(I do participate in affiliations on this blog. I am an affiliate with many companies, which in simple terms means I advertise for companies, and they compensate me via products, services, or monetary means. You can read my entire disclosure policy over here.)
Do you live anywhere near Massena, NY? It’s about a 45-minute drive from our house, but they offer so many frugal family fun ideas that it is definitely worth the drive out.
Free Movies and Free Popcorn
The New York Power Authority’s Hawkin’s Point building offers a FREE family movie every Tuesday during the months of July and August. They call it their Beat the Heat days.
There is a nice little theater where they serve FREE movie theater-style popcorn and cups to get water out of the water fountain. There are also a couple of vending machines filled with soda and candy available if you prefer something else.
The movie is typically animated, but they did show Captain America last year.
They show the same movie at three separate times throughout the day, so you can work your schedule around movie time.
Showings are at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:00.
So far, we have seen the animated show, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Lego Movie II, and A Dog’s Way Home. I am not sure exactly what’s on the schedule, but I do know they will be showing the new Dumbo movie one of these days.
FREE Science Museum
I love that there is so much to do at Hawkin’s Point. If my young grandchildren don’t want to sit still for the movie, I just walk out of the theater and into the FREE science museum.
This museum is all about electricity, of course. After all, Hawkin’s Point is owned by the New York Power Authority.
Two of my family’s favorite parts of the science museum are the bicycle and the bubbles wall.
You can ride on an exercise bicycle and it will tell you how much electricity you are generating according to how fast you can peddle.
The kids love to just sit and watch the bubble wall!
FREE Boat Launch
The view is beautiful. Of course, it’s a power dam, so there’s plenty of water to see.
The kids and I usually pack a picnic lunch and sit out beside the water.
One of these days my father might bring his boat and use that FREE boat launch. I’m sure the girls won’t mind bringing along the fishing poles and doing a little fishing.
Hawkin’s Point has been a big part of my family’s FREE and frugal fun for many years.
I really enjoy finding exciting, but affordable fun to do with my family.
The New York Power Authority also has an amazing nature center that offers tons of frugal family fun for FREE, but that’s another post!
Other Frugal Family Fun in Massena, NY
I am an affiliate
I hope you love the products I recommend! Just so you know, I may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Thank you if you use our links, I really appreciate it!
