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Frugal Fun in Arkansas

March 24, 2008

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This is a guest post by Jill Rohrbach, travel writer for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.  Jill and her husband Mike (of Flying Burrito fame) live in Fayetteville with their two kids.  When she’s not chasing children, Jill can be found blogging at the Arkansas Travel Blog.

Tons of thrifty fun can be found in The Natural State. Free activities abound in the great outdoors. Trails, caves and waterfalls await discovery. Nature centers provide interpretive exhibits and classes.

Fifty-two state parks have no admission charge and offer free programming throughout the summer season. Learn about butterflies, bats, astronomy, mountain biking and more. Take a hayride or wildflower walk. You’ll also find hiking and biking trails, camping and fishing fun. Some parks have additional amenities like swimming pools and golf courses. Crater of Diamonds State Park is unique in that you can dig for diamonds there and keep what you find.

Some special programming will be available this year as Arkansas State Parks celebrates its 75th anniversary. These parks can be great for a day outing, weekend adventure or extended stay. Camping is cheap or if your budget allows, cabins and lodges are available too. Check out northwest Arkansas parks (Devil’s Den, Prairie Grove, Withrow Springs, Hobbs and the new Lake Fort Smith) as well as other mountain, adventure and history parks at www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

Outdoor adventures aren’t the only activities available for the frugal minded. For example, step into the magic of Terra Studios just outside of Fayetteville to find creatures from another world, a labrinyth, and to watch Bluebirds of Happiness being made. You can also visit the state’s online calendar of events for festival information. Most festivals have free admission, so other than buying some snacks, it can be cheap to spend the day watching the Championship Chuckwagon Races, World Championship Cardboard Boat Races or Great Arkansas Championship Outhouse Race.

Visit www.Arkansas.com for information on these ideas and more. Here you’ll also find a list of 101 Free Things to Do in The Natural State and Hot Deals & Packages, which give you more bang for your buck.

There’s plenty to choose from no matter what your interest. So make some memories — those are priceless.

This post is part of the Frugal Life+Kids Week brought to you by Once Upon a Child — the best place to find gently used kids’ stuff in Fayetteville.

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Posted by Terri Chadick | Filed Under Blog, The Frugal Life+Kids Week 

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