Unusual Hobbies: Unique Hobby Ideas For Unusual People

Many people collect stamps, read, or make jewelry, but others find usual and common hobbies boring. The following are unusual hobbies and pastimes that I stumbled upon while doing research to write this post.

Before we jump to a list of unconventional hobbies check my top three:

Editor’s choice:

Kombucha Brewing – Kombucha Starter Kit
Fire Eating – The Professional’s Guide to Fire Eating
Samurai Sword Collecting – Samurai Training Stick

List of  Strangest and Unconventional Hobbies

Ghost Hunting

Do you believe in the existence of the paranormal? Well many people do, some even start a hobby of ghost hunting. They investigate locations and collect evidence of ghosts. As a matter of fact, ghost hunting has been commonly deprecated for its dismissal of the scientific method, however, it’s possible to find many quality ghost hunting equipment at Amazon.

Ant-Keeping

Ant keeking is for those who like animals but don’t want a traditional pet. If you like to experiment and learn about science capturing and caring for ant colonies might be the right hobby for you.

Mushroom Hunting

If you like hiking you can search for mushrooms at the same time. When you get back home you will have a good ingredient to prepare a delicious and healthy meal. Some mushrooms are seriously hazardous or deadly when consumed, but many species are eatable as well. Here you will find many quality information.

Aircraft Spotting

If you love aircrafts you should consider plane spotting. It is about tracking the movement of aircraft which is often captured with photography. Plane spotters also record information regarding airports, airline routes, and air traffic control communications.

Bus Spotting

Like aircraft and train spotters, bus spotters spend a lot of time outdoors monitoring bus routes with cameras and notepads.

Bus enthusiasts are looking for different things, some want to see all buses in a particular fleet, and others are looking for all buses produced by a particular manufacturer.

Slacklining

Slacklining is walking and balancing along a suspended length of flat webbing that is tensioned in the middle of two anchors. It is similar to tightrope walking or slack rope walking, but slacklines differ in the material and in the amount of tension. For more, you can visit the International Slackline Association website.

Laser Tag

Laser tag is just like paintball or airsoft but this shooting hobby uses infrared-emitting light guns to register hits. This can be done because each player wears specially designed targets.

Fantasy Sports

A fantasy sport usually an online game, where players build imaginary teams of real players of a professional sport. Team owners trade, draft, and drop players, similar to real sports.

Sled Dog Racing

For those who live in arctic regions of the United States, Canada, or Russia, sled dog racing is not something uncommon. Sled dog racing is a winter dog sport where different teams of sled dogs pull a sled and compete against each other.

Tennis Polo

Toccer is a sport where two teams play with a tennis ball, they need to throw the ball into a goal to score. The goal is defended by a keeper, who can use a racquet.

Jukskei

Jukskei is a sport that is believed to be a forerunner to the game of horseshoes. The aim of a game is to knock down the target peg by hurling the pins at them.

Pickleball

Pickleball is a game that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. This sport is played on a layout similar to a badminton court, and have rules similar to tennis.

Aquathlon

Underwater wrestling is a sport or a hobby for two players. While they wrestle underwater, they both have ribbon attached to the ankle. The player that removes a ribbon from the opponent’s ankle first is a winner.

Underwater Hockey

Underwater hockey is a limited-contact team sport or hobby. Players are playing the game at the bottom of a swimming pool. The aim is to get the puck into the opposite goal.

Underwater Rugby

Underwater rugby is a team sport or hobby where teams are trying to score a ball into the opponent’s’ goal which is at the bottom of a swimming pool. Except for the name, this sport has very little in common with rugby football.

Hacking

Computer hacking is an activity with a desire to overcome a certain obstacle or a certain goal within a computerized system. It is a strange hobby that many computer geeks participate in.

LARPing

Larping or “Live Action Role-Playing” is a game of role-playing where the contributors physically act out characters actions. The players interact with each other and pursue goals within a fictional setting represented by the real world.

Tether Car

The tether cars are attached to the center pole and race on a circular track. People love tether cars all around the world, you will find tracks in Australia, New Zealand, Russia, the United States, and many other countries.

Samurai Sword Collecting

Japanese swords are unique weapons and highly valuable works of art, it has been collected for centuries mostly in Japan. Swords have an aesthetic and practical use.

Witchcraft

Witchcraft varies culturally and socially, but in general, it is the practice of magical skills, abilities, and spells. To some people witchcraft represent more than a strange hobby, to them, this is a passion.

Escapology

Escaping from restraints or other traps seems like a supernatural hobby. Escape artists escape from straitjackets, handcuffs, cages, coffins, barrels, steel boxes, bags, fish-tanks, burning buildings, and other pitfalls.

Snake Skin Collecting

People usually collect coins, stamps, books, and other collectible items, but others like to collect snake skins. In some cultures, this is not even an unconventional hobby.

Arguing With People Online

People have all kinds of unusual pastimes, you may have noticed that some like to argue with others on the internet. Social networks are full of people with pastimes like this.

Streaking

You are watching a football game and suddenly someone breaks into the court and starts running naked all over the place. It is a strange hobby that can have a ton of publicity, especially when the streaker is a nice-looking lady.

Stalking Celebrities

Celebrities like to have fans, but some fans just go too far. It is a weird hobby, it is an obsession actually, which can be very unpleasant for celebrities. When stalking becomes harassment it is no longer a weird hobby but it’s a crime.

Taking Surveys

Taking online paid surveys may seem like an unusual hobby but it can also be a side hustle. Many people take online surveys to get gift cards and discount coupons as well.

Underwater Target Shooting

Underwater Target Shooting is a shooting sport or hobby that tests one’s ability to precisely use a speargun. The sport is practiced in a swimming pool using Apnoea or freediving techniques.

Food-Eating Competitions

I am sure you have heard of competitive eating which includes just about anything edible. It is a weird hobby where people eat enormous amounts of foods as fast as they can, so they can win huge prizes, you heard right, it is a hobby that can make money.

Ferret Racing

Ferret races are organized in the United Kingdom, it is a simple, fun, and unique hobby that is usually used for fundraising. So, how it works? Ferrets race on special drainpipes that have clear plastic and see-through cage sections, so the players can check the progress of their favorite ferret.

Bullfighting

In Spain, bullfighting is defined as an art form or cultural event, but in other countries, this uncommon hobby may be perceived as controversial because of many concerns. Dot try this at home, It can be an extremely dangerous hobby.

Handcuff-Collecting

Yes, you heard right, some people like handcuffs so much that they decided to collect them. Maybe it may seem a weird hobby but vintage collectible police handcuffs can be worth a fortune.

Cosplay

Cosplay (costume play) is a hobby in which cosplay enthusiasts dress in costumes and make-up and represent characters from video games, anime, or film.

Worldbuilding

What is world-building? Worldbuilding is the thinking process of building an imaginary world with coherent qualities such as geography, history, and geography. For fantasy writers, worldbuilding is a key task before starting a fiction book.

Donating Blood

According to the Red Cross Of America every two seconds, someone needs blood. There are many benefits of donating blood, like improving your emotional well-being, it helps to reduce stress, and to get rid of negative feelings.

Planking

Planking was invented by two boys from the US. They came upon a baseball game and decided to lie face down to see if anyone would react. Since then this unusual hobby gain on popularity. The term planking actually refers to imitate a wooden plank.

Underwater Video

Are you a recreational scuba diver? Consider underwater video and try to capture underwater moving images, it can be a documentary, scientific, commercial, or filmmaking venture.

Crowd Watching

Crowd watching is observing people, usually without their knowledge. It is actually a subconscious activity we all partake in every day without even realizing it. But for some people, crowd watching is considered a hobby.

Scrabble

Scrabble is a board game in which players compete in forming words, the game is similar to crossword puzzles. Since 1973 this hobby also has its tournaments, which are organized in the US.

Playing Dead

It is weird but many people like to play dead, the most famous seems to be Chuck Lamb. While enjoying the unusual hobby he also takes photos and posts them on his website.

Toy Voyaging

This is a perfect hobby for travelers. ToyVoyagers are toys that travel with different people. After your trip is over you simply pass it to another traveler. You can find them on the website where every toy is tracked.

Quidditch

Quidditch is a fictional sport invented by author J.K. Rowling for her famous book series Harry Potter. It is a popular hobby where Harry Potter enthusiasts ride flying broomsticks. Find more information on usquidditch.org.

Element Collecting

Element collecting is a hobby where chemistry lovers collect chemical elements. Some element collectors collect items connected with the element as well, for example, manufactured things that contain the element.

Beetle Fighting

Beetle fighting is a popular hobby in Thailand. The winning beetle will break its opponent’s horn or cause it to run away. Some beetle breeders fight for the money, while others participate to socialize.

Geocaching

Geocaching is an outdoor hobby where enthusiasts use a Global Positioning System to hide and seek containers, called geocaches. It is an unusual hobby that is presented all over the world.

Collecting Barbie Dolls

With the rise of eBay in the nineties, many people start to collect Barbie dolls. In the year 2006, the Barbie doll from 1959 was sold for more than twenty thousand dollars. It may seem like a weird hobby but it can be lucrative as well.

Noodling

If you are a fisherman this hobby will be interesting for you, have you ever heard of noodling? It is fishing methods that use only hands, it is practiced all around the world. In different regions use other names for the same fishing strategy.

Underwater Orienteering

Underwater orienteering is a sport that consists of a set of individual and team events where players need to reach or pass specific points without any contact with the water surface. They may use breathing gear filled only with normal compressed air.

Newsraiding

Newsraiding is appearing as a bystander in the background of news reports. One of the most famous news raiders is Paul Yarrow who appears in the news background over 100 times. It may seem like a weird and pointless hobby but It actually takes a lot of planning skills to manage it.

Extreme Ironing

Extreme ironing is a hobby or sport where people iron-on different locations, so far extreme ironing took place in a canoe, while skiing, while snowboarding, and many other impossible locations…this is why it is also labeled as an extreme outdoor activity.

Entomology

Entomology is the scientific study of insects but can be also a hobby. People collect many things, some collect insects and other arthropods. You might be surprised but insect collecting has been common in menkind history, in the Victorian age it was a very popular educational hobby actually.

Collecting Ecstasy

OK, the following seems like a really uncommon hobby. According to NBC news, some dutchman spent two decades collecting Ecstasy pills as a hobby. Before a collection has been stolen back in 2009 he had more than 2400 pills.

Beekeeping

Mainten of bee colonies in an apiary is a hobby for nature lovers who like to spend free time in nature. Beekeeping can also provide honey and other products including beeswax, propolis, bee pollen, flower pollen, and royal jelly. For more about beekeeping visit the American Bee Journal website.

Brewing Beer

Homebrewing for non-commercial purposes is a unique hobby practiced all around the world. This is mainly because supplies, such as fermentation tanks and kits, can be easily purchased online as well.

Kombucha Brewing

You can make a fizzy drink that tastes like a green apple mixed with sour stone fruits. You can make it with only a few very basic ingredients and techniques. You will find many recipes online, thekitchn.com is just one of the many good sources.

Learning Fictional Languages

Fictional languages are the creation of one individual. There are Internet-based fictional languages and commercial fictional languages from movies, TV, and video games that many people are learning.

Car Drifting

Drifting is a technique of driving through a corner. The driver intentionally oversteers and lose traction, but still maintain control of the vehicle. It is a dangerous hobby for car enthusiasts and sport that was first popularized in Japan.

Mooing

Mooing is a weird, unusual, and extremely simple hobby, it is about listening to cow and recreate the sounds. Mooing has a large fan base, they also have competition in which competitors must do their best imitation of a cow.

Underwater Photography

Take photos while underwater. You can do it while scuba diving, but can be done from automated cameras lowered from the surface. To take a beautiful underwater image you will need specialized equipment.

Competitive Dog Grooming

Competitive dog grooming is about grooming the dog in the most unconventional way. By participating in a particular event in China, this unusual hobby can make some money as well.

Fire Eating

Fire eaters don’t exactly eat fire. They put flaming items into the mouth and extinguishing it with their saliva. Originally fire eating is part of spiritual tradition in India. It is a dangerous hobby that can potentially cause injuries, don’t try it at home.

Keep Spiders as a Pet

Many people, especially women are scared of spiders, but many keep them as pets, it is definitely an uncommon hobby. Tarantulas, Wolf Spiders, and Jumping Spiders are spider species that are the most popular pets.

Extreme Couponing

Coupons are a clever way of marketing, nowadays almost every shop uses them to sell more. Extreme couponing is a unique hobby or activity that combines couponing with shopping skills. The aim is to accumulate the most groceries and save as much money as possible.

Combat Robot Building

Designing a robot is a hobby that requires some level of skill. Combat robots are armored remote-controlled vehicles that usually have a weapon. In combat robot competitions two robots enter an arena and knock against each other until one stops working. Visit this Instructable if you want to build your own robot.

Taxidermy

Some enthusiasts preserve an animal’s body via stuffing for the purpose of study or display. Taxidermy is the procedure of preserving the animal, the word is used to describe the end product as well.

Winemaking

Winemaking has a long history in humankind. There are many sorts of grapes that vintners are growing. It all starts with the selection of the fruit and fermentation of it into an alcoholic drink. There are many hobby winemakers around the world, especially in Europe.

Yodelling

Yodeling is a vocal technique that involves repeated and rapid changes in pitch. It originates from Austro-Bavarian but it’s used in many cultures worldwide as well.

Dumpster Diving

Dumpster diving is searching for items discarded by their owners but considers useful to the diver. Dumpster diving may cover standard household waste containers, landfills, curbsides, or small dumps as well. It is a unique hobby that may refer to upcycling.

Fossil Hunting

Fossil hunting is collecting and studying fossils. Fossil collecting, as a hobby is the predecessor of modern paleontology. Hobbyists collect fossils for fun and because of their scientific value. It is a unique hobby that can make some money as well.

Underwater Hockey

Underwater hockey also known as Octopush is an activity in which two teams compete to maneuver a puck across the bottom of a swimming pool. This unique hobby is played globally but it originated in England. A key challenge of the hobby is that players must hold their breath, which means they cant use breathing devices while playing.

Mini-Landscaping

Miniature landscaping is a traditional art and hobby in East Asia, it is about creating tiny versions of the natural environment. Saikei, Bonsai, Bonkei, and Bonseki are all part of this unique hobby.

Train Surfing

Train surfing, train hitching, or train hopping refers to riding on the outside of a moving train, tram, or other rail vehicles. This unusual hobby can be dangerous and even life-threatening, don’t try to do it.

Segway Polo

I am sure you know Segway, it is a self-balancing two-wheeled portable vehicle. But do you know Segway polo? It is similar to horse polo but instead of playing on horseback, each player rides a Segway. It is a team sport and a unique hobby that was started in 2004.

Swamp Football

Swamp football or Swamp soccer is a form of football that is played in swamps or bogs. This sport and unique hobby origin from Finland where it initially was played as an exercise activity for soldiers.

Underwater Football

Just like underwater hockey and underwater rugby, underwater football is a two-team sport or hobby. It is played in a swimming pool and players can use snorkeling equipment like masks, snorkels, or fins.

Pancake Tossing

Cook the pancake on one side, tip it to the edge of the pan, and flip it. All you have to learn is a confident flick of the wrist. If you master the skill try to beat the world record of pancake toss. According to Guinness World Records, Brad Jolly holds the record of 140 flips in 60 seconds.

Bee Wearing

If you are not scared of the bees try bee wearing. It is the practice of wearing honey bees on the face or on other parts of the body. A small cage with a queen will attract bees to the position you want.

Hobby Horse Riding

If you don’t have space, the money, and the guts to start horseback riding, there’s is an alternative, and it’s called “hobby horsing”. It’s like regular horseback riding but the living horse has been replaced by a toy on a stick.

FarmVille

FarmVille is a video game, it is an agriculture-simulation social network developed by Zynga in 2009.

Guerrilla Gardening

Guerilla gardeners take action on abundant areas, gardeners do not have the legal rights to cultivate in those areas. It is usually an independent action to clean up the environment and seeking to provoke political change.

Taphophilia

Do you have a passion for walking cemeteries and finding lost relatives? Get into taphophilia, this hobby involves history, gravestone rubbing, photography, and art.

 

Conclusion

I have listed indoor, outdoor, crafting hobbies that are weird, strange, and unconventional. Some are easier to start with and others are not for everybody. I’m sure there are more unusual hobbies that are practiced all around the globe, in case you have some suggestions comment below.