In honor of February, I decided to make a list of possible outings for those times when I'm in the mood for a "treat," but don't want to spend a bundle. I'm not completely sure what this has to do with the month of February, except for my alliterate title, but February seemed like a good time for this.
Most ideas cost less than $10, and some are free. :)
Admittedly, most of the ideas are also small. But being with good company can make all the difference. And if you figure you're just wanting to have a bit of a fun time, small is often best.
Ideas involving refreshments:
1. Drinks at Sonic combined with a drive (maybe get some tots, too, since why not?)
2. Drinks (and probably candy bars) at QT combined with a walk
3. Dipped cones at DQ
4. Ice cream treats out of the deep freezer at, well, any gas station (or Wal-Mart)
5. Cookies at Paradise Bakery or desserts at Kneaders
6. Popcorn and Icees at Target, enjoyed while browsing favorite parts of the store
7. Donuts! (lesser known fact: a dozen donut holes from Bosa only costs 99 cents)
8. Picnic (never underestimate the fun of eating home-made food outside)
9. Hot dog stand (they do still exist, you know)
10. Get all of the stuff you need to make a delicious sandwich from a grocery store deli (meat's expensive, but you only need enough for a sandwich!)
11. Candy store at the mall! (best day ever as a kid)
12. Five dollar pizza (there are several places you can get one nowadays!)
13. Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt- be sure to ask about punch cards or discounts (or look for coupons in your junk mail!)
14. Get an Ikea breakfast (or another meal) and then walk around the store
15. Get shaved ice (you can sometimes find Groupons for shaved ice)
16. Dollar Menu Date
17. Cinnabon or pretzel at the mall
18. Get ice cream and a fun size pack of oreos to make homemade milkshakes
1. Drinks at Sonic combined with a drive (maybe get some tots, too, since why not?)
2. Drinks (and probably candy bars) at QT combined with a walk
3. Dipped cones at DQ
4. Ice cream treats out of the deep freezer at, well, any gas station (or Wal-Mart)
5. Cookies at Paradise Bakery or desserts at Kneaders
6. Popcorn and Icees at Target, enjoyed while browsing favorite parts of the store
7. Donuts! (lesser known fact: a dozen donut holes from Bosa only costs 99 cents)
8. Picnic (never underestimate the fun of eating home-made food outside)
9. Hot dog stand (they do still exist, you know)
10. Get all of the stuff you need to make a delicious sandwich from a grocery store deli (meat's expensive, but you only need enough for a sandwich!)
11. Candy store at the mall! (best day ever as a kid)
12. Five dollar pizza (there are several places you can get one nowadays!)
13. Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt- be sure to ask about punch cards or discounts (or look for coupons in your junk mail!)
14. Get an Ikea breakfast (or another meal) and then walk around the store
15. Get shaved ice (you can sometimes find Groupons for shaved ice)
16. Dollar Menu Date
17. Cinnabon or pretzel at the mall
18. Get ice cream and a fun size pack of oreos to make homemade milkshakes
19. Get a fancy cupcake from a local bakery
Ideas for the "not hungry" type:
20. Browse Bookman's (you might get lucky and find something you want to buy!)
21. Walk around a new park
22. Buy (and then play) a new card game from Wal-Mart or Target
23. Scavenger hunt drive or walk (go with a list of things you need to find while you're out)
24. Get a RedBox movie or game that you've never heard of (or maybe have heard of?)
25. Trip to the mall where you can do some serious "window" shopping
26. Discover a farmer's market
27. Find an exercise circuit at a park and go through all of the stations
28. See a movie at the cheap seats
29. Pay for a daily pass to a community recreation center, like the Gilbert Community Center
30. Rent a movie from the library
Arizona (Phoenix) Specific Ideas:
31. Visit Arizona Railway Museum (Admission is $2 per person or $5 for families/groups)
32. Rent a boat at Tempe Town Lake
33. Go on a tour at the Stuffington Bear Factory
34. Visit Old Town Scottsdale during one of its events or another downtown area
35. Go on a hike at a great hiking location, such as Lost Dutchman State Park
36. Tour the Mystery Castle
37. View the unique art of Paolo Soleri at The Cosanti Foundation
38. Visit Fountain Park in Fountain Hills
39. Tour the Fountain Hills Botanical Gardens
40. Attend a concert through Gilbert's Downtown Concert Series (or look up any city's on-going events)
41. Find a local festival (some festivals are free, and sometimes you can find cheaper tickets through Groupon, but you have to think about it in advance)
42. Go to a county or state fair (get cheaper tickets sometimes through Fry's)
43. Attend a free event or concert at the Mesa Arts Center
44. Visit the Queen Creek Olive Mill
45. Experience the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
31. Visit Arizona Railway Museum (Admission is $2 per person or $5 for families/groups)
32. Rent a boat at Tempe Town Lake
33. Go on a tour at the Stuffington Bear Factory
34. Visit Old Town Scottsdale during one of its events or another downtown area
35. Go on a hike at a great hiking location, such as Lost Dutchman State Park
36. Tour the Mystery Castle
37. View the unique art of Paolo Soleri at The Cosanti Foundation
38. Visit Fountain Park in Fountain Hills
39. Tour the Fountain Hills Botanical Gardens
40. Attend a concert through Gilbert's Downtown Concert Series (or look up any city's on-going events)
41. Find a local festival (some festivals are free, and sometimes you can find cheaper tickets through Groupon, but you have to think about it in advance)
42. Go to a county or state fair (get cheaper tickets sometimes through Fry's)
43. Attend a free event or concert at the Mesa Arts Center
44. Visit the Queen Creek Olive Mill
45. Experience the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
