Hopping aboard a 30-Minute River Tour with Frankenmuth FunShips will cost you only $10 (children 12 and younger only $5, and younger than 3 are free) and you'll see sweeping views of Frankenmuth while gliding along the picturesque Cass River and getting local know-how on what else to see and do while you're here.

Spend a day sunbathing and swimming the 40-acre, spring-fed lake at Haithco Recreation Area in Saginaw for only $5 per vehicle entry, not per person. Throw horseshoes, fish from the pier, enjoy the splash pad and playground area, and grill on the hibachis. Rent paddleboats or kayaks for just $5/hour, and enjoy a full day of affordable fun at the beach.

Admission into the magical Castle Museum of Saginaw County History is just $3 for individuals, $5 for families, and only $2 for ages 65+. The slice of area history you'll experience inside, including riveting photography, lumbering and automotive manufacturing exhibits, and various traveling exhibits? Worth every penny!

A museum unlike any other, experience the Michigan Heroes Museum in Frankenmuth to discover more than 900 exhibits, each honoring a Michigan soldier, marine, sailor, airman, or astronaut. Step inside this priceless piece of history for just $7 ($6 for seniors & veterans, $3 for students 18 & under, and children under 5 enter for free).

For only $10, experience the Frankenmuth tasting room of Michigan's most-awarded winery, St. Julian, and enjoy a guided sampling of six one-ounce pours, served in a take-home souvenir glass. Cheers!

From summer's Bay City Fireworks Festival to winter's epic snow- & ice-carving competition, Zehnder's Snowfest, the Great Lakes Bay is home to unforgettable year-round festivals, and admission is often free or below $10. Watch for some of our top annual favorites, and get going!

Planned, designed, and built just for kids, have fun while learning a ton inside Saginaw's Mid-Michigan Children's Museum for only $8 (just $7 for "big kids" over 60 and free for kids younger than 2). Watch your children's faces light up at galleries that include stuffing fuzzy balls into "A-Mazing Airways" and splashing around at "Water, Water Everywhere."

Take a trip to the nearby Saginaw Children's Zoo, where admission is just $7 (free for infants under 1 and zoo members, and only $5 for military). Meeting over 150 animals will make this experience a memorable one, and rides on the hand-carved carousel and miniature train offer add-on fun that's just $2 per person, per ride!

Discover rural heritage on the oldest farm in Frankenmuth! For just $6 per person (kids 2 and under are free), give your family a day of fun on the farm without breaking the piggy bank. Meet, pet, and even help feed adorable animals at the Petting Barn and Coop, watch vintage tractors and plows at work, and explore the corncrib and cornbox play area!

Watch your children's imaginations soar at Midland Center for the Arts! For just $4 per person (free for museum members), explore pop-up STEM and history exhibits and discover Spark!Lab® Smithsonian, a unique, hands-on learning lab where everyone can be an inventor!

With the chance to see the world's largest collection of motorized fire trucks in existence — including the world's most powerful fire truck, the FDNY Super Pumper — a visit to the Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum is a must! And with admission of just $10 for adults, $7 for seniors & students, and children 4 and under admitted free, create bright eyes and big smiles on a budget!

With daily admission of only $8 per child (under 12 months, over 13 years, and parents all enter for free), let the kiddos burn off energy at The Playground! This indoor play palace features a two-story play structure with multiple slides, a zipline, and other fun obstacles — and a coffee bar with perfectly poured lattes, parents!