Free & Cheap Things to Do in Greensboro

Science & Discovery

Three attractions under one admission: an Aquarium with sharks, otters, and a touch tank; an Animal Discovery zoo with tigers, gibbons, and red pandas; and a hands-on science museum with a digital dome theater. Plan at least two to three hours — the 22-acre campus also has the SKYWILD treetop ropes course and a seasonal zipline (separate tickets) for those who want more.

Address: 4301 Lawndale Dr, Greensboro, NC 27455

Tip: Pricier than most on this site, but it's genuinely three venues in one. SNAP/EBT/WIC households pay just $7 adults / $6 kids at the door; Greensboro residents, military, and college students get $1 off with ID. Parking is free. Groups of 10+ pay $18/person.

History & Culture

Built inside the former F.W. Woolworth store where four N.C. A&T students launched the 1960 sit-in movement, this museum preserves the actual lunch counter where they refused to leave. The staff-guided tour through 'The Battlegrounds' galleries traces the civil rights struggle with photographs, artifacts, and re-created scenes — one of the most moving hours in the state.

Address: 134 S Elm St, Greensboro, NC 27401

Tip: The 60-75 minute Signature staff-guided tour is the full experience. For a cheaper visit, the 90-minute Seated Tour & Walkthrough is $15 adults / $10 K-12 (filmed tour plus self-guided galleries). Closed Sundays. Photography isn't allowed in the galleries. Nearby parking decks are free the first hour.

History & Military Sites

The 1781 battle fought here so bloodied Cornwallis's army that it set the British on the road to surrender at Yorktown. Today the free national park preserves the battlefield with a 2.25-mile tour road, 28 monuments, walking trails through hardwood forest, and a visitor center with a film and battle-map program. A genuine Revolutionary War landmark at no cost.

Address: 2332 New Garden Rd, Greensboro, NC 27410

Tip: Open Wednesday-Sunday; the grounds and trails are walkable daily. Download the free NPS app for a self-guided audio tour. Pair it with the adjacent free gardens and trails for a full morning. No entrance or parking fee.

History & Museums

A free downtown museum telling the city's story from its Quaker and Revolutionary roots through textiles, the lunch-counter sit-ins, and native daughter Dolley Madison. Galleries mix artifacts, oral histories, and changing exhibits in a 1892 former church and library building. A quick, substantive stop that anchors any walk through downtown Greensboro.

Address: 130 Summit Ave, Greensboro, NC 27401

Tip: Free admission. Check the calendar for frequent free family festival days, historian talks, and after-hours events. Closed Mondays. An easy pairing with LeBauer Park and the Civil Rights Museum, both a short walk away downtown.

Arts & Culture

On the UNC Greensboro campus, the Weatherspoon holds one of the Southeast's finest collections of modern and contemporary American art — 6,000-plus works across six galleries and a sculpture courtyard, with names like Matisse, de Kooning, and Warhol. Rotating exhibitions keep it fresh, and the whole thing is free, including parking.

Address: 500 Tate St, Greensboro, NC 27402

Tip: Free admission and free parking — their motto is 'free admission, free parking, free thinking.' Closed Sundays, Mondays, and holidays. A compact visit; combine it with a stroll through the funky Tate Street college district next door.

Parks & Nature

A free wetland sanctuary where an elevated boardwalk winds over a creek-fed bog past carnivorous pitcher plants, sundews, ferns, and a small waterfall. More than 8,000 labeled trees, shrubs, and wildflowers fill the ravine, and the lake draws herons and turtles. One of Greensboro's most beloved free walks, and an easy, mostly flat loop.

Address: 1101 Hobbs Rd, Greensboro, NC 27410

Tip: Open daily from 8am; closing time shifts with the season (8pm in summer). The boardwalk is stroller- and wheelchair-friendly. It sits right beside the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden, so do both in one stop. Free parking.

Gardens

A free 17-acre arboretum within Lindley Park showcasing 14 permanent plant collections — winter garden, butterfly garden, hydrophilic beds, and a striking metal-arbor overlook among them. Paved paths make for an easy stroll past labeled specimens that bloom in every season. A peaceful, educational green space minutes from downtown.

Address: 401 Ashland Dr, Greensboro, NC 27403

Tip: Open daily, sunrise to sunset, free. Paths are mostly paved and gentle. Spring and fall bring the best color. Combine with the adjacent Lindley Park neighborhood and its casual eateries for a low-cost afternoon.

Gardens

Created for the nation's 1976 bicentennial, this free 7.5-acre formal garden bursts with roses, fragrance beds, a man-made stream, sculptures, and a wedding gazebo. The David Caldwell Historic Park and a fragrance garden designed for the visually impaired adjoin it. Manicured and photogenic, it's a favorite for an easy, free downtown-adjacent stroll.

Address: 1105 Hobbs Rd, Greensboro, NC 27410

Tip: Open daily, free. Peak bloom is April through June. It shares a parking area and path with the Bog Garden next door — see both together. Popular for photos, so mornings are quietest.

Parks & Free Programming

Two free, connected downtown parks form Greensboro's living room: LeBauer's four acres add a great lawn, splash-pad water features, a dog park, public art, and a suspended Janet Echelman net sculpture, while neighboring Center City Park brings fountains and shaded seating. Together they host 450-plus free events a year — concerts, yoga, food trucks, and movie nights.

Address: 208 N Davie St, Greensboro, NC 27401

Tip: Open daily 7am-10pm, free. Check the parks calendar for free fitness classes, live music, and family programming. Surrounded by downtown restaurants and the Greensboro History Museum, so it's an easy hub for a day in the city.

Wildlife & Education

Inside a restored early-1900s barn at sprawling Bur-Mil Park, this free education center has live native-wildlife exhibits — snakes, turtles, fish — plus a hands-on children's discovery area. Step outside to Bur-Mil's free trails, fishing ponds, and a connection to the Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway. A low-key, kid-friendly nature stop just north of the city.

Address: 5834 Burlington Rd, Greensboro, NC 27410

Tip: The Wildlife Education Center is free and open weekends 9am-5pm; the surrounding park is open daily. Fishing passes and bait are sold inside. Bring kids for the live-animal exhibits, then walk the greenway. Free parking throughout the park.

Family & Kids

A downtown hands-on museum built for kids 10 and under, with 20-plus interactive exhibits including a 30-foot Neptune climbing tower, a pretend grocery and theater, and a half-acre 'Edible Schoolyard' learning garden outside. Bright, energetic, and designed for unstructured play — an easy rainy-day or toddler-friendly stop in the heart of the city.

Address: 220 N Church St, Greensboro, NC 27401

Tip: Friday evenings (5-8pm) drop to $6 a person, and SNAP/EBT/WIC cardholders pay $6 (up to four guests). Free parking in the adjacent lot. Monday mornings are members-only. Right downtown near LeBauer Park.

Historic Sites

The 1844 Italianate-villa home of N.C. governor John Motley Morehead is a National Historic Landmark — one of the oldest examples of the style in the country, designed by architect Alexander Jackson Davis. Its restored interiors and gardens give a window into antebellum Greensboro. A quick, inexpensive tour for history and architecture buffs.

Address: 447 W Washington St, Greensboro, NC 27401

Tip: Open Saturdays only, 11am-4pm, $5 per person for a self-guided tour. Groups of 10+ should reserve ahead. It's run by the nonprofit Preservation Greensboro and sits just west of downtown, an easy add to a city day.