Raleigh, North Carolina: Family Fun on a Budget

Let's face it, going out to have some family fun in the Raleigh North Carolina area can get expensive. As our family recently found out, the dollars add up even for something as simple as a bowling outing. The average cost for a family of 4 to bowl a game at one of our local bowling alleys is about $30. And that's just for one game and the shoe rentals. But add some snacks and drinks and you're well into the $40-$50 range for about 1 hour of fun family time.

So while bowling can be a great way to spend some time with your kids, you can find a lot of excellent things to do around the Triangle area that are absolutely free. So why not save the bowling money for a tank of gas or an inexpensive dinner out and let's check out some of the fun, FREE thrills your family can enjoy around Raleigh.

Our kids always enjoy visiting The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Jones Street in downtown Raleigh. They love exploring the 4 floors packed with amazing dinosaur exhibits, nature displays, animal exhibits, discovery rooms, and a living butterfly conservatory, .

The North Carolina Museum of History is just across the plaza featuring art exhibits, historical artifacts, and sports memorabilia. You can also walk a few blocks over to the Executive Mansion where tours are offered throughout the year with a special open house near the Christmas holidays.

Another must-see is the North Carolina Museum of Art on Blue Ridge Road. Here you can browse the impressive works of art inside the museum, participate in a free workshop, or go outside and enjoy the one-of-a-kind 164-acre park.

Take a weekend stroll through the big indoor/outdoor Raleigh flea market at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds on Hillsborough Street. You'll find hundreds vendors selling all sorts of odds-and-ends including antiques, toys, jewelry, books, music, clothing, used items, furniture, plants, and much more. You can even watch the horses compete at the nearby Hunt Horse Complex if there's an event going on. Check the NC State Fairgrounds website for other free events as well as inexpensive ones like animal shows, car shows, martial arts exhibits, and more.

Wake County, the City of Raleigh and the surrounding counties offer numerous parks and playgrounds. Pullen Park by NC State University has beautiful walkways and you can even try out the paddleboats or carousel if you feel like spending a few dollars. Umstead State Park has miles of great hiking trails that you could spend the whole day exploring. Or take the kids fishing at one of the nearby lakes. You'll find a listing of the parks and their features on the North Carolina State Park, Wake County and City of Raleigh websites.

And don't forget to be on the lookout for the array of free festivals and exhibits that take place throughout the year in Raleigh and surrounding towns. The nearby town of Cary, North Carolina has 2 of the largest craft fairs in the South in April and August attracting over 60,000 people to each event. There are also farmer's markets scattered throughout the area with the largest one located off of Lake Wheeler Road near downtown Raleigh.

There are always more options listed on the weekly calendar, so your best bet is to check the Raleigh News and Observer Friday paper for upcoming events and festivals. If you don't get the paper at home, you can just browse through the News and Observer online. So get out and explore all of the free activities that Raleigh has to offer - it will be fun for the whole family and easy on your wallet.