A great city to visit for an Alabama day trip is Dothan, the Peanut Capital of the World. Located in the state’s southeast corner, Dothan is accessible not only by car, but also by Greyhound Bus Line. Visit in the fall if you want to make it for the National Peanut Festival, to which admission is only $8 per person. Otherwise, make sure you check out the historical Dothan Civic Center Opera House, where shows start at $25.

Located less than an hour outside of Anchorage, Wasilla is a great option for any Alaskan looking to get away for the day. For a cheap day of entertainment, check out the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry for $8 per adult, or $18 for the whole family. Additionally, you can check out the Finger Lake State Recreation Site if you enjoy boating, campaign, or kayaking. You’re going to want to check out Anchorage in the summer, as many local establishments (like the aforementioned museum) close down during the winter months.

A few hours south of Phoenix, and less than two hours from Tucson, picturesque Bisbee was once a booming mining town—today, it’s the perfect spot for a day trip. Don a hardhat and take a tour of the Queen Mine, where rich copper ore was mined ($14 for adults, $6.50 for children ages 6-12). Once you reemerge above ground, walk Bisbee’s Heritage Stairs, a substitute for roads to homes that seem precariously perched within the town’s steep slopes.

Home to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville has more to offer than one of the country’s best college football teams. For an afternoon of free education, check out the Clinton House Museum, where President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton lived while teaching law at the University of Arkansas. If you’re looking to enjoy the nice weather, you can opt to take in the public art of Wilson Park. Visiting during the summer is a great call for families looking to take in the culture without having to compete with the bustle of an active college campus.

Located in southern California, Coronado is a great stop for anyone looking to enjoy the glitz and glam of southern California without having to spend all the money. Take in the immaculate architecture of the historic Hotel Del Coronado, which is free to peruse, and then take in some rays by spreading out on the also-free Coronado Beach. Known for it’s picture-perfect weather, there’s no wrong time to visit Coronado, though you may want to avoid the June Gloom, if possible.

Dubbed the “melting pot of the west,” Pueblo is a great, centrally located city for any Colorado resident looking to get out of town for the day. Cheap entertainment options include the Rosemount Museum ($8 for adults, $4 for children), as well as the El Pueblo History Museum ($5 for adults, free for children). For the best weather and most walkability, check out Pueblo in the late spring or early summer.

Considered one of the pizza capitals of the United States, New Haven is a great destination for any Connecticuters looking to eat well and cheap. If eating pizza is somehow not your thing, you can also check out Yale University’s Morris Steinert Collection of Musical Instruments, where admission is free. Check out New Haven during the summer or early fall, and you’ll even be able to squeeze in a walk along the ocean, as well.

Claiming the title “the first town in the first state,” Lewes is a great place for any Delaware resident looking to get away for the day. For a cheap day of fun, check out the national historic landmark Lightship Overfalls ($5 for adults, free for children) to learn exactly what a lightship is, and why they’re important. For the most vibrant community, check out Lewes during the summer months when it’s operating at full capacity.

Who needs Disney World when you have Merritt Island? Home to the Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island is a great day trip option for any Floridian looking to engage their adventurous side. The museum itself will cost you a pretty penny, but you know what’s free as can be? Setting up to watch a rocket launch. Use this website to find the schedule for upcoming launches, as well as the NASA recommended locations for the best places to take in a launch.

Roswell is a great option for Georgians looking to getaway on a budget. Entertainment options include visiting the Computer Museum of America ($15 for adults, $10 for kids), as well as the free Chattahoochee River National Recreational Area. If you stop by during October, you may even have a chance to catch the annual Keep Roswell Beautiful Duck Race.

If you’re looking for a cheap day trip in Hawaii, you have a couple of non-expensive options in Honolulu. First, you can go check out the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, of which there’s no charge for admission. After that, you can check out the Honolulu Museum of Art ($10 for Hawaiian resident, free for children).

Idaho Falls is a wonderful city to take a day trip to in the spring or summer. Located about an hour outside of Yellowstone National Park, Idaho Falls is home to a few cheap entertainment options. You can stop by the Museum of Idaho ($13 for adults, $12 for children), for a cheap day of education, or the Greenbelt Stage to check out one of their free shows as a part of the River Concert Series. Visit Idaho Falls in the summer for the best weather to take in these activities.

Located less than an hour outside of Chicago, Naperville is a wonderful option for eschewing the bustle of the big city in lieu of a low-key afternoon. You can take a free stroll through their sculpture gardens, or come in on a Thursday and you can catch a free concert from the Naperville Municipal Band in Central Park. Stop by in early September and you’ll be able to catch the Naperville Independent Film Festival. 

Maybe not the first town that comes to mind when you think of Indiana, but Carmel is a great place to take the family for a day to take in some art and culture. Rent a bike and go down the Mono Trail ($1.50 per half hour), or take in a show at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts, where tickets will typically start at $15.

Centrally located in the state, Waterloo is easily accessible to Iowans coming from all over. Check out the Grout Museum of History and Science ($12 for adults, $6 for children) to learn about what life was like in Iowa back in the 1850s, or check out one of the free events at the Waterloo Center for the Arts to take in some music or culture.

More famously known as the home to the University of Kansas, Lawrence is also a nice place to stop for a family looking to spend a day. If want to learn and not spend much to do it, admission is free to the Watkins Museum of History, an institution dedicated to teaching the public about the history of the local area. Or visit the University of Kansas Natural History Museum (suggested donations of $7 for adults, $4 for children).

Formerly the capital of Confederate Kentucky during the Civil War, now Bowling Green is a centrally located destination for Kentucky residents with a hankering for a day trip. You can take your family to the National Corvette Museum ($18 for adults, $13 for children), or tour in your car through the Civil War Discovery Trail, with a free audio accompaniment found on the Visit Bowling Green tourism page.

A great option for a day trip in Louisiana is Lake Charles. Take in the wildlife at the Creole Nature Trail, or a show from the Lake Charles Symphony at the Rosa Hart Theater. If you can make it during the first two weeks of May, make sure to check out the Louisiana Pirate Festival. Be aware that if you visit during February, you’ll have to deal with quite a bit of Mardi Gras activity, as well.

What better place for a day trip than the coastal town of Portland? You can widen your horizons by taking in some culture at the Portland Museum of Art ($18 for adults, free for children), or take it easy and check out the world’s oldest working municipal pipe organ. You’ll want to check Portland out during the late spring or summer; it can be pretty cold up there otherwise.

Located on the water, Annapolis is one of Maryland’s most beautiful cities. A family on a budget can visit Sandy Point State Park ($5 admission on weekends, $4 on weekdays) to go for a swim in the Chesapeake Bay, or you can opt to check out the Annapolis Maritime Museum ($7 for adults, $5 for children) if staying dry is more your speed.

If you’re looking for a fun day trip in Massachusetts, look no further than Salem. If you took a high school literature class, you’re already more than familiar with the Salem Witch Trials, but did you know they also have a Halloween Museum ($10 for adults, $5 for children)? You can also enjoy one of life’s greatest free activities of all—watching the sunset from Pickering Wharf at Salem Harbor.

Perhaps the best city for a day trip in Michigan is the legendary Ann Arbor. Want fun for all ages? Check out the Hands-On Museum ($16 for adults and children), which features 250 interactive exhibits. Those traveling through in the springtime should make sure to catch a debut screening at the Ann Arbor Film Festival.

Centrally located in the state, most any Minnesota family can plan a day trip to St. Paul. Worth checking out is the military’s Historic Fort Snelling ($12 for adults, $8 for children). If that’s not your speed, take a free stroll through the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory ($4 for adults, $2 for children) and check out their exotic wildlife (though make sure to donate, if you’re able).

Any Mississippian who’s gotten here knows exactly why you should take a day trip to Tupelo: It’s the birthplace of the one and only Elvis Presley. You can, of course, go see his birthplace (starting at $10 for adults, $5 for children), or you can zig when everyone else zags and check out the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo ($15 for adults and children).

If you’re looking for an affordable day trip in Missouri, look no further than Independence. Cheap entertainment options include the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum ($12 for adults, $5 for children) and admission to the museum at the Puppetry Arts Institute (free). It may be a weird day if you do both activities, but certainly not a bad one.

Butte makes a great destination for people looking for a day trip in the Treasure State. You can go to the World Museum of Mining ($10 for adults, $6 for children), or you can check out the free Montana Folk Festival if you’re passing through Butte during the second weekend in July.

A little over an hour outside of Lincoln is the town of Grand Island. Grand Island boasts a few nice options for people of all ages to come through and enjoy, including the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer ($14 for adults, $12 for children), currently showing off an exhibit for The Great Gatsby. If you’re stopping by at the end of the summer, make sure to also check out the Nebraska State Fair ($10 for adults, $3 for children).

If you’re looking to escape the consumerism of Las Vegas, you might enjoy a day trip to Henderson. While it may not have Celine Dion, it does have the Clark County Museum for a fraction of the cost ($2 for adults, $1 for children). If your family is more in the mood for some fresh air and sunlight, stop by Acacia Park for open grass areas, picnic tables, and playgrounds.

If you’re looking for a day trip in the Live Free or Die State, you should try living free (and ideally not dying) in Concord. Affordable entertainment options include the Pierce Manse ($10 for adults, $5 for children), the home of former U.S. president Franklin Pierce, and the Capitol Center for the Arts, which offers a handful of shows starting at $15.

If you’re looking for a day trip in New Jersey, consider checking out Morristown. Chock full of Revolutionary War history, Morristown is home to sites such as George Washington’s Headquarters Museum, of which admission is free, as well as Jockey Hollow National Park, also free.

You want a town with a bit of a supernatural flair? Check out Roswell. Following an alleged UFO incident in 1947, Roswell, N.M. became widely considered the alien capital of the United States. Activities include the International UFO Museum and Research Center ($5 for adults, $2 for children), and the Roswell UFO Spacewalk ($5 for adults, $4 for children).

Home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown has quite a bit to offer as a day-trip destination for New Yorkers. While the museum itself is a bit pricey ($28 for adults, $17 for children), there’s a cheaper alternative in the form of the Cooperstown Wax Museum ($10 for adults and children).

If you want to hit the road for the day in North Carolina, check out Greensboro. Free entertainment options include the Weatherspoon Art Museum, with a collection of work that includes a 7,000-square-foot sculpture garden, and the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden, which has been described as an interactive landscape experience.

If you’re looking for a day trip in North Dakota check out Grand Forks. Home to not only the North Dakota Museum of Art (free), you can also catch one of Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra’s shows ($25 for adults, $5 for children.

Travel to Dublin, and odds are you’ll have a very nice time with your friends or family. You can take a nice long stroll through a public art installation featuring 109 distinct sculptures known as the Field of Giant Corn Cobs (free), or indulge your spooky side by learning about the historical haunts of the area on the Dublin Ghost Walk ($10, all ages).

If you’re looking for a day trip in Oklahoma, let the wind sweep you down the plain to the city of Norman. See one of the largest collections of French impressionism art in the United States at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art (free), or brush up on some science and nature at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History ($10 for adults, $6 for children).

In a shocking twist, Massachusetts isn’t the only state on this list whose recommended day trip is to a town called Salem. Check out some contemporary Northwest indigenous artwork at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art ($6 for adults, $4 for children), or spark your own natural curiosity at the Gilbert House Children’s Museum ($10 for all ages).

Colloquially dubbed the “Christmas City,” Bethlehem is known for its colonial history, its contribution to the country’s steel industry, and now as a vibrant city worth visiting any time of year (but especially during the holiday season). Take in some arts and culture at their newly established ArtsQuest (free), tour the National Museum of Industrial History ($15 for adults, $10 for children ages 7-17, free for children 6 and younger), or walk the Hoover-Mason Trestle, located along the blast furnaces of the former Bethlehem Steel plant.

Not all that glitters is gold, and not all that’s ritzy costs a fortune; if you’re looking to take an affordable day trip in Rhode Island, don’t sleep on Newport. Check out one of the oldest operating synagogues in the United States at the Touro Synagogue ($14 for adults, free for children), or learn about the local community’s art and history at the Newport Art Museum ($15 for adults, free for children).

If you’re looking to take a day trip in South Carolina and not break the bank, check out Greenville. Take in both contemporary and abstract art at the Greenville County Museum of Art (free), or become one with wildlife by checking out the Greenville Zoo ($12 for adults, $9 for children).

Much like the name of the city would imply, Rapid City is a great choice for a day trip if you want to do a lot of fun things in quick succession. Learn about the local area at the the Journey Museum and Learning Center ($14 for adults, $9 for children), or see some stunning visuals/landscapes by scheduling a tour through the Jewel Cave National Monument (starts at $6 for adults, $3 for children).

When deciding where to take a day trip in Tennessee, give serious consideration to Murfreesboro. Engage your children’s curious mind at the Discovery Center ($12 for adults and children), or engage your mind with the prompt, “what would it be like to have an absolute ton of money” by touring the Oaklands Mansion ($15 for adults, $10 for children).

Centrally located right smack dab in the middle of the state, Abilene is a viable day-trip destination for a wide range of Texans. Take in some of the community’s fine art by visiting The Grace Museum ($6 for adults, $3 for children), or make a mammal friend or two by checking out the Abilene Zoo ($10 for adults, $7 for children).

Home to the famed Brigham Young University, Provo is a great spot to check out with the family if you’re looking for a day trip without breaking the bank. Check out the Timpanogos Cave National Monument ($12 for adults and children) to see some truly stunning natural landscapes, or visit the Bridal Veil Falls (free), to also see some truly stunning natural landscapes, but spend less money doing so.

If you’re looking to take a cheap day trip in Vermont, it’s possible to do so in the town of Manchester. Engage your inner child (or your child’s current self) by checking out the Pastime Pinball Arcade (starts at $15 for adults, $10 for children), or learn about something new by checking out the American Museum of Fly Fishing ($5 for adults, $3 for children).

There’s no shortage of options for activities if you’re trying to do a day trip on a budget in Williamsburg. Take in some fresh air and pretty sights at the Williamsburg Botanical Garden (free), or indulge your artistic curiosity by checking out the Virginia Musical Museum ($12 for adults, $5 for children).

If you love nature and not spending money to see it, you might enjoy a day trip to the San Juan Islands. Check out the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park ($5 for adults, free for children) to see some new-age art, or try to grab a peak at some wildlife while hiking on Orcas Island (free).

Morgantown is a great option to take the family for a day of activities without spending a ton to do so. Learn about the local community’s history at the Morgantown History Museum (free, donation recommended), or take a leisurely stroll with some awesome views at the West Virginia University Core Arboretum (free).

If you’re hankering to see a Wisconsin city you haven’t checked out before, give some thought to Appleton. You can learn about the history of early electricity at the Hearthstone Historic House Museum ($10), or learn about the history of the local area at the History Museum at the Castle ($15 for adults, $10 for children).

Famous for its oil boomtown and cowboy culture, it’s entirely possible to have an affordable day trip in Casper. You can learn about the military history of the area by checking out the Fort Caspar Museum ($4 for adults, $3 for children), or learn about the pathway of western expansion at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (free).