Bob

LL Bean stores usually have a decent fish tank or pond too, which our kids love.

Randomly, Nordsroms, they have a fish tank in the beauty section as well as in the kids shoes in the stores we've been too and the kids like those as well

WEBlue

Dedicated bike trails are almost always free! Of course, you have to have (or rent) a bicycle to take advantage of them. But otherwise they're free... Now that the snow is gone, you can pack up a lunch and head out on a nice day.

The American Discovery Bike Trail goes straight across the mid-section of the USA, from the Pacific (San Francisco, CA) to the Atlantic (Cape Henlopen, DE). In between it hooks up with other smaller local bike trails.

http://www.discoverytrail.org/


The best dedicated bikeways (thus not sharing the road with cars) in or near urban American centres.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel...e-usa/2576801/


You can google bike paths in your local area--many localities now have at least one within reach.

WEBlue

Yard Sales!! Also known here as Garage Sales, Tag Sales, Estate Sales, etc.

As the weekend approaches, keep an eye on your local newspaper or Craig's List online. Some of these sales are better than others, and the description isn't always helpful. "Something for everyone!" is a particularly overused, unhelpful phrase that pops up all too often in these ads.... So you have to go to each one and browse. In our area, stuff that people really want to get rid of is lumped in a corner labelled 'Free' or 'Giveaway'.

Which reminds me... there's also a category called "Curb Alert" on Craig's List in certain areas--people stick a pile of stuff out by their curb that they're giving away for free.

Bob

Freecycle can be good for these too....well our FB version allows curb alerts, but our old town, when they were on Yahoo didn't.

Bob

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/0...-cooper-union/

Those in NYC this summer, this could be pretty cool.

Bob

http://www.myradio929.com/earthfest.aspx

Earth Fest, for the opening weekend of the free summer concerts at the Hatch Shell, which is really cool for anyone local as parking is a bit of a hassle.

Franklin Park, in Boston is having a free kite and bike festical the same day, 17th Saturday from 11-4pm. Good place for a picnic, but also a lot of food trucks in the area.

24th May there's going to be free Fort Independence tours. 12-3pm at Castle Island, Day Boulevard, Boston. They're an hour long but it's a really cool fort.

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/

penguinbar

I'm going to try and check that out.

Bob

Does sound pretty neat. Be interested to hear what you think of it if you get the chance

WEBlue

Yeah, every town seems different, so you have to keep your eyes & ears open as you drive around, especially on nice-weather weekends. Memorial Day is coming up , a big weekend--the official start of the summer season.

You'll see the yard sale signs on corners. I always drive by to check them out. The curb alert stuff is usually a little pile at the street end of the driveway with or without a sign ('Free', 'Help Yourself', 'Take it Away').

Our area has high dump fees to dispose of old appliances, furniture, playground equipment, etc., so many people try the yard sale first, then the curb alert ... before they pay someone to haul their stuff away.

Of course, some of it is of no earthly use to anyone, but there can be interesting surprises....

Bob

http://www.assemblyrow.com/ Food Truck Festival in Somerville on 7th June, fun and free...loads of food trucks doing food.

Same day is Cambridge River Festival from 12-6pm cambridgeartscouncil.org and this is supposed to be really cool, loads of food and crafts to do, but an event we've yet to make ourselves.

14th June is Dragon Boat Festival along the Charles River in Havard Sq, 7am-2pm bostondragonboat.org

Bob

http://minutemanairfield.com/calenda...it~1404548999/

Classic car show in the burbs, out in Stow.

5th June till 28th August 5-8pm.

Starts with a US theme, then Brit cars and rolls through a German, Italian, Japanese theme and hotrods.

Bob

http://content.microsoftstore.com/en...mps/natickmall

Free "summer" camp at MS stores...probably nationwide, but this is the local one.

Bob

https://www.osv.org/events

Old Sturbridge Village, has a bunch of kids go free weekends over the summer. Quite a few libraries do passes for half off for the adults too. Makes for a nice day trip with a picnic

Bob

Water Wise Workshops, July 7 - August 12 | OARS

The the metrowest folks again, in Westborough and Natick. Weekly, free, kids stuff about the river/water.

Bob

Historic Tours of America | Hometown Pass

Good one if you've got guests coming in the following cities: Boston, Key West, Savannah, DC, San Diego and St Augustine.

Basically you get the pass and get free entrance when someone pays a regular entrance fee for something like the Boston Trolley rides.