Great Family Weekend Activity For Less Than $50.  

I love the summer time. There are just so many outdoor activities that can be done with your spouse or your entire family. In our case, there is just me and my husband. My favorite thing to do is to go hiking in the woods. I just love to take my backpack and load it up with a few necessities, put on my hikers, grab my camera and off we go. I just love being in nature. It not only is a great way to keep active and loose those pounds that have added on over the winter but it is also a great way to destress. I am amazed that even though I am physically tired, I am recharged mentally. My mood is great as well as my stress level.

We own eight acres of wooded area behind out home and another 28 acres about a 15 minute drive away. So we are never at a loss for places to hike.

When I was a teen, I worked for the Holly River State Park through a summer program. One of my jobs was to blaze trails for hikers. I so loved this job and I soon learned that there is always a safe place to hike if you are wanting to do it. At state parks, there is trail to match everyone abilities. If you have toddlers, there is an easy trail for you to hike. If you are an experienced hiker and want to make a day of it, there is an expert trail for you. All one needs to do is go to the Parks office and enquire about the trails. There you will find maps and guides if you need one. You may need to contact the park ahead of time if you are going to need a guide. The park system does not charge a fee for use of the trails nor do they charge for a guide if you need one. There are also swing sets and slides for the kids to play on. Lots to do at State Parks for free.

Always remember to carry plenty of fresh water in your backpack as well as some bee sting med and band aids. A small portable first aid kit in a Ziploc bag is perfect. It is easy to pack and does not weigh you down. You will also want to carry a whistle and cell phone if you can reach a tower for signal or walkie talkies to get help in case of an emergency. Always plan ahead and you will have a safe and enjoyable day hiking.

For me, I can spend a wonderful weekend with my husband and have a wonderful time on less than $50. Easily. Here is my plan in doing just that.

Beginning Saturday morning, have a nice breakfast together. Then leisurely get showered, pack hiking gear into backpack and dress for a day on the trail. We always pack a picnic lunch that can easily be eat on the trail. Also keep in mind that you don’t want to leave any litter behind so pack accordingly. One must always leave the trail as good or better than you found it. I strongly suggest hikers as opposed to sneakers. They are safer and give you much more support when hiking.

We spend a leisurely day on the trail and enjoy each others company as well as the views that only nature can give us. We love to talk and watch for wildlife along the way. We stop a the streams, take our shoes off and soak them in the streams. My husband picks me wildflowers along the way. What can be more romantic than that? We stop midday for lunch and a rest from the walking. We try to be home by 5 PM that gives us plenty of time before the dark hit’s the woods and makes it difficult to see. I just love spending time with my husband, as he is my best friend. In the woods we are not bothered by the phone, TV, radio or other distractions. We can truly be recharged in a way that is impossible when we are constantly bombarded by the interruptions of daily life.

If hiking long distances due to health problems are preventing you from such a wonderful experience, there are trails that have benches every so far so you can rest and begin anew. If you are going to a State Park for your outing, they offer slides and swings for the kids also. You can easily make a day of it and not spend much money.

We get home and grill some burgers and hotdogs. We grind our meat for the burgers fresh just before we make the burgers. Still eating them outside so as to continue our day out. After we eat, we shower and change into comfortable clothes. We drive about a mile away to the custard stand for an ice cream cone. We eat it at the provided picnic shelter that is there.

After the ice cream and conversation, we arrive home and view a pay per view movie on Dish network. That completes our day for Saturday.

Sunday morning we get up and get dressed for church. We stay at church for the three hour block and then go to visit family. This will complete our weekend. We have been destressed, spent time together, renewed ourselves Spiritually and enjoyed family. What better way is there to spend a weekend.

The cost is as follows:

Hiking 0.00

Lunch 2.00

Burger and hotdogs 2.00

Ice Cream Cone 2.29

Pay Per View 3.99

Gas for vehicle for church and family visit 5.00 or less

Total 15.28

Wonderful Weekend - Priceless!
Remember, it does not have to cost alot of money to enjoy life and your family. Have fun this summer.



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