If you are spending a bundle on gas or airfare to travel to a major U.S. city this summer, then you might consider taking time to visit the following attractions. They’re not only family-friendly and educational, but they won’t cost you a penny to experience. MISSOURI No trip to St. Louis would be complete without a pit stop at the brick Main Street of Saint Charles. The iconic attraction is celebrating the start of summer with weekend entertainment in honor of the city’s 200th anniversary. The free entertainment is just one of 200 events being held in St. Louis this … Continue reading →

If you get off the couch and out of the house this summer, you’ll find that there are a host of exciting events just waiting for your family to enjoy. Not only will you get the chance to have fun in the sun, but all of the following family-friendly attractions are free: MARYLAND Ocean City is making summer fun for kids and their parents with an array of free activities, from movie nights, concerts and storytelling around a bonfire to shows and demonstrations at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. Don’t miss Tuesday night “Beach Olympics” where you can go … Continue reading →

If you live on the East Coast of the United States, then you have reason to celebrate this summer. Your neck of the woods is bustling with free activities for the entire family. If you are keeping a tight grip on your wallet, but still want to have fun in the sun this summer, then consider taking advantage of the following free attractions: MAINE Goovin’ in the great outdoors is made easier this summer in Maine thanks to Freeport’s 11th annual Summer Concert Series. This year’s lineup includes Patty Loveless and Asleep at the Wheel; shows start at 7:30 on … Continue reading →

Taking a summer vacation with your kids doesn’t have to put a major dent in your wallet. Simply take advantage of the free family-friendly events taking place across the country, and you can have fun without breaking the bank. OKLAHOMA If you are traveling through Oklahoma this summer, then you definitely have to make a pit stop in Bartlesville near Tulsa. That’s where you will find the 19-story Frank Lloyd Wright Price Tower. It is the only skyscraper Wright ever designed, and is a building that’s unlike any other in the world. The structure was inspired by a tree and … Continue reading →

Looking for ways to beat the summertime blues without breaking the bank? Consider visiting these educational destinations designed to keep your kids’ brains from turning into mush while they’re on summer break: NEW HAMPSHIRE To commemorate the debut of the new “Star Trek” movie, New Hampshire’s McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, is boldly going where few educational spaces have gone before. The science center is housing rare items from the “Star Trek” series, including a uniform worn by the character Janice Rand, played by Grace Lee Whitney in “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” from 1979. Trekkies will also get to sit in … Continue reading →

If you are a budget conscious family, who lives in the Midwest and can’t spend a bundle to fly to a coastal community this summer, you don’t have to miss out on seasonal fun. In fact, you don’t have to spend a single dime to have a blast at any of the following free attractions: WISCONSIN A few months ago my little town in rural Wisconsin was buzzing with excitement thanks to a visit by Hollywood hunk Johnny Depp. The award-winning actor was in the Dairy State with his pal Christian Bale to film the movie “Public Enemies.” The flick … Continue reading →

I grew up in Hawaii, so the last place I want to spend the summer months is in the nation’s southern states where the mercury reaches blistering hot highs. Of course, there are many people who flock to scorching hot states, such as Florida, Nevada and Georgia looking for family fun while the kids are out of school. If you are a member of a hot-loving clan, the consider visiting the following kid-friendly attractions where having fun won’t cost you a penny: FLORIDA Tens of thousands of “Top Gun” fans flock to Pensacola’s National Naval Aviation Museum each summer for … Continue reading →

Hollywood’s new summer flick, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, has only been in theaters for 24 hours and it’s already on target to set box office records. Cha-ching! The movie’s producers could be happier. Ditto for curators at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. given that they anticipated that the movie — starring Ben Stiller, Robin Williams and Amy Adams — would translate into big business for the home of the real airplanes and artifacts featured in the flick. Not content to leave anything to chance, execs at the Smithsonian are running kid-friendly product promotions, including chances … Continue reading →