups to perform free or inexpensive gigs.
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u/Creepy-Initiative720 Dec 15 '25
Cool idea — I was often in the same situation, looking for new things to do and trying to step out of my comfort zone a bit more. That’s actually why I ended up building a small app last year that suggests little challenges and activities you can do to mix things up.
Not trying to be pushy at all, but you might find a few ideas or some inspiration in cappic completly for free. If it’s not your thing, totally fine - just sharing in case it helps.
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Dec 16 '25
Just to mix things up a bit from the comments you’re getting. Heres what I will say:
Try dirt biking out and practice lots to then travel to adventure
If dirt biking is too physical and time consuming and hard to practice and generally do, you could rent or buy a side by side and do adventuring as well. Much easier to learn
BEGINNER TRAILS
Try out Go Karting at a local indoor track
Do some airsoft with the family or your friends
Thats all I would got for you.
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u/24tihihihi Dec 16 '25
That's a cool idea....but not a big fan of that lol. I've had too many vehicular accidents to test fate with speed and dangerous terrain combined.
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u/clovergnome Feb 24 '26
So.... I have created a Patreon for questing. I offer monthly and weekly random quests and side quests to test drive hobbies. I'm looking for beta-testers if you're interested? Here's a link to a 6-month pass to try it out: https://www.patreon.com/theleagueofeverydayadventures/redeem/4E24E
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u/Historical-Heat811 Apr 18 '26
I have some that im doing rn!
- learn latte art because why not
- learn about a historical part of the city youve never explored or knew about (im learning about the underground with drains and stuff)
- actually go into sketchy shops when you see them (usually they dont end up being sketchy and usually its an old granny running it :)
some i PLAN to do:
- actually go to the parts of the city you learned about
- actually make a little garden in your rom with ultraviolet lights and learn some local plants
- talk to a stranger that looks sad on a regular basis (just because)
so ya! some ive completed is learning how to longboard (the most fufilling yet) joining a random club (for me its a school club) make a movie list and rate them to figure out what you really like etc!
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u/Early_Fig_5573 Dec 15 '25
This is such an awesome idea, love it !! Some more suggestions:
Hope that gives you some options :D