80 Things You Must Try This Summer!

May 31, 2016 Jessica Gordon Ryan

80 things to try this summer. Image via

I've tried to create a list filled with ideas for both adults, teens and younger children. Take this list, print it out and put it on your desk or tape it to your refrigerator. We all have an idea of things we want to do and see over the summer, then as the weeks pass on we lose ambition, drive and creativity. Much of our days are filled with work and camps for the children. Many have time set aside for travel and family vacations. But the days are longer and there's so much that can be done on a long weekend or after work. The summer season has officially arrived - Let's make the most of it and fill our days with laughter and joy-filled activities. For those of us with children, especially older children, let's not focus on academics but on living... I'm a firm believer that the best way of learning is to get out of the classroom and get out into the world... or out into the neighborhood!

80 Things for kids and grownups to do this summer. Image via Tumblr.

Take a road trip to somewhere new
Visit a vineyard
Try a new outdoor sport (such as paddle boarding, kayaking, golf or horseback riding)
Go to the beach (lake, park, rooftop) and watch the sunrise. DONE!
Go to the beach (lake, park, rooftop) and sip champagne as the sun sets. DONE!
Collect shells
Collect sea glass
Visit a new ice cream shop every week
Ride a Merry Go Round
Start a quest for the best Lobster Roll
Go berry picking and make home made jam
Prepare a meal using only ingredients from the farm or farmer's market
Make a pitcher of sun tea
Start a vegetable/herb/fruit garden
Start a container garden (better for children and those of us with black thumbs!) DONE
Make s'mores with various flavors (strawberries, raspberries, peanut butter cups)
Make ice cream using rock salt and a plastic bag, or this way. (Great activity for kids)
Go for a hike or a long walk someplace new
Charter a boat
Ride a ferry
Host a pool party
Host an outdoor movie party
Go to a drive-in
Visit a museum DONE
Visit a zoo
Visit a botanical garden DONE
Make a Summer 2016 "Mix Tape" from your iTunes
Lose yourself in a good summer book
Organize a potluck picnic
Swim in the rain (but not in the lightning!)
Go skinny dipping!
Kiss in the rain
Go kayaking
Go paddle boarding
Camp out on the beach (by the lake) and look for shooting stars
Go to an outdoor concert
Record your day with pictures
Hang some bird feeders and count all the varieties that stop by
Rent a convertible
Play tourist in your hometown
Buy several bunches of flowers and make a pretty display
Sleep on the porch
Watch a rainstorm
Make Lemonade from scratch
Make Limoncello
On a particularly hot or rainy day lose yourself in Netflix
Visit one new outdoor restaurant a week
If you have little ones: Create a scavenger hunt with pictures in your neighborhood
If you have teens: Create a scavenger hunt in town - have the kids text their finds
Take a surfing lesson
Go boogie boarding
Go for a long bike ride somewhere new
Try Geocaching with the family
Go crabbing/clamming
Make sand candles
Start a journal and fill it with ideas, thoughts, dreams and aspirations
Start an illustrated/paint/photography journal
Go to an outdoor flea market/antiques fair
Host a Christmas Party on a hot day in July!
Go to a matinee
Color and hide "Easter" eggs
Unplug for a day
Host a clam bake
Take a sailing lesson
Make a large batch of gazpacho - try yellow and green varieties too
"Create" a new smoothie flavor
Go ziplining DONE
Go to a minor league baseball game
Eat a hotdog
Have a Create your own Burger contest
Visit a local brewery
Visit a local distillery
Go for a "midnight" swim
Spend a hot rainy day in bed
Plan a lunch date with the girls DONE
Go for an long walk or run DONE
Make blueberry bread with freshly picked blueberries
Go to a local fair
Go to a carnival and jump on some rides!
Have an indoor picnic (No mosquitos! No ants!)

Which will you start with? Do you have any ideas to share? We'd love to hear them!