GUIDE

Free & Cheap Date Ideas in NYC

Date ideas that cost little or nothing

🗺️ Plan it
🎯 Filters 4 37 listings

Find your thing

37listings
1

Whenpick one

2

Whereall areas · up to 3

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

4

Costpick any

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

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.

325 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

Happening now
MON, NOV 2 · 10 AM–7 PM
66°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · kid-friendly · at Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St, Manhattan · official listing on bfplny.com · checked Oct 31
Arts & culture

Canstruction: giant sculptures made of food cans

📍 Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St · Battery Park City, Manhattan
Free admission · canned-food donations welcome
Starts in 2h 35m
MON, NOV 2 · 5 PM–7 PM
63°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 2h 35m
Daily · 5 PM–6 PM
63°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 3h 35m
MON, NOV 2 · 6 PM–8 PM
61°F · Mostly 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 1d 1h
Every Sun, Tue · 4 PM–5:30 PM
67°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Manhattan · official listing on guggenheim.org · checked Oct 31
Arts & culture

Guggenheim Pay What You Wish hours

📍 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum · Manhattan
Suggested donation; pay what you wish; Pay what you wish Tuesdays and Sundays 4–5:30 pm
Starts in 1d 19h
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 10 AM–4 PM
64°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 1d 21h
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–6 PM
69°F · 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 2d 21h
Every Sun, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–5 PM
69°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · repeats, so you can go another time · at Hispanic Society Museum & Library, Manhattan · official listing on hispanicsociety.org · checked Nov 1
Arts & culture

Hispanic Society Museum & Library (Free Admission)

📍 Hispanic Society Museum & Library · Manhattan
Free; registration required; Free with a reserved ticket
Starts in 4d 18h
SAT, NOV 7 · 9 AM–11:30 AM
62°F · Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Nov 2, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at Riverside Park (Riverside Dr & Tiemann Pl), Manhattan · official listing on riversideparknyc.org · checked Nov 2
Outdoors

Volunteer Gardening at Tiemann Place in Riverside Park

📍 Riverside Park (Riverside Dr & Tiemann Pl) · Riverside Park, Manhattan
Free · registration required · Free; registration requested
Starts in 4d 19h
SAT, NOV 7 · 10 AM–12 PM
62°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 25, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Snug Harbor, Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 25
Tours & walks

Ranger walk at Snug Harbor

📍 Snug Harbor · Livingston, Staten Island
Free
Starts in 4d 19h
SAT, NOV 7 · 10 AM–2 PM
60°F · Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 26, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at Hudson River Museum, Greene Education Center, Westchester · official listing on hrm.org · checked Oct 26
Arts & culture

Teen sculpture workshop: Arts and Activism

📍 Hudson River Museum, Greene Education Center · Yonkers, Westchester
Free for Westchester teens · registration via WYA
Starts in 4d 19h
SAT, NOV 7 · 10 AM–12 PM
62°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Tours & walks

Staten Island North Shore Parks Super Hike

📍 Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 4d 19h
SAT, NOV 7 · 10 AM–3 PM
62°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park), Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Ongoing Museum Exhibit: Voices of 1776

📍 Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park) · Conference House Park, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 4d 19h
SAT, NOV 7 · 10 AM–11 AM
62°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 30, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Brookfield Park, Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 30
Outdoors

Fall Foliage Bike Tour with the Urban Park Rangers

📍 Brookfield Park · Great Kills, Staten Island
Free
Starts in 4d 20h
SAT, NOV 7 · 11 AM–3 PM
64°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at H.H. Biddle House (in Conference House Park), Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Ongoing Outdoor Museum Exhibit: Alice's Terracotta Garden

📍 H.H. Biddle House (in Conference House Park) · Conference House Park, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 4d 20h
SAT, NOV 7 · 11 AM–2 PM
65°F · Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Bryant Park, Upper Terrace or lawn, Manhattan · official listing on bryantpark.org · checked Nov 1
Outdoors

Free Saturday Juggling at Bryant Park

📍 Bryant Park, Upper Terrace or lawn · Midtown, Manhattan
Free; drop-ins welcome; equipment provided.
Starts in 4d 21h
SAT, NOV 7 · 12 PM–12:30 PM
65°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at Snug Harbor Visitor Services Booth, Staten Island · official listing on snug-harbor.org · checked Oct 31
Outdoors

Tree Maintenance Workshop at Snug Harbor

📍 Snug Harbor Visitor Services Booth · Livingston, Staten Island
Free; registration required.
Starts in 4d 21h
SAT, NOV 7 · 12 PM–4 PM
65°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park), Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Docent led tours of the Historic Conference House Museum

📍 Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park) · Conference House Park, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 4d 22h
SAT, NOV 7 · 1 PM–2 PM
66°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 30, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Randall's Island Park (meet at Ward's Island Footbridge), Manhattan · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 30
Outdoors

Discovery Hike: Randall's Island Salt Marsh

📍 Randall's Island Park (meet at Ward's Island Footbridge) · Randall's Island, Manhattan
Free; registration required
Starts in 4d 23h
SAT, NOV 7 · 2 PM–5 PM
66°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Pearl River Mart Foods (Chelsea Market), Manhattan · official listing on pearlriver.com · checked Oct 31
Drinks & tastings

Free tasting: Nusa Indonesian herbal drinks (Saturday) at Pearl River Mart Foods

📍 Pearl River Mart Foods (Chelsea Market) · Chelsea, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 5d 0h
SAT, NOV 7 · 2:30 PM–4 PM
65°F · Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Nov 2, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Warner Library, Room C, 121 North Broadway, Westchester · official listing on warnerlibrary.org · checked Nov 2
Music & nightlife

Pamela Knowles & Friends: Free Library Jazz Concert

📍 Warner Library, Room C, 121 North Broadway · Tarrytown, Westchester
Free admission
Starts in 5d 2h
SAT, NOV 7 · 5 PM–7 PM
65°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at 102nd Street Field House, Riverside Park, Manhattan · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 31
Outdoors

Strange Confessions: Free Play Reading in Riverside Park

📍 102nd Street Field House, Riverside Park · Upper West Side, Manhattan
Free · registration required
Starts in 5d 4h
SAT, NOV 7 · 7 PM–11 PM
57°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free to enter · at 18th Ward Brewing (New Rochelle Taproom), Westchester · official listing on 18thwardbrewing.com · checked Oct 31
Music & nightlife

Free live music: Joe DiOrio at 18th Ward Brewing New Rochelle

📍 18th Ward Brewing (New Rochelle Taproom) · New Rochelle, Westchester
Free to enter · purchases optional · Free show; drinks for purchase
Starts in 5d 5h
SAT, NOV 7 · 7:30 PM–9 PM
59°F · Slight Chance Light Rain
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at Rockland Center for the Arts, Nyack & Rockland · official listing on rocklandartcenter.org · checked Nov 1
Music & nightlife

Unspoken Threads: Free Poetry and Music at RoCA

📍 Rockland Center for the Arts · West Nyack, Nyack & Rockland
Free to the public; preregistration required by RoCA.
Starts in 5d 20h
SUN, NOV 8 · 11 AM–12:30 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Native American Heritage Month: Lenape Folktales

📍 Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 5d 20h
SUN, NOV 8 · 11 AM–12:30 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Lawn Area (in Seaside Wildlife Nature Park), Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Tours & walks

Outdoor Skills: Orienteering and Geocaching Hike

📍 Lawn Area (in Seaside Wildlife Nature Park) · Seaside Wildlife Nature Park, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 5d 20h
SUN, NOV 8 · 11 AM–3 PM
59°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at H.H. Biddle House (in Conference House Park), Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Ongoing Outdoor Museum Exhibit: Alice's Terracotta Garden

📍 H.H. Biddle House (in Conference House Park) · Conference House Park, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 5d 21h
SUN, NOV 8 · 12 PM–4 PM
60°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 29, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park), Staten Island · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 29
Arts & culture

Docent led tours of the Historic Conference House Museum

📍 Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park) · Conference House Park, Staten Island
Free (NYC Parks event)
Starts in 5d 22h
SUN, NOV 8 · 12:30 PM–3 PM
60°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at Snug Harbor Sustainability Center, Staten Island · official listing on snug-harbor.org · checked Oct 31
Outdoors

Environmental and Tree Stewardship at Snug Harbor

📍 Snug Harbor Sustainability Center · Livingston, Staten Island
Free; registration required.
Starts in 5d 22h
SUN, NOV 8 · 1 PM–2:30 PM
63°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 25, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Central Park North Woods, Manhattan · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 25
Tours & walks

Ranger hike in Central Park's North Woods

📍 Central Park North Woods · Central Park, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 5d 22h
SUN, NOV 8 · 1 PM–2:30 PM
63°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 30, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Central Park (meet at W 100th St & Central Park West), Manhattan · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 30
Outdoors

Leaf Peeping Hike in Central Park's North Woods

📍 Central Park (meet at W 100th St & Central Park West) · Upper West Side, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 5d 23h
SUN, NOV 8 · 2 PM–4 PM
63°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · limited spots · at Pearl River Mart Foods (Chelsea Market), Manhattan · official listing on pearlriver.com · checked Oct 31
Drinks & tastings

Free tasting: Sun Yum XO Sauce (Sunday) at Pearl River Mart Foods

📍 Pearl River Mart Foods (Chelsea Market) · Chelsea, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 5d 23h
SUN, NOV 8 · 2 PM–5:15 PM
63°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 2, 2026
Why this place: Free to enter · at Smalls Jazz Club, Manhattan · official listing on smallslive.com · checked Nov 2
Music & nightlife

Sunday afternoon jam at Smalls with Ryo Sasaki Quartet

📍 Smalls Jazz Club · Manhattan
Free to enter · purchases optional · No cover charge per the official Smalls listing; drinks sold at the bar

Questions

How many listings are in this guide?

325 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