If you live in the Harrisburg or West Shore area and you’ve already heard “I’m boooooored” 47 times since breakfast, allow me to introduce you to the parenting hacks of the summer: GO Cumberland, the Upper Allen Park Passport, the Dauphin County Parks Passport, and the Ready, Set, Explore! Scavenger Hunt. All are FREE. All offer real prizes. And all somehow trick your kids into hiking, exploring, learning, and gasp enjoying it.
These four brilliant local programs turn your child into a part-time park explorer and full-time prize hunter, all while getting you out of the house and into the incredible parks and trails of Harrisburg, Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, Enola, and beyond.
This is the good kind of digital parenting - where you only use your phone to win stuff and brag about your family’s epic outdoor streaks.
Here’s the scoop on these local gems:
🥾 1. GO Cumberland! (Cumberland County Libraries + WellSpan)
Hike. Hunt. Rub a wooden post. Win glory.
Perfect for families near Mechanicsburg, Boiling Springs, Carlisle, and anywhere with a love of adventure (and access to crayons).
In GO Cumberland!, your kids hike trails, hunt for hidden “portals,” rub crayon images onto a sheet like tiny nature cryptographers, and log the secret code online. Each hike earns digital badges, real prizes, and potentially enough summer memories to survive August.
📍 Great for: Kids who like treasure hunts, parents who like naps afterward
🎁 Prizes for 3+ hikes, epic bragging rights for finishing all 15
📚 Bonus reading rewards through the Cumberland County Library System
🏞️ 2. Upper Allen Park Passport
It’s Pokémon GO for West Shore kids, but with splash pads and less screaming.
If you live in or near Upper Allen Township, Mechanicsburg, or Grantham, this one’s your jam.
Explore over 20 local parks, check in with your mobile Park Passport, and earn rewards for sweating in nature. Playgrounds, sensory gardens, splash misters, story trails: this is summer magic wrapped in a Parks & Rec hug.
📍 Prize pickup is at the township building (Mon–Fri), but the memories are free with every juice box.
🎯 No app, just GPS-powered fun and a surprising amount of cardio.
🌳 3. Dauphin County Parks Passport
Visit beautiful parks. Get free stuff. Become a local park legend.
This one’s for all our friends in Harrisburg, Lower Paxton, Swatara, Linglestown, and anywhere in Dauphin County looking to turn screen zombies into prize-winning trail warriors.
The Dauphin County Parks Passport lets you check in via your phone at 10 incredible parks and earn real-life prizes. No app required. No clipboard. No excuses.
📍 Includes favorites like Wildwood, Detweiler, and Fort Hunter Parks
🎁 Points accumulate as you explore
😎 Great for families, couples, or rogue uncles who hike in Crocs
🔍 4. Ready, Set, Explore! Kids Scavenger Hunt
Get your kids to learn science by accident. And win stuff.
This is the secret weapon of summer parenting in Dauphin County and it’s made just for kids. Your child will think they’re spotting birds and looking at trees, but secretly? They’re gaining observational skills, exercise, and a library’s worth of knowledge. 🤫
📍 Includes Wildwood, Fort Hunter, Detweiler, and more
🎁 Log your finds for prizes, just don’t forget: Points reset July 1
🐦 Bonus activities: birding, bark inspecting, and “Hey Mom, I found moss!”
🧺 Final Thoughts from One Very Tired Parent
These programs are 100% free, wildly fun, and better than anything you’ll find at Target for $24.99 in the “boredom-buster” aisle. They’re run by local libraries, townships, and parks departments who are really good at what they do: making families fall in love with local nature again.
From Harrisburg to Camp Hill, Enola to Shippensburg, these programs are your summer lifesaver. Go ahead, pick one or do them all. Just remember to bring water, wear real shoes, and never underestimate how motivated a child becomes when there's a sticker and a snack on the line.
👇 Scroll down for full program listings, signup links, and prize details.
🧭 Adventure awaits. And so does the chance to make your kids tired before bedtime.
