I really love free.
Saturday, September 25th is National Public Lands Day, which means free admission to all national parks (think day hike at Mt. Rainier) and all federal land like national wildlife refuges (think Nisqually). There are also various volunteer projects scheduled around the state. Now, many of these would not be appropriate for young children, but if you have older kids, volunteering together is a great family experience. You may also know teenagers who have service hours they need to fulfill for school. This would be a great list to pass on to them. If you do decide to participate in a project, just be sure to call first.
The 25th is also Smithsonian Free Museum Day.
There is a limit of two admissions per family, and you will need to print off and bring the coupon. After you select the one you’re interested in, click on the ticket icon and fill out the form. The admission coupon will be emailed to you (if it doesn’t show up, check your junk folder. It’s amazing what I find in there)!
Now, we do most of our museum trips for free (more on that another time), but this would be a great way to visit a smaller museum or one that doesn’t regularly offer free days or passes. It looks like just about every museum near us is participating, but I would call first to check.