Tobyandlui, We're hitting Santa Cruz this weekend. First we're going to Roaring Camp Railroad because they're having a Day with Thomas the Tank Engine event. We'll spend the night and hit the beach and the boardwalk on Sunday. Maybe I'll see you there ;-)

Hey TJlove and chatters, I hope that you all are having lots of summer fun. I had a fight with my dentist...and well... I guess he won! LOL. He root canal me! and did a bit of surgery too, so I am in and out of bed with my cheek in hand, missing out on all that grilled stuff and days at the beach. I will be on the go by next week. Keep chatting!

We have been at Santa Cruz beach boardwalk, each time we go there we had lots of fun, staying a little while at the beach and later go to the rides. Right now they have a deal that after 5pm. you can have unlimited rides for $9.99, I believe this is until September. We love Santa Cruz :)

I roadtrip with the kids every year. About 3,000 miles total....it's a blast...they are all 3 great about it. That's our 'big' thing we save for (gas,hotel,food..etc). We visit family in different states.
We are lucky to live in S. Florida....so lots of outdoor 'free' things to do. The beach is a favorite...high tide and low tide bring out very differnet things to do!
The pool of course.
Waterparks are ~$3-5 per person.
Our movies theatres have free movie mornings (call all area theatres for thiers) once or twice a week. (old run movies)
Batting cages for the boys are cheap but short lived.
One of our older bowling alleys has GREAT deals on bowling. Costs less than $20 for 2 hours of bowling, with shoes...a pitcher of soda, and a pizza! Up to 5 ppl.
Our larger 'newer' alley has summer leagues for kids very cheap.
The parks around here (state/county) are amazing and free during the week.
We have a BASS PRO shops that is fun for the kids...and we take the public train tere which is half the fun (and to the zoo!)
Fishing on the golf course out back or the lakes in the public park.
Some days we just hang at home and do much of nothing :) I need SOME downtime!
Sometimes we go to a nice McDonalds (Wed for cheap burgers) so they can play in the big playground...though that's NOT my favorite place..lol
The library is so-so for them...sadly the boys are not the biggest fan of reading...such a shame..I try....

Our Toy'sRUs has free parenting magazins with lists of places to go, things to do/see...maybe try to find a like magazine geared for your area?

Summer is coming to an end already...this one flew by!

Tracy

We went for a week trip to visit my sister at the beach in NC and the kids loved the waves! Now they are in camp for two more weeks. Our county parks and rec has an awesome camp that costs $25 for 6 weeks per child!! I live just outside Washington DC. After they get out of camp, we plan to take some trips downtown on the Metro to the Smithsonian museums. They are awesome and FREE!

I bought my kids some bikes than we took a vacation to see some family. I look for deals while trying to do something fun for the kids. We went swimmin this summer an dit was only three dollars a person which is not a bad deal.

Wow elemmama, sure you know how to have fun during summer.

I just wanted to let the Chicago community know that there is a free family kaleidoscope day this Saturday the 18th at the Art Museum from 10a to 3p..learn about, create, and enjoy the world of Kaleidoscope's. See you there!

We have had the most fun so far this summer pitching the tent in the back yard or no yard? the living room for all weather protection and Air conditioning!!!and sleeping, cooking, water squirting games around the tent (Outdoors), planting a vegetable garden and tracking the growth in a spiral bound book with drawings and written descriptions, a lemonade stand weekly on Sundays, taking public transportation through the city and trains outside the city to the zoo or nature treasure hunts, knitting and story telling with the neighbors & friends, star gazing and moon phase drawing in a spiral bound book, making a sail boat and sailing it on the pond, fishing in the water and with magnets for reward shopping day- earned prize pick up day, dream building talking in the recorder and video camera, letter writing to old and new friends, and preparing for 2nd grade schedule and rhythm by eating, sleeping, movement, and reading/story telling routines with regularity.
Have fun and enjoy what each day brings!

Most water parks are run by the city parks and recreations department, you might want to give them a call and ask to see where the water parks are available in your area. I live in a small town so my kids and I have to travel about 30min. to get to one but its worth a day of fun for the kids.

maggie93215, I am looking for free water parks here at San Ramon, CA, you went to one with your kids, a friend of mine went to one at San Ramon but she doesn't remember what it is called, do you happen to know about this free water park, please let me know, my kids love the water and they are always asking me to take them to the pool.

Maggie93215, I'm glad you and your family had a good time in San Francisco! You should have stopped by GreatSchools for a tour, not that there's much to see, lol.

Well in this hot weather we are doing the free water parks, the movies in the park on friday nights. We also just came back from a 4day trip to San Fransisco and it was a blast.. The kids had fun although two of the three had been there already they did enjoy getting away in a fresh new environment. We were at fishermans wharf the baby had a blast chasing the birds and the older two were all into the seals that were on the side of the wharf. free entertainment! We also found a family pack to go into the shark aquarium which was pretty reasonable. But one of the high lights was crossing the bridge boy the kids not to mention my husband kept saying the bridge is moving. It was funny.

Way to go. your mom must have felt like 16! My mom will not travel, so doing anything together is impossible. Love her to death though...

yeah me either but my mom's "kids" now are 24,39 & 40..she was glad she was "alone" LOL.. I too cook w/my daughter.. I'm teaching her to cook so she'll be able to do it when she gets out on her own.

I hope she had fun. I cannot imagine taking a vacation without my kids. I know that I need one though, for at least 1mo. I bought them a snow cone machine so that they can make their own, today they each had a camera and got a lesson in photography 101. They took many pics of birds, flowers, a bunny, bugs, they actually had fun and wants to do it again. We do not plan much of our outings, that makes it more interesting. Next week we will go back to dancing on Friday nights (no cost) I teach them to cook and bake cakes, so we are always doing something. You will find something to do that is fun.

ty... my mom actually just got back from a week vacat. w/her bff in Ocean city, NJ..

What are you doing over there! come over here...just kidding. Try typing in "community events" see what comes up in your area.

i'm in Texas...lol...

I don't know what area you are in but I go to www.newyorkled.com and I am able to pick out a few things that I can do. Some are free, but you have to get tickets. I hope it helps.

My daughter spent her 1st 2weeks at Math camp! Now it's July so we've got the Arlington 4th of July parade on Saturday to go to and from there it's "up for grabs"... with this economy the way it is we can't afford to go anywhere so we'll be doing the "Staycation" thing...lol

Now that summer is here, I find myself being so exhausted. I usually take the kids on weekly trips to the shore, concerts, movies, parks anf restaurants. This year I wanted them to travel to the caribbean for a month, but I had to change my plans because the person that they willb be staying with is travelling to the US for their vacation. She will be staying with us, so we will be having a lot of fun. I wish everyone a happy summer!

With having a new baby we have to maintain a budget. So we will be finding as many fun free events as possible.

Visiting Washington DC for a week. Hopefully, we stay within the budget as most attractions are free and my husband plans to join us for the last two days.

Happy summer to you and your family !

My son will be attending an overnight basketball camp again this year for a few days. Other than that, nothing exciting; probably day trips here and there. :|

Living in Arizona the summer weather can be deadly, so it's hard to find safe outdoor activites during times of extreme heat. So unless it's indoors, during the summer months we turn into night owls. Our family has taken up star gazing, nightime walks, bike rides, and bbq game nights! What we like to do on those nights are to try a new food. Last Friday we tried goat for the first time-it was different.

:)

We're going camping this summer and also to visit my in-laws. There are some great airfare sales going on now which makes the trip more affordable.

Tobbyandlui- I love the Santa Cruz boardwalk and have been going there since I was a kid!! I'd llike to go at least once this summer.

My husband got season passes for Six Flags and paid parking for all this year so each time we go there, we don't have to spend money, only for food. We are a family of 5 and we have 3 kids that love to go to the rides, this is a way for us to save a lot of money each time we want to go there. Also we are going to Santa Cruz, my kids love the beach, so we are heading there on vacations, hopefully, the weather warms up.