The Queen City is overflowing with cute date ideas that won’t break the bank. From $10 trips to the conservatory to tons of free options, there’s plenty to do when you’re trying to get romantic on a budget.

Go on a Self-Guided ArtWorks Mural Tour Free Each summer, ArtWorks and its apprentices put new murals up on buildings around the Greater Cincinnati area. Download a PDF of downtown and Over-the-Rhine murals at artworkscincinnati.org. 20 E. Central Parkway, Downtown Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Krohn Conservatory $10 per person Located in historic Eden Park, the Krohn Conservatory is an aluminum-and-glass Art Deco destination (in the shape of an upside-down heart) filled with thousands of plant species from around the world. Permanent displays include a rare orchid house, steamy tropical room, succulent-filled desert space and a fun walk-through rainforest rock waterfall. 950 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. Photo: Kellie Coleman
Cuddle with Some Cats at the Purrfect Day Cafe $15 per person Reserve a 50-minute session to cuddle with kitties in Purrfect Day Cafe’s cat lounge room. Roughly 15-20 adoptable cats hang out in the lounge room, and all can be interacted with. You may also purchase a variety of beverages, including beer, wine, bourbon, tea, coffee and soda. 25 W. Eighth St., Covington. Photo: Maggy McDonel
Take a Tour of the American Sign Museum $15 per person Explore a museum featuring over 100 years of signage. This 20,000-square-foot museum has everything from pre-electric signs to beautiful art-deco neon signs to modern plastic-faced signs. 1330 Monmouth Ave., Camp Washington. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Score Some $1 Tacos at Tortilleria Garcia $1 per taco Every Tuesday, Tortilleria Garcia serves its tacos (with housemade corn tortillas) for just $1 each, all day. The restaurant’s menu consists of straightforward Mexican classics like tamales, burritos, housemade salsas and rotisserie chicken, in addition to tacos, plus classic tortilla shells that are available in two-pound packs so you can make your own inspired creations at home. 11774 Springfield Pike, Springdale; 5917 Hamilton Ave., College Hill; 4200 Aero Drive, Mason. Photo: Paige Deglow
Visit the Foodie Amusement Park That Is Jungle Jim’s International Market Free to wander Jungle Jim’s is an amusement park for foodies, and not just because of its kitschy statues and animatronics. It sells nearly 1,000 different kinds of hot sauce, which makes the Aisle of Inferno (as it’s so dubbed) “the largest retail selection in the United States.” It’s pretty hard to miss — it’s the one with the giant fire truck on top of it. Stop by the bar to grab a glass of wine or a beer while you wander and indulge in several cheese samples. Or, grab ingredients to make a meal together. 5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Double Down at Cancun and Western Bowl $3.95-$4.75 per game; shoe rental extra It’s a two-for-one at Cancun Restaurante & Cantina and Western Bowl Strike & Spare — the establishments are connected by a doorway, making it easy to go from classic strip-mall tacos and tequila to classic bowling and beer. Since 1958, the glowing Western Bowl sign has been beckoning amateurs and pros alike to play on its 68 automatic lanes. With a Big Lebowski-esque atmosphere, the rates are reasonable (less than $5 a game), the snacks are cheap and the bar is fully stocked. Grab a pitcher of beer for $9 and get ready to bowl. 6383 Glenway Ave., Western Hills. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sample Some Spirits and Take a Tour of Newport’s New Riff Distillery $20 per person New Riff offers three regular distillery tours and tastings: the Bonded Tour, the Barrel Proof Tour and the Distiller’s Tour. The Bonded Tour offers the best bang for your buck at $20. Guests can get a detailed look at New Riff’s distilling process “from grain to barrel” and then sample spirits made in house ranging from New Riff’s bourbon to their Single Barrel. And your ticket price can be applied to a gift shop purchase of $25 or more.24 Distillery Way, Newport. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Walk the Art Climb to the Cincinnati Art Museum Free to walk the Art Climb; free museum admission Starting near the intersection of Eden Park Drive and Gilbert Avenue, the expansive Art Climb is a flight of 164 steps that ascends from the sidewalk, zig-zags up a hill and connects to the Cincinnati Art Museum parking lot. Flanked on either side by greenery and modern light beams, the nine-story structure includes 16 landings and rotating artworks placed at four different outdoor plazas. Admission to the museum is free, so stroll the galleries after your workout. 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Catch a Show (for Free) During the Wednesday Welcome Experiment at Know Theatre Free Wednesday night mainstage performances; $10 advance Know Theatre is known for putting on cutting-edge and avant-garde productions in its black box theater (true to type, it also produces the city’s annual Fringe Festival). The Wednesday Welcome Experiment makes shows accessible to all with totally free admission, so you can spend the ticket money you saved at the venue’s Underground Bar — a cocktail and cabaret space with drinks and programming that complements the goings-on upstairs. 1120 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine. Photo: Dan R. Winters Photo: Dan R. Winters
Catch Free Live Music at MOTR Pub Free admission MOTR has free shows — featuring both local and national artists — DJs or other events almost every night of the week. There is no cover charge to any of these performances. Just simply show up and get ready to rock. 1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sip, Bite and Stroll Your Way Through Findlay Market Free to wander While Findlay Market is free to wander, they do offer a free 30-minute guided tour bi-monthly to introduce you to special market vendors and recount tales of the market’s 160 year history. Grab a bite to eat — or groceries to make dinner later — and stop by Market Wines 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday for the famous wine tasting. For under $10 each, you can get hefty samples of four handpicked wines. 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Tokyo Kitty 575 Race St., Downtown This downtown karaoke bar features a main stage and private rooms to belt out your favorite tunes. No need for liquid courage in the form of a cocktail or sake? Try the Ume No Yosei, with Riverine non-alcoholic spirit, spiced plum ginger syrup, lemon and soda. Their Itadome NA drink is tropical with a base of banana milk and coco cream. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Take a Tour of Rhinegeist Brewery $10 per person Get a look behind the scenes on a 30-40 minute tour of the 25,000-square-foot facility at Rhinegeist Brewery. For just $10 you get walked through the beer-making process and get to try one of your own. 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Photo: Facebook.com/Rhinegeist
See the Latest Exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Center Free admission With changing exhibits, an eclectic gift shop and a hip cafe, the Contemporary Arts Center welcomes visitors free of charge. 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown. Photo: Kaitlyn Handel
Hang Out and Enjoy a Book at the Cincinnati Public Library Free Stop by one of Cincinnati’s many public libraries to relax and read a book. Use your free Cincinnati Public Library card at any of its 41 locations. Photo: Lisa Mauch, Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.
Watch the Sun Set Over the City at Devou Park Free Devou Park has numerous things to do and see. You can walk on its backcountry trails or take it easy on its paved trails, hit up the golf course or fish at the lake. There’s even a bar and grill at the park. And if you pack a picnic, you can catch the sunset at one of the city’s most scenic overlooks. 1201 Park Drive, Covington Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Grab a Slice of Cake, a Cookie and a Cupcake for under $10 at Sugar in OTR Under $10 per person Choose from a variety of 15-20 different cookie flavors. There’s also other items like cupcakes, brownies, pudding and Jeni’s Splendid ice cream. Each dessert is hand-crafted and masterfully presented. 6 W. 14th St., Over-the-Rhine. Photo:
Visit Everybody’s Treehouse and Walk the Trails of Mt. Airy Forest Free Everybody’s Treehouse is an otherworldly, elevated structure buried in trees and seemingly snatched out of a fantasy novel. The structure is also fully wheelchair-accessible. 1212 Trail Ridge Road, Westwood. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Hop on Cincinnati’s Brewing Heritage Trail Free Cincinnati’s Brewing Heritage Trail explores, preserves and celebrates the city’s storied past as a beer-producing capital with a series of guided tours and a free walking trail. “Hop on” the trail, which stretches about three-fourths of a mile between Findlay Market (1801 Race St.) and Grant Park (73 E. McMillan Ave.) in Over-the-Rhine, at either terminus and follow embedded medallions in the sidewalk to discover historic buildings, brewing sites, public art and more. Currently, about two dozen signs or so are available to peruse anytime, for free. 1801 Race St. to 73 E. McMillan Ave., Over-the-Rhine. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Take a Stroll Across the Ohio River on one of Cincinnati’s Many Walkable Bridges Free Visit one of Cincinnati’s bridges, like the historical Purple People Bridge. Built in 1872, the Purple People Bridge was restored in 2006 as a pedestrian walkway. At 2,670 feet long, the bridge connects Pete Rose Way in Cincinnati to Third Street in Newport, Kentucky. The bridge also makes it easy to quickly visit many places on both sides of the river, like the Newport Aquarium and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. 1 Levy Way, Newport. Photo:
Take a Romantic Walk at Smale Riverfront Park and Ride Carol Ann’s Carousel $2 per person per ride Nestled between Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium, Smale Riverfront Park features fountains, gardens, an event lawn, a labyrinth, a playground and Carol Ann’s glass-enclosed, year-round carousel. Open select days and hours depending on the season, it features 44 whimsical Cincinnati-centric creatures for you to ride. West Mehring Way, Downtown. Photo: Jesse Fox
Relax and Enjoy Some Wine at Washington Park Free to sit; concession prices vary Enjoy the many different areas and things to do in Washington Park, including The Porch, an interactive water park and a dog park. The Porch features plenty of areas to sit and relax, and serves a variety of beverages including beer, wine, seltzer and liquor. 1230 Elm St.., Over-the-Rhine Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Take in Scenic Views along the Loveland Bike Trail Free Ride for miles on a flat-paved trail next to the Little Miami River. Enjoy the cool shade of the trees along the trail and stop at the many locations scattered throughout the trail, including the Loveland Sweets shop that sells ice cream and candies. Loveland, Ohio Photo: Savana Willhoite
Take a Journey through the California Woods Nature Preserve Free Take a walk through 113 acres of forest at the California Woods Nature Preserve. The park features 53 different species of trees and a large variety of wildlife including turtles, wood ducks, and beavers. And there’s also many different trails of varying length to travel through. 5400 Kellogg Ave., California. Photo: Izzy Viox
Go Antiquing or Thrifting Price varies per store Visit the many different antique and thrift stores found throughout Cincinnati. Some fun places to go include Riverside Centre Antique Mall in the East End or Ohio Antique Mall in Fairfield. Head to Over-the-Rhine or Northside to find a slew of vintage shops. Photo: