When did fun become so expensive? According to Amazon.com, the going rate for a Nintendo Wii is approximately $249.99, and the games that go with it aren’t exactly cheap either. Mario Party 8 is $46.99 – $46.99 for a game?!? I didn’t even know there was a Mario Party 1 through 7. Geez, Mario, why are your parties so pricey? Who do you think you are? Paris Hilton?

Well, we don’t need Mario and his fancy parties, anyway. The Insider is here to save the day and your wallet. We compiled a list of family-friendly activities right here in Concord that won’t break the bank. Some of the activities are even free, and no, we don’t mean the kind of free that is “buy one get one free” or “free gift with purchase,” but rather the type of free that’s actually free, plain and simple.

For the activities that do require you to fork over cash (or credit), we promise it won’t be much and that you’ll get quite a bit for your dollar. Plus, it will be totally worth every penny to get out of the house on a hot summer day when the A.C. breaks, the kids are getting cranky and the only thing on TV is a Spongebob Squarepants marathon and you don’t think you can handle being asked once again, “who lives in a pineapple under the sea?”

Also, think of how warm and fuzzy you’ll feel inside after a day of family bonding. You know what Mastercard would say about that feeling . . . it’s priceless.

Paddle through Concord
Contoocook River Company
9 Horse Hill Road, contoocookcanoe.com
Contoocook River Co., 9 Horse Hill Road, rents canoes and single and double kayaks. If you bring your own lunch, there are several places to stop to picnic, swim, fish or just catch some rays. The company offers a 9-mile trip that begins in Contoocook Village, but shorter trips are fine, too, if you don’t have the upper arm strength (hey, we know we would struggle with 9 miles). This may be slightly pricier than other activities we listed, but it’s a great value considering you can make a day of it as long as you get your rental back to Contoocook River Co. by closing. Plus, a 10 percent discount is offered if you rent five or more kayaks/canoes. Hours are Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Prices range from $27 to $38 (this includes paddles and life jackets) depending on what you rent and if you require a shuttle ride back to the rental office.

See how a president lived
Pierce Manse, 225-4617, politicallibrary.org
Visit President Franklin Pierce’s historic home at the Pierce Manse, 14 Horseshoe Pond Lane. Exhibit galleries are open to the public June 14 through Sept. 5, Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sept. 11 through Oct. 10, Friday and Saturday, noon to 3 p.m.
Cost: $7, $6 seniors, $3 children or $15 for the whole family.

Bring the kids to a Splash Bash
Throughout Concord
225-8690, onconcord.com/recreation
Splash Bashes are held by the Concord Recreation Department throughout the summer from 7 to 8:30 p.m. for kids in grades 4-8. Water games and contests are organized by city pool staff members and don’t worry, parents, all bashes are supervised by city lifeguards. That means you can drop the kids off, and then have a romantic dinner just the two of you until it’s time to pick them up.
Locations and dates: June 22 at Merrill Pool, July 6 at Rolfe Pool, July 20 at Heights Pool and Aug. 3 at Kimball Pool. A special splashdown party is held just for middle school students at Rollins Pool on June 19 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $3 per kid, but what you want to spend on dinner is up to you.

Listen to an outdoor concert
Throughout Concord
225-8690, onconcord.com/recreation
On Thursday nights during the summer, the Concord Recreation Department holds concerts at Eagle Square. In the event of rain, concerts are held in the atrium of the Museum of New Hampshire History, 6 Eagle Square. Check the rec department’s website for concert listings.
The Nevers’ Band is touring in a park near you. See them play June 23 at Keach Park, June 30 and Aug. 18 at the State House, July 4 at Memorial Field, July 21 at Eagle Square, July 28 at Riverfront Park, Aug. 4 at Rollins Park and Aug. 11 at Merrill Park.
All concerts begin at 7 p.m., except for the Nevers’ Band concert on July 4, which begins at 8 p.m.
Cost: Free, but a $2 donation is appreciated for the Nevers’ Band concerts.

Become a woodland creature
The Society for the Protection of N.H. Forests,
54 Portsmouth St., 224-9945, forestsociety.org
Make like a deer and frolick through one of the Forest Society’s trails along the Merrimack River and/or take a self-guided tour of the Conservation Center. The center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Trails are open daily from dawn to dusk.
Cost: Free.

Rub elbows with the gov’nor
The State House, 107 N. Main St., 271-2154
Okay, the governor may be a little busy when you stop by, but you can still tour the State House. Guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more, but if you don’t know that many people or don’t have a soccer team trailing behind you, take a self-guided tour. The visitor center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free.

Search out local wildlife
Turtle Pond
Pack a lunch and spend the day at Turtle Pond either by boat (there’s boat access at the pond) or by foot scouting out some animals. You may even want to stop by the Concord Public Library, 45 Green St., and check out some books on local insects, birds, etc. before you go.
Cost: Nada.

Become a history buff
Museum of New Hampshire History
6 Eagle Square, 228-6688, nhhistory.org
Yearning for some New Hampshire learnin’? Well the Museum of New Hampshire History is the place for you. One of the museum’s most popular exhibitions is the “Mystery Stone” – a mysterious rock that was dug up by construction workers in 1872. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Visit on Mondays, 9:30 a.m to 5 p.m., starting July 1 through Oct. 15 and in December.
Cost: $5.50, $4.50 for seniors, $3 children 6-18, family maximum $17 and children younger than 6 are admitted free of charge.

Take a journey into outer space
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
2 Institute Drive, 271-7827 or starhop.com
You don’t need to leave Concord to experience the neato galactic activities offered by the discovery center, such as interactive exhibits, a planetarium theater, a replica of the Redstone rocket Alan Shepard blasted into space in and more. Hours are Monday through Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: $9, $6 children 3-12, $8 seniors 62 and older and students and $6 groups 15 or larger. Planetarium show tickets are $3.

Pick your own berries
Throughout Concord
First pick the berries as a family. Then go home and use said berries to bake a pie. Once pie is finished baking, sit down together and eat the pie. Viola, that’s three family activities right there. How do you like them apples, er, we mean, berries?
– Rossview Farm, 84 District #5 Road, has strawberries mid-June to mid-July and blueberries mid-July into August. Call 228-4872 for picking times.
Apple Hill Farm, 580 Mountain Road, has strawberries mid-June to mid-July, blueberries mid-July to early September, raspberries mid-July to early August and black currants late July to early August. Call 224-8862 for picking times.
– Carter Hill Orchard, 73 Carter Hill Road, has blueberries in July and raspberries in September and October. Call 225-2625 for picking times.
– Fairhaven Farm, 743 Hopkinton Road, has organic blueberries starting the last week of July in to the first two weeks of August. Hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 4 to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 224-0214 for more information.
Cost: Varies.

Become one with nature
New Hampshire Audubon McLane Center
3 Silk Farm Road, 224-9909, newhampshireaudubon.org
The center has miles of hiking trails and exhibits with live animals such as a bald eagle, a red-tailed hawk, a peregrine falcon, owls and more. After learning about these big birds all day, head over to the center’s nature store and buy a bird feeder to attract some little birdies of your own from home. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Nature Store opens at 10 a.m. Hiking trails are open from dawn to dusk daily.
Cost: Admission is free, but the bird feeder isn’t.

Find out how big a moose really is
N.H. Fish and Game Department Discovery Room
11 Hazen Drive, 271-3211, wildlife.state.nh.us
See a life-size replica of a moose cow and her calf in the Discovery Room. While there, explore some realistic Granite State landscapes such as a beaver pond, meadow, spruce forest, woodland and more. There’s even one of a backyard, just in case you don’t know what that looks like. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free.