Free things to do in Greensboro

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts are from each venue’s own site and from Greensboro Parks and Recreation, linked below. Parks and Recreation: 336-373-2489.

Greensboro’s best free days out are its museums, gardens and battlefield, plus a 4-mile greenway, two downtown parks with hundreds of free events a year and, in summer, free pools.

What this means for you

• Free museums: the Greensboro History Museum and the Weatherspoon Art Museum.
• Free history outdoors: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.
• Free monthly street party: First Saturday Stroll on Elm, April to November except July.

Museums

• Greensboro History Museum, entrance at Summit Avenue and East Lindsay Street, downtown: free, with a hands-on, family-friendly exhibition on early 1900s Greensboro. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday; free parking in two lots next door, according to the museum.
• Weatherspoon Art Museum, 1005 Spring Garden St., at UNCG: free admission and free parking. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, until 8 p.m. Thursday; closed Sundays, Mondays and holidays, according to the museum. Through December 2026, visitors can park anywhere in the lot behind the museum with a tag from the welcome desk.
• Mary Lynn Richardson Park, beside the History Museum: walk around the McNairy House, Isley House and Hockett workshops, which show Guilford County life in the late 1700s and early 1800s, according to Downtown Greensboro Inc.

History outdoors

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 2332 New Garden Road, preserves the site of the March 15, 1781, battle. The National Park Service lists no entrance fee; the park is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Call 336-288-1776 or see the Park Service site.

Gardens

From Greensboro Parks and Recreation, which runs the gardens with Greensboro Beautiful (garden questions: 336-373-7947):

• Greensboro Arboretum, Lindley Park neighborhood: 17 acres with 14 plant collections, a paved walking trail, display gardens, a gazebo and a scenic overlook. Park on Ashland Drive or at the West Market ballfield lot, 3299 Starmount Drive. Arboretum page
• Tanger Bicentennial Garden: a 7.5-acre botanical garden with a paved walking trail, a sensory garden, public art and the Old Mill, next to David Caldwell Historic Park. Garden page
• Bog Garden: closed for construction until further notice, according to the city.

Family and friends can take photos in the gardens without a permit; a permit is needed only when you pay a professional photographer.

Parks, greenways and lakes

• LeBauer Park and Center City Park, downtown: lawns, fountains, a playground, a children’s garden, a dog park and Janet Echelman’s “Where We Met” sculpture, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Greensboro Downtown Parks Inc. hosts more than 350 free programs a year; see its website.
• Downtown Greenway: a 4-mile paved loop with public art, open 24 hours; see our walking and biking trails guide.
• Country Park: trails, fishing lakes, playgrounds and a dog park; a free shuttle loops the park on weekends and holidays from May to October, according to the city.
• Lake trails: more than 30 miles of hiking trails around Lake Brandt and Lake Townsend, according to the city.

Free in summer

• Peeler and Warnersville pools and the Barber Park and Keeley Park spraygrounds: free admission for families in 2026, from Memorial Day weekend, according to the city’s pools and spraygrounds page.
• LeBauer Park splash pad: May to September, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• City Sunsets concerts at Center City Park’s Oval Lawn Pavilion every summer; Downtown Greensboro Inc. describes the park as a spot for free seasonal concerts.

More: summer camps and pools.

Free downtown events

• First Saturday Stroll on Elm: vendors, live music and family activities on the 300 block of South Elm Street from noon on the first Saturday of the month, April to November except July, according to Downtown Greensboro Inc.
• Hopper Trolley: GTA’s free, seasonal downtown trolley, noon to midnight Thursday to Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, according to the city’s routes page.
• Library programs: free story times, book clubs, film screenings and classes at Greensboro Public Library branches, on the library calendar.
• Seasonal: most of Greensboro Parks and Recreation’s Halloween events need no ticket; see Halloween events. Downtown’s December events are on the Christmas parade and tree lighting page.

Related: kids’ activities and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

Are there free museums in Greensboro?

Yes. The Greensboro History Museum is free, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. UNCG’s Weatherspoon Art Museum, 1005 Spring Garden St., has free admission and free parking, open Tuesday to Saturday with Thursday hours until 8 p.m.

Is Guilford Courthouse National Military Park free?

Yes. The National Park Service lists no entrance fee. The park, 2332 New Garden Road, is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Are Greensboro’s public gardens free?

Yes. The Greensboro Arboretum and Tanger Bicentennial Garden are free to walk. A photography permit is needed only when you pay a professional photographer.

Are Greensboro city pools free?

Yes. In 2026 admission to Peeler and Warnersville pools and the Barber Park and Keeley Park spraygrounds was free for families.