The Ultimate Summer Bucket List (2022)

Summer is halfway over, and I don’t know about you, but I feel like I haven’t gotten to do much of anything this season. So in hopes to turn things around and still have an amazing summer, I decided to put together a bucket list filled with summer related things that will allow me to get out of the house and have fun. If this sounds like you, or maybe you’re just looking for some more things to do this summer, I hope you’ll be able to find some inspiration from this bucket list. You don’t need a lot of money to have a great summer, some of these activities are free!☀️  🌈 

1. Go berry picking 🍓 

Summertime is the best time to pick some delicious fruits! Lots of local farms offer U-Pick experiences where you can hand pick their freshly grown fruit right from the bush. During the summer, you can pick blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, and many more. I think my favorite things to pick during the summer are blueberries and peaches.

2- Visit a sunflower field️ 🌻 

Nothing says summer like a field of sunflowers! Some places even allow you to cut your own flowers to bring home. I highly recommend visiting a sunflower field around sunset time, the views are gorgeous 😍 .

3- Pick your own bouquet of flowers 💐 

This is also a fun thing to do in the spring, but there are farms and gardens where you can cute and put together your own flower bouquet. I like to go as soon as they open before it gets super hot and the bugs are everywhere, lol.

4- Go to a water park 💦 

Water slides, lazy rivers, wave pools… sound like your thing? Then a water park is right up your alley. Spend a day at a water park and enjoy all the amusements it has to offer.

5- River tubing

River tubing and tubing in a lazy river are two different things. If you’re more of a nature person, you can actually go tubing in a river in the woods. Some places allow you to bring your own inflatable tube, while others will rent them out to you. These river tubing experiences usually last 1.5-3 hours.

6- Amusement park 🎢 

Something about walking around a big park and going on rollercoasters screams summer to me. Try to find one in your area, or visit a bigger one out of your way and turn it into a day trip!

7- State fair  🎪 

Me personally, I can’t let summer go by without visiting a fair or a carnival. Waling around with funnel cake or cotton candy, getting on spinny rides that can make your head hurt, and seeing all the animals at the petting zoo are some of my favorite things to do at the fair.

8- Beach trip!! ⛱ 

You could wake up early to go to the beach and watch the sunrise, or just go to take a walk in the sand. I love bringing a book to read while I’m there, or even have a picnic!

9- Outdoor movie 🎬 

There’s so many places near me where you can sit outside to watch a movie. But you could also try to find a drive-in movie, I think they’re are super cool!

10- Watch the sunset  🌤 

You can watch the sunset almost anywhere, you don’t have to drive to the beach or go to a rooftop to enjoy the sunset. You could visit a local park with an open field, or just go for a walk around sunset time.

11- Baseball game

I love the summer vibes of a good baseball game. Having a hot dog, seeing people up on the big screen, cheering for the teams, it’s a different kind of fun!

12- Go karting

You could do go-karting indoors or outdoors, but since it’s summertime, I think outdoors is the way to go!

13- Have a picnic

I’ve seen so many cute picnic ideas on tiktok that you can do with your friends. You could make it cottagecore themed, princess themed, color themed, etc. But I also love the idea of a good solo picnic. Try to see if there’s any scenic places in your area where you can sit and enjoy your picnic.

14- Winery trip

This is for the 21 and up crew, but I think an outdoor winery or even brewery, is such a nice day trip, you could stay there for hours. You don’t even have to drink to visit, I just go there for the views and vibes, lol!

15- Pottery class

I’ve always wanted to take a pottery class, to make something from scratch with clay. Then you get to paint it afterwards!

16- Farmers market 

Going to the farmers market on the weekend is one of my favorite things to do. I have bad social anxiety, but I love going to the market by myself. Just remember to bring a tote bag or other reusable bag!

17- Outdoor yoga 

I’ve seen a few advertisements for outdoor yoga classes and I think that would be fun. Especially the ones with animals like goats or rabbits, omg, that’s definitely a bucket list activity.

18- Zoo

I haven’t been to the zoo since I was a kid, but something about the zoo reminds me of summer. If you go after a certain time, most of the younger kids will be gone and the zoo will be less crowded.

19- Go kayaking 🛶 

Lots of local lakes and rivers will rent kayaks out to you, or you could even do a guided group tour!

18- Watch fireworks️

This is usually something that you can do on the 4th of July, but some cities will do fireworks on the weekends just for fun!

19- Make popsicles

I really want to do this, I think it’s a simple enough thing to make at home if I don’t feel like going outside. And you can be creative with the flavors! Make something crazy and out of the box!!

20- Dance in the rain 🌧 

I think dancing in the rain is one of the ultimate main character moments. Drop your stress and worries for a few minutes and let the rain pour down as you dance outside.

21- Hand wash your car🚗 

Go to one of the self serving car washes and get soaked as you try to clean your car!

22- Solo road trip 

You could take a trip to another city or even another state. Spend some time with yourself exploring new things and places.

23- Road trip with friends

You could go with your friends on a trip to the beach or somewhere out of the state. Enjoy blasting music with the windows down and singing along to songs with your friends!

24- Visit the library

I could spend all day in the library. You can read some books, use the computers, or just sit in a comfy chair and chill. I try to go to the library when I need to get some work done outside of the house. 

25- Volunteer somewhere 

There’s plenty of organizations nearby that are always looking for more help. Try looking into food pantries, or even animal shelters!

26- Try a new ice cream flavor 🍦 

Some ice cream places offer seasonal flavors! Step out of your comfort zone and try something new that represents the summer season.

27- Have a cocktail making night 🍸 

Again- for the 21 and up crew. I saw this on tiktok and thought it was so cute! Each person has to make their own special themed cocktails for the group to try. You could even switch this up to a mocktail making night if you’re like me and drink non-alcoholic drinks, a food board night, etc…..

28- Visit a farm 🐄 

Animal farm, fruit/veggie farm, etc, it’s up to you!

29- Visit an art gallery

I love going to galleries and museums to explore the art and escape from the summer heat.

30- Botanical garden

I think botanical gardens are so pretty. From the flowers, to the lake fountains, to the wildlife, it’s truly a fun outdoor experience.

31- Make lemonade from scratch 

I’ve never done this before, but I’ve always wanted to!

32- Play paintball

Warning, you might want to wear some layers because the paintballs can sting a little. I recommend going later on in the day so it’s not as hot outside.

33- Go hiking

Find a doable nature trail near you and explore the woods! I love going on scenic hikes that have an epic view at the end.

34- Visit a waterfall 

Some waterfalls have a little swimming hole at the bottom that you can play in!

35- Outdoor concert

Try to do some research and see who’s playing in your area

36- Ride a ferris wheel (AT NIGHT) 🎡 

Something about a ferris wheel at night is giving me ALL the summer vibes! Especially at a fair where you can see all of pretty lights below you.

37- Grow your own plant 🎍 

Tap into your green thumb side and try to grow a plant. I like getting seeds from somewhere like Home Depot.

38- Run a 5k

It could be any 5k, but I think the Color Run gives off the most summer vibes! Do a google search and see if they’re coming to your city any time soon.

39- Make smores

This also goes hand in hand with a bonfire, bonus points if it’s on the beach!!! You could be creative with the smores and make a smores themed dessert or something.

40- Boat ride⛵️ 

Look up some boat rentals in the area and spend some time out on the water!

41- Paint a tote bag

Tote bags are becoming super popular, why not try to make one special just for you? Drop by your local art store and pick up some paint and brushes!

42- Make summer bracelets

I remember seeing these back in the early tumblr/pinterest days. I love seeing the layred colorful beaded bracelets during the summer!

43- Visit a national park

You might have to go out of your way for this one, but I think the experience will be so worth it!

45- Go stargazing

This is another one of my favorite things to do. Revel in the sounds on nature and look up at the stars.

46- Make a sandcastle 

Go to the beach and be a kid again! You can get some buckets from the Dollar Store or even Five Below.

47- Paint rocks

If you haven’t seen a painted rock, then this probably sounds crazy to you. Try to look up some images for inspiration. 

48- Make a root beer float

It doesn’t have to be a root beer float, you could use any type of soda. I think soda floats are some of the tastiest treats you could have in the summer.

49- Celebrate Christmas in July️ 🎄 

I’m a big Christmas person, I love everything about it! Sometimes there’ll be some themed events in the area, so stay updated on your cities events and activities.

50- Go mini golfing 

I also think Top Golf falls in this category!

Were there any ideas that you would like to do? Let me know in the comments!