Cheap or Free Summer Fun No Matter Where You Live

The weathers great, and the long daylight hours mean more time to get out and have fun. But things like water parks and concerts can get very expensive. So whether you're a college student like me, or have a house full of kids here are some ideas for cheap summer fun.

Stargazing it a great night of cheap fun. You can print star charts off the internet. Sky maps (http://skymaps.com/) offers a new, high quality star chart for free download every month to keep up with the changing sky. Most constellations are characters in Greek myths; you can look up the stories behind them to share with your kids. Get out away from the streetlights and you'll see more, but if you can't get way out in the county, soccer and other sport fields work well. If you head out before night fall, you can enjoy a picnic and games, and then catch fireflies until the stars come out.

Check out your local library. Chances are that your library has some summer fun activities for all ages of kids. From story-time for toddlers to reading enrichment and magicians for older kids. There may also be groups like chess club that meet at your local library. Libraries don't just have books any more, you can checkout movies and even computer games to cut back on your movie rental expenses year round. You can probably check the online calendar right now, and if you're like me and never get books in on-time, now you can renew your books online to help keep those late fees away.

Summer Festivals. Keep your eyes and ears open for free summer festivals in your town or nearby. These can range from street dances, fruit festivals, and historical days. And of course, summer isn't complete without a fourth of July celebration. Most towns have a great Fourth of July celebration with a parade, street festival, music and fireworks.

Go for a hike. If you're lucky enough to live near a free state or national park take advantage of that and head out on the trails. Most parks have a few 1-2 mile loops as well as 8 mile day hikes for the more experienced. There might even be a hiking club in your town, which is a great way to learn new trails and meet new people. When deciding how long a trail will take, a good rule of thumb is 2 miles per hour, though you may find your pace faster or slower depending on the terrain. Always carry a lunch or snack and a water bottle. Ponchos are good too incase of afternoon showers.

A day at the races. When I lived in Kentucky I was shocked at how many people had lived there all their life and never made the 40 minute drive to the horse track. While this isn't free, most tracks only have a $2 admissions fee for regular racing days, and if you go on the last racing day of the season, someone might just give you their season's pass as they leave. For your fee, you get to watch the horses get saddled in the paddock, walk out to the track, and run. Bets are a $2 minimum and if you bet on a favorite to show (get third place or better), you have the best chance of getting that money back, though not much else. 'People watching' is also a lot of fun at the track. Do dress up; most women will be wearing dresses and men will be wearing dress shirts and slacks and you will fill terribly out of place if you show up wearing an old sweater and dirty jeans. To find a Thoroughbred, Harness, or Greyhound track near you visit Track Info (http://www.trackinfo.com/index2.html)

Look around. Does your town have a theatre, museum, or community college? Check their websites or give them a call to see if they have any events that are free to the public. These could be craft days for kids, and even if you don't have kids, volunteering to work a table with a friend can be a lot of fun, and they'll often have some entertainment for the parents. Museums and zoos will often have a free day during the week or month or a reduced admissions for afternoon visitors. Local colleges are a great source of free entertainment with can include recitals from music majors, showings from videography classes, art shows, and readings by local authors.