You should be having a good time all year round, but let’s be honest — it’s summer that really invites you to live well. You can get away with having a lowkey October or February, but when the sun is shining and all feels right with the world, it’s essential that we make the most of it.
If you need a little inspiration for how to live the summer well, then this page is for you. We’ll run through a bunch of different ways to make the most of your time. Some are exciting, some are relaxing, and some are value-adding, but in any case, if you take them all on board, we promise that you’ll be fully satisfied once Fall rolls around. Let’s take a look.
Start Planning
Summer is awesome, but boy oh boy, it tends to come and go in the blink of an eye. That’s why it’s important to spend some time planning before it arrives in full force. This is especially key if you’re planning an adventure that involves taking flights. If you leave it too late to book those journeys, then you might find that they become prohibitively expensive, or even that the flight is fully booked. You won’t regret booking a flight too early — but you might regret leaving it too late.
This principle doesn’t apply solely to flights. It’s best to make any kind of plans before the warm season fully gets underway. If you don’t, you’ll run the risk of Summer passing by without doing anything overly special.
Get Camping Gear
You can spend hours on end at home during the winter months. Summer is an opportunity to get outside and enjoy all that the world has to offer to the max. One fun way to do this is to invest in camping gear, which will allow you and your family to spend weekends sleeping in the great outdoors. Regardless of where you live, there’ll surely be some campgrounds within easy driving distance.
Going on a camping adventure does require some extra work, but trust us: it’s worth it. There’s nothing quite like waking up in a beautiful environment. Plus, your kids will love it!
Upgrade Your Wardrobe
You can look good all year round, but really, in the Fall and Winter months, it’s generally not a big deal. After all, most of the time we’re just spending time indoors, or we’re wearing a big, warm coat. In the Summer, we spend much more time outdoors. Plus, there are so many social events! You can give yourself a confident, stylish look by investing in your warm-weather wardrobe. Take a look at the new collections that have arrived this Summer and pick up a few new quality pieces.
Create an Outdoor Living Space
You’ll have plenty of fun adventures during the Summer months. However, it’s also recommended to create an at-home space that allows you to really unwind and enjoy yourself. The best space to do that is, of course, your backyard. Look at creating an outdoor living space, and you’ll have everything you need to have a good time without having to leave your property. It can just be oh-so-pleasant to relax in a well-put-together yard on a lovely Summer’s evening, and it doesn’t really require all that much. If you have some flowers, comfortable seating, a hammock, and outdoor furniture, you’ll find it easy to sink into many hours of Summer goodness.
Days at the Beach
The best way to beat the Summer heat is to dive into water. Also, the best way to (safely) get a tan is by spending a few hours in the sunshine. You can get both of those things by organizing trips to the beach with your family. Of course, this will be much easier if you live close to the coast, though you can always think about taking a trip. If you need some inspiration, then take a look at the best beaches in the United States — they’ll have you loading up the car to take a road trip in no time at all.
If visiting a beach isn’t an option, then research local public swimming pools, which can be just as good — or perhaps even better for people who don’t like sand. As we said above, tanning safely is paramount, so always pack a sun umbrella, hat, and plenty of sunscreen when you’re planning to spend a day at the beach/pool.
Relaxing Activities
Summer, as we’ve seen in the other suggestions in this list, is a pretty active time of the year. However, that doesn’t mean that you should always be doing things. It’s also important to do, well, nothing at all. If you’ve put together an outdoor living space, then you’ll have the perfect environment in which to relax. Now all you’ll need is a few relaxing activities that help to keep boredom at bay. It’s recommended to put together a Summer reading list, so you always have something engaging to read. If you like more engaging activities, then look up some challenging but fun games. Mahjong is a good game to play since it offers the perfect amount of difficulty. Plus, since it’s available online, it’s easy enough to play while you’re unwinding in your hammock.
Look Up Events
Events take place all year round, but they’re especially prevalent in the Summer months. You should have no difficulty finding events when the sun is shining. You can find goings-on in a wide range of areas. For example, maybe you’d like to visit an outdoor folk music festival, or perhaps there’s a big sporting event taking place in your area. If you live in a lively part of the country, then you’ll have dozens and dozens of options available to you. See what’s out there, book your tickets, and fill your Summer calendar with fun happenings.
BBQ Recipes
The Summer months provide a great opportunity to spend as much time outside as possible. With the sun setting so late, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the warm weather once you’re finished with work. One easy way to increase the amount of time you spend outdoors is to invest in a BBQ and look up some BBQ recipes. If you’re looking for some inspiration on what to make, then check out this list of the most popular BBQ recipes. We have to warn you, those mouthwatering photos will have you feeling pretty hungry!
Move Your Body
It’s important to engage in exercise at all points of the year. However, while you might be working up a sweat in the Winter months, you probably won’t be enjoying it. The Summer provides a great opportunity to get fit and have a good time. For instance, there’s much to love about going for an early morning run on a sunny morning. If you round it off with a cold shower once you get home, you’ll find that you’re very much on cloud nine and that you’re set up for a great day.
Put Away the Tech
We all probably use our technology more often than we should do. In the Summer months, look at actively minimizing the amount of time you spend looking at your screen. You can spend all the Winter months looking at your smartphone; when the weather is so lovely, put it away and go for a nice walk. No one ever regrets spending less time on their device.
Try a Summer Activity
Summer should be all about having fun, so why not look at trying a new activity that you haven’t done before? The Summer months provide a whole host of activities that are more difficult — or just less enjoyable — to do during the chillier months of the year.
For instance, you could consider going on a hiking excursion, or maybe you could get out onto the water by trying kayaking. If you’re unsure what options are available to you, search for your city name plus “outdoor recreation” and see what comes up.
Get a Bike
It can be a whole lot of fun to go on a fun road trip during the Summer months. In fact, it can be nice just driving home from work, if you live in a more rural area. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to spend all of your time behind the wheel.
When the sun is shining, it can be super enjoyable to get from A to B on a bike. In fact, you don’t even need to be going anywhere in specific — just exploring can be a lot of fun! Bikes are pretty affordable, and you’ll likely find that you use it a lot once the Summer ends, too.
Connect With Friends
Finally, you can make the most of Summer by spending quality time with your friends and family. Whether it’s going on a group hike, enjoying a BBQ, or just getting together at the pool/beach, the Summer is the best time to get together with friends. You never know what spontaneous plans might pop up!