Family Fun on the Cheap

Go on a Playcation

Choose your own adventure. Get on the road and then decide when and where to stop. So you don’t end up in a cul-de-sac on the next street, get out of town first (the kids can even pick which exit you take off the scenic highway).
 
 Camp in the backyard. Roast s’mores and sleep in one big family tent.
 
 Enjoy an all-day movie marathon. Find a theater with kid-friendly flicks playing back-to-back, then hop from theater to theater (after paying for tickets).
 
 Explore your own town at a discount. Visit your local tourism office or visitors’ bureau (or check its website) to see if it has coupons for local attractions. If you live near a major tourist destination, forget the pricey tour bus and instead go to tourcaster.com to download an audio tour to your MP3 player.
 
Visit Old MacDonald. Is there a farm near your city? Many working farms welcome visitors, especially kids. At some, you can even spend the night. For a $20 annual membership to Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, USA (wwoof.org), you can search more than a thousand participating farms that host visitors.
 
 Take a hike. The Adirondack Mountain Club (adk.org) hosts volunteers for one-day projects (like building steps and cutting away brush), overnight projects, and five-day projects; $150 covers meals and campsite accommodations.