The way I learned to make friends in new places was to stop caring about trying to organize with people to do activities, and instead to just go places and do activities as a solo person. I have met a lot of people at various activities and become friends. It is easy when the shared activity provides the natural ice breaker.
It is a little uncomfortable to do this at first, but it works. Now when I travel I feel no hesitation to go into new places and talk with people.