Summer Bucket List: 10 Ideas for an Unforgettable Season

Summer is in full swing, but not everyone has had the chance to enjoy its fruits and soak up the vibe. If you haven’t planned any activities for the coming months or work isn’t letting you take a long vacation, we’ve prepared a list of great things you can do right now to feel the summer within.

1. Plan a Picnic in the Park

This idea is perhaps the simplest to plan and execute, yet it brings maximum pleasure. You’ve probably been on picnics with friends or alone before, so you know how fun and, most importantly, summery it can be. Relaxing in the park with some of your favorite snacks, a guitar, and a group of friends, or simply lying in the shade of trees with a book—the options are endless. This type of relaxation doesn’t require a long trip to the forest or mountains; the nearest park with a pleasant view, or even just your backyard if you have a private house, or a spacious balcony will do. If you bring some lanterns and mosquito spray, you can extend the picnic into the evening. Pleasant company and soft light—there’s nothing more romantic for a summer evening.

2. Attend a Sports Game

For those who love active leisure, going to a sports game is a fantastic option. This type of pastime is truly amazing if you enjoy cheering and are easily inspired by the game’s atmosphere. If you’ve never been to a live game, this is a must-try, even if you’re not into sports. Once you step into the stadium, you’ll quickly understand what’s going on and be swept up in the excitement of the surrounding fans. It’s a great way to spend an evening actively, and the emotions you’ll experience will stay with you for the rest of the week. If you’re not sure where to start, perhaps you have friends who are into football or basketball who can take you along, or you can meet sports enthusiasts on a fan club website or social media. Either way, it will be very interesting.

3. Visit a Fair

If your vacation isn’t planned yet and work isn’t too demanding, good shopping can help pass the time. To add some variety and exoticism to your life, aim to visit an ethnic or any other fair, as summer is the best time for various sales. You can find announcements online and on city streets, and the goods you can buy there will help refresh your interior or even your wardrobe. You can also find wonderful souvenirs for friends, jewelry, and other noteworthy curiosities. In addition to shopping hours, fairs always have some entertainment program, which is another way to spend time usefully and enjoyably.

4. Try Street Hiking

One of the most useful and exciting types of active leisure is street hiking. It’s the same as regular hiking, but you explore the expanses of your city or another city. To avoid traveling far, spending money, and complicated planning, simply visit a street hiking website in your city, and you’ll find plenty of interesting routes for your upcoming hike. You can add an element of spontaneity and set off to explore the city on your own, without pre-approved routes. This way, you’re sure to discover something new, and walking is very beneficial for your health. Explore the city alone or with friends, find places you haven’t visited before, and enjoy the city views. In especially hot weather, it’s better to refrain from long hikes to avoid overexertion or heatstroke. Of course, night walks alone should also be undertaken wisely.

5. Watch a Movie Outdoors

Outdoor cinema is very popular in many cities. In many parks, you can settle on the grass or the hood of a car in front of a big screen and enjoy a movie. This option is perfect for a romantic weekend, although it’s also quite doable with friends or alone. Remember the old comedies filled with the spirit of the past, where characters watch big screens from the cabs of their pickups. Doesn’t that inspire a summer mood? And if you have a projector, you can arrange a movie screening with the scope of a cinema at home, at the dacha, or anywhere with electricity. This option is suitable for those who are very selective about movies and don’t want to share their plot experiences with a large number of people.

6. Go Fishing

What could be more old-school than good old fishing? Fortunately, the culture of this type of leisure has grown significantly today, and you won’t have to look long for a worthy place. You can go fishing in a special reserve where there are special bodies of water for this purpose, and payment is made based on the time spent. This way, you can be sure that the quality of the fish you catch is good, and there will be no problems with breaking the law. The fish brought from fishing can be cooked originally, turning the evening into a barbecue party, which, by the way, can be another item on your to-do list.

7. Start Learning a Foreign Language

For those who want to spend their free time usefully, learning something new is a great idea. Summer is a good time to learn a foreign language, as you are not limited by any circumstances like work, fatigue, or deadlines (if, of course, you are not limited). In summer, you can learn a language with pleasure, for yourself, like Julia Roberts in “Eat, Pray, Love.” Choose standard English to improve your level, or touch on the exotic by learning Spanish, French, or Chinese. As soon as you start making progress, you’ll see how your self-confidence grows and your mood improves. Moreover, there are many ways to show off your knowledge in the future: travel, communicate with foreigners, or even earn money by passing on your knowledge to others.

8. Watch the Sunrise

For those who want to relive their youth, there is a very simple but romantic option. Watching the sunrise can be a challenge for some. Walking all night, looking for adventures, just spending time in pleasant conversation, or with good music in your ears—it’s not that simple. But those who love small joys, the feeling of tired legs, and the freshness of the early morning will enjoy it. The most interesting thing is that you can watch the sunrise under absolutely any circumstances: after leaving a bar and going for a walk, ending an evening picnic, spending the whole night with a book or a TV series, and even if work doesn’t let you go at night, you can still relax this way.

9. Organize a Photo Quest

For art lovers or those who want to gain useful skills this summer, we suggest organizing a photo quest. The best part is that you don’t need to dig around on the internet or plan an entire event for long. Just come up with an idea for the upcoming quest and go ahead. All you need is a camera, any camera, even a simple point-and-shoot, which has its own romance. Choose a principle by which you will shoot, for example, you can shoot architecture, hunt for funny moments, shoot flowers and nature, take selfies against various landscapes, perhaps an alphabetical selection—one frame for each letter of the alphabet, or come up with a story for a whole album. This option is very good for beginner Lomography photographers. If you inherited a Soviet mirror rarity, then boldly, but carefully use it, experiment with film and exposure. From the photos, you can make an album or just replenish your Instagram, or perhaps decorate the interior with frames with the most memorable moments or frames worthy of pride.

10. Go Camping

Camping is a classic genre, but how much romance and summer mood it contains! This option is suitable for those who have always dreamed of trying themselves in sports recreation, or perhaps you have your own interesting ideas for summer activities. The main thing is to enjoy the summer and make it unforgettable.