Summer starts when? Wow! Yes—it’s that close!
You’ve got to get going so you don’t let this summer catch you off guard like so many others did. We never would have done that in our teens or twenties.
So, to help you launch your summer right this year, I scoured through the interwebs and found eleven, yes eleven websites with some really good advice and cool ideas for your summer. There are even some you haven’t even thought of, let alone done before.
Chores happen, but there are much better summertime activities.
For us, the highlight of our summer last year was pulling a few thousand tumbleweeds along our driveway (we have a long driveway). The locals said they haven’t seen as many in over twenty years. Lucky us.
I don’t want you pulling weeds all summer and neither do you. So, let’s get with the program and make way for an awesome summer.
If you haven’t already, and I’m guessing you haven’t—because I haven’t either…
Here’s a short list of essential to-dos to get done post haste.
- Get your AC serviced because it’s going to be a hot one. That tends to happen more often in the summer.
- Service your car so you’re ready for that epic road trip (see below).
- Ask for time off and get your days on the boss’ calendar before the best dates are taken.
- Inventory and assess the usability of your stash of camping gear and beach-going accouterments.
- Clean, scrape, and polish up your grill. You’ll want to replace any blown-out parts while Home Depot or Lowes still has them.
And buy your shorts and swimwear now while there’s a big selection so you don’t have to go all frumpy looking or like you squeezed into your kid’s swimwear.
If you’re more of a traditionalist, this is a list of the “usuals” for a standard summer…
- Go to the beach—no explanation needed.
- Read a book. No, seriously, Read. A. Book. Book reports are due the first Friday after Labor Day.
- Catch a ballgame—baseball, of course. And don’t forget the minor leagues. One of the big stadiums is great, but there’s nothing like the passion you’ll feel in a minor league park.
Wait! No-No-No! These are okay, but how about some new, cool things you might not have done before?
Here’s my list of the best ideas I stumbled across on my web-scouring journey…
- Plan a “bring your own pool” party. Hat tip to coolmaterial.com, you can check out the deets here.
- Select and master your signature version of your favorite summer cocktail.
- I hear drive-ins are making a comeback. If you’re lucky enough to have one of the newfangled ones near you, well—go for it and let us know what you think!
- Take a Great American Road Trip. You’ve always wanted to, so go. Pick a destination, put together your playlist, and go. Besides, it sounds like the airlines are a mess.
- Hey, there’s nothing like a picnic on date night. Trust me.
- Rent a boat. I love this one with one clarification. Boat, meaning canoe or rowboat. You know, somewhere on a small, secluded lake.
- Build or make something. Find a project. I rebuilt my deck one summer. Oh, wait, that took two summers. Better check the size of whatever project you choose.
- Be a tourist in your own city. Hey, it might not sound so great until you think about it. Lanette and I must have left at least fifty items on our Washington, D.C. bucket list. Go see them. This one is appropriately from bucketlistjourney.net.
- Go to a summer music festival. If you can’t find a full-blown festival, at least go to an outdoor concert or two.
- Drive to a friend’s place who moved a few hours away. Stay for two nights, catch up, and have them show you the best local spots (from airows.com).
- Organize your own summer film festival.
- Host a grown-up scavenger hunt. Don’t ask me… you make the rules.
- Go on a bar walk (like a pub crawl without the crawling). Then stay at one of those fancy-schmancy boutique hotels nearby so you don’t have to drive.
- Rent a convertible for the weekend. Don’t forget the sunscreen.
- Unplug for a day.
And some oldies but goodies…
- Nap in a hammock.
- Run through a sprinkler.
- Practice your cannonball.
- Have a water balloon fight.
- Host a cookout with all the fixings
- Listen to the crickets and watch the fireflies.
- Host a bonfire (but only if you can do it without starting a wildfire).
- Shop at your local farmers market.
- Make your official summer playlist.
- Ride a roller coaster.
- Watch a sunset.
- Go to an all-day small-town Fourth of July celebration and stay for the fireworks.
- Go skinny dipping (don’t worry, you won’t be seeing me).
- Toast marshmallows. Forget the S’mores… nobody really likes them. Just sharing that little-known tidbit.
- Find a really, really dark place and look at the stars. Wow!
- Watch a sunrise. YouTube would be cheating.
- Make ice cream.
- Skip stones.
- Pitch horseshoes. Okay, okay, or corn hole.
- Take a class and learn something new.
- Camp in a tent in your backyard like you did when you were a kid.
- Contact an old friend.
- Eat ice-cold watermelon. Spiking optional.
You’re not convinced? Well, here are some lame things you’ll end up spending your summer doing if you don’t get busy.
- Cleaning out your closet.
- Clearing your gutters.
- Purging your garage. Yeah right. Good luck with that.
Have an untucked summer (and make your plans before it’s too late—again!).
p.s. Oh! One last thing, if you found this post helpful, be sure to share it with a friend because they’re not ready for summer either. Use the Share Buttons at the top or the bottom of the post. Thanks, I owe you one.
Copyright © 2023 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved – 99% Algorithm free
Don’t forget making a blanket fort! It’s better with a box fan in one of the walls.
Ps. My best s’mores tip is to put the marshmallow between two fudge striped cookies!
How did I forget blanket forts? And you’ve definitely improved on s’mores!!