51 Summer Bucket List Ideas For A Sumptuous, Restful Season
It’s finally here – the blooming magnolias, the barefoot barbeques and the long evenings in the backyard under the fairy lights.
Summer is here in all her unhurried splendor.
It’s time for fruity cocktails topped with sprigs of mint, lighthearted novels and bouquets of wildflowers.
But if you’re anything like me, a creeping dread sets in around late May.
Because you realize how easily these lazy, balmy days can slip away while you’re laying under the hum of the AC, endlessly scrolling on plastic screens, wondering in September where the time went.
Somewhere between the endless email notifications and digital noise, we’ve lost the slow, seasonal pleasures of summer.
As a former journalist, my career was built on tracking the fast-paced news cycle. But over the years I’ve retrained myself in the art of slow living. And I’ve learned that a truly restful summer doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intention.
So if you’re a deep thinker, a paper-journal lover and a quiet seeker, I’ve curated a different kind of summer bucket list.
This list is a collection of gentle side-quests and indulgences to help you get back in touch with your senses and the natural world. It’s a great way to make sure you’re really soaking up the season and living in the present.
Here are my ultimate summer bucket list ideas for your most whimsical season yet:
For slow and sensory living:
1. Read a print magazine. Enjoy the feel of the paper pages and the pleasures of leisurely dipping in and out of articles.
2. Start a gratitude journal. Write about your blessings in vivid detail to melt away any summertime sadness. A gratitude journal is the quickest way to lift your mood (it works for me every single time).
3. Listen to a morning guided meditation. Start your day with some grounding silence to lower your stress and begin the day on your terms (before the emails and distractions pour in). If you’ve never meditated before, a guided session (on an app like Insight Timer) is an easy, beginner-friendly gateway.
4. Forget your phone for a day. Take a full day off from your devices and put your phone in a drawer on airplane mode. A good digital detox lowers cortisol and gives you hours of free time you didn’t even know you had.
5. Create an ambient summer playlist. From your favorite feel-good hits to songs that always put you in a good mood, create a playlist that captures the carefree happiness of summer.
6. Spend an evening playing board games. Reconnect with your loved ones away from your screens.
7. Listen to an album all the way through while doing nothing else. Let yourself enjoy the music without any distractions. Bonus points if you listen while laying in the grass or relaxing in the bathtub.
8. Eat a summer salad in your “special occasions” china. Dust off that ornate bowl and pile it high with crisp greens and zesty herbs.
9. Send a handwritten postcard to an old friend. In an era of emails and WhatsApp groups, notes in your own handwriting are all the more memorable.
10. Read a coffee table book. Spend an afternoon browsing the images – and leave the book wide open on the table to enjoy the artwork on the page alongside your morning coffee.
For nature and outdoor adventures:
11. Go hiking. Take in the morning sunshine, blooming wildflowers and crisp air on your favorite local trail. Set your alarm an hour early on a Wednesday and take a hike before work for a midweek refresh.
12. Attend an outdoor event. Whether it’s a blues concert in the park or a ballet performance at the botanical garden, there’s no better way to kick back and enjoy that summer air.
13. Go on a picnic. Pick up some sandwiches and salads from the deli for an effortless lunch in the sun.
14. Go wild swimming. Skip the chlorinated swimming pool and dive into your local river, lake or ocean.
15. Touch grass. Go barefoot in your garden or at your local park and feel the sensations of the earth beneath your feet (the dewy weeds, the ants, the jagged rocks).
16. Visit your local botanical garden. Summer is the peak blooming season for flowers like hydrangeas, dahlias and lavender.
17. Pick some wildflowers. They’re blooming everywhere this time of year and look brilliant in tall vases with local greens.
18. Start an herb garden. If your space is limited, plant some rosemary and mint in little pots above your kitchen sink.
19. Visit a national park. Take a road trip to explore some natural wonders, hiking trails and rolling hills in the glorious summer sun.
20. Spend an hour sketching nature. Visit your local conservatory or public park. Bring a sketchbook and capture the shapes and textures you’d otherwise miss.
For creative and artistic pursuits:
21. Read a book of poetry. Slow down and read one line at a time, taking in the beauty of the written word. Pause, ponder and enjoy the worlds between the lines. I especially love Walt Whitman and William Blake this time of year.
22. Visit a museum. Take an afternoon to explore the permanent exhibit of your city’s largest museum. Harness summer’s slower pace to stroll and soak in the artwork without rushing.
23. Listen to a new podcast. Broaden your horizons and tune into a new podcast on a subject you’re curious about (Ancient Egypt, the symbolism of tarot, the history of literature).
24. Take a dance class. Shake off your humdrum energy and sign up for a class you’ve never tried whether it’s classical barre, tap or zumba.
25. Try a new hobby. The longer evenings are perfect to dive into that embroidery set or watercolor palette you ordered months ago and forgot about. Make time for your hobbies by lowering screentime and setting aside an hour to make your first attempt.
26. Make a summer scrapbook. Don’t let your best summer memories languish in photos on your smartphone. Create a real-life paper scrapbook filled with restaurant receipts, pressed leaves and sunscreen labels for a visceral memento.
27. Write a whimsical short story. Let your imagination roam freely for awhile and don’t worry about the outcome.
28. Visit the library. Check out the latest summer bestseller or browse the stacks for some thick art books for a dose of non-committal browsing.
29. Study something purely for knowledge’s own sake. Get a journal, a few books and some YouTube documentaries and craft your very own self-guided course on a subject you’re curious about. Nourish your awe and wonder of the world.
30. Start an artsy challenge. Make a sketch using only green pencils, watercolors and pens. Or do a painting using only circles and squares. The small limitations will fuel your creativity.
For nostalgic and cozy evenings:
31. Light some scented candles in the evening.You probably have a few laying around that are waiting for the perfect moment. Light them up on a Wednesday in the backyard with a tall glass of iced tea.
32. Go to the movie theater or the drive in. Yes you can stream anything at anytime, but there’s just something special and nostalgic about watching a movie on the big screen with an audience and a box of buttery popcorn.
33. Have dinner in the backyard. Enjoy the cooing of the pigeons and the golden sunset over plates of garlic pasta and your favorite fizzy drink.
34. Watch the sunset. Drive to your favorite hilltop point or head to the local park to take in the fiery reds and purples of the setting summer sun.
35. Make a root beer float. Let this childhood favorite take you back to the golden (pre-AI) summers of the past.
36. Go stargazing. Sign up for an astronomy tour – or just drive out past the city lights where the skies are clear and the night sky makes all your problems seem miniscule.
37. Browse a used book shop. Load up on print magazines, vintage coffee table books and art albums to peruse on lazy summer evenings.
38. Rewatch your favorite childhood movie. Savor the much-needed dose of nostalgia and the slower-moving plot.
39. Try a new recipe. Make a cherry tomato pasta salad or a prosciutto pizza for a brilliant way to enjoy the best of summer’s bounty.
40. Host a potluck dinner. Get your friends together in the backyard (and get everyone to bring their favorite summer dish) for a low-effort way to reconnect in the sun.
For something unexpected:
41. Take a road trip. There’s probably cute little towns, offbeat museums and boho coffee houses waiting to be discovered just a few hours drive away.
42. Shop at your local farmer’s market. This abundant summer season is ideal for loading up on seasonal produce and discovering some regional specialties.
43. Fill a tall vase with flowers. Place it on your desk, coffee table or night stand for an underrated dopamine boost. Whether they’re from your garden or your local grocery store, a bouquet of flowers immediately brighten any room.
44. Do yoga at sunrise. Roll out your mat in your garden and do some sun salutations that actually salute the rising sun.
45. Volunteer in your community. Spend an afternoon at your local animal shelter, distribute meals to the homeless or get involved with your local church. Giving back makes you a happier person and connects you to your neighborhood.
46. Finish an outdoor DIY project. If anything needs fixing, repainting or moving, do it now when it’s nice outside.
47. Go on an aimless drive. Visit a neighborhood you’ve never been to – or just take a different route home. You don’t have to travel far to explore something new (even if it’s just a different Indian restaurant).
48. Paint your nails an unexpected color. Pick a color you don’t normally reach for, whether that’s bright blue or deep coral.
49. Join a book club. Make new friends and get into some lively debates about an engrossing summer read. Summer’s ideal for reading slowly and scrawling notes in the margins.
50. Start a small collection. Whether it’s rocks from your summertime hikes, pressed leaves or local pottery, start a small collection of objects that make ordinary life meaningful.
51. Do a local architectural or historic walking tour. A slow-paced promenade in the summer sun is a perfect way to appreciate your local neighborhoods.
Read next:
10 Ways To Savor A Slow & Simple Summer
10 Magical Ways To Celebrate The Summer Solstice
10 Ways To Live A More Analog (And Satisfying) Life
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