Going on dates can be expensive, but here are a few ideas that won't break the bank.

A Picnic On Ocean Drive

Ocean Drive is a breathtaking 10-mile-long view of the Atlantic. Just visiting it to watch the sunset could be a great date on its own. However, if you're looking to spend a little more time and effort on the date a picnic is a great option. The picnic doesn't have to include a wicker basket filled with a red and white checkered tablecloth, fruit, cheese, and finger sandwiches (we're in college, let's be real). Even just stopping at Panera on your way there and enjoying it on the rocks is a great break from the dining hall. If you're thinking about having two sandwiches and two drinks, then this date will only cost about $20.

Fort Adams Tours

Fort Adams State Park offers a variety of events that are usually themed for each month, such as their annual "Fortress of Nightmares" in October. Even if one of the events that they're hosting doesn't appeal to you and your date, they offer extensive tours of the fort. You can explore the underground tunnels that lie beneath the fort, explore the homes where officers and their families lived, or look out on the horizon of the Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay. Two passes for a standard guided tour of the fort cost $12 per person. However, if you each present a college ID you'll receive $2 off of each ticket, which means that this date will only cost $20.

Slots At Newport Grand Casino

Grab your pennies and quarters and take a trip to the slots! (Don't forget your ID while you're at it, because you'll need to be 18 or older to play.) Hopefully your date has a sense of humor because this definitely isn't a typical date. This date could go by fairly quickly if you're pulling that lever every 30 seconds. If you're trying to extend the date a little longer, try stopping for ice cream afterward! If one of you is planning on paying for the date, just bring a few sleeves of quarters to start off the night. If you bring $10 worth of quarters for each of you, then this date will cost about $20.

Ice Skating At The Newport Skating Center

This romantic date can be so much fun during the winter months. After being closed for quite some time, the Newport Skating Center has returned. Skate rentals are $5 and admission costs $7. However, thanks to local businesses, the skating center is able to hold various nightly specials. For example, on Monday nights Alexi and Ani invites patrons to skate for free between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Say that you wanted to go on a Friday night instead--the skating center offers adult skating for a discounted price. With a valid ID saying that you are 18+, the admission drops to $5 and the skate rental drops to $3. On an average night without any specials this date will run towards $24. However, if there is a nightly special, it will only cost you $16.

Del's At Easton's Beach

Del's Lemonade is a local frozen lemonade shop that has food trucks all around Newport, mainly during the warmer months. Easton's Beach is located at the very end of the cliff walk. Whether you decide to take the 20-minute stroll down the cliff walk, or to just park alongside the beach, chances are that you'll find a Del's truck. The prices can vary depending on the season, but the largest size won't cost more than $5. Grab two of these and head back to your beach chairs for a relaxing afternoon by the water. This date will cost you about $10 max.

Newport is filled with things to do year-round. Ditch the expensive restaurants on the Wharf or the overpriced boat tours because, at the end of the day, you're on a date to simply be around someone. You don't have to spend a ton of money to spend time with your date.