27 Ways to Have a Simple, Happy, and Enjoyable Summer

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Memorial Day has passed, the days are getting longer, the warm weather is setting in, and the summer season has arrived. If you’re like me, having a busy summer packed with activities, play dates, or chores sounds horrible. Are you looking a have a simple, happy, and enjoyable summer by yourself, with your spouse, or your kids? I am going to share 27 of my favorite ways to enjoy summer in the most simple fashion!

It’s time to put down your phone, clear the to-do list, and embrace the simple things to do for summer. 

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.

John Lubbock

Here are 27 of my favorite things to do to have a simple, happy, and enjoyable summer.

1. Plant a Garden

Having a garden has been one of my favorite summer time activities for the last few years. It can be time consuming to start a garden and tend to it, but the life lessons and enjoyment that come from having a garden are priceless! It is so peaceful and fun to have a garden. Now is the perfect time to start one!

2. Have Fun in the Sun

Not only do I LOVE to can things like pickles, bell peppers, salsa, and more with things from my garden. I love to try new foods, new recipes, and easy recipes that are light and refreshing for summer time. One of my favorite homemade drink recipes is lavender lemonade made with fresh lavender from my herb garden! 

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3. Create a Summer Bucket List

Are there things you just HAVE to do this summer? Create a summer bucket list with all your summer goals! This is so much fun to do with your spouse or children as well. Create a bucket list with all the things you want to do this summer and work on marking them off a few at a time. Maybe you want to try a new restaurant, or your kids want to go to the water park. Try not to over fill the bucket list because you want to still enjoy the summer without being overwhelmed. 

4. Have a Glass of Wine With Your Bestie

This happens more often than just summer for me, but it’s definitely a must have for a simple, happy, and enjoyable summer. Enjoy some bestie time with your favorite glass of wine or iced tea, catching up or gossiping (whichever you prefer!)

5. Enjoy the Lack of Structure

Do you want to sleep in on a Saturday? Do it! Do you want to order pizza, have a movie night, and let the kids stay up later than usual? Do it! A lack of structure and having unscheduled time is fun and less stressful. There is no need for a summer schedule the whole time. Enjoy the moments when you don’t have anywhere to be. It’s great for everyone’s sanity.

6. Soak Up the Sun

Sunny days are some of the best day. Nothing screams summer fun like soaking up some vitamin d. Laying by the pool (in my favorite bathing suit), splashing, and cooling off from the summer heat are perfect ways to spend quality time with the ones you love. The Georgia heat means the pool is one of our favorite places to be during the summer. This usually calls for a cookout, refreshing drinks, and our favorite people! 

7. Make Homemade Ice Cream

Even if you don’t make it homemade, ice cream is a staple for simple summer fun. Ice cream is one of my favorites! I could eat it all the time (if only). Making it homemade is something my mom used to do a lot when I was growing up. It was really fun to help her and see and taste the finished product! It was always so yummy. Strawberry is probably my favorite flavor of ice cream. What’s yours?

Related Post: Motivational Summer Reading List

8. Have a Movie Night

Movie nights at home are so much fun! Make your favorite snack (have you ever tried popcorn with chocolate M&M’s?), grab a blanket, cuddle up in the living room, and put on your favorite movie. It’s an easy and fun way to enjoy an evening of spending time with your loved ones. 

9. Create a Summer Playlist

Who doesn’t love good music to jam to while lying by the pool, working outside, or riding with the windows down? Make a summer Playlist so all your favorite songs will be in one place at the push of a button! 

10. Spend Time Off Social Media

Don’t we all need some time to enjoy being off social media? Social media can be so draining and causes us unnecessary stress. Take some time to enjoy being off social media and enjoy the little things in life. Do this and see how it affects you. Most likely, you’ll enjoy your time away from it. 

11. Sit on the Front Porch

So simple. Sit on the front porch and just enjoy being there. I love our front porch! It makes me even happier when we get a brief summer rain. I’ll sit on the front porch in my rocking chair and take in the rain cooling everything off and watering all my plants. It’s the simple things like a summer rain that remind me to thank God for his blessings. 

12. Go Camping

Uh, so this was not originally on my list (lol), but I asked my husband what his favorite thing to do in summer is, and this was his answer. Camping is way more his thing than mine, to be honest, but it’s a great way to spend some time outside. The longer days mean a lot of fun outdoors camping, fishing, and enjoying a meal cooked on the campfire. Camping can be a lot of fun and great for family time! 

13. Go to the Park

If you have a local park, you should visit it sometime! Take a nice walk and get some fresh air. Take the kids to play or your pup for a walk!

14. Go Floating

Go floating may be a very Southern term, but it means to go floating down a river, usually in a tube or some sort of floating device. This makes for the best summer day! Enjoy the company of your friends while enjoying sunshine and refreshing cool water. My husband and I do this at least once a year with a large group of friends. We have a blast! 

15. READ A BOOK

There is no better way to spend some down time than by reading an enjoyable book. One of my favorite summer activities as a kid was to participate in my local library’s summer reading program. I got so excited to read new books and win prizes! I hope to carry on that tradition with my kids some day. For now, I enjoy getting into new books and reading during the summer months. 

16. Pick Some Fresh Flowers

Picking fresh flowers to put in your home is something I love to do during the summer. I usually pick flowers from our flower garden, or I pick my herbs to bring a nice aroma into my home. If you don’t have fresh flowers to pick in your yard, you could pick some off the side of the road or at a local wildflower garden! I love to use a pretty glass vase to put them in and display them in my kitchen. 

17. Go to a Farmer’s Market

Do you love to have fresh eggs, produce, herbs, or buy plants? A farmer’s market is the perfect place for you! I have set up a few times at a local farmer’s market selling my eco-friendly items, and I love to go shopping and check out all the things people have to offer. 

18. Go on a Picnic

A great way to enjoy a warm summer afternoon is to go on a picnic. Make your favorite sandwich, grab some fruit, a blanket, and a basket, and make your way to an enjoyable spot outdoors. Bring your husband and the kids, or go by yourself and enjoy some fresh summer air. Find a new place to explore while you are out, or bring a good book!

19. Go For a Walk

I enjoy taking my sweet pup on walks through our neighborhood. It gets us both out of the house for a little fresh air and exercise. 

20. Try Something New

Trying new things is always fun! Getting out of your comfort zone or teaching your little one new things can inspire confidence. Try something new this summer for yourself and show your little one new things as well. I promise you’ll have a blast! 

21. Spend Quality Time With Family

What’s better than spending time with your loved ones? Make some wonderful memories this summer!

22. Go Swimming

As I said earlier, the Georgia heat is always a reason to get in the water. If you have the opportunity, enjoy some time swimming to cool off this summer. Grab yourself a float, your favorite drink, and a hat, and be lazy all day by the pool and in the pool! 

23. Try New Coffee and Tea Flavors

I love trying new coffee and tea flavors. I also think it’s fun to make my own herbal tea blends. I can’t decide which is my favorite between coffee and tea! 

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24. Sit by the Firepit and Roast Marshmallows

Do you love to enjoy the sun going down, the air getting cooler outdoors, and sitting by the fire? If so, start a fire and roast some marshmallows and make s’mores!  

25. Take a Day Trip

Is there somewhere close by that you’ve always wanted to visit? Take a day trip to explore a new town, city, hiking trail, or whatever you’d like to see! 

26. Take a Nap

I added this one because let’s face it… taking a nap during the middle of the day is perfection. It’s even more perfect when you’ve been out in the sun for a while and come into a nice cool house.

27. Have a Cookout

Grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for a cookout is a staple here in the South. Get your friends and family together one evening and have a cookout with all your favorite side dishes to go with hamburgers and hot dogs!

I hope these 27 ideas for a simple, happy, and enjoyable summer have inspired you to do the same this year! You don’t have to have a jam-packed summer schedule to enjoy it. Do you have some other fun ideas? I would love to hear about them! 

Until next time,

Catherine