Free fun is the most fun

When I first got back to the PNW about two months ago, I easily filled my adventure quota (I try to keep it at around 1 adventure per day, on average). But in the past several weeks, I felt like I was having fewer awesome experiences, and yet somehow spending quite a bit more money than I was comfortable with.

Hm.

And what is the solution to this conundrum? Finding free activities in my area. Oh yes. I have been pursuing this new goal with abandon. Here are a few that I’ve come up with:

1. Hiking

2. Kayaking*

3. Reading a book at the beach

4. Events at REI – for example – I went to pull out blackberry bushes at Discovery Park, and also to a presentation on the Karakoram at the downtown REI. Service-oriented and educational!

5. Biking

6. Running

7. Reading at a bookstore (Third Place Books and Elliot Bay Books are two of my top picks!)

7a. I’m also keeping an eye out for authors speaking at bookshops.

8. Volunteering – So far, service project w/ REI, plus helping out at church, and I read about a couple of fund raising events that sound really cool – fancy dinners and desserts – which I can’t afford to go to. But I’m trying to volunteer to help at a couple. Perks: getting into a cool event, and getting to know a new organization.

9. Job Searching. Ha, just kidding. It is free, but it’s not usually quite as fun.

10. Baking a delicious pumpkin pie

11. Frequenting my local public library

Things that are less free but still fun:

Golfing (it’s nice to have parents who want to invest in your training), going out for coffee, Trophy cupcakes, fancy drinks, and something I’m saving up for: there’s a Picasso exhibit coming to the Seattle Art Museum.

*Works best if you have kayaks already. Call me if you’re interested…