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 Thursday concerts: Food Truck & Music series in Wellington
- Free & cheap things to do with kids in summer, Palm Beach
- Free water shuttles to Deerfield Island park
- Welleby Park in Sunrise offers playground, splash pad & dog park with free entry
- Deerfield Beach Arboretum offers free entry
- Exhibits & turtle feedings at environmental education venue in Hollywood & entry is free
- Daggerwing Nature Center offers outdoor fun for the whole family
- Entry to Manatee Lagoon in Riviera Beach is always free
- Free admission at Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Juno Beach
- Riverwalk is delightful for waterfront walks, photos & festivals

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 Family Day on Aragon in Coral Gables
- Free family movies: Screen on the Green in West Palm Beach
- Free & cheap things to do with kids in summer, Palm Beach
- Free advance movie screening of ‘Smurfs,' Sunset Place, July 12
- Updated: Cheap movies for kids this summer in South Florida
- $5 deals at Flippers theater in Hollywood
- Free: Weekend music & more on The Lawn at CityPlace
- Discounted movies at Coral Gables Art Cinema
- Free and $6 movies at Cosford Cinema
- Water playground at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield offers discount opportunity
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Credit: Wellington on the Green
What else is happening:
- Free: Palm Beach Zoo admission for 4 kids with 1 paid adult this summer
- Roller skating $12 deal in Davie
- Free family movies: Screen on the Green in West Palm Beach
- Waterpark at T.Y. Park in Hollywood offers a deal
- Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale offers free-entry deal for 17 & younger
- Free & cheap things to do with kids in summer, Palm Beach
- Free advance movie screening of ‘Smurfs,' Sunset Place, July 12
- Updated: Cheap movies for kids this summer in South Florida
- Free water shuttles to Deerfield Island park
- First Friday @ 5 features music, food trucks & vendors, Boynton Beach
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