This is supposed to be the summer of the "stay-cation" (we much prefer "leave-cations," ourselves). And given that the mosquitoes have pretty much taken over the outdoors the past few weeks, one might be tempted to interpret the "stay" part as "stay inside and watch 'America's Got Talent' all summer."

But armed with the proper amount of bug spray, summer just isn't summer unless you get outside once in a while. And, fortunately, there's lots to do in and around Madison, a lot of it is family-friendly, and a lot of it is either free or easy to do on the cheap.

We've polled The Capital Times' staff and came up with some sure-fire, can't-miss good times, one for each of the last eight weeks of summer. Add in fireworks this weekend for the Fourth of July, and you should be set through Labor Day.

Vilas Zoo and ZuZu Cafe

When it comes to cheap family outings in Madison, it's hard to beat the Henry Vilas Zoo, 702 S. Randall Ave. Thanks to the philanthropy of the Vilas family more than a century ago, admission at the zoo is free; the same is true for only about a dozen zoos around the country. Even parking is free, though it can be a challenge to find a spot on a sunny summer Saturday.

Hot tickets for kids at the zoo include the carousel (rides are $1), and new this year is an electric train ride for kids (not on rails) that also costs $1.

One thing about zoos is that the hours when people are there -- the middle of the day -- are usually the hours when the animals are sleeping. Or maybe we just have slacker beasts. The penguins in particular seem to have abandoned swimming altogether in favor of staring at the door the zookeepers use, waiting for their fish snacks.

You can usually count on at least one otter, though, to put on a show, and the recently built display by the aviary lets you see them through the water. The colobus monkeys and the lemurs inside the primate house are a good bet for activity, too.

Eating with the beasts is pretty rudimentary -- think stadium food -- and the money adds up quickly if every kid in your pack has to have a $1.99 "kids" soda, a $2.79 hot dog and a $2.49 ice cream.

For that amount of money, a more civilized bet is ZuZu Cafe at 1336 Drake St., which is kitty-corner from the zoo's main entrance.

Proprietors Bobby Shapiro and Kate Zirbel have gone out of their way to be kid-friendly, with kids' books and a wooden train set occupying one corner. You can get ice cream there, too. A kids' sandwich (PB&J, turkey or grilled cheese) with chips and a drink will set you back $4.35.

For 50 cents more, mom or dad can get a glass of wine and tapas like Athenian potatoes or whipped feta with Provencal olives and bread. Beer is a good deal, there, too -- $2.75 for any of several local microbrews, including Ale Asylum's Hopalicious.

-- Chris Murphy

George Vitense Golfland

What's your idea of a good time? How about waging war with slingshot-powered water balloons, playing volleyball while jumping on a trampoline, driving a remote-controlled boat around a miniature Lake Mendota, or hitting a bucket of golf balls from a lighted double-deck driving range?

If none of those things appeal, grab a club and play a quick 18 (mini) holes, climb a five-station, 24-foot rock wall, or play a rousing round of arcade games.

For more than 50 years, George Vitense Golfland -- just off the Beltline at Whitney Way and Schroeder Road -- has been a place to play, both for those who golf and for those who don't.

Within a few years of its founding back in 1955, Vitense was offering the golf range, two 18-hole mini golf courses and a nine-hole par 3 golf course. And, of course, golf lessons.

Today, Golfland includes a grill that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; beers on tap; and an indoor mini-golf course that features scale models of Madison landmarks like the Wienermobile, Camp Randall and the Capitol.

Forty years ago it was a fine first-date destination on a sultry summer night. With food, beverage, all-weather activities and that remarkable water balloon war game, it sounds even better now.

Vitense is open year-round: Sunday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

-- Susan Troller

Madison International Speedway

If satisfying the need for speed is one of your top priorities, spending an evening watching some of the state's top short-track drivers tangle on the track at Madison International Speedway probably will fulfill that craving.

Forget about turning on the television and zoning out in couch-potato mode to catch NASCAR. Experiencing a race up close and personal energizes four of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell and touch.

Spectators should bring seat cushions to get comfortable in the grandstands, but ditch the ear plugs. Not only will the power of the engines grab hold of you and course through your body, the roar of the engines will rumble in your ears.

And perhaps the smell of exhaust isn't enticing to some, but to gearheads it's a familiar scent. Taste is the final sense that can be indulged at MIS in the form of grilled and fried foods, and nachos from a bevy of concession stands.

The asphalt tracks, with one-half mile and one-quarter mile configurations, are located in the town of Rutland halfway between Oregon and Stoughton. Regular features are scheduled Friday nights and include a wide variety of stock car divisions. Several special nights are scheduled with an event featuring pastors from area churches ("faster pastor" race), fireworks after at least four weekly features and an annual All-Star race that draws many national drivers.

For a regular Friday night feature that begins at 7:30 p.m., tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 10 to 15, and free for children under 10. A handful of special events also are scheduled on different days throughout the summer, and racing runs through Sept. 20. Call 835-9700 or visit the Web site at www.madisoninternationalspeedway.com.

-- Tamira Madsen

Madison Mustangs

For those of you desperately anticipating the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay or the quarterback competition at Camp Randall, the Madison Mustangs are here to satisfy your gridiron appetite.

The Mustangs, members of the Ironman Football League, give football fans more of what they want -- spectacular plays and bone-jarring hits -- during what is commonly regarded as the football offseason.

And fans at Mustangs games at Breitenbach Stadium at Middleton High School get an experience lacking from many other football contests, in that their proximity to the players puts them within earshot of the action.

From coaches discussing strategy to players talking "smack" to Hulk Hogan impersonations (it's true), the intimate setting allows an entirely different viewpoint for the crowd. But the conversations are not limited to the field. Players can also be heard chatting with fans along the sideline.

"The fans make Mustang football," said former University of Wisconsin special teams ace James Kamoku, a first-year linebacker with the Mustangs. "We love them. Just as much fun as we're having on the field, we're having fun because they're here too."

And did we mention the Mustangs are good? The 2007 Franchise of the Year in the IFL is off to a 4-0 start in its second season of existence, including a recent 72-0 drubbing of the Spring City Cyclones.

Tickets are $6 general admission. Each game includes a 50/50 raffle, and in their final home game the Mustangs will raffle off tickets to this year's Packers-Bears game at Lambeau Field. Madison plays every Saturday through Aug. 2. For more information, visit www.madisonmustangsfootball.com.

-- Ariel Sandler

Home Talent League baseball

The masses, unfortunately, don't know what they're missing.

Every summer Sunday afternoon in ballparks throughout southern Wisconsin, hundreds of dyed-in-the-wool baseball fans gather to watch their local heroes take on the team from the community down the road. It's Home Talent baseball, and although it's far from being professional ball, it isn't bad. Many of the players are the young guys who went off to play ball in college and came back home to live; others are just plain dogged ballplayers who love the heat of competition.

This is the Home Talent League's 81st season. Some 42 communities have teams, including 16 in Dane County alone. They play in unique municipal parks, like the diamond in little Utica that resembles the set in "Field of Dreams" -- complete with the cornfield surrounding the outfield, and the picturesque field in Waterloo where the stands are carved into the hillside and a bubbling creek flows past the left field fence.

Many of the teams sell hot dogs and beer at their parks to help pay umpires, and buy bats, balls and uniforms. (The booster club in Jefferson still asks only a buck and a half for a can.) And, in the locales that don't, you can bring your own cooler.

It's a perfect way to soak up the sun on a summer afternoon, plus it's free (although you can throw in a buck or two when they pass the hat in the seventh inning.) You can find out the schedule in the sports agate of your local newspaper, or in this modern era, just go to hometalent.org for all the info.

-- Dave Zweifel

Weekday music in the gardens

Summer Tuesday nights at Olbrich Botanical Gardens are like a smaller, more casual version of Concerts on the Square. You can bring a picnic (including wine) and spread out your blanket, but 30 minutes ahead is plenty of time to score a good spot, and the crowd is likely to number in the hundreds, not thousands.

Olbrich's Concerts in the Garden are kid-friendly, free (though a $1 donation is suggested) and set in one of the loveliest spots on the east side: the gardens at 3330 Atwood Ave. Enjoy everything from the Capital City Band to folk trios, gypsy swing bands and African drum corps.

On a recent evening, a performance featuring "world beat" duo Bobby and Raquel Aleman attracted an age-diverse crowd ranging from seniors to toddlers. Upcoming concerts, all starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, include eclectic folk musician Claudia Russell on July 8, the Calico Drifters (blues, folk and jazz) on July 15, and the folk humor of Lou and Peter Berryman on July 22. The final performance, Atimevu's African drums and dance, is July 29.

Bring something to sit on and a small picnic if you like, though the Madison East Kiwanis sell hot dogs and bratwurst out front. In case of rain, concerts are moved inside. For more information, call 246-4550 or visit Olbrich's Web site, www.ci.madison.wi.us/Olbrich.

-- Lindsay Christians

Road trip to Spring Green

Lace up your hiking boots, grab your binoculars (and bug spray) and head west on U.S. 14 to the Spring Green Preserve, a Nature Conservancy property that boasts an unusual sand dune and dry prairie habitat that's home to several threatened species.

Hike across the prairie -- where prickly pear cactus is in full bloom -- and keep alert for meadowlarks, lark sparrows and lizards. The trail turns into the woods and climbs a high bluff; at the top you'll be rewarded with a spectacular view of southwest Wisconsin, including glimpses of the Wisconsin River as it rolls toward the Mississippi. (For directions to the preserve, go to www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/wisconsin/preserves/art32.html.)

You'll have worked up quite a thirst by the end of your trek, so drive into the village of Spring Green for a beverage: a frosty mug of Lake Louie or Furthermore beer, two locally brewed favorites available at The Shed restaurant, 123 N. Lexington St., or a cooling glass of iced tea from Bird of Paradise Tea, 20 S. Albany St., where you can also pick up a sparkly bauble from the adjacent No Rules jewelry store.

Cross the street to the funky Spring Green Cafe & General Store, 137 S. Albany, to satisfy your hunger with a bowl of homemade soup or a slice of quiche. Browse the store for intriguing gifts, clothing and used books. The "G Store" also is a great place to converse with writers, artists and American Players Theatre actors as they hang out and chat over coffee.

-- Judy Ettenhofer

Madison Mallards

So, remind me: What did sports fans in Madison do with themselves all summer before the Mallards arrived in town?

Clearly, there were entertainment options galore, including mass-appeal events like the Dane County Farmers' Market and Concerts on the Square. But it's become apparent that a tremendous void existed here, and the Mallards scratched where Madison didn't even know it had an itch.

In their steady ascent in popularity over the last seven years, the Mallards have repelled every barrage of the naysayers -- that Madison isn't a baseball town, that people won't come to a stadium on the northeast side of town -- with a mix of sound business acumen and an uncanny sense of humor.

The secret of their success is simply stated, if not achieved: Make sure fans walk away feeling they got more than their money's worth.

They offer value in everyday ticketing (all seats $7 or less) and in special promotions such as the Family 4-Pack (four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas for $28 on Wednesdays) and the Duck Blind (an all-inclusive enclave that offers food and beer galore for $25 on weekdays, $30 on weekends). They offer an extensive and affordable menu, ranging from ice cream cones to burgers to a sushi sampler, and merchandise stands are ubiquitous.

And there is no shortage of entertainment. In addition to the customary in-game promotions, where else can you dig for a half-carat diamond coupon buried in the infield -- as more than 1,000 women did this past Saturday -- or meet cult figures such as Jerry Mathers ("Leave it to Beaver"), Gary Coleman ("Diff'rent Strokes") and Daniel Logan (Boba Fett of "Star Wars" fame) as part of the Friday celebrity series?

With a new stadium in the works -- all signs point to a 2010 opening -- the Mallards will put into brick-and-mortar terms a notion that they've already made eminently clear: Baseball is here to stay at the corner of Northport and Sherman.

For more information, visit www.mallardsbaseball.com.

-- Adam Mertz

Let us know about your favorite things to do in the area during the summer.