Low-Budget Entertainment

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

You don’t have to blow your budget to find fun this summer. Try these ideas instead.

• Explore area parks. Whether a state or county park, you have numerous low-cost resources close by for picnicking, birding, hiking, fishing, swimming and more. Although some parks have a minimal parking fee or admission fee, you may be able to gain admission and parking free to state parks that charge fees by borrowing an Empire Pass from your local library. Ask at the librarian’s desk if they have an Empire Pass available.

• Attend local festivals. Most of these are free. Nose around among vendor stalls and watch live entertainment and demonstrations. Find what’s near you by visiting your town’s chamber of commerce or tourism website.

• Pull out lawn games and host the grandkids for the day to give your adult children the day off. Who knew that today’s digital kids would love corn hole, disk golf and badminton? You may be surprised to find that their phones will sit idle all day.

• Visit area museums. Many of these offer discounts during slower summer months. And if it’s broiling outside, perusing the exhibits in an air-conditioned museum feels pretty good. Check their websites for deals.

• Stargaze. Spread out a blanket on a clear evening and see what constellations you can spot. Or check out the Starry Starry Night events hosted at Thorpe Vineyards in Wolcott (https://www.facebook.com/thorpevineyard), where winemaker, meteorologist and astronomer Fumi Thorpe leads free sessions on stargazing along optional wine tasting for a fee.

• Try geocaching. Free apps can help you get in on the fun of geocaching, which involves “treasure hunting” for nominal objects. The adventure is in the search.

• Take out the grandkids. Some venues like waterparks offer low-cost tickets for non riders, so offer to chauffeur the grandkids if your children are covering their tickets.

• Take a class. Local organizations like religious organizations, colleges and libraries often offer free or low-cost classes during the summer. Try something new. Maybe you’ll learn you love it.

• Enjoy a movie night. Instead of streaming and scrolling, dig out a favorite DVD or two and whip up a bag of popcorn. Actively seeking a specific movie makes it feel more like an event.

• Stroll the mall. Even if you don’t need anything, indoor window shopping can be a refreshing outing on a steamy, humid day.

• Go to the movies. A small, locally owned theater often has much less expensive tickets than the large chain theaters. Ask about senior discounts, if you qualify. Matinee tickets are usually cheaper, too.

• Take in park concerts. Bring along a chair and enjoy the music. Many concerts in the park are low-key and casual enough that you can bring along even very young grandchildren to enjoy the music. (Just bring snacks!) One such event is the Summer Lighthouse Series at Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum (pictured at top) most Sundays through the end of August (www.sodusbaylighthouse.org/pages/2025-summer-concert-series-at-the-lighthouse).

• Garden. For just the cost of a few packets of seeds and a hoe (or pots for patio gardening), you can grow a few vegetables and flowers and probably recoup your initial costs. If you’ve never gardened, simply follow the directions on the seed packet for success. You can also research at your local Cornell Cooperative Extension site (https://monroe.cce.cornell.edu/Master-Gardeners, Monroe County; https://cceontario.org/gardening, Ontario County; Wayne County). The Master Gardeners at Cornell are happy to help, as are the managers of garden centers.