With summer just on the horizon, a lot of us are looking forward to fair weather, time off work and long, lazy days.
With summer comes the call for vacations too. But if you’re trying to follow your budget, it can feel like a challenge to get the time off you’ve dreamed of all winter, and not totally blow your hard work of saving and planning.
But vacation time doesn’t need to be pricey all the time – there are plenty of frugal options you may not have even considered.
From activities with the kiddos to living it up in our beautiful national parks – we’ve got some wicked budget friendly summer ideas that will be kind to your wallet too.
13 Lively Ways to Enjoy a Budget Friendly Summer
Enjoying the Great Outdoors
The best part of summer is the weather, and it’s definitely a great time to be outside and enjoy nature. Some of us prefer this time of year to go on vacation and enjoy different climates and parts of the world, but don’t forget – there are so many options right in your backyard or a day trip away that won’t break the bank.
Beach Trips
If you live near the coast, you can easily enjoy the beach for a low cost. Avoid buying food at the beach and pack your own food. You can also carpool with friends to lower your parking costs.
Walking, Hiking, or Biking
Most cities and towns have access to trails. These trails allow you to walk, hike, or bike in beautiful parks and nature reserves for free.
Camping
Camping is a great budget-friendly way to enjoy a day. There are great campsites that have a low entry cost or free admission. You can have a fun day camping to the campsite and spending the night under the stars.
National Parks
There are 63 national parks across the United States and over 400 ‘National Park Service-managed units’ that include areas like historical parks, national seashores and recreation areas. Canada also boasts 37 national parks and 11 national park reserves.
Take advantage of free entrance days to enjoy these beautiful reserved areas!
Local and Community Events
You don’t have to leave your hometown to enjoy the summer – there are always great local and community events that are free or low-cost. It also is a great way to support your community and even get to know some fabulous locals and businesses.
Free local concerts
Many cities offer free outdoor concerts during the summer.
If there are no free options, there may be some lower-cost concerts to attend. Most local concerts allow you to bring food and picnic blankets, and some even allow you to bring your own alcoholic beverages.
Book some time with friends and family and enjoy the local music scene. Most cities will have a local paper, tourism bureau or a local online events page, just search for ‘events near me’ and see what pops up.
Art and Cultural Festivals
The summer is a big draw for art and cultural festivals. These can be free to attend and have options for you to buy from food trucks and local vendors nearby.
You don’t usually have to buy anything to walk around and enjoy these types of festivals, or you can decide to budget a small amount to support local vendors.
Local Fairs and Markets
The summertime is the best season for one of my favorites: the farmer’s market.
It’s a fun way to spend the morning, and you can find great deals on fresh produce. Plus the vendors are always willing to have a chat about recipes or complementary ingredients.
You can also look for flea markets or county fairs as a way to spend the day.
Inexpensive Summer Eats
Summer basically demands that you plan for picnics and grilling.
And of course there are low-cost things that you can do while still enjoying delicious food. Avoid going out to eat if you’re watching your budget, as this can really “eat” up a large part of your budget.
Picnic at the park
Find a local park that you can go to or, even better, walk to bike to.
Bring your own food, like sandwiches, cheese, or cured meat, for a light meal. You can even plan with your friends, and everyone brings something different.
Grilling
Grilling is the best way to enjoy the summer!
It’s easy to host a dinner with friends and grill hotdogs and hamburgers while everyone else brings a side dish. You can enjoy dinner with the extra sunlight without the heat of the day.
Homemade ice cream or popsicles
Ice cream and popsicles are classic summer snacks.
While buying ice cream and popsicles is not expensive, it can be a fun and budget-friendly activity to do with your family. Test out mixing flavors and ingredients, like using coconut milk instead of juice or infusing them with fresh fruit.
Educational Activities for Kids
Keeping your kids entertained in the summer can be a real challenge – and an extra expense you may not need.
They aren’t in school, so you may have to find fun activities for the entire family. Fear not! There are plenty of low-cost to free activities for your children this summer.
Summer Reading
Hit up your local library and sign up for their summer reading program.
These are usually free and have prizes for your children if they read a certain amount of books. You can go weekly to check out books for them to help complete their summer reading goal.
Libraries will also have activities that you can enjoy for free, like day camps or reading rooms.
DIY Crafts and Science Experiments
When it gets too hot, keeping your kids entertained outside of TV and video games can be challenging.
While this isn’t a free option, you can find low-budget crafts and experiments to do on those extra hot days. You can find videos on YouTube and grab supplies at your local Dollar Store, or even go through what you have and get creative at home.
Museums and Zoos
Many museums and zoos offer free or reduced admission days.
Children under a certain age may go for free on any day. This is a fun, educational way to get out of the house. You can try to go once a week or once a month.
Check out your local sites to find out when the free admission happens and plan a family visit around it.
A Budget Friendly Summer is in Your Reach
The summer is all about enjoying quality time with your family and friends while spending more time outside.
But your fine-weather plans don’t have to throw off your budget if you come up with fun, budget-friendly summer activities.
From enjoying parks, grilling, and spending time at the lake, you can have a memorable summer at a low cost.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published Jun 24, 2023 and has been updated to reflect economic changes.
Photo by Kateryna Hliznitsova on Unsplash
