Tuesday’s Treat – Family Friendly Cheap or FREE activites!

Welcome to a new feature I’ve cooked up – Tuesday’s Treat! While couponing and saving on essentials is important and necessary, we all have to have fun sometimes! So each Tuesday I’ll be featuring fun things to do on a budget! This comes just in time for SPRING BREAK season!

This week I’ve higlighted things to do in the Birmingham/Central Alabama area as well as Atlanta, Ga and Chattanooga, TN (which are both close enough for a day trip from the Birmingham area).

Birmingham and surrounding areas –

• Oak Mountain State Park has a variety of things to do including a fun petting zoo/farm area! I’ve been there before and got to hold baby lambs! There is also a picnic area just across the parking lot from the petting zoo area. (They also have restrooms right there too!) Check out the website for the hiking areas and attractions at the park, including infor on the wildlife rehabilitation center. Usage fees for the park are just a couple dollars per person. Pack a lunch and call it a day! :)
• Aldridge Botanical Gardens – March 15th – 19th (that’s this week!) from 9-4 each day Hooks in the Gardens. Enjoy a day of fishing with the kids for only $5. If you don’t have fishing rods you can rent them at the Gardens. Tomorrow (the 17th) there will be a fisherman there to answer questions and you can get free bait that day too. Aldridge Gardens is located in Hoover on Lorna Road. Just a hop, skip and jump from the Galleria.
• Hoover Public Library has things going on this week for the kids.
• Rickwood Caverns State Park in Hayden – $1 admission to the park, trails and playground. Cave tours available on Saturday and Sunday at 10:15 am, 12:15, 2:15 and 4:15pm. Cave tour admission is $10 for 12-adult, $5 for 6-11 and under 6 is FREE with a parent or guardian.
• Admission to the Birmingham Zoo is always half price on Tuesdays!
• Little River Canyon in Fort Payne – fee is only $3 per car to access the picnic area. No fees to explore teh Scenic Drive, Little River Falls and Backcountry area.
• Ruffner Mountain Nature Center in East Lake – only $2 per person!

Atlanta, Georgia area:

• Georgia Aquarium – Purchase a Mommy & Me ticket (before Friday 3/19) for $25 and get general admission for one adult, free admission for children age five and under (maximum four children per paid adult) and free parking ($10 value). This offer is valid Monday-Friday and can only be purchased online. You have to purchase by 3/19 but the ticket is good until 12/31/10!!
  (Thanks to Leanadra at Coupons Are Great for this information!)
• Cabbage Patch Babyland General Hospital – FREE admission. Open Monday – Saturday 8-4 CST. Sundays 9-4. In Cleveland, GA (about an hour and a half north of Atlanta)

Chattanooga, Tennessee:
(A BIG thank you to Shelly at Savor the Savings for this incredible information! The Chattanooga ChooChoo is a personal favorite of mine!)

• Stroll the unique shops on the North Shore on Fraizer Avenue it is a pretty cool place – http://www.northshorechattanooga.com/
• Visit Coolidge Park on the North Shore, Ride the Carousel ( I think it is $1 each), and take a stroll over the bridge and enjoy the view. Kids wear your bathing suit if it is warm there is a fountain to play in. http://history.amusement-parks.com/tenncool.htm
• Hunter Museum of Art – First Sunday of each month admission is FREE open Noon till 6 PM https://huntermuseum.org/event/12/ While you are there stroll around the Art District and Grab a bite or a cup of coffee at Rembrandt’s !!!
• Children can play in the water outside the Aquarium- depending on the temp. There is a Ben and Jerry’s Downtown- across form the Aquarium – Free Ice cream 3/23 !!!
• Creative Discovery Museum FREE Family Fun Night Thursday, April 08, 2010, 5:00pm-8:30pm ( I believe there is a FREE night every month) http://www.cdmfun.org/page/calendar/?month=201004
• Take Ochs Hwy up Lookout Mountain to Point Park- Entrance is cheap the view is priceless!!!
• I know this isn’t free but Thomas the Tank will be in Chattanooga beginning 4/23 http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_169188.asp
• Visit the Chattanooga Choo Choo– they have a lot of shops and it is free to just look around- Beautiful Place to see! The Station House at the Choo Choo is a very unique place to eat- the wait staff’s talent will amaze you and you can usually snag a coupon on Restaurant.com
  Shops http://www.choochoo.com/shops.php?dest=31
  Gardens http://www.choochoo.com/garden.php?dest=33
  Station House Restaurant http://www.choochoo.com/stationhouse.php?dest=41
  Chattanooga Restaurants on Restaurant.com:
  http://www.restaurant.com/rdc_site2.net/listings.aspx?StateID=&zip=30741 I would recommend the Station House, North Shore Grille, Market Street Tavern and Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre at the Vaudeville Cafe these are all on restaurant.com right now
• Search http://www.chattanoogabridge.com/events/search. It’s a great source to find events around town!!!
  (Thanks again Shelly!)

Tune in next Tuesday for more Treats! :) I’ll be posting information on activites going on in Cinncinati, Ohio, Houston, Texas, and Huntsville, Alabama!

If you are a blogger and would like to contribute cheap or free things to do in your area, please e-mail me at gavinsmom1020 (at) ymail (dot) com! Thanks!