Free (and Low Cost) Spring Break Staycation Ideas
With the winter blues fading away and spring break plans on the horizon, we’ve prepared a list of some of our favorite ways to spend the break at home in Onslow County. No matter why you’ve opted for a spring break staycation this year, don’t worry: There are plenty of ways to keep your family entertained.
Low-Cost Activities to Keep Your Family Busy
Zing Zumm Children’s Museum of Jacksonville
A nonprofit museum located in Onslow County, the Zing Zumm Children’s Museum is geared toward children between the ages of 0 and 10. The museum is home to over 20 hands-on exhibits for families to explore, including:
- The Tot Spot: Created for young visitors to learn, explore, and play, the Tot Spot features plenty of books and toys, an activity wall, and an indoor playset.
- Camp Zing Zumm: Embrace the outdoors from the safety of indoors. Set up camps, tell stories around the “campfire,” or enjoy a full-size replica dinghy boat.
- Claws and Paws: Sponsored by the Onslow Animal Hospital, Claws and Paws is ideal for your children to play and pretend to be a veterinarian—all while learning how to keep their favorite animals safe and healthy.
- And much more! Visit their website to learn more about their exhibits and activities for young children.
Cost:
$8 plus tax for adults and children 1 year and older
Babies under the age of 12 months are free
Tickets are available at the front office. No reservations are required.
Learn More:
https://zingzumm.org/admission/
MEGAPLAY
MEGAPLAY is a fun mix of an indoor playground and mini amusement park. With multiple kid-sized rides, ball pits, and plenty of space to run and play, your children will enjoy their spring break adventure burning every last bit of energy. Plus with designated spaces for younger kids, this is the perfect family venue with something for everyone to enjoy.
Cost:
$12 per person. Kids and adults not playing may enter for free.
Online registration is required — sign up for a time slot before you get there!
Learn more:
Lynnwood Park Zoo
Lynnwood Park Zoo is a veteran-owned and operated sanctuary that first opened in 1990. The zoo features animals from various backgrounds—from private owner surrenders to rescued and rehabilitated animals. With over 50 animal habitats and countless species, spend a day at the zoo and observe mammals, birds, reptiles, and more.
Cost:
Adults $11; Kids 2-12 $9
Tickets are available at the front office. No reservations are required.
Learn More:
Hit the beach or go on a day trip.
Even though April weather can be hit or miss, take a day to spend some time outside. Pack a picnic, bring a beach blanket, and don’t forget the frisbee. Not only will you enjoy some fresh spring air, but you’ll experience quality family time and a taste of vacation for a day.
There are a number of beach access sites, beautiful parks, paddle trails, and bike routes in Onslow County to visit. To find the perfect spot for your family, check out the Onslow County Parks & Rec website.
Cost:
Although visiting the beach is free, parking typically costs $5 per hour or $25 per day. If you plan to visit the beach often, you might consider an annual pass for $250. Learn more here.
Spring Break Camps
YMCA Spring Break Camp
If you’re looking for a spring break camp to keep your kids busy, check out the YMCA. They have a camp for K–5th grade students.
Registration is available for both members and non-members.
Dates: April 3-6 (The New River YMCA will be closed on Good Friday, April 7th. Spring Break Camp will not ake place on Friday, April 7th.)
Learn more here: https://www.trymca.org/locations/new-river-ymca-0
Onslow County Parks & Recreation Spring Break Camp
Spend four fun-filled days of spring-themed activities, arts and crafts, and games. The Spring Break Day Camp Program is open to children grades K-6. Field trip fees are included in the cost.
Dates: April 3-6, 2023
Learn more here: https://www.onslowcountync.gov/883/Youth-Programs
Kidz Dayz Out
Through the City of Jacksonville, Kidz Dayz Out provides programming during teacher work days and holidays. Open to kids between the ages of 6–12, each day includes snack time, group activities, arts and crafts, lunch time, cultural activities, and more. All you’ll need to provide is a lunch and two snacks of your choice for your child each day.
Dates: April 3-6 and April 10th, 2023
Learn more here:
https://jacksonvillenc.gov/359/Kidz-Dayz-Out
Zing Zumm Spring Break Day Camp
Located at the Zing Zumm Children’s Museum of Jacksonville, this spring break camp includes a wide range of fun activities to stimulate your child’s growing mind.
Dates: April 3-7th, 2023, 9am-12pm
Learn more here: https://zingzumm.org/camps/
Free Outdoor Activities in Onslow County
Geocaching
A treasure hunting activity where you use a GPS to hide and seek containers and collectibles, geocaching is a great way to pass the time at home in Onslow County. All you need to do to get started is to create an account at Geocaching.com and use the app to navigate to a nearby geocache!
All you need to bring? A pen so you can sign and date the logbook.
Enjoy Story Walks at the Park.
At One Place, we collaborate with the Onslow County Parks and Recreation department to provide five permanent Story Walks at the Park. Each Story Walk features pages of a children’s book mounted on posts that line a path.
This is the perfect activity to promote early literacy development in your child—and get some fresh spring air! Each park features a different story each month, so you might want to visit all five locations during spring break and enjoy the read.
Here’s where you can find Story Walks:
- Onslow Pines Park – 1244 Onslow Pines Rd, Jacksonville, NC 28540
- Hubert By-Pass Park – 220 Hubert Blvd, Hubert, NC 28539
- Deppe Park – 5472 New Bern Hwy, Maysville, NC 28555
- Steed Park – 278 Francktown Rd, Richlands, NC 28574
- Stump Sound – 1771 NC-172, Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
Check out the Little Free Libraries
We maintain over 70 Little Free Libraries throughout Onslow County—so you’ll have unlimited access to a range of books. Readers of all ages are encouraged to “Take a book, return a book,” whenever you visit—so if you have some books laying around the house, you can pair spring cleaning with spring break!
Find the closest Little Free Library to you here: https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/
Visit the Public Library
The Onslow County Public Library frequently hosts storytime and other great events for children. From toddler time to family storytime to preschool storytime, there’s always something for your child.
View all Onslow County Public Library events here:
Best Stay-at-Home Activities
Staying home can be just as fun—and much more relaxing for parents. Here are a few ideas to help you entertain the kids without leaving the house.
Make your own play-doh.
Although there are a dozen different homemade play-doh recipes, this is one of our favorites—and you probably have everything you need sitting in your kitchen right now! Making your own playdoh is a great sensory activity for kids. All you need is baking soda, water, corn starch, and food coloring if you’re feeling fancy. While this is a nontoxic recipe, we wouldn’t recommend eating it—so a little extra supervision for the little ones may be in order.
Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Water
Corn Starch
Food Coloring (Optional)
View the recipe here: https://simplybeingmommy.com/2018/10/26/3-ingredient-play-dough-recipe/
Create a treasure hunt
Hide a few “treasures” around the house and give your children clues to help them discover them. This activity is great for every age with a few modifications. For younger children, hide toys or objects in the same room. For children between the age of 3–5, give verbal clues. For older children, you can try drawing a map or coming up with complicated riddles before sending them off on their fact-finding mission.
If you’re friendly with your neighbors, try organizing a neighborhood-wide scavenger hunt or seek-and-find event. This can be a fun way to interact with other families in your communities and give your children the opportunity to make new friends.
Try a virtual adventure
There are a number of fun resources for children and families—from a virtual visit at the Smithsonian to a 30-day LEGO challenge.
Click here to see our favorite resources for virtual events and adventures for your family.
We’re here to help.
Spring break will come and go faster than you can imagine, but we hope these ideas help you have a memorable experience with your children this year.
Follow us on social media for more ideas for the perfect staycation activities—and tag us as you experience all that Onslow County has to offer.