Summertime is an endless possibility-scape, and whether you prefer to keep things casual or you’re itching for adventure, it takes a good mix of classic and quirky summer activities to find the sweet spot of a well-rounded bucket list. This year, we’ve got you covered with 45 summer ideas to write down and tick off for the ultimate summer checklist, but don’t just take our advice and leave it at that – let the seasonal whims (and a few Camino gummies) carry you to your next adventure!
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Embrace Adventure
When you think of bucket lists, this is where your mind goes first. These are the summer activities for adrenaline-chasers, adventure-seekers, and all-time memory-makers.
The Iconic American Road Trip
Whether it’s Route 66 or just the music festival a couple of hours away, summertime in America was made for road trips. Give yourself lots of time to stop at every kitschy roadside attraction you see on those weird and wonderful billboards.
Hit the Bike Trail
Everyone goes summer hiking, but this summer, try seeking out a bike trail, whether it’s off-road or a guided urban trail for something a little different. Either way, make sure it’s a trail you have yet to experience (oh, and make sure to wear a helmet!).
Get Zippy
Embrace your inner Tim Robinson. You know you want to. There’s no one on the planet who doesn’t love a zipline.
Zero Your Gs
What if you could bungee jump, sky dive, and free fall, all in the same place? You can at a zero-gravity type center near you. Feel that G-force in the pit of your stomach – there’s really nothing like it.
Do Some Laps
Not those unfun gym class kinds of laps – find a racetrack/go-kart track that lets you (safely) get behind the wheel this summer, and unleash your NASCAR or F1 dreams.
Find Your Flow
Don’t let being landlocked keep you from hitting the waves. Flowboarding spots, or “flowhouses,” let you experience some form of surfing no matter how landlocked you are.
Explore Canyoning
If you’re already equipped for climbing adventures, add canyoneering to your summer checklist. You’ll have to use climbing, rappelling, and sometimes even rafting to earn those sublime views.
Gorge Yourself
Walk, climb, scramble, jump, and swim with some adventurous summertime gorge walking. You might need to practice your rope work for this one!
Glide to Adventure
Combine stellar views and a heart-pounding rush with some paragliding or kite surfing, whether you’re hitting up the local lake or taking off from the slopes of a tropical mountain.
Extreme Courses
You know those people covered in mud from head to toe as they push themselves to the limit on obstacle courses filled with tires, bars, and pits? That could be you this summer, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Take a Dive
This one’s simple: cliff jumping. Couldn’t be easier or more high-octane than taking a leap from a great height and splashing into the blue below (with professional guidance, of course). If your local lake or beach doesn’t offer any good jumping spots, head to the community aquatics center and take a plunge off the high dive—it’ll get the adrenaline pumping in just the same way.
Quadruple Your Fun
Get down and dirty with some guided four-wheeling fun through the backcountry. There’s a first time for everything, and that time is this summer!
Find your sweet spot: It’s all in the name – the limonene and linalool terpenes in our Camino Wild Cherry ‘Excite’ gummies get you all geared up for every kind of adventure under the sun.
Chill Out
Not every summer bucket list item has to be epic. For many of us, summertime is downtime. Make room on your summer checklist for activities that help you make the most of taking life slow.
Take a Staycation
Here’s a chill-mode hack: tell everyone you’re heading out of town for a trip, and then…don’t. Few feelings can beat the freedom of just being in your own space while everyone assumes you’re inaccessible. Hear that? It’s the absence of notifications.
Go for a Float
Leave white water rafting to the adrenaline junkies. Few things are more relaxing than floating down a lazy river with a refreshing beverage and a gummy (or three).
Get Steamy
Try something a little different this summer while treating yourself to the max. A hot stone massage is the perfect opportunity to de-stress in the steam. Remember to follow it up with some ice-cold water.
Take a (Sound) Bath
Try a sound bath experience, where you’ll be surrounded by the healing, resonant sounds of singing bowls and other vibrations. You’ll want to make sure you’re a little lofted, too. (Looking for more ways to find some zen? Check out our guide on how to quiet your mind.)
For the Birds
If you’re a millennial, you’re officially of bird-watching age. And don’t knock it till you try it. Go old-school with a birding book or use a bird-call identifying app.
Stay Smart
Especially in the age of fading physical media, libraries rule. Most of them have everything from books to movies to video games, plus awesome curated activities. If you haven’t signed up yet, now’s the time.
Arboretum Adventures
Seek out an eye-popping and soul-filling stroll at an arboretum or botanical garden. None of your five senses will regret it.
Get Flowery
Speaking of mellow, floral adventures, summer is often filled with wildflowers. Seek out a local field that encourages picking to take in the sights, and take a little beauty home with you, too.
Rock Stacking
Everyone loves it when they come across a striking little stack of rocks on a hike. What’s stopping you from inspiring that feeling in someone else? It’s a wonderfully meditative exercise, too.
You’ll Float, Too
Look for a sensory deprivation tank in your area. While it may sound scary, floating in an isolation tank with no sounds or sights to speak of can be supremely therapeutic.
Find your sweet spot: Tap into inner peace with Camino Watermelon Lemonade ‘Bliss’ gummies. Chill mode, activated.
Get Physical
If you’re going to commit to a summer bucket list, you might as well burn a few calories along the way, right? Get your cardio on – because who says things to do in the summer season can’t be healthy, too.
Join a Local League
Dodgeball? Softball? Field hockey? We promise there’s a local league just waiting to recruit you this summer.
Hike Different
Not all hikes end on a mountaintop. Find a local tour guide to walk through and learn how to appreciate your urban spaces this summer.
Paddleboard Yoga
Even if you don’t live near the ocean, lakes and rivers host plenty of paddleboard yoga classes to get your float on and stretch that spine.
Plant Some Roots
Gardening is excellent exercise, and certain microbes released when you dig in the dirt make your brain feel nice (it’s science). Try a butterfly garden to help bolster your local ecosystem, too.
Go Fly a Kite
This one’s a classic, but it’s easy to forget about it. Kites are a wonderful mix of physical activity and chill vibes. Plus, the photo ops are 10/10.
It’s Frolf Time
Plenty of local parks have free-to-use frisbee golf courses, and starter sets are inexpensive. A low-key way to get your steps in.
Themed Races
Maybe you’ve already done the 5K, 10K, and all those other Ks. From Pride celebration runs in your undies to being chased by costumed zombies, a themed run is just what you need to shake things up.
Go Berserk
Smash rooms or rage rooms give you the opportunity to let it all out, and safely. Strap on protective gear and smash away at cars, furniture, walls, you name it, with a giant hammer to your heart’s content. That’s cathartic cardio.
Dog’s Best Friend
Get those legs moving, and do a little good for our canine companions, too – check out organizations like Canine Companions, Pound Buddies, or Operation Kindness.
Park Yourself at the Gym
Don’t pass up on the park or beachside gym. Not only are they free ways to pump, but they can also help shake up your exercise routine in a positive way.
Revisit the ‘90s
Find the most neon-colored rollerblades you can and get full-on Malibu Barbie (or Ken) with it. The blades are officially back.
Take a Swing
There’s something to be said for the nostalgia of the batting cages, especially if you haven’t been since childhood. Be sure to pair it with a post-workout snowcone, old arcade game, and go-kart ride for the full school’s out experience.
Find your sweet spot: Give your summer cardio sesh a burst of energy and a clear-headed vibe with Camino Sours Tropical Burst ‘Energy’ gummies.
Be Social
No list of things to do in the summer is complete without friends and family. Social connection isn’t just good for the human spirit; it’s good for your health, too. According to the CDC, high-quality relationships help manage stress and even extend our lifespans. Which means more years for more summer activities.
Trivia Night
How many times have you said you’re going to hit up trivia night at your local brewery? It’s time to get the team together.
Drag Show Daze
Never been to a drag show? This summer is the time. Not only are they joyful, but many local drag shows roll out for a good cause, too.
Escape the Ordinary
There’s definitely an escape room in your area, and you’ll need to flex your mental muscles with all of your besties to get through it.
Shakespeare in the Park
Especially if you haven’t experienced classical theater in your life, it’s worth seeking out an outdoor show from a local troupe. Remember, this stuff used to be low-brow entertainment – it’s supposed to be fun and raucous, and it is.
Sculpture Garden Strolls
Museums are great in any season, but summertime is ripe for a stroll and a chat at a local sculpture garden or temporary installation. Be sure to pack a picnic basket.
The Drive-In
They’re a dying breed, but the drive-in movie is one of the quintessential summer activities. See if you can find one near you and load up the car with your best buds. You won’t even get in trouble for bringing your own snacks.
Pick and Cook
Lots of local chefs host pick and cook events, where you’ll spend the day in nature plucking fresh herbs and veggies, and then use them to prepare your own flavorful, outdoor dinner with friends. You might even learn something, too.
Peep the Farmers Market
Speaking of local ingredients, take a walk through a nearby farmer’s market. Whether you pick up some crafts or fill up a bag for a homemade dinner, you’re bound to meet some locals and heighten your sense of community.
The (Book) Club
Book clubs are hot, and for good reason – they’re not only a great motivator to whittle down that reading list, they’re a perfect excuse to make new friends along the way.
Keep It Clean
From beach sweeps to park pick-ups, volunteering for a little clean-up in the sun is good for your community, good for nature, and good for your heart, too.
Find your sweet spot: Camino Sparkling Pear ‘Social,’ is the perfect pairing for a summertime hang. A touch of euphoria and a stress-free feeling help get the convo started and keep the fun rolling.
Whether you’re an adventurer, social butterfly, homebody, or somewhere in between, we hope we’ve inspired your summer bucket list. And, if you need a little help shifting into the summer frame of mind, we have one final recommendation for you: sock up on a few different varieties of Camino hemp gummies. Designed to help you drop into whatever mood you’d like, each of our flavors is precisely dosed and delicious—just what you need to find your sweet spot this summer.
Dan is a freelance writer, small business owner, and full-time creative living in Dallas, TX. In 15 years of writing, he’s been fortunate to collaborate with companies and publishers like Cannabis and Tech Today, Healthfully, Salon.com, ArtBase, The Seattle Times, USA Today, SF Gate, and many more.
