1) Take a trip to space
Newt Gingrich promises that Americans will be living on the moon by 2020. Something tells us that's going to cost a little more than $20. Fortunately, there are more wallet-friendly options for space exploration right here in Concord at the McAuliffe-Shephard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive). Admission is $9 for adults, $6 for kids, and $8 for students and seniors. That means you can check out a planetarium show, try out the cosmic games and exhibits and have plenty left over for some of that dehydrated astronaut ice cream that we all inexplicably love so much. Visit starhop.com for hours.
2) Bowl at Boutwell's
Start racking up the turkeys! Bowling is the quintessential cheap date. You can bowl at Boutwell's (152 N. State St.) for $3.95 per person (shoe rentals $2.50 each, unless you're a dedicated bowler like some of us who own our own shoes!). Boutwell's is also offering all-you-can-bowl lane rentals at $20 a lane through February – did someone tip them off about this issue? Visit boutwellsbowl.com or call 224-0941 for more information.
3) Watch a movie
Grab a movie ticket, popcorn and a drink for under $20 at Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St.). Best Picture nominee “The Artist” is playing right now, and fellow noms “Moneyball” and “The Descendants” are coming soon. While you're there, check out former Monitor photographer Katie Barnes' photo gallery. Visit redrivertheatres.org or call 224-4600 for showtimes.
4) Hit the trail
Concord has an extensive walking/hiking trail system – just ask our resident outdoorsman Paul Basham! With over 20 trails within city limits, Concordians with happy feet have plenty of ground to cover. A map to the trails is available at concordnh.gov/trails.
5) Try on some shoes…
Now that there's snow on the ground, those trails might be a little tougher to navigate than before. No problem! Head to Joe King's (45 N. Main St.) and rent a pair of snowshoes for $20. You'll be the talk of the trail. After all, you know what they say about people with giant, tennis-racket-shaped feet! Call 225-6012 for more information.
6) …or some skates
If you want to look a little sharper, there are a few places to rent ice skates and work out those triple axels. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road) has public skating for $5 (skate rentals are an additional $4). You can skate there from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sundays. The skate house at White Park (1 White St.) also has skate rentals for $2 (whenever the weather is pond-hockey friendly, that is). Call 225-8690 for more information.
7) Strike a pose
There are tons of yoga studios downtown, and most of them offer drop-in classes for beginners for $10-$15. At Om (40 N. Main St., 545-7380), Living Yoga (120A N. Main St., 226-9642), The Yoga Center (28 S. Main St., 226-0680) Bikram Yoga (254 N. State St., 415-9642) and Aharing Yoga (3 Pleasant St., 630-5576) are just a few of the studios you can check out. Stretch it out, Concord!
8) Have a laugh
It's graced the pages of the Insider before, but it's worth reminding you that free “laughter yoga” classes are offered at the Racquet Club of Concord (10 Garvins Falls Road, 224-7787) each Tuesday at 7 p.m. Learn breathing and relaxation techniques and work those abs with a belly laugh! Visit rccofconcord.com for more information.
9) Shoot some hoops
If it were summer, we'd point toward one of Concord's many free, outdoor basketball courts for all your hooping needs. Balling on a sheet of ice, though, is not recommended. Instead, why not head indoors to get your Rondo on at the Green Street Community Center? Adult open gyms are $3 and take place twice a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m. for you lunchtime Larry Legends and 8-10 p.m. for night 'Niques. Call 225-8690 for more information.
10) Show off your brains
Tired of staying in and beating all your friends at “Jeopardy?” Head down to the Barley House (132 N. Main St., 228-6363) on Wednesday nights and try your hand at pub trivia. Win cool prizes and have a brew or two (it helps us think!). Good luck beating the Monitor newsroom squad. Visit thebarleyhouse.com for more information.
11) Read a book
Put down your iPhones and your DVD thingies and read a book once in a while. Books are like movies that your brain makes, or really long, detailed text messages! You'll love them. The best, free-est place to pick up a book is, of course, the Concord Public Library (45 Green St., 225-8670). Not sure what to read? Dig through the Insider archives for our librarian-suggested “Book of the Week” submissions.
12) Check out the capitol
Want to see what the daily life of our state representatives is like? Visit the State House and take a guided or self-guided tour. You can wander the halls of government Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – for free! That means you can splurge on a delicious gyro downstairs in the cafeteria and have plenty of hope and change left over.
13) Take a beating
We're sure you remember Insider editor Ben Conant getting roughed up while training with the guys at Real Deal MMA (8 N. Main St., 330-333-2662). Well, that was all in good fun; nobody got hurt and we learned some cool new submission holds to throw on our roommates when they try to change the TV channel. Also, we broke a serious sweat! You can drop in to one of Real Deal's cardio MMA classes for $15. Visit realdealmma.com for more information.
14) Take a dip
The weather outside may indeed be frightful, but there are more places to warm up than Dean Martin's weird-vibes fireplace. For instance, did you know you can go swimming in the winter? It's true. Both the Comfort Inn (71 Hall St., 226-4100) and the Holiday Inn (172 N. Main St., 224-9534) allow you to come in and use their pool facilities for a small fee ($7 at the Comfort Inn, $5 at the Holiday Inn). As my favorite hotel heiress might say, “That's hot.”
15) Eat a bunch of tacos
We have to confess, the Insider staff visits Dos Amigos (26 N. Main St., 410-4161) almost every week. We just can't get enough of $2 Taco Tuesday – it just has such a ring to it! By our calculations, one could eat approximately 10 tacos on a Tuesday with a $20 budget. (Warning: the Insider staff takes no responsibilty for any of the medical issues one might face after taking our irresponsible suggestion to eat 10 tacos).
16) Leave your mark
Art Plus (249 Loudon Road, 225-8080) offers a $20 rubber-stamping workshop every Saturday. They'll provide you with all the supplies you'll need to make awesome greeting cards using rubber stamps, and you'll go home with five cards of your own design. It's a pretty cool way to personalize your next greeting while having fun creating something hands-on. Visit artplusnh.com to preregister.
17) Travel through time
Time machines and “Lost” DVDs come with a heftier price tag than a mere $20, but there are cheaper ways to travel through time. Why not check out the New Hampshire History Museum ? (6 Eagle Square, 228-6688). It's only $5.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and $3 for children, or go for the family rate of $17. There's plenty of cool stuff there now, and it will get even cooler when the exhibit “Voices From the Front: New Hampshire Soldiers in the Civil War” starts on Feb. 18. Visit nhhistory.org for more information.
18) Have a beer
Beer nerds rejoice! Barb's Beer Emporium (249 Sheep Davis Road, 369-4501) holds a beer tasting just about every Thursday at 5 p.m. You can try some of their exotic offerings or some locally-brewed craft brews for free, then drop your $20 on a nice mixed six-pack or a couple 22-ouncers. We suggest Hoptimus Prime for those of you that can handle your hops (or love puns). Visit barbsbeeremporium.com for more information.
19) Shake your rump
The problem with dance parties is that usually they only happen when the right sets of circumstances come together. Inhibitions must be lowered, DJs must be on top of their game and the potential dancers have to have some moves on deck. Fortunately for Concord residents, it's possible to move past all those prerequisites and get straight to the dance party! Every Thursday night from 8-10 p.m., Let's Dance Studio (5 N. Main St., 228-2800) hosts a dance party. Admission is free for first-timers and $5 per session after that. Cue up some old Soul Train videos on Youtube and get ready to bust a move! Visit letsdancenh.com for more information.
20) Read the Insider
Yeah, yeah, we know you're already reading it. But just in case you're a first-time reader (perhaps you're reading this after opening an Insider-wrapped birthday present, or you've pieced together this page from confetti bits at a Harlem Globetrotters game), you should know that for frugal folks, we're the best deal in town. Not only is the Insider free, but now we've pointed you toward 19 other great deals. What's not to love? Check us out on the web at theconcordinsider.com.
