Give us feedback

Choose your city

Not in NYC? Change city

GUIDE

Free & Cheap Date Ideas in NYC

Date ideas that cost little or nothing

🗺️ Plan it
🎯 Filters 4 16 listings

Find your thing

16listings
2

Whereall areas · up to 3

New York City36📍 ManhattanBrooklyn10Queens2Bronx2Staten Island6Lower New York1📍 Long IslandWestchester & Rockland1Lower Connecticut↗📍 New Jersey

That's 3 areas, the max. Tap one to swap it.

4

Costpick any

+ More: who's going · indoor / outdoor ▾

Indoor / outdoor

Clear all

Free and cheap date ideas in NYC: gallery nights, free concerts, walking tours, tastings and markets worth wandering. Pair any of these with a walk and you’ve got a night out. For paid ideas, see Date night.

396 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

Happening now
Daily · 12 AM–11:59 PM
53°F · Mostly Cloudy
✓ Verified Nov 8, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Triangular pedestrian island, Broadway between 45th & 46th S, Manhattan · official listing on diaart.org · checked Nov 8
Arts & culture

Max Neuhaus — Times Square Sound Installation (Dia)

📍 Triangular pedestrian island, Broadway between 45th & 46th Streets · Times Square, Manhattan
Free
Happening now
Daily · 12 AM–11:59 PM
53°F · Mostly Cloudy
✓ Verified Nov 8, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at West 22nd Street between 10th & 11th Avenues, Manhattan · official listing on diaart.org · checked Nov 8
Arts & culture

Joseph Beuys — 7000 Oaks (Dia Art Foundation)

📍 West 22nd Street between 10th & 11th Avenues · Chelsea, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 4h 38m
Daily · 3 PM–9 PM
61°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 5, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Little Island, Manhattan · official listing on littleisland.org · checked Nov 5
Outdoors

Little Island free Hudson River park walk (Pier 55)

📍 Little Island · Meatpacking / West Village, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 6h 38m
TUE, NOV 10 · 5 PM–7 PM
59°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 25, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Flatiron Wines & Spirits, Manhattan · official listing on nyc.flatiron-wines.com · checked Oct 25
Drinks & tastings

Free tastings at Flatiron Wines

📍 Flatiron Wines & Spirits · Flatiron, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 6h 38m
Daily · 5 PM–6 PM
59°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 27, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Manhattan · official listing on cooperhewitt.org · checked Oct 27
Arts & culture

Cooper Hewitt Pay What You Wish hour

📍 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum · Upper East Side, Manhattan
Pay what you wish 5–6 PM daily; 18 & under free anytime
Starts in 7h 38m
TUE, NOV 10 · 6 PM–8 PM
58°F · Clear
✓ Verified Oct 25, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Astor Wines & Spirits, Manhattan · official listing on astorwines.com · checked Oct 25
Drinks & tastings

Free wine & spirits tastings at Astor Wines

📍 Astor Wines & Spirits · NoHo, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 23h 38m
Every Wed · 10 AM–9 PM
56°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan · official listing on mcny.org · checked Oct 31
Arts & culture

Free Wednesdays at the Museum of the City of New York

📍 Museum of the City of New York · East Harlem, Manhattan
Free at the listed days and hours · Free for everyone on Wednesdays (tickets at the counter only; not for groups of 10+).
Starts in 23h 38m
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 10 AM–4 PM
56°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Hamilton Grange National Memorial, Manhattan · official listing on nps.gov · checked Nov 1
Tours & walks

Hamilton Grange Free Ranger-Led House Tours

📍 Hamilton Grange National Memorial · Manhattan
Free
Starts in 23h 38m
WED, NOV 11 · 10 AM–9 PM
56°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 5, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Wollman Rink NYC, Manhattan · official listing on wollmanrinknyc.com · checked Nov 5
Outdoors

Wollman Rink Veterans Day free admission skate

📍 Wollman Rink NYC · Central Park, Manhattan
Free at the listed days and hours · Free admission for veterans, active-duty military and their families with ID on Nov 11; others pay regular peak pricing. Skate rental extra.
Starts in 1d 0h
Every Wed · 11 AM–8 PM
57°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Grey Art Museum, New York University, Manhattan · official listing on greyartmuseum.nyu.edu · checked Nov 1
Arts & culture

Grey Art Museum Late Wednesdays (NYU)

📍 Grey Art Museum, New York University · Manhattan
Suggested donation; pay what you wish; free for all visitors
Starts in 1d 1h
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–6 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, Manhattan · official listing on leslielohman.org · checked Nov 1
Arts & culture

Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art (Suggested Donation)

📍 Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art · Manhattan
Suggested donation; pay what you wish
Starts in 1d 1h
Every Wed, Thu, Fri · 12 PM–8 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 2, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at The Museum at FIT, Manhattan · official listing on fitnyc.edu · checked Nov 2
Arts & culture

The Museum at FIT (Always Free, Open Until 8 PM Wed–Fri)

📍 The Museum at FIT · Manhattan
Free
Starts in 1d 1h
Every Wed · 12 PM–1 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 8, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · repeats, so you can go another time · at New York City Hall, Manhattan · official listing on nyc.gov · checked Nov 8
Tours & walks

New York City Hall — Free Guided Tours

📍 New York City Hall · Civic Center, Manhattan
Free · registration required · Free; Wednesday noon tours are first-come with day-of registration; weekday tours by reservation
Starts in 1d 2h
WED, NOV 11 · 1 PM–2:30 PM
60°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 3, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Inwood Hill Nature Center, Manhattan · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Nov 3
Outdoors

Monthly Nature Exploration Hike at Inwood Hill Park

📍 Inwood Hill Nature Center · Inwood, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 1d 6h
WED, NOV 11 · 5 PM–9 PM
58°F · Mostly Cloudy
✓ Verified Nov 5, 2026
Why this place: Free to enter · at Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan · official listing on mcny.org · checked Nov 5
Arts & culture

Free Late-Night Wednesday at the Museum of the City of New York

📍 Museum of the City of New York · East Harlem, Manhattan
Free to enter · purchases optional · Free museum entry until 9 PM; pop-up bar drinks optional

Questions

How many listings are in this guide?

396 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

How are these listings checked?

Every listing links to the organizer's own page: the venue, the city agency or park, or the official ticket or RSVP page. We don't copy listings from other event sites.

Related guides