Many field trips can accommodate children of multiple ages. For example, a hands-on science museum like the Exploratorium in San Francisco has activities for toddlers to teenagers. Others will be more age specific. A modern art museum may not offer as many learning opportunities for young children. Consider the ages of your children and what would be most appropriate for them. Ask for their ideas about what they want to learn or what kind of place they would like to visit.
Depending on where you go, a field trip can be free or it can be fairly expensive. Check the places that you are interested in for free or reduced-price days. Think outside the box; it can be expensive to go to a sports event, but could you watch a practice game for free, or for little money? Also, ask if you can get an educator's price. Your field trip is really no different from a school's trip, so it is certainly worth asking for a discount.
Harness people's passion. Artists, scientists, farmers and many others are often happy to share their vocation with children. Most will not mind if you visit their studio, lab or farm for free.
Any field trip is educational, even if it doesn't fit your current studies. But it is even better if it brings a real-world, hands-on dimension to what your children are learning. There are field trips that go with almost any subject and they are not necessarily far away. If your children are studying Roman culture, they don't need to visit Rome. They can view Roman art at your local museum, meet a classics professor at your nearest university and visit a family-owned, authentic Italian restaurant and chat with the owners about their country of origin.
Avoid hungry stomachs and cries of "are we there yet?" Bring healthy snacks because the cafes at museums can be exorbitantly expensive. Also, bring activities for the car that keep your children engaged. Before the trip, discuss with your children why you are going. Have a conversation afterward about about how it went. Plan a project that ties the field trip back into your curriculum.