On a budget? Aren’t we all. But don’t let that spoil your fun. There are plenty of inexpensive ways to enjoy all that Memphis has to offer. Read on for a week’s worth of ideas, then grab the kids and go!

Monday
The National Civil Rights Museum (450 Mulberry Street) offers free admission Mondays  3-5p.m. General admission is always free for kids under the age of 3. This is a must see for everyone, but may be more meaningful to children ages 5 and up.

Make your visit memorable by taking the bus. Fares costs $1.50 for adults, $1.20 for kids under 12. Visit MataTransit.com to plan your trip. (Keep in mind that taking the bus will add several extra minutes or hours to a trip normally done by car.) Many MATA buses are now equipped with bike racks, so bring your bike and take a spin downtown.

Once in town, there are plenty of low cost activities to enjoy. With bus service, ask for a free trolley transfer and make the Riverfront loop. (Trolleys also allow you to take bikes aboard.) Bring your lunch (and a kite!) and enjoy a picnic at Tom Lee Park. Walk or ride along the riverfront, roll or slide down the bluffs, and enjoy yourself until it is time to head home.

Tuesday
Tuesday is the most popular “free” day of the week, so consider breaking up your options and plan for a few weeks. The Fire Museum of Memphis (118 Adams) offers two-for-one admission; Lichterman Nature Center (5992 Quince ) is free from 1-5pm; The Memphis Zoo (at Overton Park) has free admission from 2-5p.m. with a Tennessee Driver’s license; and free admission to the Pink Palace includes the museum’s regular exhibits, (excludes IMAX and Planetarium shows). To keep your visit affordable, steer clear of the gift shops and remember to pack snacks and water.

Tuesday is a popular free day at restaurants too, so you can combine a meal out with your museum visit. Check one of these establishments to learn about their cheap eats for kids:  Chick-Fil-A, Crepe Maker, Danvers, Denny’s, Fazoli’s, Golden Corral, Holiday Ham & Deli, Joe’s Crab Shack, Lone Star Steakhouse, McAlister’s Deli, Perkins, Pizza Hut, and Roadhouse Grill.

Wednesday
Chill out at the movies. Malco’s Summer Film Fest offers flicks for kids at a number of theaters. The shows start at 10 a.m. and cost just $2 a person on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, June 2 through July 29. Movies include: Flushed Away, Over the Hedge, Charlotte’s Web, and Open Season. Proceeds from the Summer Film Fest go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. (For a complete schedule, visit Malco.com.)

Several museums buck the Tuesday trend and offer specials on Wednesdays. The Brooks Museum (1934 Poplar Avenue) has “Pay What You Can” Wednesdays and kids under 6 always get in free. The Memphis Botanic Garden (750 Cherry Road) also offers free admission on Wednesdays from noon-6 p.m. with a Tennessee driver’s license. The Brooks is located in Overton Park, which has  plenty of space for picnicing, biking, or flying a kite. You’ll also find two playgrounds and walking trails through the old forest. The Botanic Garden allows picnics as well, and has plenty of space to explore. Kids can feed the koi fish in the Japanese Gardens or the ducks near the pond in Audubon Park. (Don’t forget to peek in at the new Children’s Garden, currently in the works.)

Thursday
Head for downtown. Chances are good the kids will want to ride the trolley again, so stop by the Center for Southern Folklore (123 South Main Street) for their Brown Bag Lunch music series. They sell chili, cornbread, and cobbler, but you’re welcome to bring a sack lunch. The live music is free. With lots of colorful folk art to view, the kids will enjoy discovering the city’s sights and sounds here.

After the show, ride the elevator to the top of the building and take in the view of the Mississippi. If the kids like that rooftop experience, walk a few blocks to the Peabody Hotel (149 Union), let them say hello to the ducks in the lobby, then check out their rooftop digs. (They march to and from the Grand Lobby daily at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.)

Next, stop by the fountains near City Hall to cool off and let the kids pretend they are ducks for awhile. From there you can take the pedestrian bridge to Mud Island River Park (125 North Front Street), which is always free. The kids will enjoy playing along the replica of the Mississippi River; see if your neighborhood is on the map. If you choose to ride the monorail, visit the museum, or take a guided tour, there’s a good package deal. (Renting bikes, kayaks, or canoes here can add up quick. The paddleboats are $2/person, per half hour, and probably the best bet for kids.

Friday
After such a busy week, you might want to take it easy today. Try story time at a local bookstore. Pinocchio’s Children’s Book Place has one at 10:30 a.m. and Davis Kidd offers theirs at 11 a.m. (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays). Once story time is over, browse the shelves and read a bit on your own.

How about cooling off while being productive? For less than $5, you and the kids can wash the car at a coin-op carwash. (Try the Clover Leaf Car Wash at 714 NorthWhite Station near Summer.) Bring towels to dry the car (and the kids).

Now, enjoy a nice drive to Collierville in your shiny car. Visit the expansive Johnson Park (370 Johnson Park Dr.) for a picnic and some hiking, fishing, playing, or just splashing around. As the sun goes down, head over to the town square. The Collierville Shade Tree Pickin’ on the Square concert series starts at 6:30 p.m. on Fridays and runs from April through October (weather permitting). Musicians and listeners gather in Collierville’s Historic Town Square to enjoy an evening of bluegrass and old time music until the last picker leaves.

Saturday
After such a busy week, it’s hard to imagine getting up early — but you’ll want to be first in line at the  Memphis Farmer’s Market (downtown’s Central Station Pavilion, G.E. Patterson and Front Street). Each week, it features kids’ activities, music, and lots of yummy food. Do some grocery shopping or just browse and socialize. It is a great way to start the day.

Hiking through Overton Park’s Old Forest is another option. The Citizens to Preserve Overton Park (CPOP) lead a family-friendly hike the second Saturday (and last Sunday) of every month at 10 a.m. It’s free. So, too, is the Dixon Gallery and Gardens from 10a.m.-noon.

If you’re feeling handy, Home Depot and Lowe’s offer free workshops for kids ages 5-12 the first Saturday of the month from 9 a.m.-noon. These workshops teach do-it-yourself skills and tool safety.

No matter how you start your Saturday, be sure to end it at the Levitt Shell in Overton Park. Saturday afternoons at 5 p.m., the Shell has programming just for kids (May 30 through June 27). The performances are free and feature talented musicians and puppeteers from across the country.

SUNDAY
You started the week with some history, so come full circle on Sunday with a tour of Elmwood Cemetery (824 South Dudley). Here, you can walk or picnic on 80 acres of beautiful grounds, which feature lush gardens, winding paths, elegant monuments, an arboretum, visitor center, and a telling of Memphis’ history.

Another great Sunday activity is watching a Memphis Redbirds game. Bluff seating is $5/advance, $7/game day. You’ll have to resist the arcade games and refreshments to make this an affordable outing. But the kids can still have fun running the bases after the game. (Next Sunday home game is June 7th.)

This entry was posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Activities, Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.