The Rise of Boomer Hobbies Among Gen Z: A Fresh Take on Old Passions
Brace yourselves: Gen Z is reclaiming boredom-busting hobbies that connect, calm, and give life meaning. The days of pricey nights out are fading, while simpler, slower activities—fishing, birdwatching, and long walks—are stepping into the spotlight as the new cool.
As a child, the writer’s father urged fishing, birdwatching, and dawn patrols. Summers in Scotland were spent shivering by the river in Mini Boden waterproofs and Hunter boots, eyeing distant birds and planning escape routes back to a warm bed. The younger brother followed as the next prodigy, five years late but eager. Now, more than a decade later, the writer jokes that stubbornness has a price: the 20s once imagined as parties and late-night dancing have given way to early mornings and outdoor pursuits. The realization stings but feels fitting: perhaps Dad did know best.
Public discourse shows a broader shift. Gen Z is cutting back on pubs, choosing kombucha over pints, driven by rising costs and health awareness. Nightclubs are closing at record rates, and the idea that the 20s should be a perpetual party is losing steam. Yet this same generation, sometimes cast as screen-obsessed, is embracing hobbies once associated with older generations, using them as a pathway to unplug, find meaning, and step away from social media feeds.
So why swap tequila for kingfishers and early bedtimes for dawn walks? Here are three stories that illuminate the trend.
Fishing: hooked from an early age
For many teens, after-school time is screen time. Not so for 17-year-old Lydia Thomas from Dorset, who trades the scroll for the riverbank. Watching her father cast at a reservoir sparked her interest. Her 11th birthday gift—a rod—sealed the deal, and soon she joined a local fishing syndicate and learned from a river keeper. The river became her mental sanctuary: a place where homework worries disappear and the focus shifts to fly presentation.
Lydia works part-time in a tackle shop and has noticed more young anglers in recent years. A school fishing club now runs weekly challenges and shares catches, signaling a wider uptick. The Angling Trust reports 2024 licensing for 48,000 teenagers, up 23% from the year before.
The thrill of the catch fuels her enthusiasm. She recalls a grayling she’d pursued for six months, and a 5-pound fish that outsmarted older competitors, which earned wide admiration. Her presence in Fly Girl Global—an online collective where young women tie flies and share patterns—began during lockdown and has grown to hundreds of members worldwide. After school, she aims to become a fishing guide, with university in mind, provided a river stays nearby.
The hobby even spawns online fame: “finfluencers” like Amie Battams—nearly 70,000 Instagram followers—found fishing by chance when a day at a lake turned into a lifelong escape. For Battams, fishing is a refuge from overwhelming thoughts, a doorway to calm that beats the noise of daily life. Her peers are often older, but the community’s openness to meaningful experiences shows life doesn’t have to be a routine of work, home, bed.
Birdwatching: a disconnection in the best sense
Birdwatching, once mocked as a pastime for tweed-clad relics, is making a strong comeback with Gen Z. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds notes a dramatic rise: from about 61,000 young twitchers in 2018 to nearly 400,000 today, with TikTok posts validating the trend.
Ian Hay, 19, from Macclesfield, started birdwatching to cope with stress during A-levels. Now a psychology student and president of the University of Sheffield’s birdwatching society, he leads groups of 18–23-year-olds on weekend excursions to seemingly untouched landscapes. For him, birdwatching is total immersion—an escape from assignments and financial worries, one where attention narrows to birdsong and binoculars. The social aspect is vibrant too, with group outings and post-hike gatherings that blend camaraderie, quizzes, and even a touch of romance.
Technology supports newcomers through apps like Merlin Bird ID, enabling instant species identification and lifelong tallies for seasoned enthusiasts. The scene is social, educational, and increasingly mainstream.
Walking: inexpensive, social, and widely accessible
Joel Moore’s casual walk with strangers in 2022 grew into a sizable hiking movement. What began as a four-person meet-up in the Peak District evolved into Common Ground, a thriving community with over 12,000 Instagram followers that coordinates hikes across the UK. The group demonstrates how shared outdoors experiences can forge lasting friendships, even among people with diverse careers—from civil engineering to PR.
Ordnance Survey data show a substantial uptick in hiking among 18–34-year-olds since 2021, reflecting a shift away from pub crawls toward real-world connection with nature. The why is simple and compelling: hiking is affordable, social, and accessible—no upfront costs beyond basic gear. Many in the group have swapped nightlife for wellness, preferring nature-filled social circles that resemble a modern “hiker grandad” lifestyle. The trend even extends to fashion, with gorpcore popularized by Gore-Tex and warm layers, and brands like Columbia and Salomon stepping in to provide beginner-friendly gear.
Beyond the gear and the brag-worthy photos, the benefit is clear: mental health improves after a hike, and many participants report feeling uplifted by the return to nature and companionship.
The larger takeaway
If older generations notice their binoculars, fishing rods, or walking boots going missing, it’s worth checking in with younger family members. They’re not merely adopting old hobbies for nostalgia—they’re monetizing, sharing, and reframing these activities as valuable, modern experiences. The line between hobby and lifestyle is blurring, and Gen Z is proof that traditional pastimes can evolve into compelling, inclusive communities.
Would this shift in hobbies change how the next generation views leisure and social life? How might these activities influence long-term wellness, career choices, and family dynamics? The conversation is just beginning, and the comments section could be where the most interesting ideas emerge.
