Best Hobbies for Retirees to Stay Active

Retirement can give you something that working life rarely provides: time.

No more rushing to work. No more squeezing appointments between meetings. No more trying to fit exercise, family, friends and hobbies into whatever happens to be left over at the end of the day.

But having more free time can also create an unexpected problem.

What are you actually going to do with it?

One of the best answers is to develop hobbies that keep you moving, learning, socializing and looking forward to the next day.

The best retirement hobbies don't necessarily feel like exercise. Gardening can be exercise. Dancing can be exercise. Walking with a friend can be exercise. Golfing, cycling, swimming and even exploring a new city can keep you moving without feeling like you are spending your retirement at a gym.

The National Institute on Aging encourages older adults to participate in enjoyable activities that support physical, mental and social well-being. The CDC also recommends that adults 65 and older combine aerobic activity with muscle-strengthening and balance activities.

Why Hobbies Matter So Much in Retirement

Work provides more than a paycheck.

It gives many people a daily routine, social interaction, goals, challenges and a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Retirement removes much of that structure.

That can be wonderful—but it means you may need to replace some of what work provided.

Hobbies can fill that role.

A good hobby can give you something to work toward, people to spend time with and a reason to stay active. The National Institute on Aging notes that meaningful social and productive activities can support healthy aging and independence.

And there is another advantage: hobbies can make exercise more enjoyable.

Walking for 30 minutes because you have been told you should exercise may feel like a chore.

Walking for 30 minutes with a friend while exploring a new trail can feel like an adventure.

What Makes a Great Retirement Hobby?

The best hobby for one retiree may be completely wrong for another.

Someone who loves competition might thrive on pickleball or golf. Someone who prefers quiet mornings might enjoy gardening or photography.

When choosing a retirement hobby, consider whether it provides one or more of these benefits:

• Movement: Does it get you on your feet and moving?
• Social connection: Does it give you opportunities to meet people?
• Mental stimulation: Does it make you learn, solve problems or create something?
• Purpose: Does it give you something meaningful to accomplish?
• Enjoyment: Do you actually look forward to doing it?
• Flexibility: Can you adapt it as your abilities or interests change?

Ideally, your retirement lifestyle includes several different types of activities rather than relying on one hobby.

1. Walking

If you want one of the simplest hobbies to start in retirement, walking is hard to beat.

You don't need expensive equipment, a membership or a complicated training program.

You can walk around your neighborhood, through a park, on a nature trail, at a shopping mall or while exploring a new city.

Better yet, walking can become a social hobby.

Find a walking partner or join a walking group and suddenly your daily exercise becomes a social event.

The CDC identifies brisk walking as an example of moderate-intensity aerobic activity for older adults.

Make Walking More Interesting

• Explore a different neighborhood each week.
• Walk local nature trails.
• Join a walking group.
• Walk while listening to podcasts or audiobooks.
• Take walking vacations.
• Walk with your dog.
• Try photography walks.

A walking hobby can also evolve as you become fitter. A short neighborhood walk can eventually become a five-kilometre trail or a multi-day hiking trip.

2. Gardening

Gardening is one of the great retirement hobbies because it combines movement, creativity and productivity.

Digging, planting, weeding, carrying soil and watering plants all involve physical activity.

And unlike going to a gym, gardening gives you something to show for your effort.

By the end of the season, you may have flowers, vegetables, herbs or an entirely redesigned backyard.

Gardening can also be adapted as you age. Raised garden beds, containers and smaller gardening areas can reduce the need to bend or kneel.

The CDC specifically identifies gardening and digging as activities that can contribute to muscle-strengthening activity.

3. Pickleball

Pickleball has become a popular recreational sport among older adults, and it is easy to understand why.

It combines movement, hand-eye coordination and social interaction in a relatively compact court.

You can play casually with friends or become more competitive as your interest develops.

One of the biggest advantages of pickleball is that it can become a social routine. Instead of simply exercising, you are meeting people several times a week.

Like any sport, however, pickleball involves physical demands and the risk of injury. Start at an appropriate level and gradually increase your activity.

4. Golf

Golf can be much more than hitting a ball around 18 holes.

Walking a course can provide several hours of movement, while the social side of golf can make it a great way to maintain friendships after retirement.

You can also make golf more flexible by playing nine holes instead of 18, walking when practical, using a cart when necessary or spending time at a driving range.

Golf also has a useful psychological component: there is always something to improve.

You can work on your swing, putting, short game or course management for years without ever running out of things to learn.

5. Cycling

Cycling is another excellent way to explore your surroundings while staying active.

A bicycle can turn an ordinary afternoon into an adventure.

You might ride around your neighborhood, follow recreational trails, explore nearby towns or plan cycling vacations.

For people who find walking uncomfortable, cycling may provide another way to get cardiovascular activity with less impact on the joints.

E-bikes have also made cycling accessible to people who may struggle with hills, longer distances or keeping pace with riding partners.

As always, appropriate equipment, road awareness and personal ability should be considered.

6. Swimming and Water Aerobics

If you enjoy being in the water, swimming and water aerobics can be excellent retirement hobbies.

Swimming provides cardiovascular exercise while water-based activities can offer a different environment for movement.

Water aerobics can also be social, with classes providing both exercise and an opportunity to meet other people.

The CDC includes swimming and water aerobics among activities that can contribute to aerobic activity for older adults.

7. Dancing

Dancing may be one of the most underrated retirement hobbies.

It gets you moving, challenges coordination and can be highly social.

And unlike traditional exercise, the objective isn't necessarily to "work out."

You're dancing.

Try:

• Ballroom dancing
• Line dancing
• Salsa
• Swing dancing
• Square dancing
• Dance fitness classes
• Social dance clubs

The National Institute on Aging specifically lists dancing as an activity older adults can use to stay active.

8. Hiking and Nature Exploration

Retirement can be the perfect time to explore the outdoors.

Hiking doesn't have to mean climbing a mountain.

Start with local trails and gradually explore more challenging routes if that is something you enjoy.

Hiking can also combine several hobbies at once:

• Exercise
• Photography
• Birdwatching
• Nature study
• Travel
• Socializing

A weekend hiking trip can become a full vacation. A morning walk in a local conservation area can become a regular weekly routine.

9. Birdwatching

Birdwatching might not sound like an obvious exercise hobby.

But serious birdwatchers can spend hours walking through parks, forests, wetlands and nature trails looking for different species.

It also gives you a reason to explore new places.

Buy a pair of binoculars, download a bird-identification app and start keeping a list of the species you discover.

Suddenly your neighborhood park becomes an adventure.

10. Yoga and Tai Chi

Not every active retirement hobby needs to involve running, jumping or lifting heavy weights.

Yoga and tai chi can provide opportunities to work on movement, flexibility, strength, coordination and balance.

Tai chi in particular uses slow, controlled movements and can be practiced individually or in a group.

The CDC identifies yoga and tai chi among activities that can contribute to balance and other components of physical activity.

Classes can also add an important social component.

11. Strength Training

Strength training may not immediately sound like a hobby, but it can become one.

Maintaining muscle strength becomes increasingly important as we age. Strength training can be performed at a gym, at home or in a community class.

You don't necessarily need complicated equipment.

Depending on your abilities and goals, resistance bands, dumbbells, machines or body-weight exercises can all be part of a strength-training routine.

The CDC recommends muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days per week for adults 65 and older.

If you're new to strength training, learning proper technique and choosing an appropriate level of resistance are important.

12. Fishing

Fishing may not seem particularly active, but it can encourage you to spend more time outdoors and can be combined with hiking, boating or walking along shorelines.

It also provides something that many retirees appreciate: patience.

Fishing gives you an excuse to slow down, spend time outside and enjoy the environment.

And if you have grandchildren, fishing can become a hobby you share across generations.

13. Travel

Retirement is often associated with travel, but travel itself can be an active hobby.

Walking through European cities, hiking national parks, exploring museums, cycling through small towns or simply wandering around a new destination can add thousands of steps to your day.

You don't have to travel internationally.

Try becoming a tourist in your own region.

• Visit a town you've never explored.
• Take a weekend road trip.
• Explore local historical sites.
• Visit farmers' markets.
• Try new restaurants.
• Explore local hiking trails.
• Take a walking tour.

Travel also gives you something valuable in retirement: something to look forward to.

14. Volunteering

Not every retirement hobby needs to be about personal recreation.

Volunteering can provide purpose, social connection and opportunities to remain active.

Consider volunteering at:

• Animal shelters
• Food banks
• Libraries
• Schools
• Museums
• Community organizations
• Charities
• Community gardens
• Sports organizations

Some volunteer roles involve sitting at a desk. Others can keep you moving for several hours.

The important part is finding something meaningful to you.

The National Institute on Aging includes volunteering among activities that can help older adults maintain purpose, social connection and engagement.

15. Playing With Your Grandchildren

Here's a retirement hobby that doesn't require a membership: spending time with your grandchildren.

Play catch. Go for a walk. Ride bikes. Visit a playground. Go swimming. Build something. Explore a park.

You might be surprised how much activity a day with children can generate.

The bigger benefit may be the relationship you're building.

The National Institute on Aging specifically includes playing with grandchildren among activities older adults can use to stay active.

16. Photography

Photography is an excellent example of a hobby that can make another activity more interesting.

Instead of simply walking through a park, you're looking for birds, landscapes, architecture, wildlife or interesting light.

That can turn a 30-minute walk into a two-hour adventure.

You can also combine photography with travel, hiking, gardening, birdwatching or family activities.

17. Woodworking and Building Projects

Retirement can be a great time to finally tackle the projects you've been putting off for decades.

Woodworking, furniture restoration, model building and other hands-on projects can keep your mind engaged while giving you a reason to work with your hands.

These hobbies can also involve some physical activity, although they should not necessarily replace aerobic exercise or dedicated strength and balance activities.

And there's something satisfying about looking at a finished project and saying:

"I built that."

18. Learning a Musical Instrument

Have you always wanted to play guitar?

Piano?

Drums?

Maybe retirement is the time to finally learn.

Learning an instrument can challenge your memory, coordination, concentration and creativity.

Better yet, you can turn a solitary hobby into a social one by joining a band, community orchestra or informal music group.

You could even learn an instrument specifically because you want to play music with your grandchildren.

19. Pick a Hobby That Gets You Out of the House

One of the easiest traps in retirement is gradually becoming less active without realizing it.

Work used to force you out of the house.

Retirement doesn't.

That's why having scheduled activities can be valuable.

A Tuesday morning walking group, Thursday afternoon golf game or Saturday volunteer shift creates structure in your week.

It also creates a reason to get dressed, leave the house and interact with other people.

The Best Retirement Hobbies Are Often Social

Staying active isn't only about your muscles and cardiovascular system.

Retirement can also dramatically change your social life.

Many people lose regular contact with coworkers when they stop working. If you don't replace those relationships with new social connections, retirement can become surprisingly isolating.

Group activities can solve both problems at once.

Consider:

• Walking clubs
• Golf leagues
• Pickleball groups
• Dance classes
• Hiking clubs
• Swimming classes
• Volunteer organizations
• Photography clubs
• Gardening groups
• Travel groups

The NIA notes that group-based physical activities can provide both movement and opportunities for social engagement, friendship and emotional support.

Don't Forget About Balance and Strength

When choosing retirement hobbies, it is tempting to focus entirely on activities that get your heart rate up.

But a well-rounded activity routine should include more than cardio.

The CDC recommends that adults 65 and older include aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening activity and balance activities each week.

Some hobbies naturally combine several of these components.

For example:

• Gardening: movement and muscle-strengthening activity
• Hiking: aerobic activity and balance
• Dancing: aerobic activity, coordination and balance
• Yoga: flexibility, strength and balance
• Tai chi: balance, movement and coordination
• Pickleball: aerobic activity, movement and coordination

What If You Don't Consider Yourself Athletic?

You don't need to be athletic to have an active retirement.

In fact, thinking of retirement activity as "exercise" can sometimes make the whole idea less appealing.

Instead, think about what you enjoy doing.

If you love gardening, garden.

If you love animals, volunteer at an animal shelter.

If you love photography, walk around looking for interesting subjects.

If you love music, take dancing lessons.

If you love travel, explore places where walking is part of the experience.

The goal isn't to turn retirement into an endless fitness program. It's to create a lifestyle where movement happens naturally.

Create a Retirement Hobby Schedule

One way to make your hobbies stick is to put them on your calendar.

Your retirement week could look something like this:

• Monday: Morning walk and strength training
• Tuesday: Gardening and photography
• Wednesday: Pickleball with friends
• Thursday: Swimming or water aerobics
• Friday: Hiking or exploring a new trail
• Saturday: Family or grandchildren day
• Sunday: Relaxation, reading and planning the week

You don't need to follow this exact schedule.

The point is that retirement can have structure without feeling like work.

Budget for Your Retirement Hobbies

Some hobbies are almost free.

Walking around your neighborhood costs very little. Gardening can be inexpensive. Reading can be free through a library.

Other hobbies can become expensive very quickly.

Golf equipment, travel, bicycles, boats, photography equipment and recreational vehicles can all consume significant portions of a retirement budget.

This is an important part of retirement planning.

If travel, golf or other hobbies are a major part of your retirement lifestyle, make sure your retirement plan reflects those expenses.

Your first five years of retirement may look very different financially from your later years.

That's one reason it can be useful to divide retirement into different spending phases.

Your Retirementize retirement calculator can help you model retirement income, spending and savings across different stages of retirement.

Retirement Is the Time to Try Something New

One of the biggest advantages of retirement is that you no longer need to be good at everything you try.

You can simply experiment.

Take a photography course.

Try pickleball.

Sign up for a dance class.

Join a hiking group.

Plant a garden.

Learn Spanish.

Take a woodworking class.

Try something for three months and decide whether you like it.

If you don't, move on.

Retirement gives you permission to be a beginner again.

What If Your Abilities Change?

A good retirement hobby should be adaptable.

You may love hiking at 65 but find that long mountain trails are less appealing at 75.

That doesn't mean you have to give up being active.

You might switch to shorter trails, walking groups, swimming, cycling, gardening, yoga or another activity.

The National Institute on Aging recommends choosing activities that match your abilities and adjusting them as needed.

The goal is not to maintain exactly the same hobby forever.

The goal is to maintain an active and enjoyable lifestyle.

Fun Facts About Retirement Hobbies

How to Choose Your Perfect Retirement Hobby

If you're not sure where to start, ask yourself five questions.

What Did You Enjoy Before You Retired?

Maybe you played sports, gardened, travelled or worked with your hands before your career became too demanding.

Retirement can give you the time to return to those interests.

What Have You Always Wanted to Try?

Retirement is an opportunity to finally try the things that never fit into your working life.

Who Do You Want to Spend Time With?

If maintaining friendships is important to you, look for hobbies that naturally create social opportunities.

How Active Do You Want to Be?

Your hobbies should match your current abilities and interests. Starting gradually is often better than choosing an activity that is too demanding and quickly becomes frustrating.

What Gives You a Reason to Get Up in the Morning?

This may be the most important question.

The best retirement hobby is not necessarily the one that burns the most calories.

It is the one that makes you think:

"I can't wait to do that tomorrow."

The Best Retirement Might Be an Active Retirement

Retirement doesn't have to mean slowing down.

For many people, it can mean finally having enough time to do the things they were too busy to enjoy while working.

Walk more. Travel. Garden. Play golf. Learn to dance. Ride a bike. Join a pickleball league. Take up photography. Volunteer. Spend more time with your family.

There is no single definition of an active retirement.

An active retirement is simply one where you continue to participate in the things that make life enjoyable and meaningful.

Physical activity is an important part of that equation. The CDC notes that regular physical activity can support independent living, improve physical function and reduce the risk of falls and several chronic conditions in older adults.

Plan for the Retirement You Actually Want

Your retirement plan should not only answer the question: "Will I have enough money?"

It should also help you think about: "What am I going to do with all that time?"

If travel is important to you, include travel in your spending plan.

If golf is going to become a three-times-a-week activity, account for the costs.

If you want to spend more time with family, think about where you want to live and how much travel may be involved.

Retirement is more than a financial event. It is a lifestyle change.

Retirementize can help you model your retirement income, savings and spending so you can build a financial plan around the retirement lifestyle you want.

Conclusion

The best hobbies for retirees are the ones that give you a reason to move, connect with other people, learn something new or simply enjoy your time.

Walking, gardening, golf, pickleball, cycling, swimming, dancing, hiking, photography, volunteering and travel are just a few of the possibilities.

You don't need to choose just one.

In fact, a combination of hobbies may be the best approach. A walking group can give you exercise and social connection. Gardening can give you physical activity and a sense of accomplishment. Travel can provide adventure. Volunteering can provide purpose. Dancing can combine exercise with fun.

The important thing is to build a retirement that gives you something to look forward to.

Because once you have the time to retire, the next question is: how are you going to spend it?

Ready to plan the financial side of your active retirement? Try Retirementize and explore your retirement income, savings and spending scenarios.

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