50 Cute, Free & Cheap Winter Date Ideas for Romantic Couples

As the winter draws in, we’re inclined to become a little too housebound. How can you and your spouse or significant other still have fun and avoid cabin fever? Dating is even more important for married couples than it is when you’re just courting. After all, it’s important to remember just why you fell in love in the first place!

Everybody needs time to let off steam and escape the humdrum. Get your kids a babysitter and go and have fun together. Studies show that couples who date each other after marriage are far more likely to stick together. Although the winter can be expensive with all the holiday festivities to pay for, it’s no reason to leave your loved one in the lurch. Whether you’re strapped for cash or don’t have a penny to spend, get wrapped up warm and surprise your other half with one of these super romantic and cheap winter date ideas.

Free Winter Date Ideas

1. Revisit the place where the two of you met.

Of course, this is only a cheap option if it isn’t too far away – but it’s very, very romantic!

2. Make a blanket fort.

Sure, you haven’t done this since you were little. What’s the bet the one you make together now will be even better?

3. Have a snowball fight.

Cheap winter activities for couples are hard to come by, but one thing is for sure: the snow will fall, and it’s completely free. Going out in the snow together is super romantic. Just don’t get too competitive! Keep it full of fun and laughter.

4. Wrap up and go for a walk in the park.

Wrap a warm blanket on you and enjoy lunch together in the park. You can eat hot pastries on a bench and enjoy a long and romantic stroll afterward.

5. Have a photo-taking expedition.

Who can take the most beautiful winter photograph? You’ll have lots of fun identifying potential compositions together.

6. Enjoy hot drinks on your porch.

If you’re looking for things to do with your girlfriend or boyfriend, but you don’t want to venture out in the cold, this is a great idea. Get 2 cups of hot chocolate and a blanket and admire the snow late in the evening from your porch together.

7. Build a snowman.

Romantic winter dates don’t have to be extravagant. They can be as simple as playing outside in the snow. Yes, you are an adult, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be playful!

8. Check out festivals and markets.

Browse local arts and crafts, and finish up with a cheap snack eaten on the go from one of the inevitable food stalls.

9. Volunteer as a couple.

Winter is a tough time for homeless people and animals. Find out how you can help, and enjoy that great feeling of giving back to your community together.

10. Make snow angels.

Why? Because it’s fun, and because you can!

11. Check out the Christmas lights and decorations.

Hop in the car and go and see how people have decorated the area for the season.

12. Check out local amateur productions.

A professional show can cost you a packet, but local arts groups, orchestras, and amateur dramatic societies are usually inexpensive and sometimes even free!

13. Play with your pet in the snow.

Dogs+Snow=fun! Get together, play, enjoy each other’s company, and have a wonderful time outside.

14. Go sledding.

Choose a moonlit night, wrap up warm, and rediscover your inner child.

15. Go stargazing.

It may be cold, but if you’re willing to wrap up and light a fire, this is one of the most romantic and cheap winter dates you can go on. It’s even better if you have a telescope that you can set up together.

16. Write a letter to the future.

Imagine yourselves 10 years in the future and try writing a letter to the present selves where you talk about your relationship, how you got through the years together, and your accomplishments.

17. Gather around a campfire.

Build a small campfire in the backyard and roast marshmallows. It’s a great way of getting together and enjoying each other’s company next to a warming campfire.

18. Watch hockey players or figure skaters training.

Attending events costs a little, but you can often watch skaters training for free!

19. Pretend to be tourists.

Pretend you’re visiting your area for the first time, and take in all the sights.

20. Create snow art.

Use spray bottles with food coloring to create a snow masterpiece, or create your very own snow sculpture.

21. View the city lights.

Find a good vantage point, cuddle up, and watch the lights of the city below. How romantic can you get?

22. Go window shopping in the swankiest part of town.

If you and your date are frugal, you will have lots of fun laughing at the prices of the expensive goods on display.

23. Go carol singing

Cute dates don’t get much more festive and cheesy than this. If your partner loves the holidays, they’re sure to have a ton of fun caroling with you.

24. Have a movie marathon.

There are hundreds of outdoor activities you can do during winter, but if a storm has you trapped in your home, your options can become limited. If this happens, snuggle up on the sofa and watch some of your favorite movies together.

25. Play your favorite board game together.

There’s nothing like a bit of healthy competition to keep a relationship strong. If you’re struggling to think of anything fun to do outside, dust off your favorite board game and spend a fun night at home together.

Cheap Winter Date Ideas

26. Bake together.

Nothing warms you up more than a fresh batch of cookies from the oven. Although baking supplies cost little, romantic winter dates in the kitchen are easy to organize and super fun.

27. Take a wintery weekend break.

Even though going away together can sometimes be expensive, lots of hotels reduce their prices in the winter months. An overnight stay at a nice hotel or a quaint B&B can be a really romantic way to show your loved one how much they mean to you.

28. Make Christmas cards.

If you’re strapped for cash, you don’t want to be spending a ton of money on store-bought Xmas cards. Making your own DIY Christmas cards can be a fun and romantic way to spend time together during the winter. Plus, it can save you some money, too.

29. Have a candlelit dinner.

A candlelit dinner is an old classic in the dating game, but in the winter, it can be just the ticket. If you don’t want to get cold going out to a restaurant, cook a nice warming dinner and spruce up your place with some candles to create a romantic ambiance.

30. Go dancing. 

Nothing keeps you warm quite like a night on the dancefloor, and going out for a night of dancing doesn’t have to cost a lot. Look out for happy hours and try to limit the amount you drink, and you should be able to turn it into a cheap and romantic winter date.

31. Visit the polar bears and penguins.

If you have a local Zoo, now is the time to see cold-weather animals at their best!

32. Try your hand at snowboarding.

If you’ve never tried snowboarding before, there’s all the more reason to try it now.

33. Visit a local museum.

Museums constantly update their collections and displays, so you might be in for a surprise, even if you’ve been quite recently.

34. Go on a tour of the art gallery.

Entry fees range from cheap to free – and you get to stay out of the cold.

35. Go ice skating.

This is one of my favorite cheap date ideas for teenage couples. It’s super fun and a great way to spend some quality time together without Mom and Dad hanging around! Sharpen those blades and hit the nearest skating spot for a romantic time together.

When last did you go ice skating? Sharpen those blades and hit the nearest skating spot for a romantic time together.

36. Scan Facebook for fun community events.

If you never tried it before, that’s even better! Go to a poetry reading, go caroling, check out a school concert, or go to the pantomime. You’ll be amazed at how many options there are.

37. Go skiing.

Depending on where you live, you could make this a day trip, but even a weekend getaway shouldn’t work out too costly.

38. Take up a class together.

Art classes, yoga classes, dance classes, or singing classes are so much more fun when you do them together. Choose cheap community classes and have fun!

39. Try Karaoke.

Even if you’re not a great singer, you can have fun at a karaoke night as long as you don’t take it too seriously.

40. Go bowling or play indoor mini-golf.

Are you out of practice? Were you never very good at it? That’s all the more reason to do it! You will share much laughter together.

41. Visit a comedy club.

Laughter is good for the soul! It may cost you some entrance and the price of a couple of drinks, but it’s still an economical date.

42. Wrap gifts together.

Around the holiday period, a lot of people see wrapping presents for friends and family as a chore, but it doesn’t have to be. Invite your date round to help with the wrapping. It’s a fun way to spend time together, and it gets the gift-wrapping done much more quickly!

43. Decorate your home.

Decorating for the holiday season is always fun, but doing it with the person you love is even better. If you don’t have a lot of cash, invite your other half for a winter date night of decorating. Crack open some wine and enjoy making memories.

44. Go on a coupon date.

If you’ve been saving coupons for local eateries, now is the time to use them!

45. Hit the game’s arcade.

Going to the arcade isn’t just for kids; it can be really fun for adults, too. Who cares if you’re the oldest person there? Grab some change and hit the arcade.

46. Visit the aquarium.

Just looking at all those tropical fish will make you feel like you’re in the tropics!

47. Visit a drive-in movie theater.

You can load up with lots of homemade snacks, cuddle up, and enjoy a retro drive-in movie date together.

48. Try an indoor climbing wall.

It’s safe, it’s warm enough, and you get lots of thrills and spills.

49. Taste and try.

Inexpensive wine, beer, or cheese tastings make for an enjoyable date.

50. Go on a coffee-tasting experience.

If your partner is seriously into coffee, why not take them on a coffee-tasting experience? It’s warm, it’s interesting, and it’s fun. Plus, coffee-tasting experiences aren’t usually all that expensive. Local shops and roasteries will often offer tasting sessions for super-cheap – they might even let you sample some blends for free!

Would you rather stay at home?

Who says you need to go out for a date? You can still make a stay-at-home night special. Tackle an art project together, curl up by the fire, have a themed movie night, or try some new dishes out in the kitchen. Still, with all those wonderful winter activities waiting for you, you’ll probably do a bit of both staying in and going out to get the balance right. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself!

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