Six Ideas for Low-cost Fun this Weekend

Now that Christmas has left most of us broke throughout the month of January, money is tight for the first long holiday weekend. Not to worry. You and the kids can still create some good times on a single parent budget. Try these six inexpensive ideas for fun in Southern California this weekend.

1. Start your weekend early on Saturday morning at the Jack Newe’s Farmer’s Market, located on the campus of Mt. San Antonio College in Parking Lot B on the corner of Temple and Grand in Walnut. The Farmer’s Market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. While shopping for fresh fruit and veggies, pick up some feta and hummus for your picnic lunch in Palm Springs.
2. Drive out to the desert to take your kids on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tramcar that ascends 2,643 feet up to the Mt. San Jacinto Mountains. You’ll experience a spectacular view of the desert below as you travel up the mountain and the temperature plummets over twenty degrees. Adult tickets are $23.95 and children ages 3-12 are $16.95. Hours of operation on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays are 8 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. For driving directions and other information, see the website: http://www.pstramway.com/.
3. After a picnic lunch on the mountain summit, why not get the wiggles out with a hike in the woods? Weather permitting, you might even discover enough snow for a good, old-fashioned family snowball fight!
4. As you make your way down the mountain and enjoy the sunset, get ready for some stargazing. The desert is a perfect place to see the planets Jupiter and Venus as well as Sirius, the brightest star visible in the night sky during this chilly time of year. Check out the Griffith Observatory website for this weekend’s sky report: /http://www.griffithobservatory.org/.
5. If you and the kids are still up for an adventure on Sunday, head to the Indiana Jones Exhibition at the Taco Bell Discovery Science Center near the Main Place Mall in Santa Ana. Presented by the National Geographic Society, this exhibit features Indiana Jones film props and will take your children on an archaeological adventure in the spirit of their film hero. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday. For ticket pricing and more information, click on the website: http://www.discoverycube.org/.
6. Finally, on Monday, join in the real celebration behind the long holiday weekend. Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena. Activities include planting trees in the Kidspace gardens, making cards for veterans, and creating a community friendship mural. Parents and kids alike can also enjoy a special musical performance with Rhythm Child. Adults and children’s tickets are $10. Please see the website for hours and directions: http://www.kidspacemuseum.org/.