Six ways to cool off and wear out the kids this summer without spending much
Plus a free splash pad with a river channel, $1.75 Wednesday morning movies, and a natural-history museum that never costs a dime.
Good morning, Happy Valley.
School's out and the forecast says hot. Here's a stack of summer outings that are free or close to it, all within a short drive of Provo and Orem.
Splash pads, library programs, two free museums, cheap movies, and an open swim with a lazy river. Pick a few and plan the week.
📍 30 seconds in the valley⏱️ 4 min read
- 💦Palisade Park splash pad in Orem, free with a river channel
- 📚Provo Library summer reading is live through July 31
- 🎟️$1.75 Wednesday-morning kids movies at Cinemark
- 🏛️Bean Museum and BYU MOA are always free
- 🏊Provo Rec Center leisure pool, $4–5 a head
💦 Beat the Heat
Pick of the week
Palisade Park splash pad, Orem
Orem's splash pad built on the old Cascade Golf Course land, with a river channel, islands, and rock seating where parents can sit in the shade.
Our take
A free splash pad with a real river channel beats a backyard hose by a mile. Pack a picnic and let them run until they crash for the afternoon.⚠️ Heads up: Splash pads run seasonally and hours shift through the summer. Confirm it's on and check the day's schedule at orem.gov before you load the car.
Free familiesfreetoddlers
Details → 💦 One More to Cool Off
Worth it
The Orchard splash pad, University Place, Orem
An outdoor splash pad and play area at the north end of University Place, with interactive fountains and shade for parents. University Place also runs a free summer events schedule at The Orchard.
Our take
A second free water option when Palisade is packed, with stores and food a few steps away if the day falls apart.⚠️ Heads up: Splash pad hours and the summer events calendar both shift. Confirm current hours at universityplaceorem.com before you go.
Free familiesfreetoddlers
Details → 📚 Free This Week
Worth it
Provo City Library summer reading
The library's summer reading program runs June 1 through July 31, with reading logs, prizes, and a full calendar of free kids events, from Library Kids craft sessions to Tween Thursdays builds.
Our take
Free air conditioning, free programs, and a prize at the end for reading. The easiest structure you can hand a kid all summer.⚠️ Heads up: Popular kids programs fill and some need registration. Check the events calendar and sign up at provolibrary.gov before you show up.
Free familiesfreerainy day
Details → 🎟️ Cheap Thrills
Worth it
Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse
Family movies for $1.75 a ticket on Wednesday mornings, June through early August, at Cinemark Provo 16 and Cinemark University Mall in Orem. Snack and popcorn-combo discounts run during the showtimes.
Our take
Under two bucks a head for a morning out of the heat. Stack it with a splash pad after lunch and you've filled a whole Wednesday for almost nothing.⚠️ Heads up: Showtimes and the title list vary by theater and can sell out. Confirm the week's movie and times at cinemark.com.
$ familiesrainy daycheap
Details → 🏛️ Always Free
Natural History
Worth it
Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, BYU
BYU's free natural-history museum, packed with mounted animals from around the world, live reptile shows, and an aquarium. A reliable indoor stop when it's too hot to be outside.
Our take
A free museum that holds a toddler's attention and a ten-year-old's at the same time. The kind of place you can drop into for an hour with no plan.⚠️ Heads up: Hours and the live-show schedule can change around BYU events. Confirm at lsm.byu.edu before you drive over.
Free familiesfreerainy day
Details → Art
Worth it
BYU Museum of Art, Provo
A free art museum on BYU campus with rotating exhibitions and free parking near the entrance. Quiet, cool, and easy to pair with the Bean Museum across campus.
Our take
Always-free art with free parking is rare. Walk through, let the kids find a favorite piece, and you're out before anyone melts down.⚠️ Heads up: Hours change between school year and summer. Confirm the day's hours and current exhibitions at moa.byu.edu.
Free familiesfreedate night
Details → 🏊 The Best Thing We Found
Best of the week
Provo Rec Center leisure pool
The indoor leisure pool with Zippy's treehouse, three slides, a zero-depth entry, and a lazy river. Day passes run $4 for kids and $5 for adults.
Our take
For five bucks you get a lazy river, slides, and a treehouse that dumps water on everyone. Hard to beat per dollar on a hot afternoon.⚠️ Heads up: Open swim windows shift around lessons, aerobics, and team use. Confirm the day's open-swim schedule at provo.gov before you pack the bag.
$ familiescheaptoddlers
Details → 📌 Heads Up, Happy Valley
Plan ahead
Splash pad season is short, so use it
Most Utah County splash pads run from around Memorial Day to Labor Day, and several keep daytime-only hours that change through the summer.
Our take
The free water only runs a few months. Build a couple of splash-pad mornings into the week now while the season's on.⚠️ Heads up: Hours and open dates vary by city and can change with weather or maintenance. Always confirm on the city site the morning of.
Free familiesfreesummer
Details → 💙 Good Neighbor
Nominate the Valley's quiet MVPs
Every issue we spotlight one neighbor, teacher, coach, or cause quietly making the Valley better, plus an easy way to pitch in. Know someone who deserves it? Send them our way.
Nominate a neighbor →That's a week of summer handled. Hit a splash pad in the morning, a $1.75 movie on Wednesday, and a free museum when the heat wins.
Tell us what we missed. Reply with the cheap and free family spots your corner of the Valley swears by and we'll pass them along.
Forward this to the parent already counting the days until school starts. We've got them covered until then.
— The Provo FOMO crew
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