Day 48 - Halle Heart Museum

Backstory: We were going to check out the Tempe Historical Museum and their family friendly summertime events. BUT we drove all the way up there to find a sign on the door saying they were having power issues and the museum was closed for the rest of the day. So now we're up in Tempe with nothing to do. I had a groupon that I'd let expire for the Halle Heart Museum, so that was plan B.

The Halle Heart Museum is hidden in the corner of the American Heart Associate building. It's a cute little museum and a fun place to spend a hour or so. You can read my review from the first time we went here:http://www.trekaroo.com/activities/halle-heart-museum-tempe-arizona

Children 3 and under are free, 4 and up cost $5.

Discounts:

Halle Heart Museum participates in a free lunch program. If you come his summer between 11AM and 1PM you get free admission and kids 18 and under get a free lunch.

If your library participates in the Culture Pass program, stop by and pick up a pass for 2 free admissions.

Day 11-Arizona Science Center

Our Arizona Science Center membership expired last week. Lucky for us, we bought a voucher for a new membership on Groupon a couple months back, so we went to redeem it today. You can read my review about the Arizona Science Center here.

Busy, loud places drive me crazy! If we come to the science center on a busy day, I've got a headache and am ready to leave after an hour. When we go out, I like to be gone for a while, so I need to avoid the crowds and save my sanity.

How to Avoid the Crowds

• Go in the Afternoon. Most school and day care groups do their outings in the mornings. Most people that came earlier in the day have left to have lunch. You also lose the families with napping children in the afternoons. And those moms who didn't plan ahead and put a meal in the crock pot need to get home to get started on dinner.
• Call Ahead to Check for Scheduled Field Trips. Some days museums get slammed with field trips. I hate being places with field trip groups because the kids are less supervised and way more rowdy. If you call ahead, you can save yourself from going at the same time as 5 school groups.
• Avoid Holidays and Weekends. Yep. People like to do stuff these day.
• Avoid Free and Discount Days. I love a good freebie, and so does everyone else. If you want to go on a free/discounted day you will have to deal with the masses. But if you have a membership or if the crowds aren't worth it, you'll still want to know when these discount days are so you can avoid them. I prefer to make my own discounts using coupons and groupons.
• If you have planning a short visit, you could get there right at opening time. Usually places don't start to get busy for about an hour after they open, but this isn't always true.

So what I guess I'm basically saying is go when no one else wants to be there :)

How do you feel about crowded attractions and what lengths do you go to to avoid them?

Saving Money while Traveling with Kids

You don't want to miss out on any of the top attractions when visiting another city. But with kids (especially a large family) costs of entertainment add up quickly. Luckily. There are lots of deals out there for those who are willing to look. Here are my top places for finding deals while traveling.

Entertainment Book

Enchanted Island in Phoenix, AZ
BOGO Discount with Entertainment Book

This is a book of huge coupons that kids used to sell for fundraisers. You buy it for a certain location and your coupons are for that metro area. There are restaurant deals, attraction coupons, and deals for services. Thanks to the wonder of technology, your Entertainment book now gets your deals all over that nation. After you buy a book (watch for deals, mine only cost $5!) you register on their website, entertainment.com. You now have access to digital and printable coupons all the Entertainment Book locations. There is also an Entertainment Book app you can use to look up and use coupons while you are out, no printer needed. We love the app for dining out.

Groupon & Living Social Deals

Scuba Diving in Hawaii
Over 50% off with Groupon

I always check our vacation destinations for Groupon and LivingSocial deals. The best time to look is
when there is a discount code for the deal sites. I was able to go scuba diving in Hawaii for under $50. Search under Things to Do and Restaurants. Make sure to check expiration dates to make sure your deal doesn't end before your vacation starts.

ASTC Passport Program & AZA Reciprocity Program

Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah
Free admission with ASTC Passport Program

If you have a membership to a museum of zoo, check if it belongs to one of these, or another reciprocal program. Your local membership many allow you free or discounted admission to hundreds of other museum's and zoos. I bought a family membership to our local Arizona Science Center for over 50% off on Groupon. I've used it to get into to Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah, Fleet Science a Center in San Diego, California, The Discovery Museum in Reno, Nevada, and so much more! 

Flyers, Pamphlets, and Discount Days

Don't forget to keep your eyes open for potential deals. Look through the flyers and pamphlets in your hotel lobby or ask the concierge if she has any coupons. Look at the flyers sitting on restaurants check-out stands or in racks by the doors. Do an Internet search for discounts to the paces you want to visit while on vacation. Museums often have free or discount days. Many amusement parks have discounted admission after a certain time.

Free and Cheap Fun for Families Around Town

It is easy to blow the budget in the summertime. There are so many great theme parks, museums, and camps to try. But spending a bundle isn't necessary for having a great time. 

Lowe's Build-and-Grow 

In the summertime, there are so many free and cheap programs for kids. The best was to find out about these activities are tips I mentioned in the article for finding local events. Some programs have to be signed-up for, and in a family-friendly area like Gilbert, AZ, those fill up fast. My advice is to register as soon as possible, even if you aren't sure you can make it or that it's something your kids will want to do. You can always cancel later.

Some of our favorite free summer programs include:

• Disney Play Days-Stop by the Disney Store for activities including Art of Animation, Storytime, Trivia, and Showtime. Last year, kids got a different button to put on a lanyard each

  

  Disney Play Days - Art of Animation

  week that they attended an event. These events are happening June, July, and August. Times and activities vary weekly so call ahead to find out what time to attend.
• Storytime at bookstores-Barnes & Noble stores frequently have story times and family-friendly events. You can find them on your local stores website. Some BN stores offer more programs than others so if you have more than one in your area, check both. They also have a summer reading program that let's kids earn a free book. Local bookstores love to get families in there and often have reading stories or programs, too.
• library programs-The summer reading program at the Maricopa County Libraries was pretty lame last year, with no weekly incentives or goals beyond digital badges. BUT there are still some fun programs going on. We have both county and city libraries. The county library's activities have a limit of attendees and fill up quickly. I love Chandler City libraries. They also have some events that have to be registered for, but they offer lots of free programs for all ages and don't seem to be as crowded. They also offer the Culture Pass which allows you to "check out" 2 free passes to local museums, gardens, and zoos. Many libraries have similar programs so check yours.
• free summer lunch programs-Certain schools offer free lunches (and breakfasts) to kids ages 1-18 years throughout the summer. These aren't just for poor families. The schools want you to attend because they get funded based on the number of people that attend. To find free lunch in your area just do a quick internet search.   
• Bass Pro Family Summer Camp-for about a month in the summer (usually around July), families can participate in free activities and crafts. Check your local Bass Pro for specific times and dates.
• Home Depot & Lowe's Kids Workshops-These are offered year-round but get pretty busy in the summer. Be sure to register early for Lowe's and show up early for Home Depot (registration is not required but they do like to have an idea how many people are going to show up). My kids love collecting new project patches for their Lowe's aprons. Their favorite things about Home Depot that you get to paint your project. They do have recommended ages for these programs, but they let any age kids participate with their parents. 

  

  San Tan Village Splash Pad

Parks and splash pads are also a great, free summer option. Since it gets so hot here, we sometimes head to the park right when we wake up, which is between 6 and 7 A.M. If we're wanting to play at a park later in the day, you better bet it will have a splash pad and Mama will be right in there with the kids. Here is my list of splash pads in the Greater Phoenix area.

Cow Appreciation Day

To find cheap activities, check Groupon, Living Social, and local mailers. They often have discount tickets, or even better, museum/zoo memberships. The Arizona Science Center recently had a Groupon for a family pass. Not only will that let us enjoy the Science Center all summer, they are also part of the ASTC Passport program that allows members to get in free to museums all over the country. 

Most movie theaters offer a kids summer movie program. Here they show previously released movies for $1 and also offer concession deals. Check your local theater for details.

Make sure to take advantage of free days at local museums, zoos, and gardens. The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is free the 2nd Tuesday of every month. Some restaurants also offer free days. One of our favorites is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A. Dress like a cow for a free meal.

What are your free and cheap activities around town? Share your favorites in a comment.