When the final bell rings on the last day of school, many students promptly hop into the closest car or plane and set off for their summer getaway. However, for those who aren’t spending these next few months in Hawaii or Europe, Santa Clarita offers plenty of low-cost activities to fill those summer days.

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A sight on one of the many SCV hiking trails

Farmers market

Farmers’ markets are an excellent way to spend the day while also getting fresh produce and supporting local businesses. Santa Clarita is home to two farmers markets: one in Old Town Newhall open every Saturday and one at College of the Canyons open every Sunday.

Thrift shopping

Thrift shopping is perhaps one of the easiest ways to spend an entire day and is great for finding hidden gems on a budget. Santa Clarita has many thrift stores dotted around the city, but Hope of the Valley and Goodwill are always a safe bet. Thrift shopping is not only better for the environment, but it also is an opportunity to find one-of-a-kind pieces.

Hiking

Santa Clarita boasts an abundance of trails for running, walking and even biking. Placerita Canyon, a personal favorite, has trails that are relatively easy and great to do with a group of friends. Hiking is easily a better alternative to Netflix marathons and is a great source of exercise, too.

• Whitney Canyon
• Mentryville
• Towsley Canyon
• Placerita Canyon

If you prefer hiking with an adventure, you should try geocaching. This activity allows for people to go on scavenger hunts in search of caches, which are treasure boxes that come in all shapes and sizes. These caches are hidden, usually on hiking trails, and put there for the public to search for. All you have to do is download the geocaching app and prepare yourself for an instant adventure.

Going to Trendy Eateries

LA is known for its Instagrammable food joints, but what most people aren’t aware of is Santa Clarita’s broad spectrum of trendy eateries as well. These stylish restaurants are perfect for a delicious grab on the go or for dining in. Here are a few of our SCV favorites and their most popular dishes :

• Temakitto: sushi burritos and bowls
• Honeymee: honeycomb on ice cream
• Wafflecomb: ice cream on egg waffles

Strawberry Picking

Strawberry picking is a great summer activity to do with friends and family to get ripe strawberries and cute Instagram pictures. Santa Clarita boasts a few of its own farms that are the ideal destination for strawberry picking.

• McGrath Family Farms
• Underwood Family Farms