Have you and your friends ever wanted to go out and do something but haven’t been able to think of anything new? There are plenty of things to do in the Monroe-Woodbury area. Here are a few ideas:

Find a new café

If you’re looking for a place where you can just buy a drink and hang out for the day, a café would definitely be for you. There are a lot of café’s nearby that are worth checking out: for example, Javajo’s, Valkyrie, Bossi’s Bakery and Café, and Village Hands.

Get some grub

Let’s say you want to go out, but your stomach is grumbling: here are some restaurants where you can get food for a cheap price: Plum House, where you could get Japanese cuisine, Marina’s, if you want a classic slice of pizza, Viva Mexican Grocery Store and Deli, which has empanadas to die for, or a local diner, if you’re craving something homey. There’s something local for almost any craving you might have.

Spend some time outside

There are a lot of hiking trails or places to simply appreciate nature. Some trails include the Appalachian trail, hiking Schunemunk Mountain, and walking or biking the Heritage Trail. However, if you’re willing to drive a bit to get to your destination, there’s the Storm King Art Center, Montgomery Arboretum, New Jersey Botanical Gardens, or taking one of the hundreds of trails in Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain.

Visit a shopping center

Everyone knows about the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, and while we’ve all been there, there’s always something to do, from going out to eat there to shopping ’til you drop. You could find a store you never knew existed or visit some of the regular favorites. However, if you want a change of scenery into something more “small town”-ish, try going to Sugar Loaf. They have a cute main street with a few shops you might not usually think of going to, such as Merrily Paper, a stationary and soap store, Ava’s Hope Chest, an antique store with the right prices, and the Sugar Loaf Candle Shop, which only sells candles with their single, unique scent.

Go to a local library

While this may seem “lame” to some, the library is a free spot where you and your friends can just hang out and do some work together. With the Monroe Free Library’s renovations done a few years ago, they now have conference rooms you can book to have some privacy to read, study or work on a group project.

See a movie

If none of these ideas appeal to you, you can always go with a classic: simply going to the movies. There’s always a movie that could appeal to you and your friends, and who could say no to the generic movie theater popcorn?