Per the usual, the summer is flying by at neck-whipping speed, which can sometimes make you feel like you’ve not made the most of this warm-weather season. There are just a mere five weeks left in the summer of 2018, and if you have children back-to-school season will make it feel like even less!
Here are ten ideas of things to do to help you get the most out of the remaining days of the summer season.
10. Have Ice Cream for Dinner!
Do it at home buffet style, or take the family to your favorite creamery. Sure, grilled salmon and kabobs would be healthier than popsicles and sundaes, but, would they be as tasty? Besides, breaking the rules just feels good every now and then.
9. Enjoy Free Music (Or A Movie) on the Hatch Shell
Built in 1940, The Hatch Shell is a Boston icon for the arts. Take your family (or a date) for a little bit of art & culture. Pack a picnic, and you’re good to go! Check out this listing of upcoming events.
8. Make Good Old Fashioned S’mores
Make the kind where you actually have to toast the marshmallow on an open fire. You know, the ones where you eat about five marshmallows before you ever even get to make the s’more? Ah, just the thought takes us back to being a couple of very happy kids. Forget how to make the perfect s’more? No problem, check out Honeymaid’s instructions.
7. Plant a Tree…
… and watch it grow! This is a fun activity for young kids or newlyweds. It’s also nice to do as a memorial for a loved one. One quick note- it’s best to wait until the tail end of the summer when extreme heat and drought aren’t as big of a threat.
6. Do A Classic Family Vacation a’la Griswold Style
Come on; we had to suffer through the long rides filled with punch buggies and convenient store snacks. Shouldn’t our children have access to the same character-building experiences? At least, they’ll have AC – right?
5. Go To A Farmer’s Market and Prepare Dinner Using the Fresh Ingredients
There is something so incredibly fun about doing this. It brings out our culinary creativity. But also, the visual of gorgeous, brightly colored vegetables, freshly made pasta and cheeses; it is all so divine! We love the Boston Public Market. But, most communities have a farmer’s market’s as well. Click the links below to find a market in your area:
Besides food, you can find all types of fun things, like gorgeous handmade jewelry, knitted goods, and candles. Oh, and don’t forget the local wine! 🙂
4. Watch The Sunset Over Water
If you’re a west coast hautie, this is easy for you. But we assume most of you are New Englanders. So, here are some great places to catch the golden end of day hues sparkle over our lovely Atlantic or a gorgeous lake.
- Provincetown, MA– Hop on a ferry or make a good old fashioned Cape Cod road trip. (Do the latter, and you can cross off number 6.) The view from Herring Cove Beach is worth it.
- Gay Head, Martha’s Vineyard, MA – bottle of wine + beach blanket = romantic bliss.
- The Jetties Beach, Nantucket, MA – You can pop a squat here all day, as long as a private event is not happening. It’s the perfect spot to unwind and wait for the magic.
- Ocean Drive, Newport, RI – Take in some of the mansions, and then one of mother nature’s longest running and most popular shows.
- Lake Winnipesaukee, NH – There are lots of really cool places to watch the sunset on New England’s own little great lake. We highly recommend a quick trip for a fun vibe.
- Kennebunkport, ME – The quaint yet posh vacation town boasts a number of spots to catch the warm rays setting over the water.
- Plum Island, MA – A north shore gem that has stayed hidden from the mass amounts of tourists the cape sees. Take a trip for a beautiful sunset dinner. Be sure to try to fit in a stop to beautiful Rockport! You may even opt for a sunset viewing at Halibut Point State Park.
Do you know of any stunning water view sunsets? Please share in our comments section!
NOTE: If you can’t get to a sunset over the water, there’s always a sunrise. As we watched in Minot Beach, as pictured below. 😉
3. Throw a Summer Party with your Best Friends
No matter if it is a summer fete’ or a backyard B-B-Q, hang some lanterns, light the grill and either reminisce or make some new memories. You can’t go wrong!
2. Go Stargazing
HOLMES CHAPEL, UNITED KINGDOM – AUGUST 13: A Perseid meteor streaks across the sky over the Lovell Radio Telescope at Jodrell Bank on August 13, 2013, in Holmes Chapel, United Kingdom. The annual display, known as the Perseid shower because the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky, is a result of Earth’s orbit passing through debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
In August you have a little extra special motivation to look at the night sky. Every mid-July through mid-August the Perseid Meteor shower rains down from the heavens. The show has already peaked, but it will continue through August 24th. Try to get a look ASAP, as we have a full moon on August 26th this year, which will make the tail end a little more challenging to see.
Make plans to head into the wee hours of the morning this weekend! Don’t forget to bring your jar of wishes and get ready to throw them into the universe!
You can read more about the Perseid meteor shower here.
1. Spend an entire day at the beach.
Yes, the entire day – sun up to sun down. Ocean, lake, or pond, if you properly prepare, you won’t regret it! (Check out our post from June on how to create the perfect beach day.)
Suggestion: Make plenty of sand castles! Because, it won’t be long before you’re sculpting snowmen, who will undoubtedly be holding little signs begging for summer.
Enjoy the rest of the summer hauties!
Love,
Kim & Jess 🙂
