120+ Awesome Summer Bucket List Ideas for Kids, Teens & Adults

It’s time to make your bucket list for the summer—all the things you absolutely want to do before the last day of the season. But what, exactly, do you want to do most? If you’re feeling stumped, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re on a budget, a homebody, or looking for adventure, you have a ton of options when it comes to summer bucket list activities—and we’ll prove it! Below, we’ve compiled a broad collection of summer bucket list ideas of all kinds, complete with advice on making a bucket list of your own.

An Example Summer Bucket List

Catch fireflies
Host a garage sale
Have a water balloon fight
Build a sandcastle at the beach
Go camping (in the backyard)
Ride a roller coaster
Go on an ice cream date

Section 1 of 9:

Free Summer Bucket List Ideas

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Who said you can only do fun activities if you pay for them? There’s no shortage of things you can do for free during the summer! So, for those of you looking to enjoy the summer sun with minimal expenses, we’ve got you covered. Add any of these free activities to your summer bucket list:
- Roll down a big, grassy hill
- Pick a bouquet of wildflowers for decoration
- Make a pillow and blanket fort
- Watch fireworks
- Catch fireflies
- Have a board game night
- Go on a photography walk and take beautiful summer pictures
- Visit the library
- Create your own scavenger hunt
- Volunteer for a local organization
- Eat dinner outside and watch the sun set
- Host a garage sale
- Have a slumber party (with friends or family)
- Go stargazing at night
- Have a movie marathon in your living room

Section 2 of 9:

Affordable Summer Bucket List Ideas

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Maybe you’ve got some cash to spend, but you’re still on a budget for the summer. No problem! With these summer bucket list ideas, you can have an absolute blast at an affordable price—and that’s a pretty satisfying idea all on its own. ^{[1]
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- Have a water balloon fight with friends
- Make s’mores (around a campfire, if possible)
- Buy fresh produce and sweet treats at the farmer’s market
- Eat a watermelon
- Have a picnic at a nearby park
- Make root beer or Coke floats
- Have a meal at a local food truck park
- Play sand volleyball
- Watch an outdoor movie
- Make a DIY obstacle course
- Get soaked by playing in sprinklers
- Go camping (in the backyard)
- Join a summer reading book club
- Go to a local museum or aquarium
- Visit a local berry patch or orchard
- Have a snow cone (or shaved ice)
- Rent bikes with your friends and hit up a bike trail

Section 3 of 9:

Crafty & Creative Summer Bucket List Ideas

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Want to get a little creative this summer? You don’t have to be the next Van Gogh to have fun flexing your creative chops—especially when there are so many different activities to try. From making comics to learning dances and new recipes, this collection of summer bucket list ideas will push you to think outside the box: ^{[2]
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- Make homemade ice cream
- Make custom tie-dye shirts
- Build a sandcastle at the beach
- Craft friendship bracelets and swap them with friends
- Make chalk art on the sidewalk
- Bake a classic family recipe
- Collect seashells and make a collage with them
- Learn how to make origami animals
- Make a birdhouse
- Create your own comic strips
- Have a puppet show
- Make your own lemonade
- Take a dance class
- Make a fairy garden in your backyard
- Go outside and finger paint
- Write your own cookbook
- Paint rocks and decorate the garden with them

Section 4 of 9:

Adventurous Summer Bucket List Ideas

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Some people prefer to relax during the summer, while others look for adventures and thrills. If you’re more of the adventuring type, you’ll find plenty of exciting ideas here! Throw a few of these ideas on your summer bucket list—just remember to stop and smell the roses every now and again.
- Go on a long nature walk
- Ride a roller coaster
- Cook dinner over a campfire
- Play hide and seek at night
- Go to the zoo
- Stand under a waterfall
- Hike up and down a mountain
- Go fishing
- Jump off a dock (as long as it’s safe)
- Explore a local lake in a canoe or kayak
- Attend a local summertime festival
- Visit a state (or region) you’ve never been to before
- Ride a Ferris wheel
- Try to break out of an escape room with friends
- Go white water rafting
- Go waterskiing
- Make a surprise trip to visit a family member or friend
- Spend a day at the county fair

Section 5 of 9:

Small & Simple Summer Bucket List Ideas

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Not every item on your summer bucket list has to be a big ordeal; it’s important to make time for the little things, too. Even activities like taking a walk in the sun or napping in a hammock can be super satisfying parts of your summer, so consider the following simple (but meaningful) ideas:
- Get up early and watch the sun rise
- Bake sweet treats and share them with your neighbors
- Make a fun and fabulous summer playlist
- Spend an entire day reading books
- Sit on the porch for the afternoon with some tea
- Take a nap in a hammock
- Play cornhole or wiffle ball in the backyard
- Go on a stroll downtown
- Write someone an old-fashioned letter
- Make a meal using produce from your garden
- Recite daily affirmations for yourself
- Keep a journal
- Dance in the rain
- Try to walk 10,000 steps every day

Section 6 of 9:

Large & Extravagant Summer Bucket List Ideas

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The phrase “bucket list” usually implies lots of big, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. And, while summer bucket lists might be a little more lowkey and down-to-earth, you can still make some larger-scale plans for the summer season. Here are some extravagant summer bucket list ideas:
- Go on a road trip somewhere you’ve never been
- Pretend to be a tourist in your own town or city
- Spend a rainy day at the spa
- Have a beach day (or weekend)
- Plan an amusement park trip with friends
- Visit a national or state park
- Enjoy a local hotel staycation
- Take a trip to a water park (and try all the waterslides)
- Learn how to surf
- Go whale watching
- Go skydiving
- Go on a helicopter tour or hot air balloon ride
- Plan a vacation to the place you most want to visit in the world

Section 7 of 9:

Summer Bucket List Ideas for Teens

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There’s nothing like summertime in your teenage years: you have more freedom than you used to, and no school to worry about for months. So, what sorts of things can you do to fill your days? Check out these summer bucket list ideas (specifically crafted with teens in mind):
- Go on an ice cream date
- Go bowling
- Go mini-golfing
- Go thrift shopping for funny or vintage outfits
- Swap music playlists with a friend
- Host a themed pool party
- Make popsicles with juice and fruit
- Plant something (and keep it alive all summer)
- Learn to cook one meal entirely on your own
- Film a summer video vlog
- Write a short story for fun
- Do a blindfolded makeup challenge
- Go rollerblading
- Spend an entire day having fun without using your phone
- Make a slideshow with old family photos
- Make a vision board for the upcoming school year

Section 8 of 9:

Summer Bucket List Ideas for Adults

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Summer is the prime time for outdoor fun in the sun, even if you still have work, too. So, take some time to put together a summer bucket list for yourself! If you need some inspiration, here’s our list of summer activities for adults:
- Go to a baseball game
- Visit a botanical garden
- Go wine-tasting at a vineyard
- Get tickets to an outdoor concert
- Host a backyard barbecue or grill-out
- Visit a rodeo
- Meet your friends for drinks at a rooftop bar
- Learn to make iced tea or cold brew coffee
- Take a historical walking tour or ghost tour
- Go to a drive-in movie
- Check out an indie bookstore or shop you’ve never been to
- Learn to meditate
- Learn a new language
- Dance at a rave
- Have dinner at a fancy restaurant
- Sing karaoke in public
- Feed the ducks at a local pond

Section 9 of 9:

How to Make a Summer Bucket List

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1
Do some brainstorming to come up with ideas. It’s okay if you don’t end up using some of the ideas you think of—that’s what brainstorming is for! Write down any ideas you think of in the moment; then, when you’re done, narrow down the ideas until you have a summer bucket list. While you’re brainstorming, you can also ask yourself questions, such as:
- What are my favorite things to do?
- What activities make me feel refreshed and energized?
- What activities make me think of summer?
- Are there any trips I want to take?
- Is there a local community activity or event I should check out?
2
Research potential events and activities in your area. When you’re making a summer bucket list, you should also know what’s going on in the community—because there might be an event that’s right up your alley. Check to see if your town hosts any festivals or fairs, for example, and look for local classes, workshops, or events that interest you. And, of course, research local attractions you could visit! ^{[3]
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- An example summer bucket list (with local events) could look like this:
  - Go to the summer art crawl
  - Visit the weekend farmer’s market
  - Plan an amusement park day with friends
  - Take a cooking class
  - See a movie at the drive-in
3

Write down important dates in a calendar or planner. Give your summer a little structure and keep track of any planned events so you don’t miss them. This is especially important if you’re someone who functions better when you have a set schedule to work from! With events and dates written in a calendar, you’ll be able to squeeze everything on the bucket list into your summer.
4
Incorporate ideas with friends and family members. Try to create a balanced bucket list—one with activities you can do yourself, and fun things you can do with other people in your social circle! Maybe you’ve been wanting to make plans with your friend group for a while, or take a road trip to visit a family member you don’t see as much as you’d like; both of those could go on a summer bucket list. ^{[4]
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- An example summer bucket list (with social plans) could look like this:
  - Have a BFFs staycation
  - Host a family game night
  - Go to the beach with friends
  - Plan a group nature walk
  - Play a game of beach volleyball
5
Create your summer bucket list with a budget in mind. It’s easier to make a bucket list if you know what you can afford to do over the summer (and what might need to wait for another time). For example, if you’re able to swing a road trip, you can put that in your bucket list—but, if travel is too expensive, you’ll know to stick to local activities when making the list.
- An example summer bucket list (on a budget) could look like this:
  - Have an epic slumber party
  - Do DIY karaoke at home with friends
  - Go stargazing
  - Learn a summer dinner recipe
  - Have a picnic on the beach

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120+ Awesome Summer Bucket List Ideas for Kids, Teens & Adults

An Example Summer Bucket List

Steps

Free Summer Bucket List Ideas

Affordable Summer Bucket List Ideas

Crafty & Creative Summer Bucket List Ideas

Adventurous Summer Bucket List Ideas

Small & Simple Summer Bucket List Ideas

Large & Extravagant Summer Bucket List Ideas

Summer Bucket List Ideas for Teens

Summer Bucket List Ideas for Adults

How to Make a Summer Bucket List

Expert Q&A

Tips

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