Free Things to Do with Kids

Hilo, HI

Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station

World-class stargazing at 9,200 feet with free evening telescope programs. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip.

Nature
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Kailua, HI

Kailua Beach Park

Award-winning white sand beach with turquoise water and gentle waves. Free. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Stroller-friendly.

Swimming
Ages 1+
~4h
Free

Kapaa, HI

Lydgate Beach Park

Protected rock pools for safe snorkeling and a massive playground on Kauai east side. Free. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 1+
~4h
Free

Koloa, HI

Poipu Beach Park

America's Best Beach with a protected keiki pool, monk seals, and sunny south shore weather. Free. Works from toddler age.

Swimming
Ages 1+
~4h
Free

Captain Cook, HI

Captain Cook Monument Snorkel Trail

Steep hike down to world-class snorkeling in a marine sanctuary with dolphins. Free. Better for ages 8 and up. Easily a full day.

Snorkeling
Ages 8+
~5h
Free

Haiku, HI

Twin Falls Maui

Easy waterfall hike with swimming at the first stop on the Road to Hana. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Easy going.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~2h
Free

Hanalei, HI

Tunnels Beach (Makua)

Premier snorkeling through reef tunnels with Bali Hai mountain backdrop. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip. Easy going.

Swimming
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Hilo, HI

Hilo Farmers Market

Hawaii's biggest farmers market with 200+ vendors, exotic fruits, and tropical flowers. Free. Works from toddler age. About an hour.

Nature
Ages 1+
~1h
Free

Kaneohe, HI

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden

Free 400-acre botanical garden with dramatic mountain backdrop and camping. Free. Works from toddler age. About two hours.

Nature
Ages 1+
~2h
Free

Naalehu, HI

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach

Volcanic black sand beach famous for Hawaiian green sea turtles basking on shore. Free. Works from toddler age. About an hour.

Nature
Ages 2+
~1h
Free

Naalehu, HI

South Point Green Sand Beach (Papakolea)

Hike to one of only four green sand beaches in the world at the US southernmost point. Free. Better for ages 8 and up. A half-day trip.

Hiking
Ages 8+
~4h
Free

Wailuku, HI

Nakalele Blowhole

Natural ocean blowhole shooting water 100 feet high on a dramatic lava coast. Free. Better for ages 6 and up. About an hour.

Hiking
Ages 6+
~1h
Free

Little Elm, TX

Little Elm Beach

Sandy lake beach on Lewisville Lake with roped swim area and free life jacket loans. Free. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~4h
Free

Bertram, TX

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

Free federal refuge with birding trails and Junior Rangers. Free. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Stroller-friendly.

Hiking
Ages 3+
~2h
Free

Cedar Park, TX

Brushy Creek Regional Trail

14-mile paved trail with playgrounds connecting Cedar Park and Round Rock. Free. Works from toddler age. About two hours.

Biking
Ages 2+
~2h
Free

Flower Mound, TX

Northshore Trail

26 miles of lakeside singletrack mountain biking trails. Free. Better for ages 6 and up. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome. Moderate effort.

Mountain Biking
Ages 6+
~3h
Free

Fort Worth, TX

Kimbell Art Museum

Free permanent collection in a famous Louis Kahn building in Fort Worth, small enough for a one-hour gallery visit with young kids.

Museum
Ages 4+
~1h
Free

Frisco, TX

Kathy Seei Park

Bronze longhorn sculptures and a pond in a compact landscaped park. Free. Works from toddler age. About an hour. Stroller-friendly.

Nature
Ages 2+
~1h
Free

Garland, TX

Spring Creek Forest Preserve

Old-growth forest with guided nature hikes near Dallas. Free. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Stroller-friendly.

Hiking
Ages 3+
~2h
Free

Georgetown, TX

Good Water Trail

26-mile lakeside trail with canyon overlooks and Hill Country terrain. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Humble, TX

Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center

Boardwalk trails through cypress swamp with free guided canoe trips. Free. Works from toddler age. About two hours. Stroller-friendly.

Nature
Ages 2+
~2h
Free

Sherman, TX

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

12,000-acre wildlife refuge with kids programs on Lake Texoma. Free. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Easy going.

Nature
Ages 3+
~3h
Free

Southlake, TX

Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve

Short easy trails through rare Cross Timbers forest in Southlake. Free. Works from toddler age. About an hour. Stroller-friendly.

Nature
Ages 2+
~1h
Free

Waco, TX

Cameron Park

Dramatic blufftop trails and hidden grottos above the Brazos River. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~2h
Free

Beacon, NY

Beacon Sloop Club

Free evening sails on the Hudson aboard Pete Seeger's volunteer-crewed sloop Woody Guthrie. No charge, ever. Reserve by phone.

Sailing
Ages 5+
~2h
Free

Haines Falls, NY

Kaaterskill Falls Trail

The tallest two-tiered waterfall in New York State at 260 feet. Free. Best from about age 5. About two hours. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~2h
Free

Poughkeepsie, NY

Walkway Over the Hudson

Walk 212 feet above the Hudson River on the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. Free. Works from toddler age.

Hiking
Ages 2+
~1h
Free

Sundown, NY

Peekamoose Blue Hole

Stunning blue-green natural swimming hole with waterfall in the Catskill forest. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Caroga Lake, NY

Kane Mountain Fire Tower

Quick and easy fire tower hike perfect for young or beginner hikers. Free. Best from about age 4. About an hour. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~1h
Free

Gowanda, NY

Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area

Wild 600-foot gorge with old-growth forest and deep swimming holes. Free. Better for ages 8 and up. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 8+
~4h
Free

Honeoye, NY

Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area

Easy hilltop trails with stunning views over Honeoye Lake and the Finger Lakes. Free. Best from about age 3. About two hours.

Hiking
Ages 3+
~2h
Free

Keene, NY

Cascade Mountain

The most popular Adirondack High Peak with stunning 360-degree summit views. Free. Better for ages 7 and up. Easily a full day.

Hiking
Ages 7+
~5h
Free

Keene Valley, NY

Indian Head and Rainbow Falls Trail

Epic hike past a 150-foot waterfall to the iconic Ausable Lakes cliff-top view. Free. Better for ages 8 and up. Easily a full day.

Hiking
Ages 8+
~7h
Free

Middleburgh, NY

Vroman's Nose

Short hike to a cliff-top meadow with sweeping Schoharie Valley views. Free. Best from about age 5. About two hours. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~2h
Free

Pilot Knob, NY

Buck Mountain Trail

Challenging summit hike with sweeping Lake George views from 2,334 feet. Free. Better for ages 7 and up. Easily a full day.

Hiking
Ages 7+
~5h
Free

Wolcott, NY

Chimney Bluffs State Park

Otherworldly clay spires sculpted by erosion on the shore of Lake Ontario. Free. Best from about age 5. About two hours.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~2h
Free

Rio Grande, PR

El Yunque National Forest

The only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest system, with roadside waterfalls and a canopy tower a short walk from the car.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~5h
Free

Aguadilla, PR

Crash Boat Beach

Submerged pier pilings have grown coral and sponge into an artificial reef, making this the easiest genuinely good snorkel on the west coast.

Snorkeling
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Cabo Rojo, PR

Playa Buye

A calm, shallow, palm-shaded cove on Puerto Rico's west coast, and one of the gentlest beaches on the island for toddlers and nervous swimmers.

Swimming
Ages 1+
~4h
Free

Cabo Rojo, PR

Playa Sucia (La Playuela)

A curved bay under limestone cliffs at the island's south-west tip, with the 1882 Los Morrillos lighthouse on the headland above.

Swimming
Ages 4+
~4h
Free

Culebra, PR

Tamarindo Beach

Swim out a short way from a quiet Culebra shore and you are over turtle grass where green sea turtles graze most mornings. No facilities at all.

Snorkeling
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Guanica, PR

Bosque Estatal de Guanica

A UN biosphere reserve of subtropical dry forest - cactus, thorn scrub and rare birds - with hot coastal trails leading down to empty beaches.

Hiking
Ages 6+
~4h
Free

Isabela, PR

Playa Jobos

A limestone-framed bay on the north-west coast with a reliable surf break at one end and sheltered tide pools for children at the other.

Surfing
Ages 6+
~3h
Free

Loiza, PR

Pinones

A coastal boardwalk and bike path through mangrove and palm, lined with kiosks frying the best street food on the island.

Biking
Ages 4+
~4h
Free

Luquillo, PR

Charco Frio, Rio Sabana

A cold, clear river pool on the edge of El Yunque, reached by a short forest walk - a local swimming hole rather than a sight.

Swimming
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Rincon, PR

Domes Beach

Puerto Rico's best-known surf break, with beginner lessons when the summer swell drops and humpback whales passing offshore in winter.

Surfing
Ages 8+
~3h
Free

Christiansted, VI

Cane Bay Beach

Swim a couple of hundred feet from the sand and the reef simply ends at a wall dropping thousands of feet into open blue. Easy entry, big drop-off.

Snorkeling
Ages 6+
~3h
Free

Frederiksted, VI

Frederiksted Pier

Pier pilings encrusted with orange and purple sponge hold seahorses, frogfish and octopus in shallow, sheltered, unusually clear water.

Snorkeling
Ages 7+
~3h
Free

St. John, VI

Cinnamon Bay Beach

The longest beach on St. John, with a small offshore cay within snorkelling range and a Danish sugar plantation ruin trail just behind the sand.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~4h
Free

St. John, VI

Hawksnest Bay

The closest good reef to Cruz Bay: elkhorn coral heads sit a short swim from the sand, with parking directly beside the beach.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~3h
Free

St. John, VI

Honeymoon Beach

A calm crescent reached by a half-hour walk from Cruz Bay, with kayak and paddleboard rental, snorkelling gear and a beach bar on the sand.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~4h
Free

St. John, VI

Maho Bay Beach

Green sea turtles graze the seagrass a few yards off the sand, in water so shallow and calm you can watch them standing up.

Snorkeling
Ages 3+
~3h
Free

St. Thomas, VI

Brewers Bay Beach

A free local beach by the university with calm shallow water, sea grape shade, food vans behind it and planes landing directly overhead.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~3h
Free

St. Thomas, VI

Coki Beach

The best shore snorkelling on St. Thomas - dense reef fish right off the sand, in shallow, protected, usually calm water.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~3h
Free

St. Thomas, VI

Sapphire Beach

Reef within easy swimming range at both ends, a long shallow sandy middle for small children, and a straight view across to St. John from the sand.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~3h
Free

Broken Bow, OK

Broken Bow Lake

Crystal-clear 14,000-acre mountain lake with calm swimming coves and 180 miles of shoreline. Free. Works from toddler age.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~3h
Free

Broken Bow, OK

Beaver Lodge Nature Trail

Easy 2-mile forest loop trail through towering pines in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. Best from about age 3. About an hour.

Hiking
Ages 3+
~1h
Free

Broken Bow, OK

Cedar Bluff Nature Trail

Easy 0.8-mile river-view loop across from Dogwood Campground in Beavers Bend State Park - one of Broken Bow's best quick family hikes

Hiking
Ages 3+
~0.5h
Free

Broken Bow, OK

David Boren Hiking Trail

Premier 12-mile trail system with lake views and flexible routes in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. Better for ages 6 and up.

Hiking
Ages 6+
~3h
Free

Broken Bow, OK

Forest Heritage Center Museum

Free forestry museum inside Beavers Bend State Park with wall murals, logging tools, and dioramas for a rained-out cabin day.

Museum
Ages 3+
~1h
Free

Broken Bow, OK

Friends Trail Loop

Popular 1.5-mile family loop with a river waterfall in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. Best from about age 3. About an hour.

Hiking
Ages 3+
~1h
Free

Idabel, OK

Museum of the Red River

Idabel museum forty minutes from Broken Bow with a full mounted Acrocanthosaurus and Native American art of the Americas.

Museum
Ages 4+
~2h
Free

Stuart, FL

Bathtub Reef Beach

A worm-rock reef sits just offshore and turns the water inside into a warm, calm, waist-deep pool full of fish at low tide.

Snorkeling
Ages 3+
~3h
Free

Islamorada, FL

Anne's Beach

A free roadside beach with warm, ankle-deep water for hundreds of feet and a boardwalk through mangroves - made for toddlers.

Swimming
Ages 1+
~2h
Free

Marathon, FL

Sombrero Beach

A free, shaded, sandy municipal beach in the middle Keys with calm shallow water, a playground and real palm-tree shade.

Swimming
Ages 1+
~3h
Free

Sarasota, FL

Siesta Key Beach

Quartz sand that stays cool underfoot even in August, and Gulf water so shallow and calm it works as a giant paddling pool for small children.

Swimming
Ages 1+
~4h
Free