Not traveling this summer doesn't mean boredom has to be your destination.
With some creative searches, you can find plenty of fun ways to spend a day in your area without spending a fortune. The key to making your time off feel like a vacation is to shake things up — start by ignoring the laundry pile and other chores.
Then search for an activity out of your ordinary routine. If you're a city dweller, take a drive into the country. If you normally stay firmly planted in the suburbs, venture downtown for a day. Doing something different will make the time seem special, even though you're sleeping in your own bed.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Get young kids to the real "Farmville"
Preschoolers love the alpacas of Sunshine Farm in New Milford, Pa., where owners Catherine Bente and Don Hines happily open their gates for families as well as groups. The Andean natives, which look like small llamas, are bred for their fleece, used to make yarn.
If the Sunshine farm is too far away, check out the unique agricultural offerings in your region at www.localharvest.org. The site lists farms throughout the country that welcome visitors, and includes an events calendar featuring programs like the YouthGrow Summer Gardening Camp in Eugene, Ore.
On that site and www.pickyourown.org , you can also find farms where kids can discover exactly where fruits and vegetables come from, and get a little dirty finding out. It's always best to call ahead and make sure it's a good day to visit, because farms get busy during the summer.
If you can't make it to the farm, check out the Locavore app for iPhone and Android, and find a nearby farmers market. Many offer more than just fruits and vegetables. Art exhibitions, cooking demonstrations, music and other entertainment may be available along with the fresh-picked produce. There may even be a tent where kids can work on craft projects while parents get the shopping done.
Take tweens and teens behind the scenes
Tickets to a Red Sox game at Boston's Fenway Park — if you can get seats at the perennially sold-out games — can sell for $90 or more. But a tour of the major league's oldest ballpark is just $12 for adults and $10 for kids under 15. On game days, a well-timed tour can include batting practice, where you can watch some of the baseball stars hitting balls out of the park. Step outside to Landsdowne Street for a sandwich from the Sausage Guy's cart, and you've had a full day at the ballpark, and there's still time get home in time to watch the game on TV.
Not a part of Red Sox Nation? Most professional sports arenas offer behind-the-scenes tours for a fraction of the price of a game ticket, and many allow the public to view practices as well. Some newer facilities feature more elaborate walk-throughs: At Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, guides take special groups on art tours to view the contemporary art in the building. Details are typically available on the team website by clicking on the link to the stadium.
If your kids are more into "American Idol" than the American League, check out similar tours at performing arts venues like The Chicago Theater or the Hollywood Bowl.
Gather grown-ups to sample local wines
North Carolina resident Bob Hodge has spent more than a decade compiling a guide to wineries in all 50 states. Take advantage of his efforts to identify which of the nearly 6,000 wineries on his website, www.allamericanwineries.com , are near you for an inexpensive day for adults.
"Wineries are realizing the economic impact of tourism and expanding their offerings to include events," Hodge said. Many now have concerts, dinners that incorporate different wines for each course and classes on wine tasting. Tours through the vineyards and winemaking facilities are also frequently available.
Don't be intimidated if you don't know a lot about wine. "As long as you're polite, it's OK not to like a wine," Hodge said, noting that all tasting rooms have pour buckets where you can splash the remains of a glass. While some tasting rooms are free, most charge about $5 to sample four to six wines.
Also check out www.LocalWineEvents.com, which lists festivals, tastings and other wine-related programs around the country.
Apps for Android include Wineries Tours and a slew of local guides; iPhone and iPad apps include Wineries Locator and a number for specific regions or states. Blackberry App World also has a handful of regional winery locators.
Scout a movie location
If they filmed it, you can visit.
For a family of film buffs, visiting the location of a movie shoot can make a special day.
Start by finding a movie that was filmed near your home. Watch it together, and try to identify sites that look familiar.
There's plenty of help out there. Several iPhone and Android apps, like "Spott" and "Location Scout" offer locations for a long list of movies. There's also a handful of localized versions like "Movie Tours: Portland", which is specific to the Oregon city and nearby coastal area. Online, try www.movielocatoinsguide.com or www.movie-locations.com or search for "movies filmed in" your state, and you're likely to come up with a database crafted by a local fan.
Most movies are actually filmed in a number of places. Of course, it's easier to find locations nearby if you live in Southern California or New York. But there are plenty of small towns and suburbs around the country that have played host to film crews. In Dyersville, Iowa, for instance, you can set foot on the baseball diamond built for "Field of Dreams," which even has its own website, www.fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com .
Take a new look at local attractions
From the monuments in the nation's capital to a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, locals often overlook some of the most popular — and free — tourist attractions in their own communities. Check out your city or state's tourism website to get started on that list of hometown sites you've always meant to see.
It's also worth remembering that public parks offer more than just rivers and trees. In Oklahoma state parks, for instance, visitors can see Native American sites, spelunk through mysterious caves or rent a dune buggy. Entry fees are typically low and many states and the National Park Service sell seasonal passes that pay for themselves with a few visits. Most states have official apps that detail park features, and there are numerous apps about national parks.
Some states have additional attractions protected by private organizations, like The Trustees of Reservations in Massachusetts, www.thetrustees.org , that preserve historic sites and wild lands. Nonprofit organizations like the National Audobon Society, www.audobon.org , maintain nature centers and preserves across the country.
Or try Gozaic, www.gozaic.com , a site from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, that describes cultural and heritage sites from museums to battlefields, including maps and photos. Both Android and iTunes carry regional apps that can point you toward such locations as well.