Having fun this summer doesn’t need to cost a fortune. If you want to plan a relaxing and fun summer while also staying on a budget, there are plenty of options. All it takes is a little research. It’s easy to overspend on summer travel and entertainment, but it’s also possible to plan ahead and keep costs low. Keep reading for some ideas for low-cost and free summer activities.
7 cost-saving summer activities
1. Get active this summer
The summer is a great time to get out and about and incorporate some kind of exercise into your routine. It could be hiking, running, cycling, or playing sports with friends. Is there a local sports club that you could visit? There’s no need to go it alone. Make it a group activity. Gather some friends or family members so you can keep each other encouraged and motivated to keep fit.
2. Go camping
Looking for summer vacations on a budget? Camping is the ultimate budget travel option. If you’re looking to get away for a while but don’t quite have the budget to hop on a plane or lounge around on a beach, camping is a great cost-saving vacation idea. If you already own a tent or know someone else who does, grab it and go! Find a local camping spot or drive to your nearest scenic location to pitch your tent and experience the great outdoors this summer. Some money-saving tips for camping include taking your own food and water, looking for free or low-cost campsites, avoiding tourist hot spots, and buying camping gear out of season.
3. Explore your local area
When was the last time you explored your local town or city? If you live in the same town you grew up in, it’s probably been a long time since you really explored it. A fun summer activity is to pretend to be a tourist visiting your town for the first time. What would you do? Where would you go? Search online for articles covering the best activities to do in your local area and write down the ones that sound fun. Maybe there’s a theater, a park, museum, restaurant, or library that you’ve walked past countless times but have never gone inside. Make this summer the one where you finally explore your town and find something new.
4. Plant a mini garden
If you don’t already have a green thumb, the summer is a great time to get started. With a mini garden, all you often need is a small planter or pots to grow simple things like herbs, carrots, or peas. Just be sure to look up what season to grow which crops in. There are countless tips and resources online to help if you’re just getting started.
5. Start or join a book club
Do you love reading? Many of us don’t make enough time for reading in the age of Netflix. A great way to make reading part of your routine is to turn it into a group activity. If there are no book clubs near you, you could look into virtual ones with people from outside your local area. Or, you could start your own! If you have a favorite genre, you could even start a genre-specific book group. Get all your horror or fantasy fiction friends together to read a new book each month.
6. Explore your nearby parks
Do you have any local city parks or even national parks that you could explore this summer? Visiting a park is such a simple and inexpensive way to spend a day (or even longer if you go camping). You could also pair it up with another activity like hiking or cycling. Many city parks have summer events, fairs, and music shows that you could attend, so spend some time checking for events like these for something to do.
7. Visit a zoo or farm
If you’re looking for a great way to keep children (or yourself) entertained, visiting a local zoo or farm is a fantastic day out. While you may have to pay ticket fees, this is a relatively low-cost activity that the whole family can enjoy. Plenty of zoos and farms have visitor centers with educational and kid-friendly resources to keep children occupied and engaged.
Ready for some low-cost summer fun?
Having fun this summer doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. There are plenty of low-cost and free activities to do at home, in your local community, and beyond.
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