FREE Summer Fun

Last week I finally bit the bullet and forked over a ridiculous amount of money to register our car, so......I was in search of some family activities on the cheap.  I found a couple great things that Lennon, Carter, and I all loved but it also got me curious about other great, FREE attractions.

St. Louis Zoo
I don't think there is a child out there who doesn't love a zoo and there isn't a parent who doesn't love FREE ADMISSION to anything!  The STL Zoo is situated in the middle of Forest Park which is a huge park situated in the heart of St. Louis.  Its a great place to drive to, park your car and just wander.  This is exactly what we did to avoid paying the one charge that the Zoo does collect...$12 for parking.  We literally parked within a 5 minute walk to the front gate for $0!  The setup is easy to walk but if you do want to see a bit more there is a little train that runs the perimeter of the zoo for $5 a ticket.

http://www.stlzoo.org/

Grant's Farm

This is the ancestral home of the Busch family (Think Budweiser!).  It's now home to over 900 animals, including the famous Clydesdale Horses.  We weren't quite sure what to expect but were pleasantly surprised when we arrived.  This is also FREE ADMISSION but you do pay for parking ($11).  If you park across the street and pop the kiddos in the stroller, its about a 10 minute walk along the Ulysses S. Grant Trail to the entrance.  From there you are escorted onto trams that drive you through the property, showing you the wild animals that call the 281 acre property home.  You then arrive at the Tier Garten which is a huge petting zoo and courtyard with food for purchase AND.......the famous Anheuser-Busch Hospitality Room where Mom and Dad get 2 free beers each!  Truly something for everyone!

http://www.grantsfarm.com/

I think we may try these out as well:

Local Farmer's Markets

They tend to have live music, sometimes face painting and FREE SAMPLES!

Festivals and County Fairs 

We will be visiting the famous Rose Festival next week, but there are tons of community festivals all over the country, they're easy to find with just a little digging online

Family Owned Farms

By making a few calls, you can find local farms that are happy to let your little ones come see/pet baby lambs, piglets, calves, foles, ect.... 

What free family fun do you like to do?