What's on Your Summer Bucket List

Updated on June 13, 2013
♥.O. asks from Parcel Return Service, DC
13 answers

I'm working on a Summer Bucket List and am looking for some inspiration. I was hoping we could swap some ideas.

This is my list: (I'm not saying we're doing all of these things on the list, lol. I do believe in PLENTY of downtime! And my children are excellent students so we will be doing plenty of reading & learning as well. And chores. And bible study. :) )

Camping in Yosemite - COMPLETED
Membership to Cabana Club (swimming pool, BBQ, Ping-Pong Table, Family Events)
Hiking in scenic areas followed by a picnic
Trying out either Letterboxing or Geocaching (can combine with hiking)
Learning photography; giving the little one a disposable camera of her own so she can make a summer scrapbook of memories
Finding/trying out different Trail Mix recipes for our hikes
Library summer reading program
Little Free Library (google this if you don't know about it yet...you take a book, leave a book)
Berry Picking
Rock Climbing
Bike Riding
Tie-Dye a shirt or tote bag for the library
Visit a Nature Center, Eco Center, or the Snake Museum
Have friends/family over for BBQ
Check out one of the brand new parks in our area
Spray Grounds
Checking Groupon or Living Social for deals
Cavern Tour
Camping again!
Go out for ice cream
Use our ice cream maker
Movies
Backyard Water Play
BBQ's

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So What Happened?

Yes, I'm in Northern CA. I guess the Yosemite trip gave it away. :)

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.G.

answers from Chicago on

Catch tadpoles (done)
Dragonfly hunt
Go fishing
Slip n slide with friends
BBQ with friends
Camp in the backyard
Make ice cream (done)
Summer reading program library
Go to the butterfly house
Butterfly house at zoo
Go to the beach
Splash pad
Weekly park and picnic
Weekly pool trips
Fly kites
Pick black raspberries
Make pies
Make pesto
Go for ice cream
Go to a carnival (done)
See fire works
Make stepping stones or garden
Tie dye t-shirts

3 moms found this helpful

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Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.M.

answers from San Francisco on

Sounds like a fun summer!

camp
drink alcohol
go to music festival
drink alcohol
work
drink alcohol
visit kids
drink alcohol
float down river while drinking alcohol
go to happy hour
other stuff
drink alcohol

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.W.

answers from Portland on

What a fun question!

Camping trip with my folks and sibs (just got a new tent!)
Trip to Oceanside for a few nights, beachcoming!
Visit Pacific City so I can climb the huge dune with Kiddo. FUN!
Spend the day exploring the forests of a few state parks (separate days)
Take Kiddo to Oaks Amusement Park at least once
Zoo trips (we have a membership)
Harvesting/freezing our blueberries and raspberries
Preserving the tomatoes we grow
Do the Summer Reading program with Kiddo
Find an ASL class somewhere
Park picnics
Little excursions to visit favorite fountains and Farmer's Markets
Help find a place for Kiddo to plant carrots
and of course, the sprinkler, the big washtub of water and popsicles!

We are looking forward to a mellow summer!

4 moms found this helpful

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

This is a fun question bc it makes me think about all those things I want us to do over the summer. Our bucket list is:
Hiking (we've already done quite a lot of this!)
Pool time (check!)
Camping (check!)
Backpacking Trip (We did this one already...our kids first backpacking trip! And it was such a great success)
Rock climbing (we've gone twice but hopefully we will get in a lot more)
Music festival
Swimming lessons for my little one
Flying kites (have done this once...it was so fun)
Concerts in the Park (we've gone to only 2 of these in our town so far)
Town rodeo (we missed it the last 2 years. I hope we make it this year)
Ride the Durango train (we have plans to do this and camp this weekend. Yay!!)
Visit my Grandpa who is 89 (we have our tickets...leave in 2 weeks)
Kayaking
Playing in sprinklers/slip n slide
Ocean time, the beach, tide pools, look for shells. (We are going to Seattle to visit my husband's brother who just moved there, so I'm hoping to get in lots of ocean, hiking, kayaking, rain-foresty nature)
Go to one evening movie in the park
Swim lessons for my little one.
Another backpacking trip somewhere green!
Rafting on the Rio Grande (kid friendly trip)

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

Love this and just started thinking about this yesterday!!

Fishing: Done!
Swimming: Done! (and will continue)
Learn a new skill: In progress! Daughter learned how to dive and is learning how to ride her bike without training wheels!! Son has learned how to ride a 14 inch bike with training wheels.
Magic House: Done!
City Museum: Done!
Family Reunion: Done!
Sleepover at grandparents: Done!
Play with glow sticks after dark: Done!
Slip N Slide: Done!
Plant flowers together: Done!
Get ice cream: Done!
Make cookies: Done!
Go bowling: Done!

Still on list:
Catch fireflies
Make new sensory boxes (gardening, rice, spaghetti, frozen)
Visit the Library
Go for snow cones
Visit Monkey Joes
Visit play area at McDonalds
Stay in our pajamas all day
Movie Day
Eat Dessert for dinner (or lunch)
Go to the movies

3 moms found this helpful

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Make ice cream
Free movies at the theater
$1 movies at the theater
Free bowling
Farmer's Market, buy fresh fruit and veggies
Beach
VBS
Pool
Playdates
Sprinkler
Water fountains (the water comes out of the bricks on the ground, the kids play in it)
Free concerts at the park and mall
Camp in the back yard
A yard sale
Library storytime and crafts
Crafts (this Gramma LOVES to craft)
Teach him to ride his bike
Make crafts and treats for 4th of July party
Fireworks!!
Have pirate tea party (boys love them)
The park behind our house
Water table
The running track down the street at a community college, he can run and use up energy
Disneyland
Teach him more about cooking and baking (he's 4 so just more basics)
Keep planning for our trip on Amtrak in October

Oh my word, I'm exhausted already, lol ;)

3 moms found this helpful
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B.B.

answers from San Antonio on

I love your list!

I got an idea from Pinterest to create your "Summer Fun List" of things that you want to do, but often never do over the summer, and then print it as a checklist and put it on the fridge. I did this two weeks ago. Every time the kids (ages 3 and 5) are bored and don't want to just go to the pool or want something different, we go to the list and find one to do. We have one column for outdoor activities, and one for indoor, so that we can find something, rain or shine. It has been fun picking out new things! I have already added new things to it for next summer.

We have many that are similar to yours, but also have the following:

Children's Museum
Jumpy Place
Play tennis
Plant flowers
Make stepping stones for the garden
Clean out and donate old toys (sounds odd, but my kids already picked this one, and they LOVED doing it)
Lemonade Stand
Canvas Paintings
Clay Casa (a pottery painting place here in San Antonio)
Water Balloon Fight
Create Kiddie Scrapbooks
Indoor Picnic
Outdoor Picnic
Drive to a small town and explore
Bake cupcakes from scratch
Paint Birdhouses
Family Game Time
Decorate White T Shirts
Re-decorate Bedrooms

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

For years every summer and winter we made a family list of to do's. since my parents became sick we stopped. Thanks for reminding me - we'll start again! The reason I did it in the first place was to make sure we didn't just let a season go by without fully enjoying it. I'm in the Southern Hemisphere, so I have a winter list which is:
Go whale spotting
Procure wetsuits for the boys and teach them to snorkel
Have a bonfire
Try to catch a rare snowfall in the nearby mountains
Have a weekend away in a beach cabin
Hire a boat and go fishing and picnicking on the river
Swim at the beach then quickly drink hot chocolate

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.C.

answers from Denver on

We'll be in Japan visiting my parents for the first half of the summer. This time, I DON'T want to spend the whole time simply "hanging out". THIS TIME, I want to take the kids to:
1)Kyoto
2)Himeji castle
3)Osaka
4)Nara
5)Universal Studios Japan
6)A beach, any beach

When we get back, I want to take the kids on a "Roller Coaster Tour" of PA/NJ. Hit a few amusement parks within a 1 1/2 hour drive and ride the roller coasters together. These should include at the very least:
1)SixFlags Great Adventure
2)Hershey Park
3)Dorney Park

Finish our massive home remodel.

And last but not least, play lots and lots of tennis!

Writing it all out is getting me REALLY excited for summer - only 3 1/2 days of school left!!!

2 moms found this helpful
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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Your list is impressive.

I do BBQ's (smoke meat) and share with a neighbor. We are new to the neighborhood. I've made some good friends in other neighborhoods by buying two pork roasts and smoking both. Then I take one to a neighbor and introduce myself and hope they like pork (or chicken or what ever I'm cooking). If they say they do, the I give the roast to them and tell them I hope they have a nice day. And then I go back home. (Matthew 25:40)

I have mowed a neighbor's lawn when they were away and never told them.

I've given flowers (I grow roses) to my wife's co-workers. I surprised my wife on several occasions with roses from my garden at her office. Her co-workers began teasing me about "where's my roses". So I went to either Goodwill, Salvation Army or a garage sale and bought some vases real cheap. When I brought my wife roses, I'd bring the other 4 ladies a rose in a vase. They loved it. I only plant fragrant roses. Her office had a pleasant smell from the roses. And the attitude improved . . . which was the best part.

It looks like you are in CA. Several of the amusement parks have a deal that when you pay for one day, you get the rest of the season for free. That would be something for the kids. There is a science museum in San Diego that is hands on and built for kids to try and for them to play with the exhibits. Even grandpas love it.

ETA: For Northern CA, you've got the Jelly Belly factory. Its both fascinating and tasty. Ride the trolley cars in Frisco. Go to the Diners Drive-ins and Dives website. They have a couple of Ice Cream factory/restaurant recommendations in Frisco. They also have a couple of recommendations in Sacramento. Then there is the mystery train around Sacramento that has a mystery dinner theater on board.

Travelzoo has some real good deals. (____@____.com)

Good luck to you and yours.

2 moms found this helpful
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D..

answers from Miami on

Cool list! I've done most of the ones on your list (a lot of them when my kids were younger.)

This summer is looking at colleges with one of my sons, enjoying the beach, and spending time with my college boy when he's done with his summer job before going back to college...

2 moms found this helpful

R.X.

answers from Houston on

work out at the gym daily or walk around the block on days I don't gym
work in yard daily
catch up on Housewives shows
Go to California for a week to visit friend
catch up with best friend on her back patio drinking coolers
catch up with my son on a road trip to San Marcos Shopping Outlet
visit my parents at the cemetary
try to find my Grandmother's cemetary plot in North Houston

1 mom found this helpful
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O.O.

answers from Kansas City on

Big believer in serendipity here, but a few things definitely on the radar:

Mexico vacation
Boys camping weekend
Pro baseball games (2-3)
Museum
Science Center
Gettysburg trip
Baseball HOF
Swimming
Hershey Park
Amusement park/company picnic
Concerts in a local park every week (2-3)
BBQ
4th of July family swim/cook out

Wonder if we'll get it all in? Lol

1 mom found this helpful
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