You need some reason to be around other people and see the same faces a dozen times, ideally with a shared interest.

Bitcoin meetups are not available where I live and I certainly got to know some people from trying to organize one but there is other meetups. Pick something that happens weekly with not too much and not too little turn over. If it's the same people every week (bowling club), it's probably not easy to fit in. If it's different people every time (Sunday cinema matinee), it's not good neither.

Since I have a kid it's definitely easier but the shared interest being kids can get a bit boring ;)