By Bill Lohmann, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.
Jul. 25–Gas prices are gnawing a hole in your wallet, and the cost of everything else is making your head hurt, too.
How do you have a little family fun without spending the grocery money?
Here’s a start:
Quit reading Fabulous Vacations of the Rich and Annoying Monthly and ratchet down your expectations. Besides, do you really need a $10,000-a-week beach house to have the time of your life?
Don’t answer that.
Instead, think of the simple pleasures of finding fun where you can close to home.
With the help of readers, we’ve fashioned a partial list of free or inexpensive family activities around town. Area parks
–James River Park covers more than 550 acres of shoreline and islands, extending from the Huguenot Bridge eastward to just beyond the Interstate 95 bridge, and it’s all free. You can hike or bike on the walking trails. Go down to the water and hop from rock to rock. Fish or sunbathe. More adventurous? Shoot the rapids or find a swinging rope and take a flying dunk into the water. Belle Isle, with its 1-mile path, is a favorite destination. Find out more: www.jamesriverpark.org
–Maymont is a perfect picnic destination. Besides strolling among the Italian and Japanese gardens and meandering over the hills, you can pet a chicken at the Children’s Farm or watch the otters at the Robins Nature and Visitor Center. Admis sion is free, although donations are welcome at the Nature Center. Find out more: www.maymont.org
–Pocahontas State Park, in Chesterfield County, is not free admission is a $5 parking fee — but it’s close. The mammoth park — at more than 7,600 acres it’s Virginia’s largest — has the usual picnic shelters and camping, as well as hiking and biking trails. But it also offers an impressive pool (swimming fee is $6 for 13-and-older guests on weekdays, kids 3-12 are $5, and younger than 3 are free) and two lakes. My 11-year-old and I paddled our kayaks around Swift Creek Lake on a recent Sunday afternoon and had a most enjoyable time exploring the various coves. Turtles were everywhere. If you don’t have your own vessel, you can rent rowboats and paddle boats ($6 per hour) and kayaks (singles, $8 per hour, and tandems, $10 per hour) at the lake. www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/poc.shtml
Other parks of interest include:
–Chesterfield : Dutch Gap Conservation Area, 800 acres of woodlands and wildlife, perfect for hiking and birding and Robious Landing Park, a 50-acre park with 3 miles of nature trails and access to the James River. www.co.chesterfield.va.us/humanservices/parksandrecreation/parksites.asp
–Henrico County: Take your kids bike-riding at Deep Run Park in the west or go fly a kite at Dorey Park in the east. Playgrounds are available in most every park. www.co.henrico.va.us/rec
–Hanover County: Try Pole Green Park, which has an equestrian area, jogging trails, ball fields and a skateboard park. www.co.hanover.va.us/parksrec/ Walking free
Stroll around Capitol Square and take a tour of the newly restored Capitol. Tours are free. www.virginiacapitol.gov
* –Amble along Richmond’s 1.25-mile Canal Walk. It has access points at nearly every block between Fifth and 17th streets, with historical exhibits along the way. www.venturerichmond.com
–Saunter through Carytown. Buy if you’d like, but just browse if you’d prefer. “One day, I decided to just go into every shop in a one-block area,” said Liz Snead, a Chesterfield resident who has lots of ideas about free or inexpensive fun. “It was fun. I got to see lots of real neat stuff. It was like going to a museum where you are allowed to touch the exhibits. I got to talk to a lot of people, too.” www.carytown.org
–Wander through The James Center’s atrium on East Cary Street, between 10th and 12th streets and ride the glass elevators. Kids always like glass elevators. www.thejamescenter.com Music to my ears
Performances at Dogwood Dell are free. The summer season is winding down, but several shows remain. Tonight, Simply Kevin B (jazz funk) performs at 8 p.m. Tomorrow at the same time, local legend Robbin Thompson (Americana, blues) takes the stage. The Latin Ballet dances Sunday at 4 p.m. “Little Shop of Horrors” will be performed Aug. 1-3 and 7-9, 8:30 each night. The Whitlocks (vocal music) are scheduled for Aug. 3 at 4 p.m. on the Ha’Penny Stage behind the Carillon. www.ci.richmond.va.us/departments/parks/dogwood.aspx
* –Short Pump Town Center offers a free concert every Friday (weather permitting) through the summer. Shows run 6-8 p.m. in the Main Plaza. Tonight: Son Quatro. Next Friday: Marna and Macy. www.shortpumpmall.com
–Take a lawn chair and enjoy the Henrico Community Band free outdoor concerts at Deep Run Park (July 31 and Aug. 28, 7 p.m.) or Dorey Park (July 27 or Aug. 24, 6 p.m.) www.co.henrico.va.us/rec
–Ashland has Sunday-evening concerts through the summer at 7 p.m. on the lawn at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center, 500 S. Center St. This coming Sunday, it’s Oretea Knicely, with music from the Andes. On Aug. 3, it will be Laurie Lewis and the Right Hand, featuring California bluegrass. www.bluemont.org/concerts/town_ashland.html Be cool
Visit Stony Point Fashion Park, off Stony Point Parkway, and let the kids run through the fountain. Being a dog-friendly place, Stony Point is a good place for pooch-watching as well. www.shopstonypoint.com Odds and ends
* –Public libraries. Free books. Air-conditioned space. Tracy Lewis, a family educator at Commonwealth Parenting Center, said she and her children enjoy visiting different public libraries for a fresh look. “People usually go to the same one all the time,” she said. “We go to different ones all around us and then to Wendy’s drive-through for a Frosty. It kills a few hours, and it costs me less than $10.”
–Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Admission is free to most exhibits, although a donation is welcome. www.vmfa.state.va.us
–Go browsing or shopping at one of the increasing number of local farmers markets. Go to inRich.com and search the site for “Farmers markets.”
–Grab a blanket and enjoy family movie night under the stars at Henrico’s Hidden Creek Park (Aug. 2, 8:30 p.m., “Daddy Day Camp”) or Walkerton Tavern (Aug. 23, 8:30 p.m., “National Treasure: Book of Secrets”). Free popcorn and lemonade while supplies last. www.co.henrico.va.us/rec
–Historic St. John’s Church, 2401 E. Broad St., where Patrick Henry stood and said a few words. Historical re-enactments of his “Give Me Liberty” speech are held each Sunday in the summer through Labor Day weekend. Free tickets are distributed at the church, beginning at 1 p.m. The re-enactment begins at 2 p.m. A voluntary donation is collected after the performance. Tours of the church are not free ($6 for adults, $4 for children ages 7-18, and free to those younger than 7) but they’re inexpensive, and the education is priceless. www.historicstjohnschurch.org
–Speaking of history, the Richmond Braves are almost that. A general-admission ticket can be had for $7 for adults or $5 for seniors and children. It doesn’t have to be an expensive outing if you eat before you go and don’t drop a bundle on food and if you can find street parking nearby for free. www.rbraves.com
–Colonial Downs is a bit of a hike to New Kent County, but general admission is only $2, with children younger that 12 free, and parking is free, too. Racing for the summer Thoroughbred meet concludes Aug. 6. www.colonialdowns.com If all else fails
–Find a lake and feed a duck.
Contact Bill Lohmann at (804) 649-6639 or [email protected].
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Copyright (c) 2008, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.
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