I don’t know about anyone else, but being cooped up in the house has had me daydreaming about all of the things I plan on doing once we are allowed outside. By that time, it will probably be summertime, or damn near close.
I made a “summer bucket list” for this upcoming summer filled with all kinds of things to do. I wanted to share it in case anyone is looking for some fun inspiration for this summer!
1. Visit a winery
If you’ve wandered through my blog, it is no secret that I love wine and wineries. Is there anything better than sitting out on a patio overlooking a beautiful vineyard while sipping on a crisp, cool glass of sauvignon blanc? I do not think so.
2. Have a summer movie marathon
Guess what? It rains sometimes, even in the summer. With that being said, I always like to have a planned activity to do inside. This idea is also great for families with little kiddos who demand to be entertained all summer long!
3. Throw a BBQ
Everyone is excited for the day when we can be reunited with our friends or families again. What is a better way to get together than by having a dinner party? Create an awesome menu, a cool cocktail, set up games of cornhole, and enjoy the company!
4. Take a weekend trip down the shore
Lucky for us, we live on the Jersey Shore. (No, I do not know Snookie or anyone else from the cast.) Our beaches are literally a minutes-drive away. But, if you do not live right on the beach, plan a weekend trip to the coast!
5. Go to an outdoor concert
I love being able to set up a beach chair and relax while listening to good music with great friends. Plus, outdoor concerts are usually cheaper!
6. Sunset picnic
This could be an awesome idea for a date night. Pack a picnic basket with charcuterie, bottle of wine, and chocolate, and watch the sunset with a date. If you have kids and can’t get a babysitter, bring them and make it a family picnic! Instead of wine, pack watermelon slices or something else kid-friendly.
7. Watch fireworks
I always forget how much I like fireworks until the next time I see them. If your town does not host fireworks for the Fourth of July, try to get to another local town that does. Or, if your town does host fireworks, this can be an awesome day to also host a BBQ. After everything is cleaned up, guests and children can also enjoy the firework display!
8. Go to the boardwalk
This is another great summer idea for parents with children. Or, this can be another summer date night idea! I love options that are versatile. Grab some cash, play balloon darts, ride the Ferris wheel, and split a funnel cake.
9. Bonfire and s’mores
This is another great idea for families with kids. Everyone loves s’mores, and this can actually be a nice way to teach kids about fire safety. If you are able to get a beach permit, awesome! If not, a pit in your backyard works perfectly fine, too! My in-laws always have a fire pit going in the backyard during the summer and it is so much fun.
10. Tend a garden
My father was always a huge gardener. We have an absurd amount of tomato plants. However, gardening is an awesome hobby to take up because you’ll always have fresh produce, and it’s a hobby that continues throughout the season. (If you’re looking for some tomato recipes, here are some things that we make when we have an abundance of tomatoes!)
11. Go to a baseball game
For anyone who knows me in my personal life, you know my husband is a huge baseball fan and we are always at games. I must be honest: before meeting my husband I never attended one baseball game. However, I have learned to really enjoy them. I love the smell of the food cooking, the cold beer, crowds cheering, etc. It’s a great way to spend a day and have fun.
12. Go to a festival
My husband and I love going to wine festivals (shocking, I know). Summer is a great season that has all kinds of festivals going on! We’ve even once been to a chocolate festival. The great thing about festivals, too, is that they are usually inexpensive and take up a whole day. Festivals are great, too, for a girls day if your hubby or partner is not around.
13. Find a good book to read at the beach
Reading at the beach is something a lot of people do, including me. I love reading a good book with the sound of the waves in the back. A few weeks ago I published this post about literature for the summertime, if you’re interested! I am also running a virtual book club if you’d like to join!
14. Go sailing
This is going to be one thing on the bucket list that really depends on where you live. If you have the opportunity though, sailing is an awesome skill to have and a fun way to spend the day.
15. Day at the amusement park
Personally, I am not a fan of amusement parks. I am actually terrified of roller coasters. However, a lot of people love amusement parks and there is no better time to go than in the summer!
16. Shakespeare in the Park in Central Park
This is on my summer bucket list this year! I have always wanted to see a production in Central Park. If you’re in the NJ/NY area, this can be a great way to spend the day. Plus, it’s free!
17. Visit Washington, DC
My husband and I lived in DC for years during college and loved monument hopping. Summer is a great time to monument hop and visit the capital! If you visit Washington, DC, and are looking for something to do that is not monument hopping, check out this post.
18. Go fishing or crabbing
Some of my favorite memories as a child are of my family going crabbing. My sister and I genuinely looked forward to it, and it was a day filled with laughter and fun. We learned how to catch crabs, cook crabs, and even eat them. (And yes, you need to learn how to eat crabs!) We did not go fishing much, mostly because we always tangled my father’s lines, but crabbing was always a family favorite!
19. Spend the day at the racetrack
We are lucky to live in an area that has a racetrack only twenty minutes away. Not only is it fun watching to bet and watch the horses race, but racetracks are also home to many summer festivals and always have events going on! About two years ago my husband and I went to a wine and chocolate festival at the track at it was so awesome!
20. Go camping
My parens were never really the camping type. They were beach folks. However, when I was a younger child, we visited Assateague Island often in the summertime. It was great because it was camping on the beach! It was so much fun, and such an amazing experience. Not only is the beach beautiful, but the wild horses that roam the island are reason enough to visit. But hey, you can go camping anywhere! Even your backyard is a cool idea if you have little kids.
Well, this is my summertime bucket list! If you and your family are planning something else for the summer, I would love to hear about it.
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