Whenever school is out, luckily, families in South Florida, and especially Palm Beach County, have plenty of free and cheap activities for kids during summer, both inside and outside.
There are, of course beaches, most of them free to visit. Some beaches even have free parking. There also are parks, pools and splash pads, many of them inexpensive or even free to visit.

(Photo/Lion Country Safari)
Attraction discounts and free museum days
The Summer Savings Pass offers discount admission to Zoo Miami, Lion Country Safari and Cox Science Center & Aquarium in West Palm Beach. The South Florida Adventure Pass offers discount admission to four Broward attractions: Sawgrass Recreation Park in west Weston, Flamingo Gardens in Davie, the Museum of Science & Discovery in Fort Lauderdale and Butterfly World in Coconut Creek.
Free museum days in South Florida continue through the summer.

Photo: Manatee Lagoon, an FPL eco-discovery center
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Boca Raton
If you're on a quest to discover a place where you can take the kids and enjoy the day for next to nothing, then the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is definitely a place for the whole family to enjoy an authentic outdoor Florida adventure. And best of all, admission is free.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Juno Beach
Situated on one of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting beaches, LMC welcomes more than 350,000 guests each year and offers free admission and parking. The Center features an on-site hospital, a research laboratory, educational exhibits, and aquariums.
Manatee Lagoon, Riviera Beach
Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach offers waterfront deck & interactive exhibits & it’s free. Other amenities include picnic area, shop and an augmented reality 3D animated solar tree exhibit.
Palm Beach and Broward counties have a number of interesting parks and discovery centers that are always free.
- Free Pop-up In the Park with concert & Lakeside Market, Wellington
- Use telescopes for free at Fox Observatory in West Broward
- Plantation offers free Freebee shuttle in shopping & dining district
- Riverwalk is delightful for waterfront walks, photos & festivals
- Miami Beach Botanical Garden offers free entry and events
- Deerfield Beach Arboretum offers free entry
- Urban oasis: Fern Forest is ideal for nature walks & entry is free
- Waters Edge Park in Tamarac includes a book walk, fitness & water playground & entry is free
- Art on display, free fitness & events at Village Plaza in Sunrise
- Free & cheap things to do with kids in summer, Palm Beach

Courtesy, gumbolimbo.org
Free and cheap movies for kids
Many theater chains offer special inexpensive summer movies for children or options to see classic films at a discount. Cities offer “dive-in” movie nights, free outdoor movies and free outdoor concerts. Here are free and cheap movies for kids this summer.
- Free movie screening of ‘The Senior' at Regal in Dania Beach, Aug. 6
- $5 deals for films at Flippers
- Just a few weeks left: Cheap summer movies for kids in South Florida
- Ideas for free & inexpensive dates in Broward
- Free: Weekend music & more on The Lawn at CityPlace
- Water playground at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield offers discount opportunity
- Free family movies: Screen on the Green in West Palm Beach
- Free dive-in films at pool in Pompano Beach
- Free Family Day on Aragon in Coral Gables
- Free & cheap things to do with kids in summer, Palm Beach
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Credit: Wellington on the Green
What else is happening:
Looking for more free and cheap things to do?
- Find all the free and cheap events in South Florida this week
- Find all the free and cheap events in South Florida this weekend
- See our day-by-day calendar of free and cheap events in South Florida