Boston Residents Beat Heat With 5 Free Weekend Activities

With a wildfire that killed at least 12 people in southern Spain, a destructive typhoon bearing down on East Asia and landslides that have claimed 15 lives in the Philippines, the news cycle this week has been brutal. Closer to home, the headlines about foreign debt repayments outpacing education spending in developing countries, a man fatally shot by ICE in Houston and political turmoil in Nigeria can make you feel like the world is on fire. But here in Boston, the sun is shining and the T is running, and you don't need a cent to have a great weekend.

This Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12, the city offers a slate of free events that let you swim, learn, bike and picnic without pulling out your wallet. The key is knowing where to go before the crowds do.

Cool off at the Lawn on D and the Frog Pond

The Lawn on D, the 2.7-acre park at 420 D St. in South Boston, is hosting a free family movie night on Saturday starting at 8 p.m. Bring your own blanket, the popcorn is on the house. Earlier that day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Boston Children's Museum across the street (308 Congress St.) is offering free admission to Massachusetts residents with a valid ID. The museum, which charges $18 for out-of-state adults, typically sees 675,000 visitors a year. This weekend, it will be packed.

For a different kind of splash, head to the Boston Common Frog Pond. The wading pool is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and admission costs exactly zero dollars. The ice rink turns into a splash pad in summer, and the spray features are a magnet for toddlers and anyone whose apartment lacks air conditioning. The Frog Pond draws roughly 1.5 million visitors annually, according to the city, and on a 90-degree afternoon it feels like half of them are there.

Get a workout and a view: Free outdoor fitness and Red Sox history

The Esplanade, the 3-mile riverfront park that runs along the Charles River from the Museum of Science to the Boston University Bridge, offers free yoga every Saturday at 9 a.m. and free boot camp at 10 a.m. Both sessions meet near the Hatch Shell, the outdoor performance venue at 47 David G. Mugar Way. The classes draw about 50 people each weekend, and no registration is required, just show up with a mat or towel. If you prefer pedaling, Bluebikes, the region's bike-share system, is offering free 30-minute rides all weekend as part of a promotion to get new users. Use the promo code FREEWEEKEND at any Bluebikes station across 13 Boston neighborhoods, including Allston, Dorchester and Roxbury.

About 1.5 miles north, the New England Sports Museum at TD Garden (100 Legends Way) is offering free tours of its main gallery from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The gallery displays the 18 championship banners of the Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox, plus the 2004 World Series trophy. Regular tickets cost $15, but this weekend the exhibit is open to all. The museum reports that 80 percent of its visitors come from out of state, so locals have a rare chance to see their own history without competition.

For a finale, grab a spot on the lawn at the Hatch Shell on Saturday night at 7 p.m. for the free performance by the Boston Landmarks Orchestra. The program features Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, “From the New World,” and works by African American composer William Grant Still. Last year's free season drew an estimated 12,000 people over eight concerts. If the weather holds, it will be a perfect end to a long week.

Bring water, a hat, and patience for the Green Line. The weekends are forecast to hit 88 degrees on Saturday and 85 degrees on Sunday. But in Boston, the best things in life, and the coolest, are still free.