{"id":265827,"date":"2026-08-15T09:45:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T09:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/265827\/"},"modified":"2026-08-15T09:45:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T09:45:21","slug":"50-free-things-to-do-in-erie-with-kids-before-summer-2026-ends-%e2%98%80%ef%b8%8f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/265827\/","title":{"rendered":"50 FREE Things to Do in Erie With Kids Before Summer 2026 Ends \u2600\ufe0f"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trying to keep kids busy all summer without spending a fortune? Same.<\/p>\n

The good news: Erie is packed with free things to do\u2014from beaches and splash pads to festivals, live music, and hidden gems you might not even know about.<\/p>\n

Here are 50 completely FREE things to do in Erie this summer.<\/p>\n

Updated June 2026<\/p>\n

Outdoor AdventuresRide around Presque Isle<\/a> and celebrate finishing the 13-mile loopTake a family hike at Asbury Woods<\/a> and find the Grandmother and Grandfather TreeExplore trails at Erie Bluffs State ParkVisit Goodell Gardens & Homestead and walk the groundsPack a picnic and spend the day at a local parkVisit multiple playgrounds and make it a \u201cplayground tour\u201d day<\/a>Head to the lake at sunset and search for beach glassGo birdwatching at Presque IsleTake fun selfies at the Erie sign at Bayfront ParkRide the Griff slides at Frontier Park<\/a>Visit a new-to-you park or trailFly kites at the lake (or watch the pros at the beach)\"The<\/p>\n

The 13-mile loop around Presque Isle is flat enough that kids can do it without trouble and long enough that they’ll feel accomplished when done!<\/p>\n

Water FunSpend the day at the beaches at Presque Isle State ParkCool off at the Bayview Park<\/a> splash padWade in shallow beach areas (Beach 11 at Presque Isle is a favorite for families)Walk to Buttermilk Falls<\/a> from Brown’s FarmSkip rocks along the lakeExplore the lagoons by pontoon with a free tourExplore Wintergreen Gorge<\/a>Events & EntertainmentSponsored content
\ud83d\udc26 Don’t Miss TREC: After Hours<\/p>\n

Every Thursday through Aug. 20 | 4-8 p.m.<\/p>\n

The Tom Ridge Environmental Center stays open late every Thursday this summer for FREE TREC: After Hours, featuring hands-on nature activities, family crafts, science stations, movies, and special weekly themes. No registration is required\u2014just stop by!<\/p>\n

July 30: Learn about Presque Isle’s endangered piping plovers and the conservation efforts helping them make a comeback.Aug. 6: Celebrate National Root Beer Float Day with fun science activities.Aug. 13: Discover the amazing world of insects during Stop Bugging Me!Aug. 20: Meet local bird experts, watch live bird banding, dissect owl pellets, make crafts, and explore interactive bird stations during This One’s for the Birds!<\/p>\n

Admission is always free, and no registration is required.<\/p>\n

Head to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center for a free Thursday night TREC: After Hours event. See the weekly themes\u2192<\/a>Attend a free outdoor summer concert\u00a0<\/a>(there\u2019s one almost every night!)Watch an outdoor movie at a community event<\/a>Explore local festivals<\/a> (many are free admission)Browse at a farmers’ market<\/a>Browse our full list of FREE Erie events anytime\u00a0<\/a>\"The<\/p>\n

The big bonfire at Discover Presque Isle \u2014 Free!<\/p>\n

Easy \u201cAny Day\u201d ActivitiesVisit your local library (storytimes, events, and AC!)Join a summer reading program<\/a>Have a geocaching adventure\u00a0<\/a>Make a backyard picnic dinner just for funCreate chalk art on your drivewayStart a \u201ctry every playground\u201d challenge<\/a>Build sandcastles at the beachBuild a fairy house using sticks, leaves, bark, and stones.<\/a>Have a no-spend \u201cyes day\u201d with your kidsGo on a neighborhood color hunt<\/a>Take a trash bag on a walk and clean up a local park or trail \u2014 how many pounds can you collect?\"fishing<\/p>\n

Kids under 16 fish for free in Pennsylvania. The ponds at Presque Isle have never failed us!<\/p>\n

Local Spots & Hidden GemsVisit the Tom Ridge Environmental Center and explore exhibits + the nature playgroundBe wowed by the oversized yard art at Schaefer\u2019s Auto Art, 3705 Hershey RoadVisit the dinosaurs in the 700 block of Bartlett RoadCheck out 100+ local murals around Erie<\/a>Check out fishing poles from Blasco Library (kids under 16 fish free in PA)Watch boats come in along the baySee if you can spot Canada from the Bicentennial Tower (free first Tuesdays of the month)Visit the Erie Land Lighthouse (free days 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month May-Sept)Just-for-Fun Erie TraditionsSpend a full day outside with zero plansWatch a summer storm roll in over the lakeCount how many seagulls try to steal your snacksGo for an after-dinner walk every night for a weekVolunteer as a family<\/a>Pick your favorite activity on this list and do it againBefore You Go<\/p>\n

Deals, hours, and free offerings can change\u2014so it\u2019s always smart to double-check details before heading out.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Lose This List<\/p>\n

Bookmark this page\u2014new free events and ideas pop up all summer long, and you\u2019ll want this list handy when you hear \u201cI\u2019m bored.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Trying to keep kids busy all summer without spending a fortune? Same. The good news: Erie is packed…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5260,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[1955,734,1961,136,138,137,1756,1957,1507,1953,1962,1958,1956,726,1959,1960,289,1954],"class_list":["post-265827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-erie","tag-calendar","tag-children","tag-clifton-montclair","tag-erie","tag-erie-headlines","tag-erie-news","tag-events","tag-families","tag-family-fun","tag-kids-activities","tag-nj","tag-parks","tag-resource-guides","tag-sports","tag-summer-camps","tag-theatre-camps","tag-things-to-do","tag-weekly-newsletter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265827"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265827\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}