Ten Activities to Enjoy in Freehold This Spring

Celebrating the arrival of spring with your family and friends can be really fun and refreshing after a long winter. Now that the weather is finally improving, it's time to break free from cabin fever, get some fresh air and enjoy fun outdoor activities.

Here are 10 fun ideas to try in Freehold.

1)    Take to the trails. Explore a trail near you at a local park, including the Henry Hudson Trail or Turkey Swamp Park. Visit the Monmouth County Park System to find a guide for area parks activities for individuals and families.

2)    Zip to the zoo or your local wildlife or bird sanctuary. Beat the summer crowds and enjoy a visit to the wild safari at Six Flags Great Adventure or take a trip to the Popcorn Park Zoo. You may find the animals are outside and more active as they emerge to enjoy the warmer weather too.

3)    Hit the water. You can rent a kayak or canoe at Turkey Swamp Park or any of the parks here. 

4)    Serve Freehold together by sprucing up your favorite place to play outdoors. Check out the Monmouth County Park System website for opportunities to volunteer with friends or family to clean up a nearby park, playground or beach.

5)    Dig out your wheels. Time to break out your bikes from the garage. You can get your bike a tune-up at Freehold Bicycles. If you find your child has outgrown his or her old bike, purchase a new one at Freehold Bicycles, or Dick's Sporting Goods. Ride together on a bike-friendly trail at the Henry Hudson Trail.

6)    Build a fort or a tree house. If your family includes kids, spring is an ideal time to build a fun place to play. A great source of inspiration is The Treehouse Book by Peter Nelson and David Larkin, available from Amazon or Barns & Noble.

7)    Start a garden. Now is the time to get your garden beds ready for planting by putting down compost. New to gardening? Visit the Master Gardener's page on the Monmouth County website. can help you build your garden beds and offer advice on which flowers and veggies will do well in your climate. And kids can help start the garden too by planting seeds indoors in empty egg cartons that can be transferred outside into your garden beds in just a few weeks. You can find great soil and seeds to get started at Home Depot, Sears and Wal-Mart.

8)    Learn some new navigation skills by going letterboxing. Letterboxing is an outdoor hunt for hidden treasures using navigational tools. You can find parks participating in letterboxing in your area here.

9)    Enjoy your flea and farmer’s markets.  In many parts of the country, outdoor markets can be found all year round or from early spring to late fall. You can visit Downtown Freehold's Farmer Market starting on Fridays in July.

10)  Go fly a kite. The wild wind makes spring an ideal time to enjoy kite flying.  You can purchase a great kite at Dick's Sporting Goods.

TELL US: How will you celebrate the arrival of spring here in town? Share your ideas for getting outside and enjoying the warmer weather in the comments section below.