Friday deals: Free parks and museums

You'll find free admission to national parks this weekend, plus free museums, free 'summer camp' and 'fee-free' concerts.

By Teresa Mears Jun 4, 2010 8:03AM

We don't have too many food deals this week, but we do have some tips for finding free and cheap fun.

Today is National Doughnut Day, which means free doughnuts at many shops nationwide. Some of last week's food deals and coupons also are still good.

As the school year winds down, don't forget we also have information on free ways to keep your kids reading this summer and free and cheap movies to entertain them.

Bing: Free summer fun

With some help from our friends at Cities on the Cheap, we also came up with a few more deals on entertainment:

This weekend, June 5-6, is one of the fee-free weekends at U.S. national parks this year. Other free days are Aug. 14-15, Sept. 25 and Nov. 11. Don't forget that some national parks are free all the time.
Bass Prop Shops are offering a free Family Summer Camp on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from June 5 through July 11. Kids can participate in crafts, a shooting gallery, merit badge workshops and more. They can even eat free s'mores. Check your local shop for details, because activities may vary by location.
Holders of Bank of America credit, debit or ATM cards can get free admission to more than 70 museums and attractions across the U.S. June 5-6 through the Museums on Us program.
Live Nation is waiving the service fee for concerts at its 50 amphitheaters for tickets purchased through June 30. The deal includes tickets to more than 700 shows by 110 artists, including Meatloaf, Alice in Chains, Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, Phish, Rush, Santana, Jimmy Buffett, Jethro Tull, Tim McGraw, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Black Crowes, and Sugarland. Note: Even though the "service fee" is waived, you may find other fees are still part of the deal.

And we did manage to find just a few new food deals:

Mimi's Café is offering a free four-pack of muffins with any breakfast purchase from 7 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 9, with this Facebook coupon for its "likers."
If you like Brueggers Bagels on Facebook, you can get a coupon for a free bagel via e-mail.

Clearly, it pays to "like" your favorite eateries on Facebook.

Remember that not all local establishments participate in all national promotions, so it's always wise to call ahead.

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