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Last month we asked you to share your favorite free things to do on vacation. Your answers highlight just how much you can do without spending a dime. From people watching in parks to savoring scenic drives, here are some of your favorite ways to forgo the admission fees without sacrificing any of the memories.
Get Outdoors
Walking, snorkeling, and swimming are all great ways to immerse yourself in the beauty of a place. Reader D. Baird wrote in with this packing tip for anyone who plans to snorkel more than once on a trip: "In Belize, Mexico, Zanzibar, and the Galapagos, I brought along my own personal snorkel gear so I could swim off shore as many times and as often I wanted—all for free!!"
Aileen Kow, writing about Hawaii, suggests getting out early: "Beach walks in the morning for sunrise are also great." Reader Hmmmichelle advocates exploring on foot at any time of day: "Walk around the town or city! I check out the markets, street performers, and beaches and just get myself acquainted with the city, its people, and its culture."
Explore Local Cultures
Experiencing other cultures is a huge part of most vacation experiences. Many readers shared their tips for soaking up the local flavors. Lyndee from Fairfax, Virginia, recommends "people watching in Europe while you're sitting in a plaza, or by a fountain, or at an outdoor cafe. I love seeing how people are dressed, how they interact and what normal folks do on an ordinary day while I'm on vacation in their country." Maggi Wagner and Chuck Cleveland take a similar approach: "Our favorite free thing to do on vacations around the world is to get lunch to go, take our books to read in a local park or square, and just relax and 'people watch.' We frequently strike up conversations with the locals and learn lots of special things to do and see off the tourist path."
Ellen, meanwhile, creates her own cultural walking tours with a little help from local organizations: "I go to the local historical society and find out what a town/city has to offer. For example, while in Oil City, Pennsylvania recently, I designed two tours. One included historical, Victorian homes, and one reflected unique commercial structures. You can do this anywhere in the world (with cautions, of course) and get quality exercise, while you do some unique visual learning. Once, in Delos (Greece) we did our own "discovery" walk to analyze what the people were like many centuries ago."
Nadine does as the locals do by shopping where the locals shop: "Wander through a foreign supermarket or hardware store. They always have interesting items that we don't have back home." SarahP finds free ways to soak up local history: "I always like to visit cathedrals—beautiful architecture and history, all free!"
Make the Most of Public Spaces
From making the most of hotel common areas to checking email in city buildings, visitors can find all sorts of free things to do in spaces open to the public.
Aileen Kow shares a tip for making the most of cool hotel lobbies, even when you're not a guest: "I have always enjoyed relaxing in an air-conditioned hotel along the way to another walking tour spot. Maybe hit the lobby or the patio area if one is available. We get spoiled here as there are some great views of beachfront and white sands here in Hawaii that even we as locals can enjoy."
Wondering where to go to find noteworthy architecture, a comfortable place to sit, and free Internet access? Four separate readers wrote in to recommend the local public library as a great place for out-of-town visitors. Roz Paris says, "When we travel in large American cities, there is often a wonderful and free tour of the central library, for those who are inclined. These are beautiful old buildings, and often have an interesting history, told by enthusiastic docents." Megan Allen adds, "if possible, get a library card—make a donation and have a great memento of your vacation." Kathy Phillips of Fresno, California, says libraries offer "beautiful architecture, clean restrooms, and comfortable places to sit and read local papers and about local resources/events/sights." And libraries can save visitors money, too. An anonymous reader says, "I love to go to the local library and email my friends for FREE. I set up a free account on Yahoo before I leave for vacation and then use the local library's computers to email my friends."
Recommended Free Spots
So what are our readers' favorite free spots? Don MacNeil recommends, "Free museums and parks like all the museums in Glasgow, or the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs."
Kathy Phillips recommends the Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens (in Hilo, Hawaii), walking through Central Park in New York City, as well as "wave watching at Pacific Grove's Asilomar Beach in California, driving/walking through the Avenue of the Giants in Northern California, and driving Highway 1 from Ft. Bragg, California, to Coos Bay, Oregon."
What are your favorite free things to do on vacation? Continue the conversation below!
