(Mostly) Free Summer Fun

Summer can be really fun. Summer can also be really expensive, prompting most of us to sleep through it and wonder why the time flew so rapidly. In order to avoid the lethargy many students are afflicted with, here are some fun things to do with your friends this summer- for free!

Go hiking! Hit up places like Forest Park, or the Banks to Vernonia trail. These places are free to go- just remember to pack plenty of sunscreen, some snacks, plenty of water, and maybe an extra pair of socks.

Visit Powell's! Powell’s City of Books is the world’s largest book store with several floors, socks, a cafe, and over 1.5 million titles. You can find anything from cookbooks to Goodnight Moon.

The Portland Art Museum is free for all those under 18! Take the Max or make your mom drop you and some friends off and then walk a few blocks to get some Chipotle after! Take pictures and have a good time!

Visit Seaside and walk around the shops. Go for an elephant ear and ride on the carousel. Walking up and down the promenade taking pictures is too fun to pass up!

Despite the fact that Finnegan’s is indeed a toy store, the inner-kid in you will see the light of day! Walk around and enjoy the thousands of items for your eyes to behold! Open since 1977, this place is a true gem.

Check out the Portland Rose Garden! The fragrant air and colorful sights are a great place to take a walk and take pictures with friends. Perfect for that picture you’ve been waiting for to bring your feed to the next level.

Every first Thursday of the month, Portland opens their doors and local street vendors set up and sell their wares. There is always live music, and so many cultures of food- there is something for everyone! Plus, its prime people-watching territory.

Check out the Oregon Historical Society with friends and family to learn about the Oregon Trail, Native-American cultures, and many other tidbits about Oregon you have never heard before.

Soak up the beauty and trees in the Hoyt Arboretum. Known as the museum of living trees, this place is old. Like 1928 old. Older than your parents. Older than your teachers. Heck, some of those trees are probably older than your grandparents.

Visit the Simon Benson house and soak up some history, built in 1908 and moved to the PSU campus in 2008.

Check out some free movies in Portland parks! They rotate around several Portland parks and screen fan favorites, new and old. Break out the blankets and the PB&J’s!

(Photo Credit:http://myfrugaladventures.com/2013/05/summer-fun-list-2013-free-printable/ )