Nothing Beats FREE in St. Louis

As I wrote in last week's , summertime is firmly upon us. Nothing but a vast expanse of time is in front of me and my two school aged children. We have many weeks of unstructured or loosely structured days ahead of us--with a lot of opportunity to hear "I'm bored." While I have nothing but time, what I do not have is unlimited money. Fortunately, St. Louis offers a lot of free or discounted opportunities.

The Wehrenberg free movie series is underway and continues through August 4.  At selected movie theatres you can watch free movies every Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. They are movies that were first run in the previous year, such as Ramona & Beezus, Yogi Bear, and Mega Mind.  For a reasonable fee of $5, you can buy a "Kid combo" of popcorn and a drink.  While AMC theatres discontinued their free summer series, Gravois Bluff's Great Escapes Theatre also offers free movies Tuesdays through Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.  If you are a frequent movie-goer and have already seen last year's hits, Regal Cinema  (at St. Louis Mills Mall) offers a $1 movie experience on selected G and PG movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. With a plethora of new movies coming out this summer, that is a great deal!

If you are looking for something to do that is good exercise and allows you to enjoy St. Louis in the summertime, head to Missouri Botanical Gardens.  On Wednesdays and Saturdays admission is free before noon to St. Louis city and county residents. In the deluxe Children's Garden there is a water fountain area where kids (and adults) can cool off from the hot weather St. Louis is known for. If you have lived in St. Louis many years, you may think that the Botanical Gardens is for adults-only. Visit the Gardens and you'll change your mind!

The Saint Louis Zoo is another hot spot to visit this summer. If your family is early rising, consider getting to the zoo before 9 a.m. Parking, the carousel, and the Stingray Exhibit are all free the first hour the zoo is open. (Even if you are a zoo member, the Exhibit has a nominal fee to view the stingrays. This is the only time you will experience it free)

Finally, consider heading to the Manchester Aquatic Center after 5 p.m. for a discounted rate as low as $1 per child to end your hot summer day. Avoid the hottest part of the day and enjoy it at the coolest prices.