Showing posts with label summer fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer fun. Show all posts

May 24, 2013

Family Fun Under the Stars, With the Stars at the Drive In!

Admit it, now that school is out for the summer you are looking for fun activities for the family? Maybe you are searching for new family activities and experiences - Maybe old favorites. No matter which though, it has got to be something great for the entire family, and it can't break the bank! So how about taking the family to a drive-in theatre?

We're lucky I suppose, my kids enjoy the drive in theatre each summer when we visit my great aunt and uncle near Honor Michigan.  They love the oldies playing before the show, the snack bar, the swingsets and even the putt putt course right next to the big screen. I have many fond memories of my parents taking my brother and I to the drive in theatres too!

Unfortunately there aren't many true drive in theatres in the area left, however many are emerging from the parking lots of otherwise unoccupied event venues. Ann Arbor families are even blessed with one that is within a short 20-minute drive in Plymouth Michigan!

At the Compuware Arena, movies can be seen under the stars June 7 through September 1 (with sneak peek weekends in May). That is a movie under the stars seven days a week! That's right, any night parents can be found enjoying a game of frisbee and a picnic basket before the show on the big screen. Prices are reasonable with children under age 3 free and children ages 4-12 costing only $6 each; adult admission $9; student admission $7 with valid I.D.! There are special dinner and a movie packages for families available for those budget friendly evenings!

Check it out - Should make for lasting family memories for years to come!

March 14, 2012

Free Cone Day at DQ

DQ Free Cone Day is
March 20, 2012
When the weather hit 70 yesterday, I had to take the kids to swing by Dairy Queen. OK I suppose I didn't HAVE to, however as we drove by I thought "oooh, they're open!" So we stopped for our first ice cream cone of the season. And that's when my son noticed it - the sign that read "Free Cone Day!"

"Look mom, our ice cream is FREE!"

I explained that actually Free Cone Day wasn't for a few days yet, but he's already determined to get his free ice cream cone!

The details:

In celebration of spring, participating Dairy Queen locations are offering Free Cone Day on March 20, 2012. Of course there is a catch – A donation for the local Children's Miracle Network Hospital is much appreciated in exchange for your freebie!

So take the kids to do the DQ for their own free ice cream cone.

Ann Arbor area DQ locations:

Dairy Queen - 1805 Packard Street, Ann Arbor
Dairy Queen - 2430 West Stadium Boulevard, Ann Arbor
Dairy Queen - 400 East Michigan Ave., Saline
Dairy Queen - 101 East Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti
Dairy Queen - 1801 Washtenaw Ave., Ypsilanti
Dairy Queen - 8041 Main St., Dexter
Dairy Queen - 266 North Canton Center Rd., Canton

July 19, 2011

Mom it's hot, what can we do?

It's hot, hot, hot - So why not stay cool by visiting some of the great
pools, waterparks, splashparks and beaches near Ann Arbor!
With temperatures soaring in Ann Arbor this week, folks everywhere are thinking about how to stay cool. Here are some great local water parks, pools, beaches, parks and splash parks that are sure to dial it down a notch!

Splash Parks:

For the youngest family members, splash parks, sprayscapes, sprinkler parks and splash playgrounds are a great way to cool off. These sprinkler parks are often free although sometimes with limited hours allowing local camps and day care centers access by the bus loads. Always check the websites for current available times of operation.

Canton's Heritage Park Splash Park - Canton | free
Township Park Sprayscape - Plymouth Township | free 
Kensington Metropark - Milford | free with vehicle admission 
Farmington's Heritage Park Splash Park - Farmington | free 
Spray-scape at Independence Lake - Whitmore Lake | free with vehicle admission 

Water Parks:

Waterparks offer the entire family the best opportunity to swim or play on the waterslides or in the wave pool! To save money, many offer a discounted rate during twilight hours, which also happens to be after the hottest parts of the day when children easily get sunburns.

Rolling Hills - Ypsilanti Township | $2.50+ | M-F 11-7, S-S 11-8
Indoor Waterpark Splash Universe - Dundee | $24.95+ | 9-10
Lower Huron Metropark - Belleville | vehicle entry fee plus $5+ | 11-7

Beaches:

Because the Huron River sweeps throughout Washtenaw County, there are many metroparks that offer beaches and the opportunity to play in the water. Ann Arbor is also convenient to several state recreation areas with beaches which offer free entry to families who opted to add the fee to the licence plate tabs! If your family will go to a park more than once, consider purchasing a yearly permit to save money.

Independence Lake - Whitmore Lake
Van Buren Park - Belleville
Island Lake Recreation Area - Brighton
Pinckney Recreation Area - Pinckney
Waterloo Recreation Area - Howell
Brighton Recreation Area - Brighton
Stoney Creek Metropark - Shelby Township
Lower Huron Metropark - Belleville

Pools:

If your family prefers to swim in a pool to cool off, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have several convenient pools with family swim times and tot swim times.

Buhr Park Pool - Ann Arbor | $3.50+ | M-F 3:30-7, S&S noon-7, additional tot swim times available
Fuller Park Pool and Waterslide - Ann Arbor | $3.50+ | M-F 1-8, S&S 1-8, additional tot swim times available
Mack Indoor Pool - Ann Arbor | $3.50+ | T&Th 7-8:30, Sat 1-4, Sun 1-3, additional tot swim times available
Veterans Memorial Park Pool - Ann Arbor | $3.50+ | M-F 1-4:45 & 6:30-8, S-S 12-4:45 & 6:30-8
Rutherford Pool - Ypsilanti | $1.75+ | 1-5 & 6-8, additional tot swim times available
Lincoln Consolidated School Indoor Pool - Ypsilanti Township | $3+ | T&Th 7:30-9

Other Places to Cool Off:

There are many great places along the Huron River to cool off. Take the family out in a canoe, kayak or even tube the river with your own inner tubes or party islands.

Island Park - Ann Arbor | free
Gallup Park - Ann Arbor | fee based boat rentals
Dexter Huron Metropark - Dexter | vehicle entry fee plus fee based boat rentals
Delhi Metropark - Ann Arbor | vehicle entry fee plus fee based boat rentals
Hudson Mills Metropark - Dexter | vehicle entry fee plus fee based boat rentals

As the temps near 100-degrees, remember to drink plenty of fluids and stay cool. With the many great pools, beaches and waterparks near Ann Arbor, that shouldn't be hard to do!

If you have any great photos of your family staying cool this week, please feel free to send them to me at tmayrend (at) gmail dot com for submission in the blog!

June 17, 2010

Festivals and Celebrations: Enjoy Ann Arbor Area Fireworks Displays!

Looking at the calendar reminds me of the fast approaching festivals, holidays and FIREWORKS - I'm certainly not the only person beginning to plan which displays of pyrotechniques my family and I will be attending. Since that is likely the case, I thought to create a list of Ann Arbor area fireworks displays for the coming weeks through the Fourth of July weekend:


Friday June 18

5th Annual Hamburg Family Fun Fest
Also on Saturday, June, 19
Fireworks at 10:00 p.m.
Located 20 minutes north of Ann Arbor at East Bennett Park, Hamburg, MI
Admission: Free

Saturday June 19

Canton 2010 Liberty Fest
Fireworks at 10:15 p.m.
Located 20 minutes east of Ann Arbor in Heritage Park, Canton, MI
Admission: Free

Monday June 21

Detroit River Days Festival and Target Fireworks
Fireworks at 10:06 p.m.
Rain Date: Tuesday, June 22
Located in Downtown Detroit, Hart Plaza on the Detroit River
Admission: Free

Friday July 2

The Lake Shore Family Festival Fireworks
Also Saturday, July 3
Fireworks at dusk/10:15 p.m.
Located in Ypsilanti over Ford Lake
Admission: See website | Discount tickets are available at many Ypsilanti area businesses.

Saturday July 3

Manchester Fireworks Display
Fireworks at dusk
Located 30 minutes south west of Ann Arbor in Carr Park / 600 W. Main Street, Manchester, MI
Admission: Donations appreciated

Hudson Mills Metropark Fireworks
Fireworks at 10:00 p.m.
Located 20 minutes west of Ann Arbor at 8801 North Territorial Road, Dexter, MI
Admission: $5 Vehicle entry permit

Sunday July 4

Willow Metropark
Fireworks at 10:00 p.m.
Located 25 minutes east of Ann Arbor at 17845 Savage Road, Belleville, MI
Admission: $5 Vehicle entry permit

June 9, 2010

Another Year for: Kids Bowl FREE

Last summer, whenever we had nasty weather, I was blessed that I was able to take my kids to a local bowling alley in Canton AND Ann Arbor for FREE.  This accomodated our otherwise limited budget quite well! This year, the kids Bowl FREE program is back - Check it out at http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/!

The bowling alleys in the Ann Arbor area that are participating so far include:

ANN ARBOR:
Bel-Mark Lanes - 3530 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor (734) 994-8433
Colonial Lanes - 1950 S. Industrial Highway, Ann Arbor (734) 665-4474
 
BELLEVILLE:

Lodge Lanes - 46255 I-94 S Service Dr., Belleville (734) 697-9178
 
CANTON:

Super Bowl - 45100 Ford Road, Canton (734) 459-6070
 
YPSILANTI:

Ypsi-arbor Lanes - Washtenaw Road, Ypsilanti (734) 434-1110

The program runs until August 31, 2010 and allows kids to bowl 2 free games per day!

June 1, 2010

FREE Kid's Nature Program's Through Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation

My family has really enjoyed attending many events and programs through the Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation with their naturalist Faye Stoner - She is GREAT with kids!

 
I found another great program happening specific Thursday's this summer, titled "Nature Fun on Thursdays for Kids!". This free kids program is at 10:30 a.m. at the Country Farm Park in Ann Arbor (meet at the Platt Road entrance playground) throughout the summer. Her many kid-friendly subjects for the program are:
  • June 24 - Creepy Crawlies
  • July 8 - Bats
  • July 22 - Birds
  • August 5 - Meadow Wildflowers
  • August 19 - Insects

So sign up your children for some education summer fun. For more information or to register, call Faye Stoner at (734) 971-6337 x334 or email her at stonerf@ewashtenaw.org - Maybe we'll see you there, we're registered!