Are Run Clubs and Coffee Raves Really Taking Over From Nightclubs and Pub Crawls?

Overview

Scroll any FYP in the year 2025 and you'll see run clubs and coffee raves galore. As Gen Z emerges from the pandemic armed with their hobbies and strict morning wellness routines, it's easy to lament the "death" of nightlife.

As someone who ran their first half-marathon post-Melbourne lockdowns, I get it. When the world feels increasingly out of control, choosing to spend time on healthy habits and getting out in the daylight feels like an antidote.

It's not just Gen Z who are getting involved with these clubs; brands are also joining the trend. The cult Surry Hills cafe, A.P. Bakery, hosts a run club on select Sundays, and Onair in Cremorne serves both iced coffees and DJ sets every weekend.

Onair

The Visa Vibe Economy report, commissioned by Visa and conducted by McCrindle, shows that, despite Gen Z choosing cold brews over cocktails, the night-time economy is still strong — and young people in fact are leading the charge.

According to the report, 32 percent of Australians consider night-time socialising either "extremely" or "very" important. Younger generations in particular value it for new experiences and social connections.

Here's the cold, hard proof that it's not the last call for nightlife in Australia.

Where are People Getting Out the Most?

The Visa Australia Night-time Economy Index 2025, a new in-depth analysis measuring data such as spending, vibrancy, and venues open after dark, crowned Melbourne as the number one night-time hotspot in the country. Between its laneway bars, world-class restaurants, and sports and entertainment events, Melburnians are getting out of the house after dark the most frequently.

Her Bar, Melbourne

New South Wales, however, is rapidly catching up. Sydney's CBD outperformed Melbourne in terms of spending at night, but Melbourne took the top spot due to its night-time workers and merchants. Essentially, Melburnians are working late, with more inner-city haunts open longer than their Sydney counterparts. Sydney and its surrounding metro areas accounted for 12 of the top 20 night-time precincts in the country, proving that the after-dark economy may slowly but surely be recovering from the lockout laws.

SXSW Sydney

According to the index, Canberra is the highest-ranked place outside the Sydney and Melbourne metro areas for evening spending. This is thanks to strong spending by tourists, people tapping their Visas after dark, and the fast growth in the number of restaurants open in the evening. A large percentage of Canberra's population is also young people and uni students aged 20-29, proving that Gen Z are helping to boost the economy with their socialising. That said, it wasn't just capital cities leading the charge.

The regional university town of Newcastle, nearby Lake Macquarie, and the party town of the Gold Coast also made the top 20 list. Due to shift workers in industries like logistics and mining, rural areas, including Tasmania's South East, the Queensland Outback, the Northern Territory Outback and Warrnambool, had some of the highest night-time spending per active card.

Why Are People Heading Out?

We know, thanks to Visa's data, that Australians are still spending money after dark, but what are they doing? According to the Visa Vibe Economy report, dining out is the most popular night-time activity for a huge 76 percent of Australians. Over half of the people surveyed are also looking for night markets and festivals.

Bessie's Restaurant

Despite what your FYP is telling you, the kids are alright. Gen Z is the most active demographic after dark, with 73 percent going out once or more per week (an average of 9.4 nights per month). Half of the surveyed generation also believes that nights offer more new experiences than the daytime, and 45 percent of Gen Z shared that going out after dark made them feel more connected to others than during the day.

The Sober Curious Trend

The data says that, despite our reputation as early risers and run club fanatics, Australians still try to find balance and head out after dark for a restaurant or festival experience. One thing our FYPs have right, though? We actually are drinking less. Only nine percent of Australians surveyed believe that alcohol availability when heading out for the night is extremely important.

Katje-Ford

With Gen Z's "sober curious" attitude to alcohol, it seems that going out for a meal with friends is higher on the list for young Australians than hitting the clubs all night. Given Gen Z came of age during Sydney's lockout laws and the COVID pandemic, it's no surprise that the healthy habits of run clubs and pre-work coffee rave meet-ups are popular at the moment. The data has found, however, that Gen Z aren't resigned to their couches every Saturday night.

Turns out, it's all about finding the balance.

Discover the vibe near you.

Lead image: Form Cafe Brisbane