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 5 23 listings

Find your thing

23listings
2

Whereall areas · up to 3

New York City36📍 ManhattanBrooklyn12📍 QueensBronx1📍 Staten IslandLower New York1Long Island↗Westchester & 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.

504 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

Happening now
Daily · 12 AM–11:59 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ 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
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ 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
Happening now
Daily · 6 AM–11:59 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 11, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Doris C. Freedman Plaza, Manhattan · official listing on publicartfund.org · checked Nov 11
Arts & culture

Camille Henrot: Dogs at Doris C. Freedman Plaza

📍 Doris C. Freedman Plaza · Midtown, Manhattan
Free
Happening now
Daily · 8 AM–8 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at National September 11 Memorial, Manhattan · official listing on 911memorial.org · checked Nov 10
Arts & culture

National September 11 Memorial plaza

📍 National September 11 Memorial · Financial District, Manhattan
Free
Happening now
Every Wed · 10 AM–9 PM
59°F · Mostly 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+).
Happening now
Daily · 10 AM–6 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 11, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Austrian Cultural Forum New York, Manhattan · official listing on acfny.org · checked Nov 11
Arts & culture

Austrian Cultural Forum: Erwin Wurm Chamber Play

📍 Austrian Cultural Forum New York · Midtown, Manhattan
Free
Happening now
Every Wed · 11 AM–8 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 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
Happening now
Every Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 11 AM–6 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at White Columns, Manhattan · official listing on whitecolumns.org · checked Nov 10
Arts & culture

White Columns

📍 White Columns · West Village, Manhattan
Free
Happening now
Every Wed, Thu, Sat · 11 AM–6 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 11, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Studio Museum in Harlem, Manhattan · official listing on studiomuseum.org · checked Nov 11
Arts & culture

Studio Museum in Harlem

📍 Studio Museum in Harlem · Harlem, Manhattan
Suggested donation; pay what you wish; seniors 65+, students; children 16 and under and members free. Tickets are pay-what-you-can.
Happening now
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
Happening now
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
Happening now
Daily · 12 PM–11:59 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free to enter · repeats, so you can go another time · at Rudy's Bar & Grill, Manhattan · official listing on rudysbarnyc.com · checked Nov 10
Music & nightlife

Rudy's Bar & Grill: free hot dog with a drink

📍 Rudy's Bar & Grill · Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Free to enter · purchases optional · Free hot dog with every drink or any purchase (the drink is paid).
Happening now
Every Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun · 12 PM–6 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at The Drawing Center, Manhattan · official listing on drawingcenter.org · checked Nov 10
Arts & culture

The Drawing Center

📍 The Drawing Center · SoHo, Manhattan
Free
Happening now
Every Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–6 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 11, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at The Skyscraper Museum, Manhattan · official listing on skyscraper.org · checked Nov 11
Arts & culture

The Skyscraper Museum

📍 The Skyscraper Museum · Battery Park City, Manhattan
Free
Happening now
Daily · 4 PM–8 PM
58°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free to enter · limited spots · repeats, so you can go another time · at Cozy Corner, Queens · official listing on cozycornerbar.com · checked Nov 10
Music & nightlife

Cozy Corner: free pizza slice with a drink

📍 Cozy Corner · Ridgewood, Queens
Free to enter; purchases optional.
Happening now
WED, NOV 11 · 5 PM–7 PM
59°F · Mostly 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
Happening now
Daily · 5 PM–6 PM
59°F · Mostly 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
Happening now
WED, NOV 11 · 5 PM–9 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ 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
Happening now
Every Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri · 5 PM–8 PM
58°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free to enter · repeats, so you can go another time · at The Rabbit Hole, Queens · official listing on therabbithole.nyc · checked Nov 10
Music & nightlife

The Rabbit Hole: free hot dog with beer or wine

📍 The Rabbit Hole · Astoria, Queens
Free to enter · purchases optional · Free hot dog with the purchase of any beer or wine, Monday–Friday 5–8 PM (the drink is paid).
Happening now
WED, NOV 11 · FROM 5:30 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 11, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Juilliard Station, Manhattan · official listing on juilliard.edu · checked Nov 11
Music & nightlife

Rush Hour at Juilliard Station: Classics on Classics

📍 Juilliard Station · Lincoln Square, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 3m
WED, NOV 11 · 6 PM–8 PM
58°F · Partly Cloudy
✓ 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 3m
WED, NOV 11 · FROM 6 PM
58°F · Partly Cloudy
✓ Verified Nov 11, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Paul Hall, Manhattan · official listing on juilliard.edu · checked Nov 11
Music & nightlife

Sonatenabend at Juilliard’s Paul Hall

📍 Paul Hall · Lincoln Square, Manhattan
Free

Questions

How many listings are in this guide?

504 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