free homeschool field trips Archives – Free Homeschooling

Frugal Field Trip Near Los Angeles: Travel Town Museum Foundation

Are you looking for educational places to visit for free, or else really cheap, all across the U.S.? Want to know tips and tricks for getting discounts at educational sites? Got a great recommendation for an affordable homeschool field trip? I hope you enjoy! Guest Posts accepted: Please let us know of a great homeschool field trip location to visit in your area!

Frugal Field Trip near Los Angeles: Travel Town Museum Foundation

I’ve always believed that learning isn’t just bound on the four walls of school. In fact, I think there’s a lot to learn in visiting new places that’s why everyone should always encourage and take students on outdoor excursions to locations and sites where they can learn new things. If you’re in LA and you’re planning to embark on a frugal educational trip any time of the week, why not check out Travel Town Museum? Preserving and celebrating the rich railroad heritage, this place is an ideal location to take a step back in time while spending quality time with kids as you gaze at the centuries-old remnants of our glorious past.

Notable History

Travel Town Museum was opened as a travel museum on December 14, 1952 at the expansive Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. The museum’s collection showcases the golden age of western United States’ railroad history that spanned from 1880 until the 1930s.

The Railroad Museum has 43 full-scale railroad engines, cars and other rolling stocks. The site contains 17 locomotives that range from the 1899 AT&SF 664 Baldwin steam locomotive, to the Western Pacific No. 26, manufactured in 1909. If you also want to see vintage and antique sets of freight cars and cabooses, the museum is also the place to be, where you can see various types from Pullman Company snack cars to sleeping cars. Trolleys, cable cars and motors are also available here, as well as US Navy maintenance-of-the-way equipment and motor vehicles that you can’t see anywhere else.

Frugal Tips

Admission to the Travel Town Museum is free, but for $2.50 fee for the train ride, you get a good bargain for your money because it’s good for two rounds, which lets you take a good view of the grounds and trains from a another angle. The amenities are pretty great. The staff does a great job of keeping the bathrooms clean. My boys had a time window shopping at the Gift shop which was fully stuffed with toys, clothes and books.

More Info

The Travel Town Museum is open every day throughout the year, although it’s usually closed on Christmas Day. The Museum’s Griffith Park Train Rides is known throughout Los Angeles for the excitement and affordable adventure that families could enjoy here. The Griffith Park and Southern Railroad rides give you a mile of railroading adventure that will take you from the train tracks to a replication of an Old Western Town. The classic simulator ride Kid Coaster is another enticing reason to come here!

When it comes to family friendliness, the Travel Town Museum is the name to beat. The grounds are stroller- and kid-friendly. Everyone can climb and explore the trains, too. A sort of history buff, I delighted with the fact that I could check out these remnants of our past. While the Travel Town Museum is considered every kid’s destination, I myself had a great time with all the rides and strollings, plus the bonding moments I’ve had with kids.

Author’s bio: Manilyn Moreno is a freelance writer for a catering software company. When she’s not writing or working in the kitchen, she loves visiting museums and parks.

Frugal Field Trips – Dan Nicholas Park

A frugal homeschool field trip to Dan Nicholas Park in Salisbury, NC

Dan Nicholas Park

We had a blast at Dan Nicholas Park in September when Laynie and I met up with my friend Elizabeth (of The Thrifty Divas) and her two boys. We spent very little money for a whole day of fun and adventure for the kids.

The park is full of opportunities to learn about nature, wildlife, and history. Rowan Wildlife Adventures allows children to view bears, bobcats, deer, a bald eagle, foxes, otters, wolves, and turtles. They can also get up close with farm animals and farm equipment at the petting barn. The Cheerwine Aquarium and nature center are interesting animal learning opportunities as well. And children can learn about different types of gems and rocks at the Miner Moose Gem Mine.

Frugal Tips

I was so pleased with what I got for the money at Dan Nicholas Park. Admission is FREE, and most of the educational exhibits and attractions require a very reasonably priced admission ticket (most are $.50 – $1.00). The most expensive things there are gem mining ($7 – $42 per bucket) and putt-putt golf ($1.50 – $2 per game) and the paddle boats ($2- $3 per person). Here’s a tip: When you first get there, head to the train station and buy a discount ticket package: The “Blue Ticket” is good for one train ride, carousel ride, bucket of gems, and golf game and costs $8 (saving you $3 if you’d bought them separately). And the “Red Ticket” is good for one train ride, carousel ride and bucket of gems for $7 (saving you $2 if you’d bought them separately). The concessions are fairly reasonable, but you could save even more money by bringing your own food and drinks.

Attractions

Everything is set up to please visitors with hours of fun at Dan Nicholas Park. You can enjoy the carousel, the train ride, and the paddle boats. Also, play a round of mini-golf and try your hand at panning for gems. Children can also cool off by splashing around in the Hurley Water Plaza (free) during the hot summer months.

Children are highly entertained at the park, and their parents are engaged in the activities as well. I thought it was a great time of bonding for me and Laynie. The park was open and not too crowded when we went. The longest line we had to wait in was about 20 minutes or so. There are picnic areas as well, and you can even rent them for birthday parties or events. Want to make it a weekend event? You can even camp there!

Have you visited Dan Nicholas Park with your homeschoolers? What was your favorite educational aspect of the park?