Look no further for the best cheap date ideas NYC.

You want love but you’re on a tight budget.
I get it. Surviving and thriving in New York City is not for the faint of heart.
But even on a tight budget in this expensive city, there’s actually plenty of options for fun date ideas for a romantic date night.

Why not enjoy Shakespeare in Central Park and play 18-hole mini golf with views of the Hudson River?
Not too shabby!
These best date ideas are fun ways to get to know the city too.

Roam about the ivy-ladden ruins of smallpox hospitals in Roosevelt Island, which you’ll get to via a $2.90 cable car ride.
Dress up and head to the Whitney after work on Fridays and get those rosy skyline pics from the outdoor terrace.
Whether you’re courting the love of your life or entertaining your hot summer flame, I got you covered with cheap date ideas for dayyyyyyys.

With that, let’s dive into cheap date ideas NYC!
Cheap Date Ideas NYC
Best Cheap Outdoor Activities in NYC
1. Play 18-Hole Mini Golf at Pier 25 ($24 for 2)

Go hit some balls in Manhattan’s only 18-hole mini golf course for some good-natured fun with lovely views of the water.
Be sure to avoid the waterfall, pond, sand pits and other booby traps along the way!
Don’t have golf clubs of your own? Worry not, the $12 per person price tag includes club and ball rentals.
Pier 25 is open year-round for mini golf.
- Costs: $12 per person (includes golf club and ball rentals)
- Hours: 9am-9pm daily
- Address: 225 West St, New York, NY 10013 (Subway: 10 min walk from Chambers St on 1/2/3 lines, 13 min walk from World Trade Center on A/C/E lines)
2. Free Kayaking at Pier 26 and Pier 96

If you and your boo are the adventurous kind, why not break a sweat on free kayaks on the Hudson River?
Pier 26 and Pier 96 offer free kayaking every weekend. The catch is that the rentals are just 20 minutes long, but hey, it’s free! (You can go for longer depending on how busy it is.)
The boathouses are open for kayaking from mid May to mid October.
Check the Pier 26 Downtown Boathouse and the Pier 96 Manhattan Community Boathouse websites for exact dates!
- Address
- Pier 26: 235 Hudson River Greenway, New York, NY 10013 (Subway: 10 min walk from Franklin St on 1 line, 13 min walk from Canal St on A/C/E lines)
- Pier 96: W 55th St, New York, NY 10019 (Subway: 20 min walk from 50 St on C/E lines)
3. Get Fit for Free with Healthy on the Hudson
It’s time to flex your power couple vibes by heading straight to an outdoor workout class after work, and then topping it off with a romantic river-side walk.
Although free, these ~4 classes per week are hosted by legit instructors from boutique yoga and fitness studios.
Be sure to book your spot ahead of time, because the most popular classes can book out fast.
To be honest, sometimes the sound system isn’t that great and it can be hard to hear the instructor.
Therefore, I’d suggest getting there early and finding a seat close to the front for the best experience.
And of course, be sure to bring your own yoga mat!
- Address: Depends on the event; Pier 25, Pier 64, and Pier 97
4. Free Ice Skating at Bryant Park (Bring-Your-Own-Skates)
Got your own pair of ice skates? Then you can skate at Bryant Park for free!
That is quite the catch here, because rental skates are dynamically priced and can cost more than $50 if you pick a date around Christmas.
On the other hand, renting a skate on a weekday morning earlier in the season is a more affordable ~$20 per person.
You can make reservations online and check skate rental prices ahead of time here.
- Dates: Late October to March
- Hours
- 8am-10pm Daily, unless stated otherwise below
- Late weekend hours starting Nov 7: 8am-Midnight from Thursday to Sunday
- Late daily hours from Dec 1-Jan 5: 8am-Midnight Daily
5. Skate Around LeFrak Center at Lakeside ($46 for 2)

Heal your inner child by skating around LeFrak!
LeFrak Center is an ice skating rink from November to April and a rollerskating rink from May to October.
The music is booming and the lights tastefully twinkle up above your head.
Given that LeFrak was renovated and reopened in 2013, the facilities are still pretty clean and the venue is overall well-maintained!
- Costs: ~$46 for 2 people on the weekend
- Rollerskating: $9.80 Weekdays, $14.15 Weekends/Holidays, $9.25 Roller Skate Rentals
- Ice Skating: $9.25 Weekdays, $13.50 Weekends/Holidays, $9.50 Skate Rentals
- Hours
- Rollerskating: 10:30am-6pm Weekdays, 12-6pm Weekends
- Ice Skating: 9am-7pm daily
- Address: 171 East Dr, Brooklyn, NY 11225 (Subway: 7 min walk from Prospect Park Station on B/Q/S lines)
Best Cheap Performing Arts & Shows in NYC
6. Admire Free Shakespeare in the Parks
What’s so beautiful about living in NYC is the relatively plentiful free access to high-quality culture and arts.
Free Shakespeare in the Parks is certainly one of the most well-known and unique opportunities.
The non-profit Public Theater hosts free Shakespeare performances typically from May to September.
In the summer of 2025, the Public will perform Twelfth Night at the newly renovated Delacorte Theater in Central Park.
You can register for tickets here.
- When: May – September
- Where: Delacorte Theater in Central Park, 81 Central Park W, New York, NY 10024 (Subway: 7 min walk from 81 St on the C)
7. Free Live Music at Outdoor Summer Concerts
From May to October, NYC Parks hosts a wide range of free live music performances ranging from jazz, rock to hip hop in parks around the city.
Previous events have included the Metropolitan Opera and a Caribbean reggae label.
While many of the smaller events have plenty of seats, it’s still a good idea to reserve tickets in advance, especially for the hotter events.
8. Watch Tennis for Free During US Open Fan Week

You’ve got to plan ahead for this one! But did you know that the US Open hosts a free week of events, during which you can watch tennis stars compete in qualifying matches and practice?
Fan Week is during the first week of the US Open. In 2025, it will likely be Aug 25-31.
In order to attend, you’ll need to sign up for the free Fan Access Pass. You can plan what to watch using the Practice Schedule posted online.
- When: August 25-31, 2025
- Address: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadow Corona Park, Flushing NY 11368 (Subway: 9 min walk from Mets-Willets Point on the 7 line)
9. Free Summer Outdoor Blockbusters

Instead of hitting the movie theaters when it’s nice out, enjoy a romantic night out like a New Yorker by huddling for a movie night outdoors at various parks around the city.
2024’s free movies included Barbie in Brooklyn, Kung Fu Panda in Queens, and Forrest Gump in Bryant Park.
My favorites are watching movies at the convenient Bryant Park and at cozy Prospect Park.
At Brooklyn Bridge Park, you can additionally appreciate the splendid views of the water and the lower Manhattan city skyline behind the inflatable screen.
NYC Parks is pretty inclusive, so there’s a good chance that there’s something scheduled around your corner. Check their website for the full schedule.
Cheap Day Trips & Adventures in NYC
10. Hop on the Cable Car to Roosevelt Island ($5.80 for 2)

Head over to the Upper East Side and take the iconic red cable car to Roosevelt Island, which housed prisons, smallpox hospitals and mental asylums in the 19th century.

In 1973, the then-Welfare Island was renamed after Franklin D. Roosevelt in an attempt to attract more residents.
After redevelopment efforts in the 1980s and 1990s, this historic island east of Manhattan is now home to some pretty nice residential buildings and modern high rises.
While the F train can take you to Roosevelt Island, I think the tram is totally worth it, especially since it costs the same $2.90. (The only thing is, you’ll need a MetroCard or OMNY card, since the Roosevelt tram doesn’t take Apple Pay or Contactless.)

I’d highly suggest walking around the island to take in the views of Manhattan.
It’s touching (and spooky) learning about the island’s prison and quarantine hospital history.

Do pay a visit to the ivy-covered Smallpox Hospital and the eerily symmetrical lines of trees that lead to FDR’s bust at Four Freedoms Park.
Stop by the Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association’s gallery to view artwork by local and guest artists.

And hey, I know we’re on a budget here, but the views of Manhattan and Queens from the Panorama Room are some of the most breathtaking views of NYC I’ve seen.

Beers are around $10 and cocktails are around $20.
11. Take the NYC Ferry to Rockaway Beach ($20 for 2)

Pack up lunch and take the NYC ferry to Rockaway Beach!
This classic beach can also be reached by subway, but the journey is much more fun and picturesque on the ferry. I’d suggest shelling out the $10 per person Rockaway Reserve ferry tickets one way to the beach (and then taking the subway home).
For the best experience, head to the roof deck so that you can start soaking in the rays and enjoy the city skyline with the wind pleasantly blowing on your face.
The Rockaway Ferry tickets book out fast, so I’d purchase tickets through the NYC Ferry app at least one week in advance.
Rockaway Reserve tickets are only available on the NYC Ferry app and are available 2 weeks prior. It costs $10 to reserve them, instead of the typical $4.50 per ticket.
You could just show up to the ferry terminal and buy the ferry tickets at the cheaper regular fare, but it’s likely during summer peak hours that there won’t be seats left unless you get the Rockaway Reserve tickets.
There’s not a lot of good food and refreshment options at Rockaway Beach. The commercial strip of restaurants is kind of far from most points of the beach. The few bodegas are near the subway station and are overpriced.
But that gives you even more excuse to suggest to your partner to pack a meal and snacks instead of buying them in-person, saving you more money!
Don’t forget to bring plenty of water and electrolytes, too.
12. Pay Your Respects at Green-Wood Cemetery
‘A cemetery? Jeez,’ you might think.
But give me a chance on this one. Back in the 1860s, Green-Wood Cemetery was the second-most popular American tourist destination, after Niagara Falls.
Why, you might ask? It’s the beautiful landscaping, complete with ponds, rolling hills and monuments that made it the final resting place for famous figures like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Tammany Hall’s “Boss,” William Tweed.
The Green-Wood Cemetery is free and open year-round. Grab your date’s hand and go for scenic strolls in this historic 478-acre National Historic Landmark.
- Address: 500 25th St, Brooklyn, NY 11232 (Subway: 36 St on the D/N/R)
13. Romantic Stroll at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden ($0.02 for 2 people Nov-Feb)

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is the most peaceful, lovely place to stroll with a loved one.
Sit on the benches under the shade and gaze upon the pond and surrounding nature at the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden.

Giggle at the cuteness of the tiny bonsai trees, then enter the warm Tropical Pavilion, with lush palm trees from Madagascar.
Although the tickets are typically $22 per person, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is pay-what-you-wish from November to February.
- Costs: $22 per person, but Pay-What-You-Wish every day from November 2024-February 2025 (may extend to March)
- Address: 1000 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225 (Subway: Eastern Pkwy on the 2/3; 9 min walk from Franklin Av on the 2/3/4/5)
14. Free Wednesdays at the New York Botanical Garden

Fall in love with the elegantly floating water lilies and take in the beauty of the 37 species of roses in the Rose Garden.
There’s plenty to do indoors, too. The botanical garden is home to the Mertz Library, which is the largest collection of botanical literature in the Western Hemisphere.

The New York Botanical Garden is free every Wednesday all day for NYC residents (open until 6pm) and from 10-11am for other visitors. Otherwise, tickets are $15 per person.
- Costs: $15 per person, or free every Wednesday for NYC residents (free for other residents from 10-11am Wednesdays)
- Address: 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458 (Subway: 13 min walk from Bedford Park Blvd on the D)
Cheap & Free Things To Do for Art Lovers
As a cultural hub with lots of access initiatives, NYC has so much to offer for art lovers on a budget.
From hopping around art galleries to visiting an art museum on their free days, look no further for a comprehensive list of to-do’s!
15. Free Friday Nights & Second Sundays at the Whitney

Get dressed in your most groovy, hip outfit and head up to the outdoor patio outside the Studio Bar on the 8th floor to get those quintessential NYC views (and pics!).
If you get lucky with a rosy pink sky, it’s easily one of the most romantic spots to be on a Friday evening in NYC.
Normally priced at $30, the Whitney Museum of American Art is free on Friday nights from 5 to 10 pm (and all day on the second Sunday of each month).
Don’t miss the cool outdoor gallery on Floor 5, either.
The Whitney often hosts cool music and dance performances, so check if there’s any coming up for the most fully-fledged Friday.
All of this on top of the wonderful curation of modern and contemporary art at the Whitney, which also typically has tons of video, short film and interactive works of art on display.
Big News: Starting mid December 2024, the Whitney is free every day if you’re under 25 years old! (Note: The Whitney is already free for visitors 18 years old and under.)
You can reserve your tickets online here for free Friday Nights and Second Sundays. While it’s usually not hard to reserve free tickets, the convenient times often fill up the day before or day of.
- When: 5-10pm every Friday, all day Second Sundays
16. Pay-What-You-Wish at the Guggenheim ($2 for 2)

Normally priced at $30, the Guggenheim is pay-what-you-wish on Mondays and Saturdays from 4-5:30pm.
The architecture of the Guggenheim is truly a work in itself.
Love it or hate it, the museum spirals upward as you walk up an incline to appreciate the works of art.

It’s a lovely place to experience fun modern and contemporary art.
Pay-what-you-wish tickets can be booked online only and are released the morning of.
- Costs: Minimum $1 per person on Mondays and Saturdays from 4-5:30pm
- Address: 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128 (Subway: 12 min walk from 86 St on the 6)
17. Date Night at The Met ($0.02 for 2)

The Met is fun because it’s a treasure trove of all kinds of stuff from everywhere and from all time periods, from a life-sized Chinese Garden Court to the Temple of Dendur, gifted from Egypt.

It’s the perfect way to travel the world without paying for it.
The enormous Metropolitan Museum of Art is always pay-what-you-wish for New York state residents, plus students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

What’s cool about Date Night at The Met is that they open until late, 9pm, and that events during this time are free with museum admission.
To my disappointment, live music performances during Date Night seem to be rare, although advertised by The Met (and as seen on TikTok).
You can try your luck by browsing through the list of events on their site.
- Costs: Minimum $0.01 per person
- Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028 (Subway: 13 min from 86 St on the 4/5/6)
18. Go Gallery Hopping on the Lower East Side

Discover the pinnacle of up-and-coming artists at contemporary art galleries on the Lower East Side.
Check out Marc Straus Gallery, which focuses on “artists who have been overlooked” and “discovering and fostering new talent.”
Another favorite of mine is Richard Taittinger Gallery, whose initiatives include offering accessibly-priced prints starting at $500.
19. Go Gallery Hopping in Chelsea
There are so many incredible galleries in Chelsea that you can peruse for free, even if purchasing a work of art isn’t what you’re searching for (yet).
Two of my favorite Chelsea galleries are Petzel and Greene Naftali.
Hauser and Wirth on 443 W 18th St also has a cool bar/cafe and art book shop that are fun to browse, too.
Thursday nights are when Chelsea galleries typically host opening nights, which typically mean free drinks and bites, too!
But for the best planning, I’d suggest downloading the See Saw app or checking out Artcards to see what’s coming up.
Cheap & Free Museums
20. Free Wednesday Afternoons at the New York Aquarium
From adorable otters and wobbly penguins to sharks swimming above your head in colorful coral reef tunnels, the New York Aquarium is a special place to spark your wonder with your loved one.
If you can make it to Coney Island on a Wednesday afternoon, then definitely take advantage of the free admission at the New York Aquarium!
The aquarium is free from 3pm until closing at 5pm every Wednesday.
You’ll need to reserve tickets in advance online, which open up the Monday of that week at 3pm.
- When: Free every Wednesday from 3-5pm
- Address: 602 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224 (Subway: 11 min walk from Coney Island-Stillwell Av on the D/N/F/Q lines)
Cheap Bars & Nightlife
21. Sip Chai at The Chai Spot ($13 for 2)

There’s excitement to discovering a new cocktail bar, but so is there in a caffeine-fueled, connection-filled conversation. Anyone else claim words of affirmation as their love language?
Cozy up with colorful cushions and rugs at The Chai Spot on the Lower East Side with a rich and soothing cup of chai, which ranges from $6.50-10 per cup.
It’s wholesome, it’s fun and it’s different than your typical NYC date.
I think it’d serve as a perfect place for a first date on a budget.
Don’t worry, this tea house is open until 10pm every day, except Monday (1-8pm) and Tuesday (closed).
- Address: 156 Mott St, New York, NY 10013 (Subway: 5 min walk from Grand St on the B/D lines; 9 min walk from Canal St on the N/Q/R/W lines).
22. Play Retro Pinball at Speakeasy Sunshine Laundromat ($20 for 2)

Walk through this operating laundromat and you might just find the door to Sunshine Laundromat, a dive bar with dazzling retro pinball machines.

Just $1 will get you 3 tries at the pinball machine. Now, that’s the kind of math we’re looking for 🤓
Sunshine Laundromat has an excellent selection of beers on tap, ranging from $8-10.

- Address: 860 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222 (Subway: 4 min walk from Greenpoint Av, on the G)
23. Play Retro Arcade Games at Barcade ($21 for 2)

Barcade is a vibey, fun alternative hangout with retro arcade machines galore and a wide selection of cheap beers on tap, ranging from $7-9.
If you’re a competitive gal like me (or your partner is), you might just forget about the beers and spend all your time playing games. Doesn’t it help that it only costs $0.25-0.50 to play a game?
You’ll need to purchase tokens to play the games. One token costs $0.25, and most machines require 1-2 tokens to play. You might consider buying 20 tokens for $5.
The happy hour is from 4-7pm Monday through Friday and you can get $1 off drinks.
- Address: There’s 3 Barcades in NYC. The original location is in Williamsburg (388 Union Ave). There’s another near Madison Square Garden (148 W 24th St) and in Noho (6 St Marks Pl).
24. Play Board Games at The Uncommons ($30 for 2)
Play as many board games as you can fit in 3 hours for $15 per person at The Uncommons.
From classic games like Uno and Catan to tabletop RPGs and Cards Against Humanity, The Uncommons’ 1,000+ game selection surely has something to entertain you and your date.
The Uncommons is open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights and until 11pm other nights.
An Americano is $3.25, beers range from $6-12 and their canned wines are $10.
- Address: 230 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012 (Subway: 5 min walk from W 4 St on the A/C/E, B/D/F/M; 11 min walk from Christopher St on the 1).
Best Cheap Date Ideas NYC (Conclusion)
In this guide, we went over cheap date ideas NYC to impress your fling on a budget.
Just because these cheap date ideas are easy on the wallet, doesn’t mean that they can’t be classy!
We went over how to watch the US Open for free during Fan Week, when the botanical gardens are free, and how to plan a fun date night at art museums on pay-what-you-wish.
With these NYC date ideas, I am confident that you’ll be able to make some incredible memories without coming off as cheap!
Best Cheap Outdoor Activities in NYC
- Play 18-Hole Mini Golf at Pier 25 ($24 for 2)
- Free Kayaking at Pier 26 and Pier 96
- Get Fit for Free with Healthy on the Hudson
- Free Ice Skating at Bryant Park (Bring-Your-Own-Skates)
- Skate Around LeFrak Center at Lakeside ($46 for 2)
Best Cheap Performing Arts & Shows in NYC
- Admire Free Shakespeare in the Parks
- Free Live Music at Outdoor Summer Concerts
- Watch Tennis for Free During US Open Fan Week
- Free Summer Outdoor Blockbusters
Cheap Day Trips & Adventures in NYC
- Hop on the Cable Car to Roosevelt Island ($5.80 for 2)
- Take the NYC Ferry to Rockaway Beach ($20 for 2)
- Pay Your Respects at Green-Wood Cemetery
- Romantic Stroll at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden ($0.02 for 2 people Nov-Feb)
- Free Wednesdays at the New York Botanical Garden
Cheap & Free Things To Do for Art Lovers
- Free Friday Nights & Second Sundays at the Whitney
- Pay-What-You-Wish at the Guggenheim ($2 for 2)
- Date Night at The Met ($0.02 for 2)
- Go Gallery Hopping on the Lower East Side
- Go Gallery Hopping in Chelsea
Best Cheap & Free Museums
- Free Wednesday Afternoons at the New York Aquarium
Cheap Bars & Nightlife
- Sip Chai at The Chai Spot ($13 for 2)
- Play Retro Pinball at Speakeasy Sunshine Laundromat ($20 for 2)
- Play Retro Arcade Games at Barcade ($21 for 2)
- Play Board Games at The Uncommons ($30 for 2)
Thanks for checking out my article about cheap date ideas NYC!
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