20 genuinely fun winter date ideas for cash-strapped Detroiters

By Metro Times editorial staff on Fri, Dec 8, 2017 at 2:47 pm

It's winter in Detroit — a time when we often consider whether leaving the house is really worth it. These super cheap date ideas are an excuse to brave the elements, and you won't come home broke.

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Planetarium show at Michigan Science Center
5020 John R St., Detroit; 313-577-8400
Want to take your beloved on a date that's out of this world? Planetarium shows are an awesome way to utilize the Michigan Science Center and learn a thing or two. The center offers awesome shows for cheap and you can always look around the museum afterward. Their After Dark series, a 21-and-older-only nighttime event, is also a huge hit. This month's theme is Star Wars. Check that out on Dec. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. Entry to that event is $15.
General admission tickets to the center are $15.50 for adults and they include general admission to the museum.
Photo courtesy of the Michigan Science Center.

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Tour the Fisher or Guardian with Pure Detroit
3011 W. Grand Blvd., Suite 101, Detroit; 855-874-7873
Known for their superlative beauty and transcendent design, the Guardian and Fisher buildings are considered works of art, inside and out. Pure Detroit offers hour-long tours through both of these building every Saturday and Sunday — and they are totally free.
Photo via Facebook

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Belle Isle Conservatory and Aquarium
900 Inselruhe Ave., Detroit; 313-821-5428 Need a micro-dose of summer? Take your date on a tour of the Belle Isle Conservatory — the green house is filled with lush, verdant flora and fauna that will give you both warm weather vibes. When you're done, walk over to the Belle Isle Aquarium and peep some electric eels and Great Lakes sturgeon.
The conservatory is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Aquarium is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission to both is free.
Photo via Flickr, Sara Hattie

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Visit a marvelous mechanical museum
31005 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington Hills; 248-626-5020
This bizarre arcade is home to a cornucopia of delightful attractions, games, and even rides. While Marvin Yagoda was alive, he traveled the world looking for old arcade games and mechanical objects — this place is filled with the treasures he unearthed. A visit to the museum is about as cheap as it gets — admission is free and all the games operate on quarters.
Photo via Flickr, Jamie Bernstein
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Go ice skating at Campus Martius
800 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-963-9393
Campus Martius is the perfect place to go any time of the year, but the holidays are when this Detroit gem really comes alive. Ice skate beneath a towering 60-foot Christmas tree and take advantage of nearby coffee shops when it gets a little too chilly. Adult admission is $8, children younger than 12 is $7, and seniors over 65 years old are $7. Skates are available for rental for $4. The rink is open everyday including holidays, but hours vary.
Photo via Instagram user @simon_olga_
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Catch a classic flick at the Redford Theatre
17360 Lahser Rd., Detroit; 313-537-2560
If you’re looking to see a classic movie, the Redford Theatre offers great selections and tickets are just $5 a pop. Their current schedule includes Christmas favorites such as The Polar Express, White Christmas, Elf, and more. For more movies and times, check out the website.
Photo via Instagram user @redfordtheatre
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Visit a museum
5200 Woodward Ave.,Detroit; 313-833-7900
A date at any museum can score you major “culture vulture” points, but make sure you know your stuff. The Detroit Institute of Arts, Charles H. Wright, and Motown Museum all have interesting art and displays you and your date will love. General admission and hours vary at each museum. DIA: Free for residents of Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb counties). The Charles H. Wright Museum: $8 per adult. The Motown Museum: $15 per adult.
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts.
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Go Puff, Puff, Painting
Locations vary and held at private locations; 248-804-5984
Puff, Puff, Paint is like Painting with a Twist, but with pot. They offer art therapy, infused with the magic properties of marijuana. The group hosts events at private locations so times and places will vary. While the events do allow and encourage toking, they will not provide the bud, and a medical marijuana card is mandatory.
Photo via Instagram user @puffpuffpaint
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Go fowling
3901 Christopher St., Detroit; 313-264-1288
If you've never been fowling, the hybrid sport is a fun combination of bowling and football — it's difficult but a total blast. This Hamtramck establishment offers open fowling for $10 per person for those 21 and older Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight.
Photo via Instagram user @j_michael_rad
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Do some Painting with a Twist
200 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; 248-397-5856
Want to show off your artistic side? At drink-while-you-paint venues like this one, you can swirl your brush around on a canvas while also swigging some wine. Classes are $35 and you have to bring your own wine and snacks — but you leave with a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
Photo via Instagram user @ladytia_xoxo
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Go throw an axe
2550 Takata Dr., Auburn Hills; 248-364-4000
Thinking about letting out your inner lumberjack? The HUB Stadium has axe-throwing for you and your date to explore. For $25 an hour you can lob a heavy metal object at a bullseye — if that doesn't sound erotic AF to you, we're not sure what will.
Photo via Instagram user @hubstadium
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Take a pottery class at Pewabic
10125 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-626-2000
Take group dating to a whole new level by scheduling a pottery class at Pewabic. Hands-on workshops are for groups of 10 or more people. It's $20 per person and lasts approximately two hours. Not only do you get an experience, but you also get to make and take home your own pottery (after the glazing process of course).
Photo via Instagram user @aliceradish
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American Coney Island
1141 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit; 313-961-7758
Founded in 1917, American Coney Island remains a staple and notable eatery in downtown Detroit. With dirt cheap coneys and overflowing plates of chili cheese fries, this place is ideal for those who want to fill up on a budget. The restaurant is also walking distance from Campus Martius, where you can stroll by the ice rink and snap a pic under the 60-foot Christmas tree.
Photo via Yelp User, Carolen M.
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Feather bowling at Cadieux Cafe
4300 Cadieux Rd., Detroit; 313-882-8560
Detroit is lousy with unique sports venues — and Cadieux Cafe is one of the originals. Feather bowling is a Belgian game that's been compared to horseshoes or bocce ball, and it's all kinds of fun. While you're at the cafe, you can order a plate of mussels — it's the dish this restaurant is most famous for.
Photo via Flickr, donttouchmymustache
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Take a stroll through Elmwood Cemetery
1200 Elmwood St., Detroit; 313-567-3453
Bundle up and take a stroll through this idyllic and serene Detroit cemetery. You'll walk past handsomely designed tomes and mausoleums, some of which are the final resting place of historical figures like Lewis Cass and General Russell Alger.
Photo via Instagram, DanielVonFrankenstein
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John K. King Books
901 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit; 248-548-9050
If you're romantically involved with a bibliophile, this is the place to arrange an afternoon date in Detroit. You can spend hours perusing through thousands of books at this monument to the written word. The best part? It's totally free — unless you want to, you know, actually buy a book.
Photo via Flickr, Daniel Epstein
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Outdoor Adventure Center
1801 Atwater St., Detroit; 844-622-6367 Perfect for lovers who love the outdoors, this DNR-sponsored exhibit is a great way to enjoy nature while also avoiding the rather unpleasant realities of a Michigan winter. Tickets are a mere $5 and you can spend the afternoon learning about our great state's natural beauty.
Photo via Instgram, MySweetBBray
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Pop+Offworld
128 Cadillac Square, Detroit; 313-961-9249
Another way to have fun without totally assaulting your bank account, is to visit Pop + Offworld. This arcade features a full bar, live entertainment, and New York-style pizza.
Photo via Facebook
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Go head-to-head at Ready Player One
407 E. Fort St., Detroit; 313-395-3300
Ready Player One has all the fare and environment of a bar and the retro games of an arcade. Putting the two together can make a date enjoyable and affordable. Even if your date isn’t a gamer, there’s still something for the both of you.
Photo via Facebook
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Try to escape from being Trapped in a Room with a Zombie
Penobscot Building, 645 Griswold St. #227, Detroit; 248-527-3977
The name pretty much says it all. You’re trapped in a room with a zombie, and you have 60 minutes to escape. The tickets are $28 per person, so this date won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Well, only if you’re able to make it out of the room on time.
Photo via Yelp user, Keith R.
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