50 Summer Bucket List Ideas to Make This Your Happiest Season Yet

There's something special about summer. It seems so full of possibilities. People's moods brighten along with the weather. The extra hours of sunlight encourage people to squeeze more socializing into every day, heading out for a quick walk or meet-up with friends after work when they'd normally retire to a solo Netflix and dinner routine. But with the buzzy busy-ness can come along with some pressure — to do everything summery in that too-short window between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The last thing you want is to hit September, only to realize you didn't see a single summer sunset. That's where our ultimate summer bucket list comes in.

This summer bucket list is more of a guide than a rule. But it contains a list of 50 things that everyone should aim to do before summer's out. If that sounds like a lot, we've got you: we made sure to sprinkle in plenty of truly chill summer activities that you can cross off as achievements, along with the more ambitious summer bucket list ideas. The goal is that by the end of summer, you feel like you've really enjoyed every day — whatever that looks like for you.

— Additional reporting by Mirel Zaman

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Summer Bucket List Ideas
Getty | the_burtons

Summer Bucket List Ideas

  1. Go on a scenic hike.
  2. Spend the day at the park.
  3. Sleep in for as long as you can. Or just stay in bed all day. Even if it's beautiful out.
  4. Go camping.
  5. Roast s'mores.
  6. Find a SPF you actually love.
  7. Volunteer.
  8. Enjoy fried foods at a fair.
  9. Check out a festival.
  10. Have a beach bonfire.
  11. Eat your way through a farmers market.
  12. Sleep under the stars.
  13. Catch a baseball game.
  14. Host a game night.
  15. Take regular naps.
  16. Collect seashells.
  17. Throw a pizza party.
  18. Try a new-to-you workout.
  19. Check out an art exhibit.
  20. Eat ice cream for dinner. Bonus points if you DIY it.
  21. Have a sleepover with friends.
  22. Chase down an ice cream truck.
  23. Watch fireworks.
  24. Do nothing.
  25. Play carnival games.
  26. Ride a Ferris wheel.
  27. Watch a sunset.
  28. Go kayaking.
  29. Experience an outdoor concert
  30. Go for a night swim.
  31. Sell your old clothes.
  32. Participate in a water balloon fight.
  33. Throw a BBQ.
  34. Read at least three books.
  35. Stay up until sunrise.
  36. Visit a theme park.
  37. Go on a road trip.
  38. Make boozy lemonade.
  39. Rent a vacation home or an Airbnb.
  40. Take time off from work
  41. Watch at least one Summer blockbuster.
  42. Discover a swimming hole
  43. Bake a pie.
  44. Go tandem biking.
  45. Hang in a hammock.
  46. Go for a long drive with the windows down
  47. Go on an adventure.
  48. Enter a food-eating contest.
  49. Ditch the devices and unplug for the entire day.
  50. Tour breweries.