Free Things To Do In Evansville
Hi, guys!! I don’t know about you, but I am always on the lookout for fun things for us to do together as a family. I’ve shared, in the past, a few inexpensive family fun day ideas, but today I want to focus on FREE. I don’t mind splurging a little on a special activity every now and then, but that just isn’t practical for an average weekend. So FREE is the name of the game today.
I’ve put together 10 free things to do in Evansville, IN, which is my hometown. If you don’t live in Evansville, hopefully you can find a little bit of inspiration throughout this list. I’m sure there are similar things to do in your own city if you really start to dig in.
ALWAYS FREE
Playgrounds
There are so many different playgrounds around town. Don’t limit your search to only big public parks. There isn’t anything wrong with big playgrounds, but they are more likely to be crowded and crowded isn’t always my jam.
What we like to do is visit church playgrounds and school playgrounds. There aren’t usually very many people there, which is a big plus in my book. The only downside is that you must go after hours or on weekends. But I have found that most churches don’t mind at all if you stop by and play as long as it doesn’t interrupt anything they already have going on.
Feed The Ducks
The Evansville State Hospital has a beautiful park with a giant lake that is home to so many different ducks and geese who are always hungry for a little extra food. You can park right next to the lake, which makes feeding the ducks super accessible. This is seriously one of our favorite free things to do in Evansville.
So, you aren’t supposed to feed ducks bread…but in my experience, the ducks don’t want those peas and grapes that everyone on the internet says we should feed them. I mean, if you had to choose between a salad and a donut, which would you choose? However, since I don’t want to be “duck food shamed” I have opted to buy a bag of food at Rural King and keep it in my trunk. One bag has lasted me a LONG time! But I won’t tell if you just bring a bag of stale bread and hotdog buns…
Also, don’t forget to throw your bikes and/or scooters (and maybe even a picnic basket) in the car too. The Evansville State Hospital is a great place for that sort of thing!
USI-Burdette Trail
The USI-Burdette Trail is a beautiful, paved trail that stretches almost 3 miles from Burdette Park to USI. Perfect for walks, runs, scooters, and/or bikes. Oh, and it’s also pet-friendly, so bring the dogs along too!
Picnic
On a beautiful day, throw together a picnic basket and head out for a picnic. Choose a park, a playground, or even just in your backyard!
Bring outdoor toys from home. Frisbee’s, chalk, scooters, bikes, etc. Sometimes just a change in location makes old toys into new fun.
Make A Bath Bomb
Every weekend at Buff City Soap they let kids paint their own bath bombs for free, no purchase necessary. A great quick activity if you are already out and about.
Library
The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library is a great resource for free things to do in Evansville. They offer free storytimes during the week, free movie nights on the weekend, etc. Check out their event schedule here!
Audubon State Park
Audubon State Park is in Kentucky, but close enough to count as an Evansville activity if you ask me. Just a quick hop over the bridge. We love going for a hike and then swinging by the playground before heading home. A great place to spend the day enjoying the outdoors.
There are many more activities available at Audubon for a small fee, but the trails and playgrounds are completely free. They even have fishing gear available to rent for free too!
SOMETIMES FREE
Evansville Museum
The Evansville Museum offers Free First Fridays, which allows you to free admission to the museum and all its exhibits (except the Koch Immersive Theater) the first Friday of every month.
Friedman Park
Friedman Park in Warrick County is a great place to look to for free events. Follow them on Facebook to keep an eye on their upcoming events. Some regular free events include concerts and movies in the park.
Audubon State Park
Angel Mounds is a preserved Native American site that was built between A.D> 1000 and 1450. Visit the earthen mounds and take a hike on their trails.
It is listed as “sometimes free” because it is only free well, sometimes…
Angel Mounds “free days” include:
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents Day
- Members of the military
- Military Families during the Blue Star Museums program
- Pre-registered, accredited Indiana Schools
- Indiana homeschool groups of 10 or more K-12 students
- Children under 3
There are also several discounts offered for various groups that also apply to the 11 other state museums and historic sites in Indiana.
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