Here's my quick list of free and fun family summer activities in 2014 in no particular order – feel free to mention your own favorite free summer activities in the comments section below!
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| NC State Parks - free summer activity © Katrena |
Go hiking at a NC State Park
Hanging Rock State Park offers trails to three waterfalls, several trails that go up to peaks or meander around the beautiful scenic area. South Mountains State Park offers a very fun, interactive educational welcome center and a really nice handicap accessible trail by the water. My kids loved the climb to get to see the beautiful waterfall up there. There are nearly 40 state parks in North Carolina – it is pretty likely that one may be near you!
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| NC Museum of Natural Sciences - Photo by Mark Turner |
Visit the NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Yep - admission to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh is free. They have exhibits, collections, educational programs, and more. If summer days are sweltering or rainy, it's also great to have an indoor activity on the potential list of fun freebies! You might also catch one of their traveling educational programs in your area.
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| Summer Reading Programs at Public Library © Katrena |
Sign up for your public library summer reading program
The library is chock full of so many resources! Of course they have books, but you can also check out music, books on CD, movies, and many now offer eBooks that do not require something like a Kindle to read. Our area library provides a password to access NC Live, a huge database of resources with web pages that one would normally have to pay to access. While signing up for the reading program, check out their schedule of programs – we've seen a wide variety of programs from Mad Science to musical programs to magic shows and about everything in between. Kids that continue to read all summer feed their brains even when they are out of school!
Check out your local Smart Start office
This program is not Head Start – for years I thought they were the same, but they are not. Your local Smart Start office offers all sorts of educational and fun resources for parents, caregivers, and kids. If you are searching for childcare options, this office may provide quite a few tips for helping you to make a wise choice. Our local Smart Start office has a toy library where people can check out toy kids for the kids sort of like one might check out library books. You might find information there or at the library about Dolly Pardon's Imagination Library program in which kids receive a free book in the mail monthly up to age five.
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| Lewisville NC Free Outdoor Drama © Katrena |
Go out to an outdoor drama
Wait...an outdoor drama is not free, or is it? Well, you'll have to pay an admission price for most outdoor dramas, but there are a few free ones out there. Lewisville is offering a free outdoor musical The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in early to mid-June. Asheville features Montford Park Players, a non-profit production that relies on donations as people enjoy Shakespeare productions. You might have to do a little searching, but there are some free outdoor dramas out there.
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| Mocksville Cruise In Free Car Show © Katrena |
Cruise over to a car show in Mocksville
Don't they charge admission to get in car shows? Well, some do charge, but Mocksville offers a large free Cruise In on the first and third Monday each month during warmer months. Listen to some older music and check out some cool rides. Lots of folks will give you a little history about their vehicle if you ask. Here are the Mocksville Cruise In 2014 dates.
Hunt for barn quilts in Iredell County
Barn quilts are becoming quite popular in the Tarheel state. Iredell County is dappled with splashes of colorful barn quilts throughout much of the county. I believe the Quilt Trails facebook page is still available with pictures, but I'm not sure that the page is active. We found a helpful brochure at our local Chamber of Commerce that provided pictures and directions for quite a few barn quilts in Iredell County. If you go to your local Chamber of Commerce, you might get some excellent tips for additional fun family activities in your area. You decide to visit Iredell County again in October to see their Balloon Festival and Night Glow.
Enjoy a movie under the stars
Several county parks and recreation departments now offer family-friendly entertainment options, including movie nights under the stars at a park. Many of the movies are fairly new – for example, Salisbury Parks and Recreation is offering Frozen, Despicable Me II, and the Lego Movie in 2014. There's nothing like the excitement of watching a movie on a big screen with a group of family and friends! Many movie theaters offer summer movie programs in which you can enjoy lower prices and some air conditioning. One of our favorite movie theaters in the state is the Gem Theater, an old theater in Kannapolis with an upstairs balcony that is very near Village Park, which also shows movies in the park and has fireworks on select dates.
Peer at a meteor shower
Pull out the lawn chairs and hang out with the kids in the back yard. Meteor showers can be a blast to watch, especially if the kids see lots of those shooting stars! It looks like early morning on May 24 and the night of August 12 would be the best bets for the summer of 2014. If you are enjoying a staycation with the kids, you might try setting up a tent and camping in the back yard or visiting my Wildflower Bouquets site map for my scavenger hunts, printables, and fun game ideas.
Visit a local park
County parks often offer a wide range of recreational activities. Some recreation departments will let folks check out balls, Frisbees, tennis rackets, etc. Even if you aren't really into sports, this might be a great time to practice or learn a sport with the kids or to enjoy a picnic lunch and simply play outside. One of our favorite parks in Dan Nicholas – it features quite a few free and low cost activities for the family.
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| See World's Largest Chest of Drawers in High Point - Photo by Cmalaspina |
See the world's largest chest of drawers in High Point
You might expect to find all sorts of things near a busy intersection, but seeing a nearly 40-foot chest of drawers is a rather memorable experience. This unusual attraction and unique photo opportunity just might knock your socks off and leave them hanging from the middle drawer!
Go to a 4th of July Celebration
One of the best known 4th of July activities in North Carolina is the Faith 4th of July Celebration, but many other communities offer a parade and fireworks show to celebrate Independence Day. You might even try your hand at some fun ways to fix watermelon or fire up the grill and enjoy a meal together.
Visit the Ashe County Frescoes
These unique fresco paintings are found in area churches in St. Mary's in West Jefferson and Holy Trinity in Glendale Springs, and the public is welcome to tour the churches. Donations are accepted. While in this area, you may wish to enjoy a great family-style meal in Glendale Springs and a tour of the cheese factory.
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| God's Acre at Old Salem in Winston-Salem NC © Katrena |
Visit Winkler's Bakery & God's Acre at Old Salem
Although tours of Old Salem do include an entrance fee, anyone is welcome at the bakery and God's Acre at the historical Moravian village without paying a fee. If you time your visit well, you might have the opportunity to see goodies baking in the old oven and perhaps even be treated to a free sample. The cemetery called God's Acre is a place that lends itself to quiet contemplation.
So, how many of these places and activities have you enjoyed or plan to enjoy? I hope you will find these free ideas helpful in making your summer plans. North Carolina also offers quite a few low cost options for entertainment. I have included links to web sites that you might find helpful within this article. If you would like to see more of my articles, simply hover over "pages" near the top and you'll see a link to my site map and other pages on this blog. I hope you and your family have a great summer!
