When we travel, researching and planning are vital. If we don’t have a plan or if we don’t know what is available in the city, then it leads to a more stressful trip. Although we usually don’t have a complete timed itinerary, we do try to have a list of things to see, places to eat, as well as events and activities. The first thing that I do when I begin my research is to search for free things to do. Traveling is very expensive, so if we can see and do things that are free, then it can help with our budget. It is as easy as searching the web for “Free things to do in Chicago”. This search will give you results such as the Lincoln Park Zoo or the Chicago Cultural Center, as well as other parks, gardens, and beaches. You might find other museums with free days or even concerts in the park. It is a great place to start your search. When we visited Philadelphia, a search for free things to do led me to find out about the free costumed storytellers in the historic district. We spent the day exploring the historic district and planned time to hear many of the storytellers.
When we planned our trip to San Francisco we found out about the San Francisco Giant’s free standing-room viewing. We didn’t plan on a visit to the ballpark on this trip but decided to check out the area behind a chain-link fence along McCovey Cove, under one of the three arches in right field. You are allowed to stand and watch three innings. It was a breezy night, so we only stayed for as long as we could stand the wind. It was a fun and free way to finish our long day of touring the city.
Many of the National Park sites are free. If you check out the National Park website, you can search for the parks by state. One of the free ones we really enjoyed was Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. You can tour the bathhouses, experience the thermal water, and even taste from the spring which has been known to heal and relax.
Some of our favorite cities with lots of free things to do are Washington DC, Boston, St. Louis, Seattle, and Denver. Washington DC of course has free museums and monuments. Boston has things like the Freedom Trail or brewery tours. St. Louis is known for their free museums, parks, and zoo. Seattle has Pike Place Market and several outdoor art public spaces. Denver offers lots of hiking and other outdoor activities as well as breweries.
When planning your family adventures, start by searching for free things to do. You never know where the search might lead you. Whatever you find, make memories.