Beach Tour
It's only a few times a year that perfect weather and vacation schedules combine and we head to the beach for a long day of relaxing and playing in the sun. You probably most often visit the beach you know well...the one near you, the same one everyone else goes to. Why not spend an afternoon touring other beaches in your area? Don't bother lugging all the food and gear--just grab the family and go. Maybe you'll find a hidden gem this summer. Then, the next time you go to the trouble of packing half your house to spend a day at the beach, let it be the beach you discovered as family. You might even get to have it to yourselves.

Public Gardens
Better gardeners than I spend hours, weeks and months tending to public gardens. These gardens are gorgeous displays of nature's beauty and they are sitting right in the middle of your town. Pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic while you take in the sights and scents of the stunning garden. Grab your camera and take some shots while you're there. You might even take something frame-worthy on your visit. Scavenger Hunt Okay, this may take a little more time and energy but it still won't cost you a cent. Create a map and some clever clues about things only found in nature. Prepare the kids to go on a neighborhood tour. In teams, including a responsible adult of course, unleash your family. The first team to return with all the items listed can have ice cream for supper, or choose the movie for movie night, or stay up late. Or why not all three?

Tour City
Have you ever considered hopping on a tour bus and getting an education about your own city? Tourists do this all the time because the tours are both entertaining and informative. You'll enjoy learning about the place you live and you'll likely be surprised at how much you didn't know. We are quick to dig in to the places we visit but we tend to skip the local tourism scene. At the very least you'll be able to impress your friends with your local knowledge at the next get-together.