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

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.

432 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

Happening now
Daily · 3 PM–8 PM
55°F · Partly Cloudy
✓ Verified Nov 3, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Nov 3
Outdoors

Brooklyn Heights Promenade skyline walk (free)

📍 Brooklyn Heights Promenade · Brooklyn Heights
Free
Happening now
Daily · 3 PM–9 PM
55°F · Partly Cloudy
✓ 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
Happening now
SAT, NOV 7 · 6 PM–8 PM
55°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 11h 51m
Every Sun, Sat · 7 AM–11 AM
49°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 6, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Governors Island Trust Ferry, Manhattan · official listing on govisland.com · checked Nov 6
Outdoors

Governors Island free weekend morning ferry

📍 Governors Island Trust Ferry · Battery Maritime Building / Governors Island, Manhattan
Free at the listed days and hours; Free Trust ferry Sat/Sun before 11 AM
Starts in 14h 51m
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 10 AM–4 PM
55°F · Mostly 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 14h 51m
Every Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 10 AM–3:30 PM
56°F · Mostly Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 5, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn · official listing on bbg.org · checked Nov 5
Outdoors

Brooklyn Botanic Garden daytime pay-what-you-wish (through Jan 15)

📍 Brooklyn Botanic Garden · Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Suggested donation · pay what you wish · Daytime admission pay-what-you-wish through January 15 while Lightscape is installed; evenings are separate paid Lightscape tickets
Starts in 15h 51m
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 11 AM–6 PM
60°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx · official listing on bronxmuseum.org · checked Oct 31
Arts & culture

Bronx Museum of the Arts (Always Free)

📍 Bronx Museum of the Arts · Bronx
Free
Starts in 16h 51m
Every Sun, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–5 PM
59°F · Sunny
✓ 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 16h 51m
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–6 PM
59°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 16h 51m
Every Sun, Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–6 PM
61°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 6, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · repeats, so you can go another time · at MoMA PS1, Queens · official listing on momaps1.org · checked Nov 6
Arts & culture

MoMA PS1 (Free Admission)

📍 MoMA PS1 · Long Island City, Queens
Free · registration required · Free admission for all; reserve tickets on the official visit page. Closed Tue, Wed, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day. Saturday opens 10 AM.
Starts in 20h 21m
Daily · 3:30 PM–6 PM
63°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 7, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Hunter's Point South Park, Queens · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Nov 7
Outdoors

Hunter's Point South Park skyline sunset walk (free, Long Island City)

📍 Hunter's Point South Park · Long Island City, Queens
Free
Starts in 20h 51m
Every Sun, Tue · 4 PM–5:30 PM
61°F · 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 21h 51m
SUN, NOV 8 · 5 PM–7 PM
60°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 21h 51m
Daily · 5 PM–6 PM
60°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 3w 6d
SAT, DEC 5 · 11 AM–5 PM
✓ Verified Oct 26, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Village of Port Jefferson, Long Island · official listing on portjeffarts.org · checked Oct 26
Arts & culture

Port Jefferson Charles Dickens Festival

📍 Village of Port Jefferson · Port Jefferson, Long Island
Free
Starts in 4w 0d
SUN, DEC 6 · 10 AM–11:30 AM
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Prospect Park (Parkside Ave & South Lake Dr), Brooklyn · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Oct 31
Outdoors

Doggie Day Hike in Prospect Park

📍 Prospect Park (Parkside Ave & South Lake Dr) · Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Free
Starts in 4w 0d
SUN, DEC 6 · 11 AM–12:30 PM
✓ Verified Nov 5, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Baisley Pond Park, Queens · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Nov 5
Tours & walks

Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Baisley Pond Park

📍 Baisley Pond Park · South Jamaica, Queens
Free
Starts in 4w 0d
SUN, DEC 6 · 12 PM–5 PM
✓ Verified Nov 4, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Long Island · official listing on longislandmuseum.org · checked Nov 4
Arts & culture

Long Island Museum Winter Open House

📍 Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A · Stony Brook, Long Island
Free for everyone; no registration required.
Starts in 4w 0d
SUN, DEC 6 · 1 PM–2:30 PM
✓ Verified Nov 5, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Central Park — Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, Manhattan · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Nov 5
Tours & walks

Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Central Park Reservoir

📍 Central Park — Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir · Upper West Side, Manhattan
Free
Starts in 4w 0d
SUN, DEC 6 · 1 PM–2:30 PM
✓ Verified Nov 5, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Brower Park Playground, Brooklyn · official listing on nycgovparks.org · checked Nov 5
Tours & walks

Discovery Hike: Winter Wildlife at Brower Park

📍 Brower Park Playground · Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Free
Starts in 4w 0d
SUN, DEC 6 · 2 PM–4 PM
✓ Verified Oct 26, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Port Jefferson Free Library, Long Island · official listing on portjeff.librarycalendar.com · checked Oct 26
Painting & crafts

Dickens Festival Carols & Crafts

📍 Port Jefferson Free Library · Port Jefferson, Long Island
Free
Starts in 4w 0d
SUN, DEC 6 · 2 PM–3:30 PM
✓ Verified Nov 4, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Grinton I. Will Library, Will Auditorium, 1500 Central Park , Westchester · official listing on ypl.org · checked Nov 4
Music & nightlife

Mimi Hilaire Trio

📍 Grinton I. Will Library, Will Auditorium, 1500 Central Park Avenue · Yonkers, Westchester
Free; advance registration strongly encouraged. Seating is limited.
Starts in 4w 0d
SUN, DEC 6 · FROM 5:30 PM
✓ Verified Nov 7, 2026
Why this place: Free · at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, New Jersey · official listing on saintpeters.edu · checked Nov 7
Arts & culture

The Fourteenth Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols

📍 St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church · Jersey City, New Jersey
Free

Questions

How many listings are in this guide?

432 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