On Saturday, we took a family trip to Veteran's Park at the lakefront and we spent a day like tourists in our own town.

Ostensibly we were there to check out the kite festival, which we did. We watched the huge teddy bear, the long, flowing octopus, the striped fish and all the others. We ran through the dancing tenticles of the oversized wind sock, we stopped to pet the horse attached to an empty wagon and we gazed out at the sailboats.

Then we rented one of those covered bikes that look like surreys with fringe on top and rode around the park, past Milwaukee Art Museum and to the fountain 'round the other side. After some fun there, we crossed the street to the flickering sculptures outside Discovery World. My son and I had a blast playing the marimba benches and he and my wife enjoyed spinning the sculptures.

But there was one thing there that combined two of my son's favorite pastimes: making music and picking up and moving gravel. There's a great sculpture with dozens of metal prongs. When you drop gravel into it, the tynes jingle, creating a flowing song.

Riding back, we returned the bike, watched some more kites and made it home just in time for the afternoon nap. I think we spent a total of $12 for hours of fun.

Remember in these times of $4.19 gas, there's plenty to do just minutes away. There's no need to split to find your fun. If Milwaukee -- and Milwaukeeans -- can seem dark and down in the winter, by the time May is here, the city is green, alive and bursting with energy.