Get Outside With These Top Five Super Fun Family Outings For Spring

Spring is the perfect time to get outside and spend quality time together as a family. The temperatures are warmer, the sun is shining and the air is fresh setting the stage for a perfectly fun outdoor adventure. Here are five ideas for memorable, magical, low-cost family excursions that will leave everyone happy.

    Visit your local nature center or botanical garden. Nearly every county in the country has a nature center, botanical garden, or arboretum. Nature centers are safe havens for all sorts of creatures many of which are being rehabilitated from injuries. And you won't want to miss the show of brightly colored spring blooms and shoots pushing up through the soil at the local botanical gardens. Very often, there are meandering trails and pathways with all sorts of fun and educational information at nature centers and botanical gardens. Many botanical gardens also offer spring plant sales where you can purchase regional favorites for your garden.
    Go to the zoo! Everyone loves the zoo. Special seasonal exhibits often include baby animals that are born in the spring, live shows, and hours of educational fun.
    Go for a picnic at the park. Children of all ages love having picnics. Parks are excellent places to run, jump and play. Be sure to invest in picnic blankets and a loaded picnic basket or cooler to transport your food and beverages in style. Many public parks include covered picnic areas, live musical concerts, outdoor movies, playgrounds and wide open spaces for sports. Contact your local chamber of commerce for a listing of public parks in your area.
    Plan to attend an outdoor festival. Every spring, cities across America hold weekend outdoor events such as open-air plays, music festivals, river races, arts and craft shows and much, much more. Many outdoor festivals have special areas designed for kid-friendly fun, with rides, games and face painting.
    Take an overnight camping trip. Family camping trips are experiences that kids will never forget. There's nothing better than campfires, camping food and sleeping in sleeping bags under the stars.