8 Things To Do in Naples That are Really Cheap (or FREE!)

We’ve all been waiting for this since school started last August: summer! But now that it’s here, and the kids are home, we can get a little lost when it comes to filling the time. Here are 7 great options for fun, local, and FREE activities for your whole family. Go make some memories!

1. Go bowling. Bowland Beacon and Head Pinz Naples are participating in the Kids Bowl Free program this summer for kids ages 2-15. Once you register, children can bowl two free games a day, all summer long. Discounted family passes for adults are available and children must ei-ther have or rent bowling shoes. To register your children, visit www. kidsbowlfree.com.

2. The library. Find a ton of free fun events at Collier County Public Libraries, including movies, arts & crafts ac-tivities, special events, and a summer reading program. Go to page 26 for our June calendar, which lists many of the library’s events, or visit neafamily.com or collierlibrary.org.

3. Cool off. When it’s just TOO hot, take the kids to River Park Aquatic Center. Enjoy free admission all year. From June 3 to August 30, the pool is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. M-F and 12-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Or cool off at splash pad or under a sprayer at local community parks: Fleischmann Park’s splash pad is open daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call 239-213-3020. Frank E. Mackle Park’s water spray park in Marco Island is open daily from dawn to 9:00 p.m. Call 239-642-0575. Cambier Park’s playground has water sprayers and is open daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call 239-213-3058.Eagle Lake Community Park offers Collier’s newest splash park with an interac-tive water feature (spray ground play area). Open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. Call 239-793-4414.

4. Walk on a boardwalk. Don’t let the heat deter you! Grab a bottle of water, some sunscreen, and bug spray and hit the boardwalk. Gordon River Greenway is ideal for strollers and bikes, with boardwalks and paved walking paths that can be accessed at the Naples Zoo (park by the play-ground at the back of the main parking lot) or from Golden Gate Parkway. Open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Call 239-262-0015 or visit gordonriver-greenway.org. North Collier Regional Park offers an elevated boardwalk near the lake that winds through the wetlands preserve area, and a two-mile walking trail. Open daily 6:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call 239-252-4000. Freedom Park has a five-acre lake with approximately 3,500 feet of board-walk throughout the park as well as walking trails. Open 8 a.m. to dusk, daily. Call 239-252-4000. Instead of waiting for the trolley at Clam Pass County Park, take a shady walk to the beach along this 3/4-mile-long boardwalk through a mangrove forest. Call 239-252-4000.

5. Free movies. Sponsored by Neapolitan Family. Paragon Pavilion Theater screens free special children’s movies every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 10 a.m. from June 11 to

Aug. 8. Seating will be first come, first served. 

6. Collier County Sheriff’s Office Summer Fest. CCSO offers a variety of free summer programs for children and families at various Collier County locations. Your kids can learn to fish and about water safety during Gone Fishing at the Naples Pier. Hot Summer Nights offers a fun evening (most with free food!) for your fam-ily every week during the summer. Tweens and teens can play sports indoors during supervised Open Gyms, which are held several days a week at local high schools. Call the Youth Relations Office to register at 239-252-0144. Visit colliersheriff.org for dates and details.

7. Learn something. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can’t take your toddler to a museum. Collier County Museums has five locations and admission is free. The Naples Depot Museum features an interactive model layout and a train ride for children. The Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch is a 13-acre historic site and museum that your kids will have a blast explor-ing. The Museum of the Everglades offers fun and educational classes for preschoolers and homeschoolers year-round. And don’t miss Pirate Day on June 21 at the Marco Island Historical Museum or Family Field Day on August 24 at Collier Museum at Government Center. Visit www. colliermuseums.com to check out all of their kid-friendly events.

8. Free Summer Jazz on the Gulf Concerts. Join the tradition of the once-a-month summer lawn parties the whole city loves as the Naples Beach Club Hotel hosts its Summer Jazz Series. You can bring folding chairs for your family, but you likely won’t be sitting much as you boogie to the dynamic music! Food and beverages available for purchase from the hotel. For those not staying at the resort, parking is available just north of the hotel at Lowdermilk Park, with complimentary parking for those with a Naples beach sticker, and free trolley service to the resort and back. Guests may bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating, however no outside food and beverage is allowed. Call (239) 261-2222 for additional information and directions. (851 Gulf Shore Blvd. North, Naples) All events are from 6:30-9:30 pm.

· Alter Eagles – Saturday, June 29, 2019 https://www.altereaglesband.com/.

· Late Night Brass – Saturday, July 20, 2019 http://www.latenightbrass.com/.

· Pocket Change – Saturday, August 17, 2019  pocketchangephasetwo.webs.com/

· Ari & The Alibis – Saturday, September 14, 2019. https://www.ariandthealibis.com/