Having lots of free time isn’t the worse problem to have. As most of us grow older and retirement dawns, you might be thinking about what you should do with all that extra time. Or perhaps you’ve recently gone part-time at work and are struck with inspiration to try something new. Either way, we’ve researched the best hobbies for men over 50 that are both easy enough for anyone to try and fun enough to stick with for the long haul!
1. Work With Your Hands – Woodworking and Carpentry
Working with your hands to build something is the epitome of a manly hobby. Which is why it’s a great hobby for men over 50 who are looking for a challenge. Woodworking and carpentry can involve tough physical work, which means it doubles as a workout and a hobby! Before you start, do some research about what kind of tools you’ll need. A beginners set would include:
- A small lathe
- Solid woodworking table to work off
- Clamps and chisels
Don’t worry if you have a small space to work out of, woodworking can be achieved anywhere. You just might have to be a bit more inventive with creating a workspace. Once you’re set up, start small. Build something useful and easy, like a birdhouse, to give yourself an idea of how your new tools work. Get involved in the community as well; there are lots of great YouTube channels covering woodworking like Popular Woodworking and Steve Ramsey. There’s also a worldwide forum of woodworkers where you can show off what you’ve built and get inspiration from others.
2. Fish For Your Dinner… Literally
Ah, fishing. One of the hobbies for men over 50 that’s one of the most iconic male pastimes. It’s also a very cliched hobby for retirees; lots of films reference men wanting to quit their job and spend their days fishing. And, why not? Fishing is relaxing, challenging and you could come home with your dinner!
Starting to fish is simple and doesn’t have to cost too much money if you do your research beforehand. Here are some basic tips:
Research the best area for fishing near you.
Ask locals and other fishers for tips.
Make sure you have the right permissions and licenses.
Get a rod with its own reel and tackle box.
Finally, patience. Fishing is a long game, which is why it’s one of the most popular hobbies for adults. Imagine yourself, relaxing on a picturesque lake, line cast and ready to go, listening to a portable radio – perfection.
3. The Ultimate Hobby for Men Over 50 – Cooking
This hobby ties in closely to one before if you’re going to learn to fish, you should probably learn how to cook what you’ve caught. Cooking is an excellent hobby for anyone over 50, it’s an incredibly versatile skill to learn and it’s one of the few hobbies you’ll put into practice every day.
If you have lots of free time, it’s a great way to explore some old memories because one of the best ways to start learning to cook is nostalgia! Think of a dish that your parents made when you were younger that you haven’t eaten in a while, find the recipe and start creating. Cooking is very relaxing and rewarding hobby, it can also take your palette out of its comfort zone and you may discover some new dishes that will become firm favourites.
4. One of the Most Popular Men’s Hobbies – Golf
Is Golf the classiest sport in the world? Probably. You’ve got smart clothes, exclusive clubs, gorgeous locations, and social events all tied to the sport . It’s such a great hobby for men over 50 as it’s not too intensive, it’s still challenging, and you could even make some new friends doing it. But, how do you start?
Golf can be seen as an elite sport, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. A good place to start is visiting a local golf range for practice. Here you can try different clubs, practice your game and ask for tips from other people playing. Still feeling unsure? Check out this Beginner Golf Basics video from Meandmygolf – a great introduction for anyone looking to tee off .
5. Make Some Memories with Photography
Photography is a great hobby to experiment with as you get older as everyone has some experience in taking photos. Today, your smartphone can double as an excellent camera. So, if your phone’s picture quality is good enough, you might not even have to use a full-size camera!
Photography also gives you an excuse to go places that you may have never been before, or just really appreciate all the natural or industrial beauty in your local area. Here are some quick tips for a beginner photographer:
Shooting with a phone:
- Play around with all the available features.
- Take advantage of using a light camera to take more interesting shots.
- Check out some of the amazing photography applications on offer.
Shooting with a camera:
- Make sure you understand the photography basics.
- Shoot at the golden hour – typically just before sunrise or just before sunset.
- Capture the moment and try carrying your camera with you regularly.
6. Create Your Own Eden, Take Up Gardening
One of most common hobbies for men over 50 is creating and maintaining your own patch of land. Gardening may be a great inexpensive hobby, but it’s not as easy as it looks. Gardening requires research, experimentation, and maintenance, but the rewards can be fantastic. Whether you want to grow food or just grow gorgeous flora, gardening can be very satisfying.
Starting is easy, just keep it basic.
Make sure your soil and sun location is good for what you want to plant (6 hours of sun minimum)
Research the specific needs of what your planting.
Plana calendar and keep an eye on the weather and how it affects your plants.
7. Climb Every Mountain and Start Hiking
An iconic retirement activity, hiking is one of best hobbies for men over 50 to take up for four reasons:
- It’s good exercise
- It’s beautiful
- You get a sense of achievement
- You can meet new people
All these benefits, just by walking up a hill, path or mountain? Yes, hiking is an excellent pastime that challenges you and gives you a chance to gain a better understanding of the outdoors. If you’ve never been a great map reader, hiking is a good way to feel more comfortable navigating your way on and off paths. After finding your way, expending some energy, nearly giving up and getting to the top of your destination – you’ll take in that view and realise that there’s truly nothing like it.
Not confident to hike solo yet? No worries, check out the link below to find your local hiking group:
8. Become a Social Butterfly
Sometimes, one of the most obvious hobbies for men over 50 gets completely ignored; simply, being social. If you’re recently retired or not working as much as previously, then having lots of spare time can feel like there’s nothing to do! However, it’s likely your local community is bursting with cultural and social events happening all year round. Not sure if you want to socialise on your own? Take a partner and find someone to create adventures with on SilverSingles. We’re a specialised dating site for men and women over 50 looking to meet someone to discover new things with, and potentially find a new lease of life.
So, what are you waiting for? Take our personality test and start meeting people today.
About the author: The Editorial Team
Bringing you the very latest dating trends, relationship advice and news from Inside SilverSingles, the Editorial Team are on hand to guide you through the online dating game...