Do you ever come up on a weekend that you don't have something planned for a family outting? How many times have you done a repeat on an old theme because you don't want to travel and you don't want to hang out at the house? Well, take some time in between those times and come up with a list of those lost destinations. Places and things to do that you know about, but really haven't done.

As an example, when was the last time you went to the museum? Sure, you may have gone there once, but when was the last time? You may find it's changed quite a bit. Other places to think about are the other "public" places in your area. Whether it's a public art gallery, your local theater, historic buildings, or just plain downtown. So often we live in the suburbs that we don't expose our children to the rest of the area we live in.

Bring back the Sunday drive

There was a time when families would load up in the family vehicle and simply drive through some area they haven't been to before. Sometimes, since you are not hurried, you will see an interesting place and stop. A two or three hour excursion can bring back experiences that were totally unplanned, but really exciting. So why not use that SUV for some local, unplanned adventures.

Park and Park

In almost every part of the country, there are federal, state, and local parks, monuments, refuges, and historic buildings. A quick trip on the Internet will reveal them all. Have your kids make it into a research project and then plan an outting. Park at the park and go check it out.

Read about it

Your local public library is a place to go that offers an excellent theme for recurring trips. It can also make for a great mid-week outting to break up the schedule. There is always something for everyone and if you plan it right, kids can work on research for school projects.

Exercise your right!

Kids ride bicycles and at one time you were a kid, so don't think you can't. If you as parent(s) don't have a bike, get or borrow one and go somewhere for a bike excursion. Certainly the exercise will do you good and it will be fun to do. The same holds true for hiking. Don't let images of backpacks; climbing ropes, etc. keep you from just grabbing good pair of shoes, a bottle of water and getting out there for a stroll. Most parks have both walking and biking areas for you to explore.

Don't quit here!

These ideas are just a few. Don't stop now! - Get together as a family and come up with your own lost destinations! As you can see, you don't need to shell out the family fortune for a fun family outting. Good times and good memories are waiting just around the corner!