It’s one of the most expensive places in the world to live, but it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune to hangout in New York City. Spend your visit trolling the free sites and you’ll come home with just as many photos, memories, and blisters as the next guy – but more money in your pocket. Here’s some great things to see that won’t cost you a dime.

1. City Hall Park

Often filled with public art and always offering a place to sit around a pretty waterfall in the middle of the Financial District, City Hall park is a free spot to relax downtown.

2. St Paul’s Chapel

Across the street from the World Trade Center, the “Ground Zero Church” is free to visit but does accept donations to help support the memorials and exhibits honoring the victims, survivors, and rescue workers of 9/11. Read More »

Dolphins in the Sea of Cortez, doing thier thing.

One day, about 5 years ago, my family and I took a vacation to Catalina Island just off of Los Angeles. It was a lot of fun and I’ve mentioned it numerous times over my years here at UpTake.

However, one thing that I’ve never gone into is how I was completely hosed on the dolphin experience that EVERYONE on the boat shared — except for me and my son. Turns out that his bladder also serves as an indicator to when something magical is going to happen, because he had to use the restroom, coming and going, just before pods of dolphins swam alongside our boat. Thousands of them, apparently. I hear it was fantastic.

Not that I’m bitter.

This post is part of our Friday Family Series.

Photo: lowjumpingfrog via Flickr

Please keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle.

When I was a kid the school bus was a terrifying place full of wedgies, spitballs and the occasional lunchbox out the window. We didn’t even have seat belts, which means that it was unsafe in addition to the childhood traumas it transported.

I can only imagine the shenanigans floating on the school boat.

That’s right, a school boat. The children pictured above are in Bangkok, Thailand and they are boarding the boat that will take them home from school. They don’t appear to have seat belts either. Or life jackets.

However, take away the fears of my youth and the idea of traveling to and from school via boat seems almost magical. Of course that magic would fade rather quickly during the rainy season, but on a sunny day — totally awesome.

It sure beats swimming uphill. Both ways. In the snow.

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Photo by wat suandok via Flickr.

Big Bear Lake, CA

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