Free (and Low Cost) Spring Break Staycation Ideas

March 1, 2024

Activities to Keep Your Family Busy

Spring Break Camps

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 ages 5-12.

Dates: March 25-28th, 2024

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 6–11, 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: March 25-28th, 2024
Time: 7:30am-6:00pm
Learn more here: https://jacksonvillenc.gov/359/Kidz-Dayz-Out

Zing Zumm STEAMwork Spring Break Day Camp
Located at the Zing Zumm Children’s Museum of Jacksonville, the STEAMwork Challenge Spring Break Camp offers an exciting opportunity for students between the ages of 5–10 to engage in hands-on activities that integrate science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Dates: March 25–29th, 2024
Time: 8am–12pm
Location: Zing Zumm, 625 New Bridge Street, Jacksonville, NC 28540
Learn more here: https://zingzumm.org/camps/

Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center Spring Break Camp
Sturgeon City offers a STEM-focused camp for children between the ages of 5–12. Each day at Sturgeon City’s Spring Break Camp features a different theme: Biology, astronomy, chemistry, geology, and engineering.

Dates: March 25th–March 29th, 2024
Times: 8am–4pm
Location: Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center, 50 Court St., Jacksonville, NC 28540
Learn more here: https://sturgeoncity.org/spring-break-camp-program/

Low-Cost Activities in Onslow County

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.
–Grocery by Publix: Sponsored by Publix, this exhibit provides children with an interactive marketplace where they can pretend to shop with child-friendly grocery carts, real food containers, and a fresh fruit and veggie stand.
–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:

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, Monday through Friday; $13 per person, Saturday-Sunday. 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:
https://www.megaplayusa.com/

Hit the beach or go on a day trip.
Even though weather in late March/early APril 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.

Free Outdoor Activities in Onslow County

Geocaching
A treasure hunting game 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 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 Parks.
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 reading.

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 more than 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:
http://www.onslowcountync.gov

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