There are a lot of places where parks are nearly unusable for months of a year. I'm not in an extreme climate by any measure, but there are 3 months when socializing in a park is at best uncomfortable.

Why do you specify "out of grade school"? Isn't the fact that the mall is the go-to for grade schoolers just as big a problem? Where are kids and adults supposed to hang out in a group without having to host in their small home?

Nearly 5 months here in Phoenix... some seem to like the heat, I'm just not one of them. From mid-may until early October is just uncomfortable outside imho. Thank god for remote start and air conditioning.

On the flip side, the indoor malls used to provide a public air conditioned space people could flock to, at least on the weekends. Much like movie theaters used to be by themselves. Now they're being torn down, and sprawling outdoor malls with mister systems are constructed. In some ways better, in others not so much.

In the end, will it really matter? The older I get the more I want to move to a smaller town and work remotely. I miss people being friendly and in less of a miserable rush overall.

Gyms, parks, bars, and restaurants are the usual suspects. Dog parks are great too. I’m also trying to get into a community garden and take a class at an art center, I’ll likely be on the younger side in the last two.

Kayaking (not whitewater) and fishing are my two favorites especially if you combine the two. I usually talk to any fisherman I see and people come up to me at the ramp to chat.

None of those places are meant as hangout locations, and all of them require paying. Malls were useful to kids because being there was free for essentially an unlimited amount of time. Sure, you'd buy a soda once in a while, but that's not enough to be allowed to spend 4 hours in a bar or restaurant.

A closer use case would be neighborhood centers, but in my area, those are mostly closed in the evenings or at least reserved for private use.

Where do you live that you have to pay to access a public park?

Read the rest of the thread. Parks aren't really an option for about 1/4 of the year where I live.

>If you’re out of grade school a mall is not an appropriate place for social interaction.

The local mall used to open early for older people to meet and do their daily exercise walks. Depending on the climate and time of year, parks are not always usable.

True and the elderly can’t tolerate heat outside either. The only difference is they come for socialization and exercise. GP was talking about social interaction around consumption.