Cheap Date Ideas in Philadelphia

Follow Forbidden Drive through Wissahickon Valley Park, where most of the trails run along Wissahickon Creek and a covered bridge becomes part of the scenery. The woodland hike ends at Valley Green Inn, which serves brunch indoors and on a heated outdoor space, or you can pack a picnic and eat along the trail instead.

Take a car-free walk along the river at Bartram's Garden, a nearly 50-acre public park in Kingsessing and North America's oldest surviving botanic garden. The paved Bartram's Mile Trail gives you an easy route through the grounds, which are open from sunrise to sunset. Pick up a tour map for a self-guided wander, or bring a picnic in the fall.

Make Friday night a museum date at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where a DJ in residence plays in the Great Stair Hall on the first, third and fourth Friday of each month. The Friday-night series is scheduled through spring 2027, and the museum is open Fridays from 10am to 8:45pm. It is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Take an after-dinner walk along The Rail Park, the elevated greenway built on the former Reading Viaduct. The path winds past plantings and swings with views along the way, and it stays open every day from 7am to 10pm.

Visit the Barnes Foundation on the first Sunday of the month, when the collection is open to everyone from 10am to 5pm with hands-on art activities and performances. November 1 brings Cambodian dance performances, while December 6 features Japanese music and a student art show. Regular hours are Thursday through Monday from 11am to 5pm.

Take a walk through LOVE Park in Center City West, where Robert Indiana's LOVE statue sits at the center of a plaza with walking paths, seating and a fountain. The fountain has programmable jets and lights, and the LOVE Park Visitor Center is on site.

Walk through the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park, where hallway exhibits trace the bell from its early life as the State House bell to its later role among abolitionists and civil rights advocates. Park rangers are there to tell the story as well. Entry is first come, first served after security screening, with no ticket required, and the center is open daily from 9am to 5pm.

Settle in over a board game at Queen & Rook Game Cafe, where a library of more than 2,500 games comes with staff Gamekeepers who can help you choose and learn one. Each 2.5-hour reservation includes unlimited games. We'd start with the Margherita pizza or a kimchi burger with hand-cut fries, then add a draft beer, glass of wine or cocktail from the full bar. Booking ahead is encouraged. The cafe opens at 5pm Monday through Thursday and at noon Friday through Sunday.

Bowl a few games at South Bowl in South Philly, a two-floor alley with arcade games and two indoor bars, then head outside to The Yard for batting cages, bocce, horseshoes and shuffleboard. Bowling is walk-in only and cash only. Guests under 21 must leave by 8pm.

Play through two indoor nine-hole courses at Libertee Grounds in North Philly, with murals by local artists along the way. The bar serves hyper-local beer and cocktails with Asian bar fare, and through October 31 the underground space becomes a Frankenstein-themed cocktail lab.