20 Fun FREE Date Ideas

Sometimes, life gets busy and money gets tight. Having a list of 20 fun free date ideas can help keep the romance alive. From going to the library to having a backyard bonfire, there are so many fun ways to spend time together that don’t break the bank.

1.Go to the Park

This idea is kind of a three in one idea. You could have a simple picnic if you’d like a more intimate and relaxing date. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you could go hiking or biking. We love hiking at our favorite local parks and exploring new ones in nearby cities. Fresh air, exercise, beautiful scenery, what’s not to love?! Well, maybe bugs. Don’t forget to wear bug spray!

2.Movie Night at Home

There are so many ways to watch movies at home now! Browse through your old DVD collection for an old favorite. Check out Netflix, Amazon or Hulu for something new if you have a subscription. Go to the library to check out their selection. Snuggling up to a good movie is a great way to relax together after a long day.

3.Board Games

We have a lot of games, but we don’t often get to play them. Back when we were first dating, we loved to play different games together, like Scrabble for example. Taking the time to have a game night can give you something fun to do while allowing you to have a playful conversation.

4.Go to the Library

The library is a lot of fun with the kids, but it’s also a lot of fun without them! Browsing the books together, picking out a fun movie, laughing over the music section and reminiscing, browsing through the exercise equipment, even if we don’t pick out anything (how can you not?!) the library is always a blast!

5.Puzzles

I LOVE puzzles! Whenever I get a new one going, the whole family loves to spend time tackling it. Spending time alone on date night working on a puzzle is a fun challenge! I find puzzle nights are great for the times when you don’t want to say much. Puzzles can be a stress reliever. So if you’ve had a rough day/week/month, this might be a great way to tackle some of life’s anxieties by doing something you CAN solve.

6.Video Games

If your spouse loves video games, but you are not a fan, it might put you out of your comfort zone a little at first. Playing together can be a lot of fun though! If you’re not into violent games, like me, there are so many other fun ways to play. Many game systems have physically active games that allow you to get up and move, like Fruit Ninja. If you’d rather sit down, Tetris is always a fun challenge.

7. Take a Walk

Sometimes, a simple walk around the neighborhood can be a lot of fun. It’s just you and your sweetie, walking, talking and getting some fresh air. I find a simple walk can take the pressure off of date planning and allow you to just relax.

8.Cook and Clean up Dinner Together

I’m usually the one who cooks at our house. Sometimes, Nate will take over for a night if I’m not feeling well. Cooking together though, makes the work go faster and is a lot of fun! Cleaning up together means that no one is stuck doing the dishes alone. If cooking dinner is too intimidating, try making a simple dessert or appetizer.

9.Museum

We have a lot of museums in our area. Many of them have free days or free sections. Most history museums have a fee to help pay for upkeep, but sometimes they have a free day. Often, you can get a free pass at the local library. Many art museums are free. A few of the bigger ones do charge a fee, so always check before heading out.

10.Window Shopping Downtown

Our town has a cute little historic downtown strip. It’s full of antique stores, boutique shops, cafes, and restaurants. It’s a lot of fun to check out all of the unique items in the antique stores and window shop some of the newer boutiques.

11.Backyard Bonfire

Summer doesn’t last very long here in Minnesota, so bonfires are only optional a few months a year. We love to take advantage of this time to sit outside and enjoy the warm night air, under the stars, cuddled up next to the fire.

12.Tea/Dessert on the Porch

If you have a porch, like we do, it’s nice to sit out early or late on hot summer days. Taking a little time to enjoy the quiet solitude that comes with dawn and dusk with a nice cup of tea or a shared dessert is a lot of fun!

13.Fishing/Boating

Here in Minnesota, we have over 10,000 lakes. (11,842 lakes of 10 acres or more. 21.871 if you count the lakes under 10 acres!) We also have 69,200 miles of rivers which gives us many opportunities to enjoy some time on the water. We’ve gone fishing as a family, but fishing as a couple can be fun too! If you are vegan or don’t like to fish, sightseeing is also a lot of fun! Don’t forget to take binoculars for a little bird watching!

14.Study the Bible Together

There is nothing else like putting God first in our lives. Spending quality time together, with God, is one of the most important things a couple can do together. God can help draw a couple closer and give peace and contentment.

15. Go Through Family Photo Albums

As the years roll by and memories add up, it can be a lot of fun to look back on some of those favorite experiences together. Sometimes, this can inspire new plans for the future, so keep a notebook and pen handy!

16.Play Cards

Playing cards can be as easy as Go Fish, Speed or even a little more challenging, like enjoying a game of poker. If you don’t know how to play any card games, you can easily google how to play! Even better, there are a lot of videos on Youtube showing you exactly how to play! Cards are simple, cheap and can lead to a lot of laughs.

17.Build/Make Something

Is there something fun that you’ve always wanted to try? Build a birdhouse? Make a garden? Make a Chalkboard? Hang up some framed family pictures? Make a fun date of it! If you don’t know how to do any of these things but want to, check out community education classes, your local library courses, or ask a friend who’s more experienced to help you plan the basics before getting started.

18.Exercise together

I’ve already mentioned hiking, biking and taking walks, but breaking out a workout DVD or pulling up a workout on youtube to try together can be a lot of fun! Just make sure to take it slow if you don’t work out on a regular basis!

19. Read Together

Did you find an awesome book at the library or do you have a favorite you’d love to read again? Make it a date night book. Take turns reading chapters out loud (or pages if the chapters are long). No cheating and reading without your partner on non-date nights though!

20.Pamper Each Other

Put on face masks, file each other’s nails, or paint them if you’re feeling adventurous! Take a relaxing bath together, if your bath is big enough! If you don’t have a big enough tub, have a detox foot bath. Give a nice back or shoulder massage. Both men and women love to be pampered!

I hope these 20 fun free date ideas have inspired you for a date night of your own! What is your favorite thing to do on a date night? Have you given any of these a try? Let me know in the comments!

5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 3 Night With Nate

We got some new nail polish called Ella and Mila that is low on the toxicity scale. It’s the least toxic I’ve been able to find that is also affordable and works well. Cat painted Princess’ and my toes and put cute little feather decals on too.

After running around with the kids all day and Nate’s long work days, it can be hard for us to find time alone. I thought it would be fun to join him for a night-time walk before bed.

It was a beautiful, warm night. Being as hot as it was, I wore my pajamas on our walk. My pj’s were cute matching shorts and a t-shirt, acceptable for wearing in public. I personally wouldn’t be comfortable during the daytime, but I didn’t think we would be seeing many people. As it turned out, since it was such a warm night, there were a lot of people out taking walks.

Nate and I walked up to a gas station where he got something to drink. In the harsh lights, I felt awkward in my little PJ shorts, but I tried to play it off like it didn’t bother me.

As we walked back toward home, I could hear thunder rumbling in the distance. Beyond the trees, I could see occasional flashes of lightning. The storm looked like it had passed us over for the night.

We met a man out walking who asked us if our power was out. It turns out, that half the city was without power. We chatted with him for a little while before heading the last couple blocks home. Fortunately, our power was unaffected.

Unfortunately, poor Princess had a small fever and had been asking for me while we were gone. Cat said she had been doing mostly well but had only gotten hot shortly before we got home. Poor kiddo was either sick with a virus or was having an allergic reaction to something mildly corny she ate earlier in the day.

What do you do for alone time when money and time are short? Do you enjoy taking walks at night, or do you prefer going in the daytime?

5 Week Workout Challenge
Previous Week: Week 4, Day 2: Fort Snelling
Next Week: Week 4, Day 4: Afton State Park