
At first glance, the concept of a “summer bucket list” might seem like a really bad idea.
I mean, by its very nature a bucket list is just another to-do list (albeit a fun one), and if you’re anything like me, you have enough of those in your life already!
No, summer is supposed to be different. It’s supposed to be about slowing down, kicking back, and savoring life’s sweet momentsโnot about checking things off and getting things done.
That’s why this year my family is making an alternative kind of summer bucket list, one that doesn’t come along with so many requirements or restraints.
It’s the kind of bucket list that will leave you feeling “lazy” rather than accomplishedโwhich is actually quite perfect for the lazy days of summer!
My Family’s Zero-Pressure Summer Bucket List
Take an impromptu road trip.
There are so many places we want to visit as a familyโmany of them well within driving distanceโbut we havenโt gotten there yet because planning a day away with two young children sounds downright exhausting.
Solution? Nix the planning. Weโll just gather the essentials, jump in the car, and see where we end up!
Plant something.
Maybe it will be a tree in our backyard. Maybe it will be fresh flowers in the beds around our house. Or perhaps weโll all pitch in and tend to the veggies in my husbandโs garden.
Ultimately, I donโt really care what we plantโjust that we all get our hands in the dirt and reconnect with the outdoors that beckons to us over the summer months.
Go for a picnicโฆin the backyard.
If we make it to a park, thatโs great! But if not, thereโs no reason not to spread out the blanket and dine al fresco right in our own backyard.
All we have to do is throw together some sandwiches, cut up some fresh fruit, and grab a summery drink. Our top pick this year? Simply Lemonadeยฎ with Raspberry.
Itโs the perfect combo of refreshing: Simply Lemonadeยฎ and sweet summer raspberries. Delicious because of whatโs in it (great-tasting fruit, never-from-concentrate juices) and all natural because of whatโs not (added preservatives, colors, or artificial flavors).
The best part of a backyard picnic? If you forget somethingโsay, napkins, which always seem to slip my mindโyou can just run back inside and grab โem!
Star gaze.
Once the bright light of the summer sun goes down, weโll all lie down on a blanket together and simply admire the expanse of sky above us.
Because the best conversations always happen while youโre admiring the stars.
Get wet.
Some days it might be at the community pool, others in the backyard with the sprinkler, and still others at a friendโs house where weโll fill up the water balloons and go to town.
In any case, weโll be finding plenty of fun and relaxing ways to cool off.
Enjoy a family fun night.
The slower pace of summer is perfect for spending the evening hours all together. This season I foresee a family movie night (complete with popcorn and a Disney Pixar flick, no doubt) and a family game night. My 3-year-old’s getting quite good at hide-and-seek, so I better watch out!
Sip slowly.
Is there anything better than the first taste of a refreshing drink on a hot summer day?
The summer months are made not for gulping down your beverage, but savoring every thirst-quenching sip. I canโt wait to recline in my backyard swing or chill out at my picnic table, soak up the sunshine, and slowly enjoy a glass of Simply Lemonade with Raspberry.
I can feel good about drinking it, too, becauseโas the name suggestsโitโs made with the simplest of ingredients: pure filtered water, sugar, not-from-concentrate lemon juice and raspberry puree, and natural flavors.
The perfect drink for a lazy summer day.
Take evening strolls.
Not races. Not power walks. Just leisurely strolls in the welcome cool of a summer evening.
Watch a sunset.
When Iโm stressed, watching a sunset is one of the best ways to let my frustration fade away. The changing shades of red, orange, and pink, the way the glowing light recedes ever-so-slowlyโitโs one of the most calming scenes nature gives us.
This summer, I want my whole family to experience some sunsets together. No deadlines, no schedules, just uninterrupted family time in front of a beautiful sight.
Meet someone new.
During the rest of the year weโre often so busy with work, school, and activities that we lose touch with whatโs most important: CONNECTION.
This summer I want my family to have plenty of time and space to connect with each other, of course, but I also want to see us make some new friends. Maybe a new neighbor, maybe a new friend at day camp, or maybe the new worker at the farmersโ market.
It doesnโt really matter who it is, just that weโre using the calm of summer to forge new connections with those around us.
Sleep in.
Because we could certainly use the extra shut-eye!
And yes, the goal is for everyone to sleep in (including both the preschooler and the baby). Hey, it wouldnโt be a bucket list without a little dreaming, right? ๐
Whatโs on YOUR summer bucket list this year? Share in the comments for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!
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154 responses to “My Family’s Zero-Pressure Summer Bucket List”
going camping is on my bucket list
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/739887777571971072
I like this Simply Lemonade with Raspberry drink! So refreshing and I am so excited to get to take a vacation with the kids this year! We are going to California!
tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/739895336148209665
We want to go to a water park and a professional baseball game.
This summer my bucket list includes training for a marathon, traveling to Georgia to visit family, painting my bathroom and kayaking!!
tweet https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/739973296230268928
I would like to take my kids to the beach this summer and look for shells.
Going camping and fishing with my sons. Thanks so much.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/739985778487513088
Thanks so much.
Family road trip is on my summer bucket list this year.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/740008165152956416
going sky diving
https://twitter.com/ccntx/status/740037956325478401
to go camping with our friends and 6 DMB concerts
groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com
tweet- https://twitter.com/groogruxking40/status/740054259589382145
Taking a road trip to Oregon is on my bucket list.
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/740149310822588417
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
Tweet- https://twitter.com/mitadav/status/740173111992156160
This summer my bucket list includes traveling to California to visit family, Hiking and kayaking!
I want to explore more trails and nature walking paths and maybe go camping.
[…] Enter this Giveaway at Pick Any Two […]
Go to the beach!
I would love to go on a few day trips this summer.
I would love to take a day trip to amish country in Indiana
I want to try skydiving this summer
https://twitter.com/bagelburrito/status/740334074565255168
Love your list! My summer bucket list is similar…such as do nothing, sleep in, hit the beach, a small road trip, enjoy some evening cocktails, girls night out, etc. ๐
amy [at] uTry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/740347231539105792
amy [at] uTry [dot] it
One of the things on my summer bucket list is to try at least one new restaurant in my city.
https://twitter.com/sweeper785/status/740356944481771520
tweeted
I want to visit the zoo this year.
https://twitter.com/VicVac7/status/740475371691249664
I am hoping to visit my mom this summer/
I’m planning to go to Atlantic City with my senior center this month.
My husband’s favorite berry is a raspberry. He always buys the raspberry tea, but we will now have to try the lemonade. We never go on vacation. We have a cat rescue for elderly cats, and they keep us pretty busy.
Twitter share / https://twitter.com/AudreyS23511436/status/740485412255375360
Spending a weekend at Siesta Beach, FL is on my summer bucket list this year!
I tweeted about this promotion. https://twitter.com/PJGurganus/status/740520367672942592
A summer bucket list is a fantastic idea. Reading 10 books each is a family summer bucket list item
My family’s bucket list has a trip to Disneyland and some beach time
https://twitter.com/CorningMelanie/status/740531135147446273
Camping, boating, fishing, King’s Island, having baby number 4 we have quite the bucket list this year.
Long overdue road trips for visits with cherished relatives.
go camping
My Summer bucket list includes traveling to become a god mom for a first time and taking my youngest on his first plane ride, a visit from my boyfriend while he is home from the military and ending it with our first vacation together. Can’t wait!
a road trip to wisconsin that starts tomorrow
We have family coming into town, so are staying home this summer. We want to swim a ton though!
Sent a tweet.
https://twitter.com/Denigan17/status/740657794504744961
We go to Ocean City, MD every summer but this year I’d like to get to Niagara Falls also.
https://twitter.com/XArea51/status/740741086285438976
My summer bucket list includes going to the beach at some point to escape this crazy heat!
We are taking a family vacation to Virginia Beach this Summer:) thanks for the chance!
We are going to Busch Gardens.
https://twitter.com/HollyThomas61/status/740947263036510208
It’s on my summer bucket list to do sky diving in San Fran.
To spend as much time at the beach on Lake Michigan
My summer bucket list includes spending time at the beach and visiting family! ๐
I tweeted – https://twitter.com/lauralynnrose/status/741048820683792384
My bucket list includes doing water aerobic exercises in our pool, and reading a few books on my must-read list!
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/amweeks/status/741062450737483776
We’re planning a road trip this summer.
Water skiing is on my Summer bucket list this year.
I would love to make it to the beach this Summer.
cshell090869 at aol dot com
tweeted https://twitter.com/cshell202/status/741827949498765313
cshell090869 at aol dot com
Our bucket list includes a trip to Williamsburg and camping with my in-laws.
What a shame you feel the need to advertise so blatantly. Have you sold out recently or was this site always like this? Completely irrelevant to those of us not in America, even if it really were a ‘family favourite’ and not a paid-for advert, and it ruins the rest of the article. On my bucket list this summer? Unsubscribing from blogs which waste time I should be spending with my kids. I thought this was a different one. Sadly not.
I’m sorry you feel that way. Running a blog takes a serious amount of time and effort, and I do believe that bloggers deserve to be compensated for their efforts. Partnering with brands is one way to make that happen, and I am dedicated to writing sponsored content that provides value and engagement for readers.
I want to take a weekend getaway with friends this weekend.
I would love to go to the mountains this summer.
Early morning walks on the beach
https://twitter.com/hogansmom/status/743048813502464000
https://twitter.com/Natashalamoreu1/status/743177247243309056
My summer bucket list is taking my kids to Disneyland!
Going to the San Diego Zoo is on our summer bucket list!
JenniferAnne74 @ aol.com
Tweet
https://twitter.com/Jennai/status/743612817421402112
JenniferAnne74@aol.com
This summer, my goal is to take my daughter to Ocean City. There is a place on the boardwalk that sells the most amazing french fries and she is dying to try them. All the way to Maryland for french fries…. oh yea!! ๐
Just hanging out with my daughter during swim lessons!
chambanachik(at)gmail(dot)com
I want to take my wife and kids to the prison where they filmed Shawshank Redemption and visit Cedar Point.
I shared on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FireRunner2379/status/745348386509983744.
I’m planning a road trip to Southern California later this summer. I’m excited about it.
I tweeted https://twitter.com/shanerus2/status/745773898453626880
https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/746076320824721409
I don’t have a bucket list, but I do have a goal to get outside for an hour each day. Rain or shine!
This summer I’m finally going to take some time off and really connect with my family!
this year I would love to do a big cookout with a bunch of my family and friends!
On my summer bucket list is to swim in an ocean – I still haven’t done that!
thank you
Tweeted https://twitter.com/JalapenoMama/status/749079003319963648
get back into mountain biking
On our list: camping, day trips to visit friends & family, go to a few baseball games and say “yes” to whatever other fun things come up!
tweeted
https://twitter.com/rubylorikeet/status/752308122748792833
Just got back from camping with my 3 teenage granddaughters.
https://twitter.com/sodahoney/status/752578845300039681
Lots of camping on my bucket list for this summer.
tweeted https://twitter.com/pittsy82/status/753351905447772160
Not really a bucket list but when summer started I decided I wanted to use it to get healthier.
Going fishing and camping. Thanks so much.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/759476318102753280 Thanks again
On my summer bucket list is to visit Lake George, NY and take a boat tour of the lake.
Going on a picnic on our farm is on my summer bucket list this year. There’s a creek that runs through it and it is beautiful, but we don’t make the most of it.
https://twitter.com/arlandriaw/status/760630045434077184
road trip to Yellowstone with my son
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/761012982545539072
Our family has enjoyed camping while we have the nice weather. My kids also enjoy fishing on our boat.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Michael64263870/status/763162116610228224
That lemonade looks sooo good right now lol. I think I’ll add stopping at the store to pick up more pink lemonade to my summer bucket list.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/Xenokitten/status/763443102392672256
make smores in our fire pit
Plans are iffy, but I still have a road trip to the beach on my summer bucket list this year.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/clc408/status/765249801948688384
I’d love to just go on a vacation! Haha
Tweet: https://twitter.com/LittleMomMaid/status/766150883914625025
Mythical and magical fantasy like witches and enchantress things. Always a fave those things.
Going high hiking to Colorado
Go to disneyland.
Going to the beach is on my Summer bucket list.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/768591135199473664
On my bucket list this summer was to go on a cruise and it is still there fingers crossed it happens next year
I like the lemonade idea. Briliant.
Going to the Grand Canyon was on my bucket list this summer and I was able to go in July.
surfing is something we want to do
On my bucket list was a getaway for just my husband and me. We haven’t made it happen yet.
Read a couple of good books and go for a bike ride with family every week
https://twitter.com/mkjmc/status/771292943466594304
going to the beach with family
I met one of my summer bucket list goals by spending a lazy afternoon at the lake with my grandson. We plan to go again before summer is completely over.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/772040067007205376
A Trip to the beach!
Tweet https://twitter.com/Lindiac/status/772230862129684480
I want to go on a camping trip.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/772539874264113157
My summer bucket list is to keep on working in my yard to make it more beautiful every day.
https://twitter.com/myfolly/status/772603483061121024
Camping by the lake!
tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/772612209516085250
we went to Las Vegas this summer
debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com
i posted a tweet here:
https://twitter.com/purplepanda1966/status/772651205084393472
debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com
My summer bucket list was a road trip with the family and we went from NC to FL, and NC to DC. Had a blast at Universal.
https://twitter.com/SeymaShabbir/status/772655499930132480
i love the to go the state fair
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/772818330432507904
I keep cool by drinking lemonade! truckedford(at)gmail(Dot)com
https://twitter.com/eliza_elliott/status/772825824642727936
going to the ocean
https://twitter.com/raggammuffin/status/772829512589508608
https://twitter.com/QueenB_Tammy/status/772861348661305344
We checked off everything on our Summer Bucket List!
A kitchen remodeling has been on my summer bucket list this year. It has not been an easy summer.
I publicly Tweeted this giveaway: https://twitter.com/versatileer/status/772864180735074304
#SweepstakesEntry- comment
road trip to New Jersey to visit my mom
kacor7@hotmail.com
To visit hershey park this year
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/772883813668098048
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
#SweepstakesEntry – tweet:
https://twitter.com/thrincor/status/772887114266664960
Love those pretty photos! ๐ My summer bucket list had “one more bbq” on it and now I’ll add “…with this drink” to that ๐
anastasiafalling@gmail.com
Tweeted ๐ – https://twitter.com/Enter_Now/status/772982747002392577
anastasiafalling@gmail.com