Summer just started, but, sadly, you’re about to head into the season’s last week and your warm-weather days are numbered.
The solution? Make a “bucket list” to soak up every bit of summertime fun and sun. Along with floating in the pool or whiling away the afternoon hours blissfully doing nothing, try a few of these activities to help summer go out with a bang.
Monday:
Hit the waves
So you didn’t make it to the Caribbean … catch the waves anyway. That’s what the wave pool at your nearest waterpark is all about. Bonus: Some waterparks allow you to bring your dog on the last day.
Tuesday:
Last-minute shopping
Fall clothing shopping is the ritual that closes out summer shorts season. It’s fun to see what’s showing this fall in the fashion world, and even more fun to pick out outfits for upcoming holiday events and parties that will be here before you know it. Go shopping with friends and have fun selecting the cozy sweaters you’ll be modeling come winter.
Wednesday:
Make a memento
What’s summer without a souvenir? Cruise by the crafts store and select your next project. Paint flowerpots, string fun-in-the-sun jewelry, or try your hand at that landscape. Even if the masterpiece is less than masterful, your mind will be relaxed and clear from the time you spent constructing it.
Thursday:
Pick a park with perks
Hiking can make you feel like you’re on top of the world. Check around to see what nearby national and state parks you haven’t explored yet. Do your homework to find out the park’s rules, and study up on the area’s terrain so you can better appreciate the nature you’re about to immerse yourself in.
Friday:
Live it up at the lake
If you didn’t get to spend time at a posh lake house, here’s a good alternative: Pick the lake nearest to you, pack up, and go. Then, search online for marinas that rent boats and party barges, strap on your life vest, and bid the landlubbers goodbye.
Saturday:
See the stars, too
Museums and planetariums offer cool places to hang out in the heat. Visit larger, more well-known collections or seek out quirkier exhibits, such as the incredibly detailed miniature model of a five-ring circus at The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the world’s largest Pez-dispensing machine at the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia in Burlingame, California, or head to the coast for the famous tall ship Elissa at the Texas Seaport Museum in Galveston, Texas.
Sunday:
Ahhh, the spa
You’ve been running from one activity to the next all season, from camps to birthday parties to grandmother’s house and back. Schedule a spa day just for you or with a few friends, then rest and rejuvenate while recalling some of your favorite summer memories.
End of Summer Dreaming
Sit back and think about other things within your budget that you’d like to do before the leaves start changing color. If you take advantage of all summer has to offer, you’ll feel more ready to dive into fall feeling refreshed and with newfound energy.
Summer’s ‘bucket’ list
By Clare Miers
Summer just started, but, sadly, you’re about to head into the season’s last week and your warm-weather days are numbered.
The solution? Make a “bucket list” to soak up every bit of summertime fun and sun. Along with floating in the pool or whiling away the afternoon hours blissfully doing nothing, try a few of these activities to help summer go out with a bang.
Monday:
Hit the waves
So you didn’t make it to the Caribbean … catch the waves anyway. That’s what the wave pool at your nearest waterpark is all about. Bonus: Some waterparks allow you to bring your dog on the last day.
Tuesday:
Last-minute shopping
Fall clothing shopping is the ritual that closes out summer shorts season. It’s fun to see what’s showing this fall in the fashion world, and even more fun to pick out outfits for upcoming holiday events and parties that will be here before you know it. Go shopping with friends and have fun selecting the cozy sweaters you’ll be modeling come winter.
Wednesday:
Make a memento
What’s summer without a souvenir? Cruise by the crafts store and select your next project. Paint flowerpots, string fun-in-the-sun jewelry, or try your hand at that landscape. Even if the masterpiece is less than masterful, your mind will be relaxed and clear from the time you spent constructing it.
Thursday:
Pick a park with perks
Hiking can make you feel like you’re on top of the world. Check around to see what nearby national and state parks you haven’t explored yet. Do your homework to find out the park’s rules, and study up on the area’s terrain so you can better appreciate the nature you’re about to immerse yourself in.
Friday:
Live it up at the lake
If you didn’t get to spend time at a posh lake house, here’s a good alternative: Pick the lake nearest to you, pack up, and go. Then, search online for marinas that rent boats and party barges, strap on your life vest, and bid the landlubbers goodbye.
Saturday:
See the stars, too
Museums and planetariums offer cool places to hang out in the heat. Visit larger, more well-known collections or seek out quirkier exhibits, such as the incredibly detailed miniature model of a five-ring circus at The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the world’s largest Pez-dispensing machine at the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia in Burlingame, California, or head to the coast for the famous tall ship Elissa at the Texas Seaport Museum in Galveston, Texas.
Sunday:
Ahhh, the spa
You’ve been running from one activity to the next all season, from camps to birthday parties to grandmother’s house and back. Schedule a spa day just for you or with a few friends, then rest and rejuvenate while recalling some of your favorite summer memories.
End of Summer Dreaming
Sit back and think about other things within your budget that you’d like to do before the leaves start changing color. If you take advantage of all summer has to offer, you’ll feel more ready to dive into fall feeling refreshed and with newfound energy.