Every year, the first day of summer falls on June 21, and it’s one of our favorite days of the year. The first day of summer marks the true beginning of some fun outdoor activities, like hiking, swimming, and camping. Wanting to go big in celebration of the summer solstice? Here’s 10 ideas to get you started.
Make a summer bucket list
Every adventurous summer starts with 1 thing: a plan! Celebrate the first day of summer by sitting down and putting together a bucket list. Want to float a river? Go for a road trip? Hike in a national park? Take up a new hobby? Then it sounds like you need a summer bucket list! Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered. Here’s 10 summer bucket list ideas to get you going.
Go berry picking
Berry picking is a time honored summertime tradition that gets you outside and gathering food in a sustainable way. By the first day of summer, strawberries should be ripening. Elderberries will ripen in July and blackberries toward the end of July through September. Be careful that you’re only picking what you intend to eat, that you aren’t uprooting plants, and that you’re doing your best to minimize damage to the environment.
Have a picnic
After a long afternoon of berry picking, what would be better than a picnic in the park? Pack up a little lunch and soak up some sun. Plus, by spending time in your local parks, you’re supporting a vital green space that provides numerous benefits for the community, like providing a space for people to exercise and get outside.
Plant a tree
Truth be told, spring and fall are the ideal times of year to be planting trees, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a hardy tree that can handle being planted over the summer. Need some inspiration? Here are 10 fast growing shade trees you can plant in your yard.
Go camping
Perhaps second only to going to the beach, camping is the ultimate, quintessential summertime activity, and there are a lot of reasons you should camp this year. Camping reduces stress levels, improves your mood, gives you a better night’s sleep, and leaves you feeling rested and inspired. But remember to leave your campsite better than you found it. To help you out, here are 10 ways to be a conscious camper this summer.
Plant a garden
There are so many reasons to plant a garden this summer. Whether it’s vegetables or flowers, the benefits are almost endless. Planting lots of different flowers and allowing some beneficial weeds to grow really helps local pollinators keep their hives fed. You can keep your family fed with healthy, delicious produce by planting vegetables too!
Clean up your neighborhood
A sad reality of the 21st century is that you don’t have to amble very far before you see the impact of humanity. Our discarded trash is pretty much everywhere! Celebrate the first day of summer by getting outside in your community and cleaning up some litter. It’ll make your neighborhood a brighter, safer place and help keep the environment healthy and livable.
Go for a hike
Hiking is pretty much the ultimate outdoor activity. It’s great exercise, improves your health and fitness, let’s you unplug from your phone and the internet for a while, and gets you outside experiencing all sorts of different places in nature. Need some hiking inspiration? Check out the 10 best hiking trails in the world!
Head to the beach
What activity says ‘It’s SUMMER’ more than heading to the beach? The sea breeze, the cool water, building sand castles, tanning in the sun; it’s everything summer is about. And while you’re there, see if you can find any litter to pick up! Often times, our trash ends up in the ocean and winds up washed ashore. Picking it up prevents it from being washed back out to see where animals can be harmed by it. Here are some unexpected benefits of cleaning up your local beach.
Go for a swim
Swimming during the summer is a great way to cool off and stay in shape. Chances are, there are a number of outdoor swimming holes around where you live, so even if you don’t have a beach to visit, you can soak up many of the same benefits.
