50 free date ideas for couples

Wondering what you can do for date night that won’t cost a dime? Here’s 50 free date ideas to check out!

We all know that date night is important to our relationship – but there are often barriers that get in the way of spending quality time together.

Maybe we have children at home or are super busy at work, and our marriage comes last on the list.

While life has seasons we need to navigate, one barrier that should never stop you having date night is cost.

When you’re watching your budget- whether it’s because you’re saving intentionally or simply not wanting to fall victim to lifestyle inflation – it’s easy to think that date night isn’t an option.

But that so is not the case!

There are a wealth of free date ideas out there for you to enjoy.

And personally, I think free date ideas are the best because they make you more creative and innovative.

So here is a super amazing resource of 50 free date ideas that you can try this very weekend.

And just to note – these dates are for doing out of your house. You can also check out at home date ideas if you’d rather stay at home.

You might also like: 25 cheap date ideas.

Fun free date ideas

1. Find a free concert. Facebook, Google, or your local paper can all be great sources of free concerts. Don’t be limited by your usual music preferences either. This can be a great opportunity to find out if you like something new at no cost
2. Play on a playground. Release your inner child with a fun session on the playground. Get on the swings, play on the see-saws or zoom down the slide
3. Test drive that car you’ve always wanted. Then you can work out if it’s still a want
4. Visit open homes. They’re lots of fun for decorating and gardening ideas, and generally being nosy
5. Create your own bingo card for a store or place you like to frequent (Google Target or Walmart bingo for ideas). Then head to that place and play

Cute free date ideas

1. Have a library date night. This super cute date night makes the most of your local library. There’s 10 task suggestions for you to do with your loved one which will help you learn even more about each other. Check out date night at the library here.
2. Go toothpick racing. Color a toothpick each, then after a night of rain, find an appropriate gutter. Float the toothpicks and see which one can make it to the finish line first. Have multiple races to up the ante
3. Claim your spot. Walk or drive around your local area until you discover a place that will become your “spot.” Christen it with a ridiculously cute name; preferably one which features an amalgamation of your first names
4. Have an alphabet scavenger hunt. Pick a location and then hunt for items starting with A and ending with Z. Take a picture of each item for a cute memento of your date
5. Point and shoot. Head out together and challenge each other to take pictures that represent your relationship with your phone. Use Canva to create a collage of your images when you get home

Romantic free date ideas

1. Research a constellation and then try to find it in the sky while you remind each other of its story
2. Write out a plan of your dream romantic date and give it to each other
3. Make a bucket list of all the romantic dates you want to take together in your lifetime
4. Make each other a customized romantic Spotify playlist. Select songs whose words have special meaning to you. Listen to them closely and then explain to each other why you selected them
5. Find romantic quotes and share them with each other in a beautiful spot

Free outdoor date ideas

1. Go hiking. Hiking is a fantastic and free date night activity. Your endorphins will be flowing from the exercise and you’ll be taking in some truly beautiful sights. The best thing about hiking is that many of us can literally go for a new hike every weekend, making memories each time
2. Check out public art and memorials. You know those statues and memorials in your town center you’ve seen 1000 times but never really looked at? Search for terms like monuments, statues and public art in your area. Plan out a route and then pay tribute
3. Cloud watch. Find yourself a comfy spot and lie on your backs and watch the clouds. Look to see what shapes you can find and make a contest of it (though I suggest you make it part of the contest that the other person can see the shape you’re insisting is there)
4. Go for a run. The trick here is to not do the same old same old route. Instead, map out a new route in an area that you’re not familiar with. If it’s a particularly scenic route, consider making your run one way, so you can walk on the way back and check out the spots you were originally too breathless to see
5. Visit your local botanical garden. Many towns have beautiful gardens arranged in interesting themes. You will be amazed at what you have right on your doorstep
6. Do a Fall foliage drive – dependent on the time of the year of course
7. Head to the beach. Take books, buckets and spades, and blankets and enjoy relaxing together before having a fun sand castle building competition, finishing with a walk along the water’s edge
8. Visit a national park and enjoy nature at its finest
9. Fly a kite together. Pick a warm day with a gentle wind
10. Head to your local cemetery and find the oldest section. Look at the gravestones and create the backstories for the people buried beneath
11. Go to the movies – with a difference. Many places screen free outdoor movies over summer. Challenge yourself to attend even if it’s a kids’ movie. They usually have a storyline tucked in there that adults can also appreciate
12. Heat up at the hot pools. Only an hour or so drive from where we live is a hot water beach, where you can take a spade, dig yourself a hole, and sit in it and enjoy. About an hour in the other direction are free hot pools. Check out your local area to see what’s available
13. Grab a board game and head down to the park. Just skip Monopoly as that money can blow everywhere
14. Bike trails in your area? Even if you’re not keen on biking, most cycleways can be shared with walkers. Do your research first
15. Watch out – whether it’s birds, butterflies, plants or flowers, find out what’s common to your area and then attempt to locate them

Free indoor date ideas

1. Visit a local art show or festival. Some take place over multiple locations in a town or city so you can make a whole day of it
2. Head back to the library. No, not for the same reason as above – this time to check out any free events they may be holding. At my local library I’ve had the privilege of listening to talented ukulele players, doctor poets, and acclaimed international authors – all for free
3. Check out your local museum. Often entry is free for general exhibitions. Don’t just limit yourselves to standard museums either – check out sports museums, transport museums, science museums – there’s much to experience
4. Plan home improvements. Head to Home Depot or Lowes and get inspiration for minor spruce ups or renovations for your home
5. Open mic night. Search your local area for open mic night events and go for a night of free and fun entertainment

Other free date ideas

1. Take a Sunday drive. Way back in the day, the Sunday drive was a thing. Mom and Dad and the kids would all get in the car and drive around aimlessly for a few hours. Spend the time talking, laughing and singing together
2. Volunteer together. This is a great way to do something meaningful and purposeful while also connecting with your partner. You can volunteer for a cause that you both hold close to your hearts (anything involving animals and we light up!), or it can be a way of sharing your passion and interest with the other person
3. Sample. Head to a local market and enjoy the free samples. Make a list of ones you’d like to purchase next time
4. Create a scavenger hunt of items you’re likely to see at your chosen destination, then have fun finding them
5. Go off season. Visit a popular free place, such as the beach, at an unpopular time. You get a different perspective when you visit a place off season and the bonus is more space to yourself
6. Clean up. Grab a trash bag each and several pairs of disposable gloves. Head to your favorite outdoors spot and clean up the trash. (If you like this, you can find other eco-friendly date ideas here)
7. Plan a random vacation. Pick a random place anywhere in the world (try just scrolling then zooming in on Google maps until you hit somewhere). Then using the interwebs, plan a whole vacation there – where you would stay, where you would eat and what you would do. You never know, you might even do the trip one day!
8. Be a tourist in your own town. Simply Google “free things to do in” and add your town, and check out what comes up. I recommend making a list of all the free ideas so you have them for future reference
9. Create a personalized walking or driving tour of places of significance to you as a couple and visit them. Alternatively, you could do one of your life in that town in order to share important places with your significant other
10. Watch the sunset together. Bonus points if you pick a spot with a great view and take along a blanket and some tasty snacks
11. Geocaching. Often talked about, yet I have to admit I don’t know a single person who has done it. Head here to get started with this unique free date activity
12. Help out a homeless shelter by calling your local and seeing what they need. Have a declutter session in your home for these items and then drop them off
13. Check out RVs. Back in 2017, my husband and I stumbled on an RV expo after going to a local market. Over several years, we spent many a happy weekend driving to different yards and checking out what they had to offer before making a pick. We’ve owned our RV since December 2020 and it has changed our life so much for the better. Even if you’ve never considered an RV, I can highly recommend it!
14. Become a history buff. Research three historical locations in your town each, and then plot out a route to visit them. When you get there, share what you learned with each other
15. Have a photography competition. Set a subject (or subjects) and then spend time snapping. Once you’re home you can curate your shots and present them for the grand judging

With these 50 free date ideas, you have no excuse to not grab your husband and make a commitment to a date today!

Do you have some favorite free date ideas not mentioned here? Let me know in the comments.

Enjoyed these date ideas and want more? Try these date ideas for couples.