Budget Family Fun!

FAMILY FUN DOESN'T HAVE TO BREAK THE BANK! 

You just have to know where to look! America is FILLED with incredible places to visit which are free entry, and some which have sneaky free entry days across the year. First, let’s take the National Parks.  Did you know that only 133 of the 401 national parks in the country even charge an entrance fee?  (They also offer an $80 annual pass for free entry to over 2,000 national parks wildlife reserves and national forest, so if you’re a national park nut you will easily get your money’s worth!)

But, if you have your heart set on visiting one of those 133, we might let you in on a little secret: Fee Free Days! Entrance fees (not camping fees) are waived on the following days: * Martin Luthur King Jr. Day * Presidents Day weekend * Opening weekend of National Park Week * National Park Service Birthday * National Public Lands Day * Veterans Day So, if you have always wanted to visit the greats of America: Denali National Park, the epic Grand Canyon , Muir Woods National Park, Everglades National Park, Yosemite National Park,Yellowstone National Park…(the list goes on!) then make sure you take advantage of this great initiative! Want something else to add to your free national park experiences - how about the always fascinating and educational museums?

First, there are museums that are free ALL year round! Did you know there were 13 free museums in Washington D.C alone? These include the ever popular Smithsonianand the Natural History Museum The beautifully located Getty Center in LA, and the Baltimore Museum of Art have “free” to their name. But if your favorite isn’t on that list, chances are it’s one of the museums that offer sneaky free days across the year! Of course, be prepared for crowds on these days, so try and get there early.

Most of the museums offer places to eat your own lunch, so save on those eating out costs and bring a packed lunch for a lovely picnic! Oh yes, sometimes an entire city can surprise you. Did you know that San Diego offers FREE October? That’s right - over 100 attractions completely free for a whole month! So instead of saying “we cant afford it”, why not say “when shall we go!?”