By Steve Dunkelberger
For parents who want nothing more than a list of free or cheap things to do with the kids during the summer, their wishes have been granted.
One activity option is simply to sign up for Kids Bowl Free, where kids can get free bowling at participating lane through the summer. The annual deal covers games, but not shoe rentals, cutting the cost of bowling about in half.
Fort Nisqually at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park makes for a great spot for a picnic, an educational outing or some sunshine time all wrapped into one location. One particularly fun time is set for July 17, when the living museum complex will wheel out its “candy cannon.”
Staying cool this summer might be good advice. Good thing then that Tacoma has a host of Spray Parks to get wet and wild at without much effort.
Sunny but cool summer evenings often call for families to take walks. One destination for those walks should be the city-wide Third Thursday Art Mingle each month when local museums and galleries are not only free but offer special events to boot.
Take a day trip to Lakewood’s Fort Steilacoom Park for a collection of trails, playfields, playgrounds and historical sites. Heck, you can just go old school and fly a kite or go tap into technology and watch drone pilots fly overhead.
Tacoma is a port city, so why not take a tour of the working waterfront? The Port of Tacoma does just that on selected days during the summer. If you’re not in the mood for going on a tour, just sit back and watch the ships unload their cargo containers from the observation deck.
Fill an afternoon at a farmers market with some fresh fruits and face painting, since at least one market is operating every day somewhere in Pierce County.
Visit a small town’s Main Street for some ice cream and shopping since such trips generally involve discussions about “simpler times” and family memories.
One of Tacoma’s hidden gems is the Karpeles Manuscript Museum, which is currently displaying an exhibit of Victorian documents associated with Charles Dickens.
The Tacoma Nature Center is not only a great spot to learn about nature on your own, at your own pace, but it also offers free and low-cost activities.
The Summer Movie Express from Regal offers $1 movies at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Walk around downtown Tacoma, particularly Antique Row, or check out the two-for-one deal for Ghost tour on Groupon.
Explore downtown while zipping through the city on the Tacoma Link. Part of Sound Transit, the Tacoma Link light rail helps commuters get from point A to B and doubles as a fun way to see the city for free.
Go on a photo scavenger hunt by walking around the neighborhood with a cell phone or digital camera and discover the world outside (or inside) by having a list of things to photograph.
Walk the waterfront trails at Chambers Bay to not only explore the recent site of the 2015 US Open, but to have a great walk in the process, especially around sunset.
An icon of Tacoma, the Chihuly Bridge of Glass links downtown to its waterfront with a 500-foot span and some wonderful views of the city. Journey across this stretch of walkable artwork and even pop into the Museum of Glass every third Thursday at no cost.
Visit a small town museum. With more than 40 heritage organizations in Pierce County all committed to preserving the history of the region, there are lots of options for peering into the past.
Find “treasures” hidden in your neighborhood with geocaching. All you need is a cell phone and a pair of shoes to “x” marks the spot.
Take a dip or watch the boats at American Lake’s Harry Todd Park. It’s located a stone’s throw away from American Lake Veteran Golf Course — said to be the only golf course in the country offering disability access.
Metro Parks is hosting a free outdoor production of a William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” one of the bard’s most popular comedies, in Wright Park on Friday, July 31.
Not a weekend passes without a music or culture festival. Attend one.
Go to a Tacoma Rainiers game. With low admission prices, you can take the whole family.
Draw a piece of public art, or go to Frost Park at noon every Friday (through October) and play with chalk.
Get scared at the Pierce County Asylum. Celebrate everything from Halloween in July to haunted houses through October.
