What Can I Do For Free This Summer?

When the summer holidays are long but funds are short what are the options?

You could take a trip to your local museum. Many areas have Council run museums and art galleries with no entrance fee. Frequently in school holidays, themed activities are run to help engage visitors. In addition to these general history and local interest venues, there are also many specialist free museums in the UK. Some of the most famous are in London and include the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Childhood. You might be surprised what you find as there are museums for all manner of things, including cheese making at Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, and Shoes at Street, Somerset.

Or you could venture outdoors and enjoy some fresh air.

Beaches offer a unique environment often with rock pools to explore and the opportunity to make sandcastles or play beach games. Even if the weather is less than favourable, if you wrap up warm you can still have lots of fun.

You could organise a family game of rounders in your local park, take a picnic, sit and sketch the wildlife, trees or passers by, or maybe venture to a larger park or nearby forest and explore new paths, wildlife trails and exciting play areas.

You could take a bike ride along your local canal towpath, riverside or perhaps a disused railway track. There are now many special traffic free routes for cyclists.

A trip to the local carnival or village fayre can also offer lots of fun. Many incorporate parades of colourful floats with occupants dressed up and have interesting displays from local clubs. These events can offer the opportunity to get a real sense of your community and many have been running for hundreds of years. They may incorporate traditions such as Morris dancing, well dressing, or the newer trend of Scarecrow trails. You may find yourself contributing to charity, buying some local produce or even an ice cream if the sun is shining, but there is generally no entrance fee as they take place on the streets. There are also many free festivals. These are often music based, but also include riverside festivals and a Watercress festival in Arlesford.

Find more free festivals and ideas for cheap days out at: