25 Places to Get Free Wi-Fi Near You

There are so many places nowadays where you can free internet on your cellphone or other devices!

Public Places with Free WiFi Without Password

Here’s a lust of restaurants, coffee shops and stores that have open WiFi you can connect to without password.

1. McDonald’s

Next time you stop off for a burger at McDonald’s, make sure you take advantage of that restaurant’s complimentary Wi-Fi.

2. Burger King

Another burger place that provides internet access to customers is Burger King.

3. Starbucks

Starbucks provides complimentary Wi-Fi at its coffee chains. It’s not just in the USA either. I remember arriving in Berlin needing internet access before I could get the keys to my apartment and the first place I went was Starbucks. I thought I might get free Wi-Fi in there and I was right. I was on my laptop and checking my emails within minutes!

4. Dunkin’ Donuts

Grab a coffee and a bite to eat at Dunkin’ Donuts and enjoy the chain’s wireless internet access. Many Dunkin Donuts chains provide free internet access. To see if a store near you has free Wi-Fi, just visit the page linked in the heading, and you’ll be able to see the features of your nearby store, like whether or not it provides wireless internet access to customers

5. Wendy’s

Lots of Wendy’s locations offer complimentary internet access to customers. You can find a quiet corner to browse the internet, do some work, or play games online!

6. Panera Bread

If you stop off at Panera Bread, you’ll be glad to know the chain has Wi-Fi available at most of its locations. The food prices are reasonable and it’s a good place to stop off in the morning!

7. Buffalo Wild Wings

Stop off for wings and Wi-Fi at Buffalo Wild Wings. Most locations have internet for customers to use. Plus, happy hour and free internet? It’s a no brainer really!

Visit the location page linked in the subheading to see if your nearest Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant offers complimentary internet access.

8. Barnes & Noble

Find a quiet place to browse the internet at your local Barnes & Noble. Since many Barnes & Noble stores feature a Starbucks café, it’s a good place to do some work online or just have a browse of the internet. Use the store locator page, linked above, to see if your local Barnes & Noble store has a café with Wi-Fi.

9. Target

Sure you may not be able to sit and chill at Target like you would at a place like Starbucks or McDonald’s. However, if you’re at Target and need to have a quick check of something online or your emails, it’s good to know that you can get free Wi-Fi at the store.

Yes! This means you don’t have to use your data!

10. KFC

Next time to grab a bucket at your local KFC, make sure that you take advantage of the restaurant’s complimentary wireless internet.

11. Tim Hortons

If you reside in Canada, check out your local Tim Hortons. Many locations provide customers with wireless internet access at no cost!

12. Whole Foods

Some Whole Foods stores actually provide Wi-Fi. This is ideal if you want to use a coupon app at the store or check your emails. Sure you’re not going to chill in the aisle at Whole Foods, but if you need a quick browse online, it’s good to know that the store provides wireless internet access for free!

13. Lowe’s

Some Lowe’s locations actually have Wi-Fi available to customers. This is ideal if you need to look up something online for your home improvement project. You’re not going to be able to chill on the internet at Lowes as you would at Wendy’s or Barnes & Noble. But you it’s still good to know that if you need to research anything online or check or emails or something like that, the store offers free Wi-Fi.

14. Apple Store

If you have an Apple Store near, you then you may be able to get wireless internet access from the store. Many of them offer Wi-Fi so you can check online if you’re in the store. Or you can even access the store’s Wi-Fi when you’re sitting outside one of these stores.

More Places to Find Free Open Wi-Fi Hotspots

The chains above are all great places to get internet for free when you’re on-the-go. There are lots of other options to consider though!

Don’t want to use your mobile data to access the internet? Or maybe you want to connect your laptop to the internet when you’re out of the house – maybe you work for yourself and want to do some work out of the house?

Whatever the case, there are lots of ways to get internet access for free!

If you’re searching for free internet near you, give these places a try:

15. Library

Your local public library can be a great spot for finding Wi-Fi at a low cost.

Yes, the library can be a good alternative to the cafés, restaurants, and fast food places that I mentioned above.

In fact, if you’re looking to save money, the library is probably the place for you.

While you have to spend money at places like McDonald’s and Target, you don’t at the library. It’s totally free.

At the most, you will need to have a valid library card to get online – but for some places that’s not even a requirement! Getting a library card is easy, so this is a great option if you want to get free Wi-Fi in your neighborhood without feeling pressured to buy stuff!

16. Airports

When my husband and I were at the airport in Vienna a year ago our flight home was delayed. Oh, it was annoying. What made it bearable though was the fact that the airport had free Wi-Fi (and charging stations as an added bonus!). So we streamed shows on Netflix while we waited.

Now, not every single airports may let you connect to their hotspot free of charge, but many do. Some of the biggest hubs nowadays provide free Wi-Fi without a password as well.

Of course, some places may charge you, so do check the details for the specific airport you’re traveling from.

17. Gyms

If you’re feeling like browsing the internet between sets, it’s good to know that many gyms offer complimentary internet to their customers. Most importantly though, you can stream Spotify or music on whatever platform you use without draining your mobile data!

Some YMCA gyms have free open Wi-Fi hotspots, for example. Research your local gyms online to see if they provide internet access to their patrons. Or just ask at your local gym.

18. Yoga studios

Like gyms, some yoga studios provide complimentary wireless internet access to their customers. Again, have a search online to see if there are any near you that offer it. Or just ask at your local yoga studio.

19. Buses

Some bus companies like Megabus and BoltBus provide complimentary wireless internet access to their passengers. It sure makes a bus trip more enjoyable if you can pass the time online.

I always see buses near me that have a sign saying they provide Wi-Fi.

20. Trains

Some train companies like Amtrak offer free wireless internet access to their passengers. If you ride with a company that does provide internet access it can make the journey go by a little faster. Listen to music, do some work, check your emails, or just browse the internet – with some train companies, it’s free!

21. Public parks

Did you know that some parks provide internet access? Well, they do and if you live near one, you should definitely take advantage.

If you like working outside, or just enjoy spending time in nature, then you’ll be glad to know that may cities are introducing free open Wi-Fi networks in public parks.

To see if there’s one near you, do a quick search online for “public parks with free Wi-Fi near me.” You’ll get a map of nearby locations from Google.

22. Museums

At the museum, you’ll likely be too preoccupied with the exhibits to care about going online. But if you need to check your emails or want to map out your route to your next destination if you’re visiting a new city, it’s good to know that many museums provide free Wi-Fi to visitors.

23. Malls

Many malls have free Wi-Fi access in the food court. So it’s always worth checking the next time to plan to grab a bite to eat at the mall.

24. Local restaurants

It’s not just chain restaurants like Burger King that provide their diners with free Wi-Fi. Many local restaurants do as well. Just check on the websites of local restaurants or ask next time you dine in somewhere.

25. Local bars and pubs

Some local bars and pubs also provide complimentary Wi-Fi and all you have to do is ask!

Public Wi-Fi Safety Tips

While public Wi-Fi networks are awesome, because well, free internet, they aren’t always the safest.

When you share a public network, there’s the danger that your personal information could be viewed or even accessed.

That’s why you should always take precautions when you’re using a public network.

Here are a few tips to follow to make sure you stay safe…

Make sure you don’t enter sensitive information

When you’re using a public network, you should avoid entering sensitive information, like your login details for your online banking or card details if you’re shopping online.

I would recommend waiting until you get home to check your bank or shop online. That way, no one will be able to view any data you enter, like passwords or card numbers.

Use websites with a “https” URL

Websites that are secure (like this one) feature “https” at the start of the website address.

These sites are more secure than sites that are just “http.”

You’ll find that most websites nowadays, like Facebook and email providers like Outlook, are secure ones, but it’s always worth checking for “https” in the address of any website you go on when you’re using a public wireless network.

Make sure you forget the network

You need to make sure you have your computer or phone forget the network. Otherwise, your computer or phone will likely remember the network and try to connect to it again whenever you are in range. This can leave your information exposed when you’re not browsing.

An easy way to make sure that this doesn’t happened is to simply uncheck the box next to “Connect Automatically.” This can be found in your device’s network settings.

Closing Thoughts

There are so many ways to get free Wi-Fi nowadays. Whether it’s at the grocery store, a restaurant, a coffeeshop or even on a bus, there are so many ways you can connect to the internet for free!

If you know of any other place where you can get free WiFi, please share it by leaving a comment below.