Budget-Friendly Midwest Vacations
Work, landlords, bosses, bills, deadlines, responsibilities… Let’s face it, you need a vacation! Odds are that your empty wallet might make that vacation seem slightly out of reach…or so you think! Going on a great vacation doesn’t have to put you into the poorhouse. With tons of free and budget-friendly activities, the Midwest can offer you the vacation you’ve been dreaming of without costing you a fortune!
The Great Outdoors
If your dream vacation is more likely to smell like bug spray than aromatherapy candles, then you will be happy to know that the majority of state parks and nature preserves in the Midwest are 100% free! For no money at all, you can lace up your hiking shoes and follow one of the many hiking trails throughout the region. Perhaps take a trip off the beaten path and enjoy some truly undiscovered adventures.
Or, check out the beautiful caves that the Midwest is known for, like the Cave of the Mounds in Wisconsin or the Niagara Cave in Minnesota. For some extra budget-friendly fun, pack your own lunch and have a picnic while you enjoy the picturesque beauty of the Midwest.
FAVORITE HIKING SPOTS: Starved Rock State Park (IL) | Hocking Hills State Park (OH) | Elephant Rocks State Park (MO)
Museums of the Midwest
Your brain thirsts for knowledge and beauty and now you can give it what it needs for free! How can you do that, you ask? Many of the museums and art institutes around the Midwest have free museum days where you can enjoy the all of the beauty and knowledge they have to offer at no cost to you.
 Indianapolis Museum of Art |
 National Museum of the United States Air Force |
Even better than that, some museums, like the Indianapolis Museum of Art which boasts a collection of over 50,000 pieces of art on display, are free all the time! Another one of our favorite free museums is the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Ohio which showcases military aviation history and contains more than 400 aerospace vehicles, many rare and one-of-a-kind, ranging from the Wright Brothers to current-day technology.
White Haven
Amana Heritage Museum
Historical Hot Spots
The Midwest offers visitors a chance to learn about its rich history, from the earliest settlers to the Civil War to present day – but “rich history” doesn’t mean that you have to be rich to experience it. There are plenty of free historical attractions throughout the area that will leave you (and your wallet) happy!
Take a free tour at the nation’s first freestanding Holocaust museum, The Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Or, stop by one of the many state capitol buildings and historic homes like White Haven, on the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in Missouri, that also offer free admission and tours.
Experience how people lived in the 19th century when you visit the Amana Colonies in Iowa. These seven villages, settled in 1885 by a German religious society, now are a National Historic Landmark and feature free attractions including the Amana Woolen Mill, the general store the Kolonieweg lake trail and more than 400 historic barns, shops and homes.
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