Summer vacations can get expensive, what with all the entrance fees to theme parks, museums and oddball attractions along the way to your final destination.
It may come as a surprise, then, that some of the top attractions in major cities are yours for the taking this summer. From zoos to botanic gardens and everything in between, we’ve compiled a must-hit list of free attractions for your summer travels.
New York City
Take a bite out of the cost of a
Big Apple visit with a ride on the Downtown Connection, a free bus service that stops at designated points along a route in lower Manhattan. Stops include Battery Place (for the Statue of Liberty) and Bowling Green (for the Museum of the American Indian – a free attraction). Other NYC freebies include admission to the New York Transit Museum, tours through Central Park, and the Queens Botanic Garden.
Los Angeles
Star-gazing in LA is free – and so are some of the city’s finest attractions. The
Getty Center houses not only J. Paul Getty’s amazing collection of European art, it offers a panoramic view from atop its mountain perch. The Santa Monica Pier has been a magnet for locals and tourists since 1909, and there’s no admission charged for visiting the pier, although the rides (and food!) will cost you. The La Brea Tar Pits, that ooey-gooey prehistoric wonder, is another freebie, as is the Griffith Park Observatory, and the funky, open-air
Farmer’s Market, where star sightings are almost assured.
St. Louis
STL is the not only stands for
St. Louis, it’s an abbreviation for free, as this city offers up a seemingly endless menu of free attractions. Animal attractions include the St. Louis Zoo, home to 6,000 species of animals, and Grant’s Farm, the former homestead of President Ulyssys S. Grant that’s now an animal preserve. Feed your artistic soul with free visits to the SLAM – the St. Louis Museum of Art, and the Laumeier Sculpture Park. All these freebies may cause you to work up a thirst, so stop off at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery for a free tour and a free sample!
Boston
Beantown’s historical sites take you from the city center to the North End, and there’s plenty to see along the way, all for free. Start on the
Freedom Trail at the Boston Common, the huge public park, then follow the red brick road to a number of free historic sites, including Faneuil Hall. Head a bit north to the Old North Church in the Italian North End section, where there’s almost a free festival every weekend. Tour the Boston Public Garden, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and watch the Swan Boats (they’re practically free, at under $3 a ride). And take in a concert at the Hatch Shell, along the Charles River – performances are always free.
Orlando
With all the flash of the world’s greatest theme parks in Orlando, it is easy to overlook the city’s other attractions, many of which are free. The Bradlee-McIntyre House, the area’s only surviving Victorian cottage, is a real-life doll house built around 1885. Hear the stories of Holocaust survivors at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center. At the Orlando City Hall Terrace Gallery, a series of changing exhibitions highlights Florida’s cultural diversity and history. Enjoy the sunny weather at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando, with paved pathways, picnic areas and a playground; paddle boats are available for rental. The Old Town area is a unique combination of specialty shops, eateries and amusement rides; the rides do require inexpensive tickets.
