Free things to do in Bowling Green

22 places in Bowling Green with free entry or no charge, based on guide listings and map data.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Art Walk
Stroll through the historic downtown and visit the many galleries and exhibitions featuring visual and performing arts from all ages. Artists' demonstrations, family activities and performances continue throughout the day. Has a raffle with prizes.
Annual event held the last Sat in AprilFree
Do
ArtsX
BGSU's annual winter art talent show. Includes performance art, music, theater, fine art, and art sales.
Early DecemberFree
See
BG Wind Farm
One of the first commercial wind farms in Ohio, it started in 2003, and recouped its costs in 2015. The site consists of four turbines that stand at over 250 ft tall that can generate over 7 megawatts. On clear days they can be seen from Wooster Street. Has an info board on site.
Free
See
Biology Greenhouse
Contains a tropical plant collection, and a desert plant collection. Also houses a student projects room and an aquaponics lab. Tours are available if scheduled in advance.
Free
Do
Black Swamp Arts Festival
BSAF
Bowling Green's local artists come and share their work with the community to help celebrate the arts. Fine arts and crafts throughout the Downtown area. Children's activities, live music, demonstrations, and various art events all weekend.
Annually in early September - Fri 5PM-midnight, Sat 10AM-midnight, Sun 11AM-5PMFree. Parking shuttle may require cash, but it is possible to park and walk for free
Do
Black Swamp Preserve
A nature preserve connected to the Slippery Elm Trail. Has restrooms, a water fountain, resting areas, a bike repair stand, gardens, and descriptions of local wildlife on an educational board.
8AM-duskFree
See
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
The Elephant/The Dinosaur
A 14 ft tall memorial to the events of May 4th, 1970 that took place at BGSU's sister school, Kent State University during the Vietnam war. This is a sister sculpture of a piece that was pierced by a bullet at Kent State during the shooting, made by the same artist with the same metal.
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
Do
Carter Park
Has a baseball complex, softball complex, volleyball courts, Disk Golf, picnic shelters, and a natural area. One of the largest parks in Bowling Green by size.
Free
Do
Cherry Blossom Festival
O-hanami
The Cherry Blossom Festival is held annually in April by the Japanese Club at BGSU. The Cherry Blossom festival hosts Japanese cultural programming, origami and shodo brush writing workshops, a Taiko drum performance, Martial Arts demonstrations, a bon-odori dance, kimono try ons, Japanese game tables, and free Japanese snacks including sushi and green tea. The event started as a small gathering of 75 people in 2001 to thank the support of Tokyo Alumni, and hosts over 800 people as of 2018.
Free
Do
City Park
City Park features the city pool and waterpark, skate park, rollerskating rink, the historic Needle Hall, and golf course at the adjacent country club. The waterpark includes a waterslide, lazy river, diving boards, and splash playground.
Free
See
Education Memorabilia Center
Little Red Schoolhouse / District #6 School
A preserved schoolhouse from the frontier era. It was built in 1875 in the Norwalk area, and was moved to its current location in 1976.
Sat Sun 2-5PM, contact College of Education to confirmFree
See
Fine Arts Galleries
Several galleries dedicated to showcasing student artwork. The Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery and Willard Wankelman Gallery are conventional art galleries.The Hiroko Nakamoto Gallery, created by an interior design alumna who survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing, is stylized as a traditional Japanese tea room, and is a work of art on its own. Outside the galleries, the Fine Arts Building houses many smaller displays down its corridors which are typically accessible even if the main galleries are closed.
Free
See
Life Sciences Building
The first floor houses the BGSU Herpetarium, a lab for the care and observation of over 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. Open to the public with an escort. The second floor houses the BGSU Marine Lab, which also offers public tours if planned in advanced. The Marine lab offers a variety of fish, as well as a touch tank where fish can be touched. The upper floors contain Professor Moseley's taxidermied animals on display in the hallways, as well as more modern specimens.
Free
Do
Oktoberfest
BGSU's German club hosts an annual Oktoberfest celebration featuring polka music, and merryment. There is a buffet as well as a cash bar with beer.
late OctoberFree admission, buffet costs $5 for students, $10 for general public in advance, and $15 for the general public at the door
Do
STEM in the Park
Wood County Air Fair
Annual event to promote science, technology, engineering, and math to youth. Exhibits include robotics, food science, digital media, water science, and demos from Toledo institutions such as the Toledo Zoo and Imagination Station. Features live music with local bands. Operates jointly with the Wood County Air Fair, which showcases and flies current and historical aircraft, helicopters, hot air balloons, and rockets.
late SeptemberFree
Do
Simpson Sensory and Children's Garden Park
Simpson Garden Park
A park with a variety of plants and artistic structures. The park includes a healing garden, a children's park, and a Japanese garden. Golf cart tours are available.
Free
See
The BGSU Film Theater
Formerly Gish Film Theatre
A movie theater that often showcases classic and modern movies, as well as the occasional guest speaker. Free public screenings are usually held during the spring or fall semester on Tuesday nights at 7:30PM, or Thursday nights at 7:30PM for international films.
Free
Do
The Hatch
Annual spring entrepreneurship competition at BGSU operated by the College of Business. Each participating student, referred to as Hatchlings, work on a project over the course of several months with local business mentors. This culminates in a gameshow style event held in the basketball stadium where the Hatchlings compete to try to get investors to take a stake in their entrepreneurial projects.
Annually in the SpringFree
See
Toledo, Lake Erie & Western Railway and Museum
TLEW
The museum is re-opening soon after renovations but they offer motorcar train rides that overlook that Maumee River Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 5 pm which can be found here. Check website for availability.
June-October: the first and 3rd Sat of the month noon-4PMFree (donations appreciated), train rides: $6/adults, $4/kids 3-12
Do
Winterfest
Winterfest is the third weekend in February annually and has more than 30 fun winter-themed events for all ages. Visit the sparkling ice chalet, ice skating competition, the ice sculpture exhibits with an interactive photo area and artist-created snowflakes decorating the whole downtown. Be part of the fun with a chili & soup cook-off, BG Parks & Rec Frostbite Run, ice skating, snow games and downtown retail open house Sparkle Night.
Free
See
Wood County Courthouse
Built in the oil boom era, the courthouse is castlelike and the exterior is lined with turrets and stone carvings. On the courthouse grounds there are many war memorials. The courthouse is topped with a giant clocktower which is visible across the city, and has a nest for peregrine falcons. The grand staircase of the original courthouse is lavish, with giant painted murals. The law library is cozy and a relaxing environment to take a breather. The grounds outside feature a fountain and war memorials. This is an active courthouse, so you will have to pass through a security checkpoint to enter.
Free
Do
Wintergarden
St.Johns Nature Preserve
Has a nature center, forests, and meadows.
8AM-5PMFree

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Bowling Green (CC BY-SA 4.0).