Are you looking for free or cheap date ideas in Erie, PA for 2022? Or just looking for things to do in Erie? Well, this post is for you. It includes all ranges of activities and price levels, depending on your interests and budget. This list could also be used for ideas to do with friends or family!
If you want more info, click on the links on most activities to check out the website. Stay tuned for an upcoming post on pricier date ideas.
Free Date Ideas in Erie
- Watch a breathtaking sunset at Presque Isle. During the summer, have a beach day and enjoy the waves while soaking up the sun. Or explore some of the paths there and check out the Presque Isle Lighthouse!
- Walk around one of Erie’s many parks such as Headwaters Park or Scott Park. Bayview Park is another beautiful spot and has the Erie sign for a photo op!
- City Gallery is a cool independent art gallery with lots of unique pieces to explore.
- Slide down one of the 4 slides at Frontier Park (they get closed down in the winter, BUT, if you already have a sled or snow tube, you can slide down the snow-covered hills at Frontier Park).
- Check out exhibits, learn about Presque Isle, and see Lake Erie from the 75-foot tower at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center.
- Karaoke at a bar such as The Sloppy Duck.
- Explore Asbury Woods and check out the animals in the Nature Center. Also, see if there are any free events going on because there often are!
- Laugh at some hilarious stand-up comedy at Free Comedy Night at Black Monk Brewery in Erie. This event occurs the 1st Saturday of every month. If you want to try your hand out at comedy, there is also a comedy open mic night at Voodoo Brewery in Erie the second Thursday of the month. The days set for 2022 are currently January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, and May 12. Check out Off Constantly Comedy’s Facebook page for updates on both the comedy night and open mic night.
- Voodoo Brewery in Erie also has buzzworthy trivia the first and third Thursdays of the month! Check out Voodoo Brewery’s Facebook page for updates.
- Visit one of Erie’s libraries and pick out a few new movies. Or if you love to read, get two of the same books and have a mini book club with your partner. There are often free events at the local libraries going on every week.
- Attend one (or all) of the eight free summer concerts called 8 Great Tuesdays at the Highmark Amphitheater at Liberty Park.
Cheap Date Ideas in Erie ($25 and under)
- In the winter season, you can rent snowshoes or cross country skis at Asbury Woods! These activities are only available if there are 6 inches or more of snow. Equipment rentals are hourly and are $7 per hour for snowshoes and $10 per hour for cross country skis (or $2 less if you are a donor).
- Visit the Erie Art Museum which is $10 for regular tickets. Some exhibits that are showing change throughout the year.
- PACA (Performing Artists Collective Alliance) has theater shows regularly. Tickets are often $15 but check out their website for exact ticket prices for upcoming shows. Additionally, there are occasionally live steams offered at a lower price.
- Grab a coffee (Ember + Forge is delicious), hot chocolate (I love the kinds served at Romolo Chocolates), or smoothie (try the Juice Jar).
- The Erie Zoo is home to hundreds of animals and opens March 5, 2022. Tickets are $10.00 per adult.
- Dust off your paint and paintbrushes and get to creating your own work of art. Google will also help if you can’t think of any ideas to paint! If you’re competitive, have your friends vote on if you or your significant other created the better artwork.
- Play the afternoon or night away at an arcade such as Round One. Another cool one is Play Port Arcade AND it has glow in the dark mini golf. For Round One, you purchase a card and load money onto it; Play Port Arcade is $10.99 per person for regular admission.
- Grab a delicious snack at a place like Icing on the Lake.
- Bring out your inner artist at a painting studio such as Claytopia. Pottery pieces can be as low as $5 and the studio fee is $6/hour for adults. Or go to the mall and check out Glass-a-Ramics. The lowest options here are $12.95 with no studio or paint fees. There are also To Go Options for 2 figurines and paint colors for $26.90 (sorry, it’s just a bit over $25!).
- Have a lunch date such as getting pizza by the slice at Slice on French. This great place features 2 pizza slices and a fountain drink for $6.49.
- Watch a cinematic masterpiece at TinselTown which is less than $20 for two tickets.
- Make a charcuterie board, or create your own hot chocolate bar, dessert board, etc. If it’s warm enough, you could enjoy them outside!
- Peruse a bookstore such as Pressed or Barnes and Noble and purchase a fun book or puzzle game to do together.
- Learn more about Erie while exploring Hagen History Center. There’s a ton of interesting things here, but the coolest to me is Frank Lloyd Wright’s office is located at Hagen History Center! Tickets are $10 for regular adult admission.
Cheap Summer Date Ideas in Erie ($25 and under)
- I love the summer in Erie because there’s always so much to do. This past summer, I loved grabbing a drink at Pier 6 with my fiancé and at The Cove (you have to try their mozzarella moons).
- Enjoy a summer afternoon by having a picnic with your significant other. Bring either food you make or take-out.
- What about… sidewalk chalk? You probably haven’t done this in a while, but why not see if you’re better at it then when you were a kid?
- Undeniably, summer is the time for ice cream so try one of the many Erie ice cream shops. Some of my favorites include Creamland, Whippy Dip, and the The Freezerie.
- Another idea is to buy a kite and fly it! Did you know that there’s Kite Beach at Presque Isle? Head on down to Beach 10.
- Does a sightseeing cruise on the Victorian Princess seem fun to you and your partner? Tickets are only $10 a person.
- Unquestionably, gazing across Lake Erie way up high on the Bicentennial Tower is a sight to behold. The tower should open around May 2022 and is $6 for adults.
More Cheap Date Ideas
So, you read this list and are still looking for more date ideas? Well, why not combine multiple things and create a customized date day! Read on for a few examples!
- 1: View masterpieces at the Erie Art Museum and then get lunch at Picasso’s. All of their sandwiches have an artist theme! Then try your hand at your own painting.
- 2: Get some bubble tea at Andora’s Bubble Tea Shop, walk around Perry Square, and check out Dobbin’s Landing and the Bayfront which are all minutes from each other.
- 3: Have a picnic at Presque Isle and watch the sunset.
- 4: Go to Frontier Park and afterwards pick out a fun movie to watch at the Millcreek Branch Library. A movie that I love (that features Erie) is That Thing You Do!
- 5: First grab a coffee at Brick House Coffee and enjoy it while exploring Asbury Woods.
- 6: Make a goal to visit all of the local Erie parks and go to one each weekend.
Have you been to Hagen History Center yet? Check out my post Hagen History Center has Exciting Erie History and Artifacts – Erie Activities
