Fun Things to do for free at night

Evenings are supposed to be enjoyable, especially on weekends. But what if you’re on a budget? Perhaps you’re putting money aside to pay off debt or make a large purchase.

You might not want or be able to afford expensive entertainment options. However, there are numerous free activities available — even at night!

Look at a list of free things to do any evening of the week.

No matter where you live, there are always free things to do at night. In your town, you might not have all of these options. However, it is safe to say that you can do the majority of them.

Make a list of free things to do in your town, starting with suggestions from this list. Then, expand your list based on the options available in your city or town.

Table of Contents

1. Enjoy a Free Outdoor Concert

Most cities have some sort of free outdoor concert hall. Try searching for “free outdoor concerts near me” on the internet. You should get findings by sharing outdoor concerts in your city as well as nearby cities and towns.

You could also look for free outdoor concerts and festivals on your state’s tourism website.

2. Have a Game Night

A family game night is one of our best things to do as a family. These nights are usually attended by a few extended family members and teams that compete in a semi-fierce manner.

Our favorite game is Trivial Pursuit, but there are virtually no restrictions on the types of games you can play:

(a) Card games like 500 Rummy
(b) Charades
(c) Scattergories
(d) Codenames
(e) Spontuneous
(f) Escape Room in a Box

And there are so many other options. Throw in some food, and you’ve got yourself a full-fledged party. We usually have a potluck and everyone brings something.

In addition, if you don’t want to spend any extra money, incorporate your food contribution into your monthly grocery budget.

3. Have a Backyard Camping Experience

Camping is fun, but renting a space at a state or county campground can be expensive. Why not simply set up camp in your own backyard?

Set up your tent, gather some hot dogs and s’mores ingredients, and enjoy a backyard bonfire while gazing at the stars. Then sleep outside while listening to the wonderful sounds of nature.

What if you don’t have a backyard or if it’s not suitable for outdoor camping? In this case, contact a family member or friend who has a camping-friendly backyard.

Inquire if you can use their yard or if they would like to join in on the fun.

4. Do a Girls Spa Evening

Did you know you can have a spa night at home with items you most likely already have?

Here are some suggestions for pampering yourself, your mother, your daughters, and your girlfriends:

(a)Bring your favorite nail polish colors and get manicures and pedicures.

(b) To scrub and moisturize your hands, feet, or entire body, combine coconut oil and sugar.

(d) Have a casual yoga session with YouTube videos.

(e) Take turns bathing in an Epsom salt bath for 20 minutes.

You can find more at-home spa ideas by searching the internet. Tea, juice, and a few light snacks can be added to round out your in-house spa day.

5. Movie Night

Movie theater tickets can be costly, especially if you have a large family.

Sometimes we invite-only our immediate family, and other times we invite a few friends. We’ll show the most recent DVD movie that we or a friend owns.

Alternatively, we will select a classic film from our collection, such as Lord of the Rings, The Princess Bride, Back to the Future, and others. Test your audience to see what they’re interested in. Perhaps they prefer silly humor, action, and adventure, crime drama, or drama, among other things.

Make some popcorn, dim the lights, and enjoy your own free movie theater experience at home.

6. Attend (or Host) a Neighborhood Outdoor Movie Event

Attending – or hosting – an outdoor movie event is another option. We had neighbors who held an annual outdoor movie night when we lived in the city (we now own a hobby farm).

They had a projector, a large screen hung on the back of the garage, and a great hill to watch the movie from. They’d send out invitations to everyone in the neighborhood, and they’d try to pick movies that would appeal to a wide range of people.

If you’re hosting, you can customize your outdoor movie event to your specific audience. Everyone should sit on blankets or bring lawn chairs. Motivate attendees to bring snacks for their families if you’re organizing a large event.

7. Have a Bonfire

Sitting by a fire in the cool evening air provides the ideal setting for relaxation and conversation.

It’s a perfect way to unwind after a long day or week, or it’s a great excuse to spend time with family and friends. You can include bonfire-friendly foods like s’mores, hot dogs, or even bonfire sandwiches if you want.

8. Learn a New Skill

Free evenings are ideal for learning a new skill! Furthermore, you can use your new skill to supplement your income.

You could, for example, learn graphic design or website design and launch an online business. You could also learn about SEO, improve your writing skills, and start your own blog.

Did you know you can have a blog up and running in under 10 minutes?

Make a list of skills you’d like to learn solely for the sake of knowing more. Alternatively, learn so that you can begin earning money with your talent. Then get to work figuring out how to do it.

9. Learn a New Hobby

Are you unwilling to take on additional responsibilities? Why not take up a new hobby? Maybe you’ve always wish to study to knit or become a BBQ master.

Alternatively, you could go bird watching, geocaching, or rock collecting. Other hobbies to consider include:

(a) Researching your ancestry

(b) Learning to play an instrument

(d) Reading books

(e) Learning a new language (check your local library for resources)

(f) Cooking or baking

Online hobby ideas can be found, or you can revisit your favorite childhood pastimes. It is never too late to pick up a new hobby!

10. Visit a Friend or Family Member

It was common practice to stop by and see family and friends on a daily basis. These days, it appears that we have lost some of our spontaneity.

However, this does not prohibit you from making visits to family or friends a regular part of your life. Call ahead if you want to, or just stop by and hang out for a while.

11. Create Some Freezer Meals

How about dedicating an evening to getting your life organized and save your time? You’re going to buy groceries anyway. So, why not add freezer meals to your shopping list?

Then, spend an evening preparing large batches of freezer-friendly meals so that you have dinners ready to go. Here are some freezer-friendly meal ideas:

(a) Soups and stews

(b) Pasta dishes like lasagna or beef stroganoff

(d) Meat dishes like Meatloaf or Meatballs (freeze them uncooked)

12. Get Your Finances In Order

You can’t find a better way to spend an evening as a personal finance nerd than getting your finances in order. Getting my finances in order has improved my life in so many ways.

It has brought me a sense of peace that is difficult to describe until you have experienced it. There will be no more living paycheck to paycheck. There’s no need to be concerned when unexpected expenses arise.

If you want to get your finances in order, here is a list of suggestions:

(a) Begin by assessing your current situation. Make a list of your assets, debts, income, and monthly expenses.

(b) Make a list of your financial objectives. Include everything from debt relief to homeownership to retirement and non-retirement savings.

(c) Make a well-organized income plan. Personal Capital will assist you in doing so for free. They will assist you in keeping track of your income, spending assets, and even your net worth.

Consider devoting an evening to organizing your finances.

13. Go Reminiscing

Have you ever considered spending an evening reminiscing? In your own home, you can do this by looking at pictures, watching videos, or talking about memories.

You can also reminisce in your own neighborhood or town by walking around and going to places that keep special memories for you.

14. Volunteer

Why not spend an evening volunteering? It always feels great to assist someone who is in need.

Here are some suggestions for evening volunteer opportunities:

(a) Raise funds and serve a meal to the homeless in your community.

(b) Help out at a crisis nursery.

(d) Assist at a local hospital that provides volunteer opportunities.

(e) Volunteer to serve dinner at a homeless shelter.

(f) Hold a food or clothing drive at your home to benefit local food pantries or other organizations.

There are always people and organizations who could benefit from your assistance. To find some, conduct an internet search for “volunteer opportunities near me.”

15. Play an Outdoor Game

Here’s a concept: get some friends together and play an outdoor game. You could set up a volleyball net and play nighttime volleyball or basketball at a nearby park with lighting.

Alternatively, why not relive your childhood by playing Ghost in the Graveyard or Hide and Seek? Get creative and come up with some fun outdoor games to spice up your evenings.

16. Visit a Bookstore

There is almost nothing more relaxing than browsing through books at your local bookstore. Many stores, particularly chain bookstores, are open until 9 or 10 p.m.

Visit the store and look through the offerings to see what kind of fun things you can read there. Consider reading a book on American history or the most recent biographical release.

Choose a genre that piques your interest and spend your evening reading.

17. Check Your City’s Community Calendar for Free Events

Most towns have a community calendar that lists both free and paid events. Search your community calendar for free evening events in your area. Consider looking at community calendars from nearby cities and towns.

You’ll most likely find a long list of free events to attend in the evening. Look into what kinds of free events are available in your area.

18. Read a Good Book from the Library

Instead of going to a bookstore, you could go to a library and check out books to read at home. In addition, libraries have a wide selection of books on CDs and DVDs that you can borrow for free.

In addition, most libraries are open in the evenings one or two days per week. Make a note of those dates and use them to take full advantage of the library’s offerings.

In addition, many libraries provide free classes and workshops. For more information, contact your local library.

19. Put Together a Puzzle

Why not put together a large 500-piece or more puzzle for hours of entertainment? You can put puzzles together by yourself or with family and friends.

Putting together puzzles can be a very relaxing activity. Try it for yourself and see what you think.

20. Go for a Walk

What about going for an evening stroll if you live in a safe neighborhood? While getting some exercise, enjoy the cool weather under the moon with chirping frogs and crickets.

Wear reflective clothing when walking at night so that drivers and others can see you. Another option is to go for a nighttime bike ride on the local bike paths.

21. Rearrange a Room

Another way to freshen up a free evening is to rearrange your furniture. There’s something about rearranging furniture that actually feels like you’ve moved into a new room or house.

Try rearranging different furniture and accessory layouts to find your favorite look in each room. You can also conduct an online search for layout ideas.

22. Do Some Decluttering

Decluttering differs from planning as it entails getting rid of all of the “stuff” you never use. Make three piles for decluttering: a throw-away pile, a sell pile, and a donate pile.

23. Walk the Downtown Streets and Enjoy the Action

Nothing beats the hustling and bustling of downtown streets at night. Downtown is awesome whether you live in a big city or a small town.

The people, the lights, the outdoor music, the sports games, and so much more. Walk around, window shop, and take in the sights and sounds of the city.

24. Earn Some Cash

Do you have any serious financial objectives? Or do you simply enjoy the idea of earning extra money in the evenings? Fortunately, there is a wide range of side hustle ideas available to help you earn money at night.

Some nighttime money-making ideas are as follows:

(a) Babysitting and pet care

(b) Get paid to share your thoughts on Survey Junkie Test websites.

(d) Sell your belongings

(e) Airbnb allows you to rent out a room in your home.

(f) Start your own business as a Virtual Assistant

(g) Earn money as a Lyft or Uber driver.

When it comes to making money at night, the sky is the limit.

25. Create a Goals List

When was the last time you sat down and considered your short, medium, and long-term objectives? What do you hope to achieve in life? Do you want to be financially free?

Do you want to travel the world? Do you want to start a new career? Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity? When it comes to your objectives, there is no wrong answer. Many people, however, do not take the time to determine what their goals are.

Spend some time one evening considering some 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year goals. Make goals for your finances, family or friend life, career, health, and other areas.

Then, use a chart or other visual aid to design steps that will assist you in reaching your objectives.

26. Organize a Neighborhood Potluck

Why not plan a neighborhood potluck dinner for an evening? You could even hold a potluck event on a daily basis, such as once a month.

Why not make a theme out of the potluck to add some pizazz to the event? For example, a friend of mine hosts a Meat Lovers Fest every year.

Everyone brings their most inventive meat dishes, and we all eat, socialize, and have a great time. The variety of dishes brought to the event never ceases to amaze. Last year, grilled, bacon-wrapped cream cheese-stuffed jalapenos were popular.

27. Start on Your Christmas Gift Giving List

There is never a bad time to start coming up with Christmas gift ideas. Why not begin right now?

Make a list of everyone you buy for and begin brainstorming ideas for what you might want to get them – or what you think they might like.

Beginning early on your gift-giving list provides you with three advantages:

(a) You can begin saving for the gifts as soon as possible.

(b) There’s a chance you’ll come across some items on sale or clearance.

28. Binge-Watch Your Favorite TV or Movie Series

Do you have a favorite television show or film series? Consider dedicating an evening to binge-watching it. It’s always fun to go back and watch old favorites on the big (and small) screen.

Consider a popular show like Breaking Bad or The Goldbergs or movie franchises like Indiana Jones or The Chronicles of Narnia.

You could even invite loved ones to join you and serve some snacks for added fun.

If you don’t have Netflix, Hulu, or Sling TV and want to watch your favorite shows, see if a friend has DVDs you can borrow.

29. Go on pretend shopping spree

It was a game show in which contestants had a few minutes to run through a grocery store and load items into their carts.

The team with the highest total was given the opportunity to compete for $5,000. You can do the same thing as well, but only pretend.

Go to a grocery store or a department store and organize yourself into teams. Then, spend 5 minutes going through the store and photographing the price tags of items.

Regroup at the end and total your costs to see who spent the most money.

This could even be done online. Choose a website and spend a few minutes browsing and adding items to your cart. The player with the highest total wins.

Do you want to try something new?

Instead of the highest total, award the prize to the person who saved the most money by purchasing items on sale and clearance.

30. Charity Event

Charity events are enjoyable not only because you are supporting a worthy cause, but also frequently include raffles and silent auctions.

31. Drive Around

This is an enjoyable activity that many people overlook. Get in your car and drive around town.

You might end up on roads you don’t normally take and discover a great restaurant or dive bar to check out.

Even best, if you and your friends are all from the same town, drive back there if it is close by.

As you drive around your hometown and see how it has changed over the years, moments will flood back to you.

32. Bowling

Bowling isn’t just for children. It’s enjoyable for everyone. It’s a great thing to do on a Saturday night.

This is due to the presence of Glow and Bowl in many bowling alleys.

It usually begins at 11 p.m. or Midnight, and you bowl for a set price for a few hours.

They dim the lights, usually turn on black lights, and play some upbeat music.

Some alleys even provide discounted food and beverages. And, if you’re lucky, a nearby bowling alley will serve beer!

33. Have a Water Balloon fight

Nothing beats a water balloon fight on a hot summer night. Simply fill some water balloons with water and begin the fight.

You can play in a specific area or make it into a game of tag. Simply by using your imagination, you can transform a simple water balloon fight into something epic.

34. Playing Cards

Playing cards is a time-honored way to have fun at home. A deck of cards can be used to play a variety of games, including:

(a) Blackjack

(b) Solitaire

(d) Hearts

(e) Crazy Eights

(f) Poker

The best part is you can play many of them alone or with friends.

35. Have a pillow fight

Pillow fights are the most entertaining. Gather a few pillows and divide them into teams.

Remove anything sensitive from the room where you intend to have the pillow fight to avoid breaking anything.

You could make it a free-for-all where everyone fights at the same time, or you could have one-on-one battles with the other people judging the winner after a certain amount of time.

36. Play dress up

It’s a lot of fun to dress up. You don’t even have to fit in a box.

You could have a fancy dress night where the men dress up in suits and the women dress up in dresses.

You could also dress up and wear a suit top with only athletic shorts.

Alternatively, you could have the men wear dresses and the women wear suits.

Perhaps you could dress up for Halloween?

The opportunities are endless, and it will be more enjoyable if you let your mind wander and come up with some crazy ideas.

37. Cook for the week

If you enjoy cooking and want to save money, you could spend Saturday night preparing meals for the week.

Shop the sales at the grocery store and make a meal planning list.

Then begin preparing food and portioning it out.

Refrigerate items that you intend to eat within the next few days. Place everything else in the freezer.

You could prepare a week’s worth of meals in one night, making dinner a lot less stressful.

To make it even more enjoyable, prepare the meals while sipping wine and listening to music.

And, if you have children, make sure they are included in the festivities.

38. Look at old photos

Another family night activity is to go through your old photo albums or the photos on your phone.

As you scroll through, you will be hit with memories and topics to discuss.

You could even mark your favorites to make a photo book or album for later use.

39. Ghost Tour

If you’re interested in the supernatural, see if there are any ghost tours near you.

These tours will take you to a few local haunted houses and tell you why they are haunted.

Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, it’s a lot of fun.

40. Play truth and dare in the dark

If playing hide and seek in the dark isn’t your thing, try truth or dare at night.

I’m not sure what it is about the night that makes this game so much more enjoyable.

Because it’s late at night and there’s a lower chance of being seen, you might be able to dare your friends to do more daring things.

In any case, if you’re looking for some crazy things to do at night, truth or dare is the spot to be.

Money & Cash

The Future Of Streaming Is Ads

Four Party Looks: Which Do You Like?

12 Readers Share Their Meaningful Tattoos

What Makeup To Wear To Walk Off The Plane