Memorial Day on a budget: Affordable family fun

Andrea Pyros


1. Visit a national park

The National Park Service oversees 58 national parks as well as hundreds of other national monuments and historical sites. Many parks plan special educational events for Memorial Day weekend. For example, Shiloh National Military Park (which is on the border of two states: Tennessee and Mississippi) will have programs and exhibits commemorating America’s servicemen and women throughout history, along with weapons firings demonstrations. At Steamtown National Historic Site in Pennsylvania, visitors can see displays of military equipment, vehicles and articles from World War II. Military re-enactors will even be on hand to explain the hardships of life during the war. At Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, fly-fishing on the Madison River reopens to anglers on May 28. It’s the perfect occasion to enjoy the beauty and history our country has to offer. Visit to find a site near you.

2. Pack a picnic lunch


3. Organize a scavenger hunt


4. Batter up! Attend a minor league baseball came


5. Write a letter to the troops


6. Visit a farm

There are small, independent family farms open to visitors around the country. Stop by one near you _ it’s a wonderful way to teach your children more about how their meals actually get to the dinner table each night. Local Harvest ( can help locate one, but always call and confirm details before making any visits!

7. Go to a matinee

Sure, it’s not an outdoorsy activity, but if Memorial Day is a washout or it’s too hot outside, you can either stand at the window, staring at your barbecue grill wishing you could cook up those ribs, or you can take the whole brood to the theater. Memorial Day is the beginning of summer movie season, with “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Kung Fu Panda 2” (both in 3D) opening in late May. Or adults can hire a sitter and then go see “The Hangover Part II” and the equally hilarious “Bridesmaids,” both rated R and aimed for grown-up audiences.

8. Go bowling or mini golfing

If the closest your kids get to a bowling alley or putting range is in front of their Wii, why not go old-school and have them actually do the real thing? Whether anyone in your family is any good is beside the point _ everyone will get moving and laughing, and it gets you all out of the house.

9. Host a yard sale

Glamorous? Not exactly, but it’s totally satisfying to clear out your basement, garage and overflowing closets. Suggest to your kids that they set up a lemonade stand on the lawn the day of. You can talk to them about picking a charity that is important to them and have them send their earnings there. One we like is Alex’s Lemonade Stand (, which raises funds for children with cancer.

10. See the city sights for cheap

If you’re going to be in a major urban area for Memorial Day, there are plenty of ways to save money. Go online and visit and Both sites offer package deals to major tourist destinations in cities like Orlando, San Francisco, New York and Atlanta. For one low price you can see up to 10 attractions of your choice, saving you up to 50 percent.