If you own a pair of skates and have access to a frozen pond, ice skating is completely free. But even if you live in a city, you can often skate free. New York City, for example, offers free ice skating in Bryant Park, and Chicago has free skating in Millennium Park. You can bring your own skates or rent a pair for a small fee. If your feet are no longer growing, consider investing in skates that offer a better fit than rentals.
Many ski resorts offer tubing, hurtling down a hill on an inflatable inner tube. Some charge for this, providing a lift back up the hill, while others offer it free to guests. But if you own a sled or an inner tube, head to a local park where you can sled and slide for free. In New York City, for example, on snow days when there is more than 3 inches of snow, city parks provide free hot chocolate and popcorn to sledders.
City department stores often have elaborate window displays around holiday times to entice shoppers. If you can exercise restraint, you can window-shop for free. Many zoos and botanic gardens also offer family-friendly holiday lights in a nighttime display in which you can walk around. Some of these charge a small admission fee. The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., for example, offers an annual ZooLight celebration for free.
