Clear Lists
Get the app →
NYC Date Ideas
Free and cheap NYC dates for two, from ferry rides to whispering across Grand Central.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
Saved in this browser. Send it to Clear to keep it on your phone.
Only one source gives any lead time: Nicolette Mason says to get to Bryant Park's summer movie nights early and bring a picnic blanket, since the night is free if you land a spot. Her list is titled 20 Dates Under $20 in NYC. Expect a mix of free, cheap and one or two splurges, for two people. Restaurants that need reservations are left out. Prices and schedules change, so check first, and note that some picks only work in summer or winter.
Why these items are on the list
- Take the East River Ferry. Nicolette Mason puts it at $4 a ride, with Brooklyn Bridge views.
- Ride Jane's Carousel. Nicolette Mason lists it at $2 each, right by the DUMBO waterfront.
- Share a sundae in DUMBO. Nicolette Mason puts Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory at $8, as the sun goes down.
- Walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Melanie May suggests sunrise or sunset for a more spectacular stroll.
- Watch a Bryant Park movie. Nicolette Mason says it's free on summer Mondays. Get there early, bring a blanket.
- Row a boat in Central Park. Nicolette Mason lists $15 an hour for up to four; pond open 10AM to 6PM.
- Pay what you can at the Met. Nicolette Mason says the posted $25 is a suggested donation.
- Whisper across Grand Central. Melanie May says stand in opposite corners of the arch outside the Oyster Bar, face away, whisper.
- Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram. Melanie May describes a four-minute cable car over the East River from 2nd Avenue and 60th Street.
- Go to Brooklyn Museum First Saturdays. Nicolette Mason says free, 5PM to 11PM every first Saturday, with live music.
- Browse Brooklyn Flea. Nicolette Mason: vintage, crafts, furniture and food. Williamsburg has the views but gets windy.
- Catch a Cyclones game. Nicolette Mason found Wednesday tickets at $10; Friday and Saturday add post-game fireworks.
- Cook after a farmers market. Union Square Greenmarket is one pick; set a budget, then cook at someone's place.
- Shoot with disposable cameras. Per Nicolette Mason, two single-use cameras were $7.99; one each, phones stay in pockets.
- Eat falafel in Washington Square. Nicolette Mason sends you to Mamoun's on Macdougal Street, then a block north to the park.
- Go to a trivia night. Several bars host it free; you only pay for drinks you want.
- Take a Brooklyn Brainery class. Nicolette Mason lists talks from as low as $6; sushi-making runs $80 each.
- See a free Prospect Park concert. Nicolette Mason says Celebrate Brooklyn has held free concerts there since 1979.
- Picnic in Central Park. Wezoree suggests Sheep Meadow, the Great Lawn or Strawberry Fields; bring cards or a book.
- Walk the High Line. A former railway turned elevated park, with river views and art.
- Kayak the Hudson. Wezoree lists free kayaking at Pier 26 or Pier 84.
- Take the Staten Island Ferry. Wezoree says it's a free ride past the Statue of Liberty; eat on Staten Island.
- Skate at Rockefeller Center. Wezoree calls it a winter experience. Hot cocoa from a nearby café after.
- Visit Bryant Park Winter Village. Melanie May describes winter lights, a big tree, an open-air market and a carousel.
- Bike around Governors Island. Wezoree: ferry over, rent a bike, picnic with Manhattan views.
Keep it open on your phone and tick dates off together. Handy for the night someone says "I don't mind, you pick."
When to use it
When you want a date plan that fits a budget, just check the season first, since some picks are summer only and some winter only.