It’s August—have you taken your vacation yet? With rising costs that aren’t accompanied by rising pay scales, it’s sometimes very hard to take a “real” vacation. Though my family has never taken a traditional vacation where you travel somewhere exotic or far away and spend a grand or two on a week’s worth of activities, we always enjoy a staycation or two every year where we experience the best of our town, its surrounding areas, and St. Louis, which is only about half an hour from where we live.

We’re very lucky; St. Louis is home to so many fun, free adventures! From the St. Louis Arch to the Mississippi riverboats, all kinds of awesome eateries to Cardinals baseball (or Rams football, if that’s your thing), gambling to animal sanctuaries, mines to Six Flags, there is never a shortage of things to do around here. I would wager that wherever you are, the same sentiment could be true if you went online and searched for your nearest city. GoCityKids.com is one of my favorite websites for family activities and resources. You can search by calendar date or type of activity—from classes and workshops to sports and museums. You can also simply try googling your nearest city and seeing if they have a tourism website; chances are they’ll have one plus coupons and discounts you can use.

And if you have a small budget that will allow you to travel a bit, why not see something you’ve always wanted to check out in another city or state? Have you always wanted to see the Grand Canyon? How about the awesome Cahokia Mounds of Illinois, or the Serpent Mound of Ohio? These amazing wonders can only be found in our country, and they are definitely on our list to see sometime. Grab a map (yes, the old-fashioned kind!) and plan out your adventure with your family. Research any cool sites or attractions on the way and let each person pick out something to visit.

Of course, American Adventures Month isn’t limited to the U.S. If you have enough money and want to go on a cross-country adventure, go for it! Travel to South America and test out your Spanish-speaking skills, or head to Canada for your own northern adventure. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to bring a camera and those you love for some long-lasting memories that will last a lifetime.