Some of the best things you do around the world, are actually free. Everyone knows about people watching and hiking, but how else can you explore a destination without paying up? Let me use my years of experience to show you exactly how…
Travelling doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. In fact, some of the most memorable experiences can be found right outside your door – no wallet required. From exploring the back streets of bustling cities to enjoying the serenity of nature, here are my favourite ways to get to know a place for free.
1. Check out local markets
If you like independent shops, tasting opportunities, homemade food and quirky, creative crafts, local markets are a great way to spend a day out.
Whether it’s a food market where you can pick up fresh produce, or a craft fair where you can pick up something for any upcoming birthdays, don’t forget to take your tote bag along to bring home some goodies for less than you would in the big shops. This is a great way to save money on days out, plus you’re likely to find something more unique there.
2. Go for a picnic
Ahh… the great outdoors. Just a simple park with you, some good friends, maybe a nerf set, tennis set or frisbee. Spend the day eating the bread and cheese you like, and working up a hunger by jumping about like big kids and chasing after that ball that ended up in the bushes (there’s always one!).
Whether it’s a picnic in Port Meadow in Oxford, some sandwiches at Puttles Bridge in the New Forest, or a lovely relaxing day at Runnymede in Surrey, you can enjoy a totally free day out as you may not even have to pay for parking!
Picnics are a great cheap day out, especially if you put on your hiking shoes and check out the nearby trails – it’s the perfect summer holiday pastime.
3. Visit museums and art galleries for free
All of England’s free museums are listed here on Money Saving Expert. These make for the perfect rainy day activity in England. You and the family or your friends might learn something interesting here too, so if you have specific interests check out the list to see if any exhibits take your fancy, since most of the UK’s top museums and art galleries have free-entry exhibitions.
In London, you can learn all about Egyptian mummies at the British Museum, or check out the masterpieces at the National Gallery. In Manchester, kids can dress up as their favourite Premier League stars at the National Football Museum. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s World Museum has its own Bug House, which hosts live insect displays. There’s plenty more out there — these recommendations barely scratch the surface. Just check before you visit as some museums ask that you book ahead to avoid overcrowding.
Visiting a museum is one of the best free things to do in England – click this link to see even more free ideas.
4. Go to the library
Libraries are a brilliant way to save money on books by just borrowing them instead, but if you feel that ‘feeling’ when you step inside — the excitement at hundreds, maybe thousands of books just waiting to be read — then libraries are definitely the place for you.
Find your local library, sign up for a library card, go for an afternoon, and pick up a book you’ve been meaning to read for ages.
5. Look out for free local events
Sometimes it’s easy to look to your larger city or borough for the big events coming up, but often there are many great smaller-scale events on your doorstep. Check out your local area for flyers, or sign up to the Facebook community in your local area to find out what’s going on nearby and save money on days out.
From local restaurant openings to sales at local independent shops to mini festivals and events just around the corner, you might come across something really enjoyable within a few miles of your house.
6. Explore the forest
We often forget how fun and magical the forest can seem to kids, so if you’re looking for a free place to entertain them, there are tonnes of activities you can do. You can let them go wild in the woods and use their own imagination, but if you want to you can suggest activities such as; den building, obstacle courses, rope swings (be careful of weak branches with this one, check it can hold you first!), climbing, bug hunting or insect bingo (free from here)… the possibilities are endless.
You could ask them to find ten items and make a list, then swap lists and go find each other’s items. Or why not learn the names of some of the birds, trees and fauna you spot in the woodland?
RSPB has a good bird identifier on their website for this. Most trees you can tell from their leaves, but there are some free apps that will help you identify plants, like Seek by iNaturalist. It’s basically Shazam but for plants and animals. It does need mobile data, but you can take a picture and load it in later when you have Wi-Fi. Fun and educational for curious little ones.
7. Visit your local parks
If the forest isn’t accessible to you, pack some snacks, get the kids involved, and stick a frisbee, football or other outdoor games in the car for a trip to your nearest park. You can spend hours there exploring, taking long walks together and spotting some of the wildlife in the area. If your local park has a website or social media page, don’t forget to check for any upcoming events to save money on days out, as they often put on fun things for kids for free.
8. Geocaching
Geocaching is a free app that turns a regular walk into an adventure when you’re searching for treasure at the same time. Geocaching is basically walking around and finding things that other people have hidden before you. Like hide and seek, but for all ages. Follow the clues on the app and use your GPS to find the items.
Usually if you find something you will sign the logbook and either leave the cache where it is for the next person to find, or swap for something else. Looking for some with the kids is usually a lot of fun. For example, you might find a pack of colouring pencils, so make sure you take along another kid-friendly item to leave behind in its place if you take the cache. This activity can lead to hours of searching and fun.
9. Visit the beach
If you fancy swimming somewhere more natural, a trip to the beach is always a great day out — and mostly free if you plan ahead and take your own snacks, drinks, etc. No matter the weather, you could learn to skip rocks on the water, take a dip in the (probably very cold) sea, make a sandcastle with the kids, find shiny shells, and a hundred other fun activities that don’t cost a thing.
Take a cool bag with your own food and drinks, and bring towels or deck chairs so you don’t need to rent them. Also plan ahead to find the most affordable parking options, and you can look forward to a cheap day out at the beach. There are tonnes of things to do there, and plenty of places in the country to do them.
10. Go for a city walk
While walking around the city you can make it more interesting by turning it into a game too. Go with a friend and take it in turns to decide if you are going to go left or right at a junction. You can end up in some super random places! If you really get into it, there are plenty of spinner apps you can download to make the decision for you and put it into fate’s hands.
If you’re doing this one with kids, make sure they’re always with at least one adult so no one gets lost.
11. Make art from nature
Tap into your creative side and get the kids involved to make some art for your home. If you’ve had a blank space on your wall for a while or a spot on the kitchen counter that’s crying out for a family-made piece of art, make a day of it and make it free by using materials from your natural surroundings.
Collect sticks, rocks, leaves and flowers to create an art project with the kids. It could be a nature collage, or something more elaborate depending on how long the kids will focus for. It’s always a fun day out if you come back with something hand-made that the whole family can be proud of.
12. Sign up to Pokemon Go!
Yes, the Pokemon Go phase was a short-lived viral era of all our lives, but it doesn’t have to be over. In fact, it’s still got a thriving community of players ready to join, so if you love Pokemon, gaming, or you just want an excuse to get out and walk more in your local area, download the app and give it a go.
It’s basically a virtual reality app which uncovers Pokemon in your local area for you to catch. And we’ve heard that you simply gotta catch ’em all, so that’s a great free day out you can do with friends and family.
13. Play tracking with the family
Another great way to save money on days out is to turn it into a game. Have you ever played “tracking”? Basically, you designate an area and one person sets off in advance, setting a trail as they go by making arrows out of rocks, branches or even using a stick in the mud. The rest of the group then try to catch up by following the arrows.
It’s basically a big cat-and-mouse game for the whole family to get involved in. It’s great fun and it will tire the kids out for the day.
