80 Fun Ideas for Your Summer Bucket List

There’s just something about summer that makes everything feel a little more alive, right? The sun’s out, the days are longer, and suddenly it feels like the whole world is inviting you to slow down and enjoy it. Whether you’re at the beach or just chilling in your backyard with a drink in hand, summer has a way of waking us up—and making us want to do something.

As someone who’s been checking off my bucket list for over 20 years, I can tell you this: the best summer memories don’t always come from big, elaborate trips. They come from the little moments—trying something new, laughing too hard, getting a little messy, and saying yes more often. This summer bucket list is full of simple, doable, totally-worth-it ideas to help you make the most of the sunny season.

Outdoors Summer Things to Do

If you ask me, summer’s true magic happens outside. Whether you’re hiking a new trail, floating down a lazy river, or just porch sitting with a cold drink, there’s something healing about fresh air and sunshine. This list is full of ideas that’ll get you outside and help you slow down, breathe deeply, and really be in the moment.

• Set up a hammock and take a nap in the shade.
• Pack a picnic and eat it somewhere pretty.
• Spend a lazy day at the beach with your toes in the sand.
• Grab a lawn chair and catch some live music at an outdoor concert.
• Run through sprinklers like you’re nine years old again.
• Go camping—even if it’s just in your own backyard
• Fly a kite on a breezy day like you’re ten years old again. 
• Sleep in a cozy cabin tucked away in the woods.
• Hike a new trail and see where it leads you.
• Take a cold plunge into a mountain stream or alpine lake.
• Try your hand at painting outdoors (hello, summer masterpiece!).
• Visit a sunflower or lavender field and take all the photos.
• Go tubing down a lazy river (bonus if there’s a cooler float too).
• Go horseback riding through a meadow or along the beach.
• Visit a botanical garden and admire all the blooms.
• Porch sit for the afternoon.
• Take a boat ride and let the wind mess up your hair. 
• Do a giant cannonball into a lake or pool.
• Watch fireflies light up the night (preferably barefoot on the lawn).
• Gather around a bonfire and toast marshmallows under the stars.
• Go waterskiing and feel the rush of skimming the surface.
• Take a long sunset walk and let your mind wander.
• Go stargazing and try to spot a shooting star.
• Learn to surf—even if you spend more time falling than riding.
• Stand under a waterfall and let nature give you a spa day.
• Paddle a canoe on a calm lake just for the peaceful vibes.
• Make a sandcastle that’s either epic or hilariously terrible.
• Skip stones across a still lake just to see how far they’ll go.

Foodie Summer Activities

Let’s be real—food is a major part of summer joy. Whether it’s sipping sangria on the patio or chasing down the ice cream truck, these ideas are made for slow, savory moments. From picking strawberries to perfecting your pie crust, this is all about flavors, fun, and good company.

• Start a small herb garden—even a few pots on your windowsill count.
• Head to a local farm and pick your own strawberries.
• Try a new food you’ve never had before (bonus points if it is from my weird food bucket list!).
• Sip your way through a local wine tasting (cheers!).
• Host the ultimate BBQ with all your favorite people and foods.
• Make your own sangria and invite friends over to enjoy it.
• Make homemade popsicles with fresh fruit (like these creamy strawberry mango popsicles!)
• Bake a fruit pie from scratch (yes, even the crust!).
• Make s’mores the old-fashioned way—with gooey fingers and all.
• Stroll through a summer farmers’ market and grab fresh ingredients for dinner.
• Brew your own beer and feel like a mad scientist (beer starter kits make it easy!)
• Compete in a food eating competition.
• Create your own signature cocktail and sip it like a boss.
• Make fresh-squeezed lemonade with a twist of something fun.
• Try making ice cream at home (no fancy machine required!).
• Take a cooking class that uses fresh seasonal ingredients.
• Taste a summer cocktail you’ve never had before (watermelon mojito, anyone?).
• Host a themed dinner night on your patio (Mediterranean, Mexican, Tiki—you choose!).
• Visit a local fair and try something fried on a stick.
• Chase down the ice cream truck like it’s your childhood again.

Sports & Adventure

Ready to get your heart pumping? Whether you’re zip-lining into a lake, swinging from a rope, or just playing a wild round of mini-golf, these activities are for anyone who likes a little thrill with their summer. They’re all about laughing, moving, and maybe even surprising yourself a little.

• Participate in a themed 5k run and make it all about fun.
• Go cheer on your favorite team at a baseball game.
• Learn to shoot a bow and arrow and feel like a total badass.
•  Try your hand at fly fishing and enjoy the peaceful rhythm of casting.
• Try your skills at a round of disc golf.
• Ride the tallest, twistiest water slide you can find.
• Take a break from adulting and play mini-golf.
• Go skinny dipping under the stars (no one’s watching, promise).
• Go bowling and aim for that elusive strike..
• Get a tattoo (bonus points if it’s a travel-inspired tattoo).
• Go on a scavenger hunt and get a little competitive.
• Do yoga outdoors and soak up that vitamin D.
• Channel your inner daredevil and leap off a rope swing.
•  Float through the sky in a hot air balloon (or at least go watch one launch!).
• Brave the rapids on a whitewater rafting adventure.
• Scream your lungs out on a roller coaster (then do it again).
• Take a spontaneous road trip with no real plan.

Just for Fun

Not everything needs to be planned or adventurous—sometimes the best summer memories come from the most random moments. This section is full of lighthearted, feel-good ideas that don’t take much effort but bring all the joy. If you’re looking for something easy, spontaneous, or totally unexpected, you’ll find it here.

• Unplug completely for 24 hours—no internet, no TV, no phone.
• Cool off with a fun (and slightly chaotic) water balloon fight.
• Do a random act of kindness just because it feels good. Need Ideas? See my list of kindness ideas.
• Make a summer playlist and dance around your kitchen.
• Catch a drive-in movie if there’s one near you.    
• Read a New York Times bestseller during a slow summer afternoon.
• Get a pedicure and pick the brightest, happiest color
• Watch the sunrise with a warm drink in hand. 
• Build a treehouse—or at least help someone else do it.
• Enter a quirky local contest—think pie-eating, sandcastle building, etc.
• Volunteer your time and feel-good energy to help someone out.
• Get a summer haircut that makes you feel brand new.
• Gather some white tees and make colorful tie-dye shirts (a tie-dye kit will make it easy).
• Go on a date with yourself—dinner, walk, dessert, the whole shebang.
• Buy fresh flowers just because they make you smile.
• Hit up a local flea market or antique fair and see what treasures you find.
• End the summer with one perfect day doing all your favorite things.
• Spend a day at an amusement park—ride a roller coaster!
• Attend a local parade and cheer like a kid again.
• Be a tourist in your own city and explore someplace new.
• Slip-n-Slide across the lawn. 
• Visit a roadside attraction that’s just plain weird.
• Teach yourself how to juggle just for the fun of it.
• Visit a historical site and learn something cool (or weird).
• Go somewhere you’ve never been—even if it’s just a new café.
• Sip an umbrella cocktail by the pool like you’re on vacation.

You can also check out these buckets list broken down by month:

➞ Finished with your summer bucket list? Get a head start on next season with my Fall Bucket List.

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