To get ready for a fantastic summer, when my daughter was younger, we always would begin by making a summer bucket list. These are a great way of checking in with your family and finding out what their summertime dreams are. Often, you may find that there are some very small, simple things that they’re hoping to do.
My daughter is an adult now but we still like to find ways to make summer (and in fact, our whole year) a time filled with creating special memories. This year is even more special because she and her husband will be coming home to Canada at the end of July, having lived in the UK for the past two years.
So, here’s our summer bucket list for 2016 – obviously, I’ve named some local places in the London, Ontario area on our list but you can still get inspiration from it and apply the ideas to places in your own region:
- Have tea at the Sparta House Tearoom. This is a family tradition. We had their engagement party here and my daughter and I have been going there for special mom-daughter time for years.
- Head to Winter Wheat while in Sparta. This is another of our special places. The folk art is lovely and the atmosphere is so relaxing.
- A few years back, we went to a lavender farm in the Sparta area. We’d really like to go to Steed and Company again. We both adore the scent and taste of lavender.
- Go letterboxing and/or geocaching.
- Spend a day at the beach at Port Stanley and eat lunch at Mackie’s like we used to with Papa.
- Go on a picnic at Springbank Park.
- Watch the Perseids meteor shower on August 12th/13th.
- Attend the Oxford Renaissance Festival in Dorchester the weekend of June 24th. (Obviously have to do this without my daughter and son-in-law).
- Check out the Aberfoyle Antique Market.
- Drive through the countryside taking a tour of the local barn quilts.
- Take my grand niece and nephew to Storybook Gardens.
- Go on the Thomas the Tank Engine train ride in St. Thomas.
- Go on the London Tree Trunk Tour to take in the amazing carved tree trunks/totem poles.
- Attend a summer festival – perhaps Home County Folk Festival? Or Sunfest? Or both.
- Take in some movies at the local drive in.
- Check out Art in the Park at Springbank Park.
- Go fishing during Ontario Family Fishing Week when no licences are required: July 7-15.
- Make homemade ice cream. This recipe doesn’t even need an ice cream machine.
- Have a family backyard BBQ to celebrate my daughter and son-in-law’s return home.
- Have a big backyard welcome home party with all of my daughter and son-in-law’s friends. We’re using a Hollywood Game Night theme. Stay tuned for more posts.
- Play ladder golf.
- Make s’mores.
- Spend a few days at the Lakes of Wasaga Parkbridge Resort with extended family.
- Try out a Goodlife Fitness trial membership. (Teens aged 12-17 can get a free summer membership).
- Attend Nuit Blanche.
- Make banana boats. Recipe to come.
- Go shopping at the Covent Garden Farmers’ Market for fresh summer produce.
- Spend an evening star-gazing at the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory.
- Go to the park and feed the ducks and geese.
- Build a sandcastle.
- Make prayer flags.
- Fly a kite.
- Go on a penny walk (or maybe a nickel now that they discontinued the penny). Start down your street and when you get to a corner, toss the penny. Heads = go right and tails = go left. You might just uncover some hidden gems in your neighborhood this way!
- Tie dye some t-shirts and make them into aprons.
- Collect rocks and make an Inukshuk out of them.
- Have a scavenger or treasure hunt.
- On an especially hot sticky day, cool off by going bowling.
- Go swimming or to a splash pad. Or at the very least, cool off under the backyard sprinkler.
- Have a water balloon fight – another great activity for one of those really hot summer days!
- Have a paper airplane or homemade boat race.
- Spend the day exploring the town of Shakespeare.
- Take a walk on one of the trails at Fanshawe Conservation Area, the Sifton Bog, or other local natural areas.
- Bury a time capsule.
- Play miniature golf.
- Go on a Nightwalk with the Spirits.
- Go on a “European tour” of Southwestern Ontario (visiting all the small towns/cities named after famous European cities).
- Create a summer music playlist.
- Watch old beach movies, like those with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.
- Go play on the swings at the local playground.
- Attend a sweat lodge ceremony.
- Go on an archaeological dig.
- Attend a play at Stratford Festival.
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Andrea says
Hey Cyn. Got an archeological digg for you. In Lake George Ny there in a women’s historical digg goung on through WIWACA. It’s $110 US a night with minimum 3 day comitment. Googke WIWACA and Lake George NY and good luck. We are going July 15-19
Cyn Gagen says
Oh awesome! I wonder if my back could hold up. I’ve only done a 1 1/2 day one before and wow is it ever tough work! It’s so much fun though.
Amber Edwards says
We have camping, a trip to Yellowstone, family reunion and visiting the local zoo and museum on our summer bucket list.
Amanda says
I started a list for us for the summer as well that I am working on for next week! I love that there are so many activities to get up and be active!
Heather Johnson says
Our summer fun list includes going to the Shedd Aquarium and the zoos in Chicago as well as hitting up New Salem near Springfield, Illinois. We also want to get to some of the other children’s museums in the area.
Cyn Gagen says
Ohhhh I love Chicago! Fun fun fun!
Susan says
I have always wanted to tye dye a shirt, that would be on my list too.
Cyn Gagen says
Well then you might want to stay tuned because a certain blog I know (cough cough, this one) is going to be having a Tie Dye giveaway. 🙂
Colby Shipwash says
This is awesome my favorite are, bury a time capsule, have a scavenger or treasure hunt, and make s’mores. Thanks for sharing.
Jen says
That’s a huge, amazing bucket list!! Are you going to be able to accomplish it all this summer?? lol
Cyn Gagen says
I sure hope so. We are going to give it a try!
Kelsey Apley says
How awesome, thanks for compiling this huge list! Looks like some fun activities are on it!!!
Anna at Mama Writes says
No time for being bored with this great list!! Thanks for posting such good fun ideas
Shauna says
what an amazing list… thank you so much for sharing
Sandy says
That is one heck of a summer bucket list. My sons last day of school is tomorrow and I haven’t planned a single thing.
My Dirt says
I never thought of making a summer bucket list. Thanks for the idea!
Karen@NourishWithKaren says
Great bucket list! I think I should draft one!
Steph @ Filipino Beef Recipes says
Awesome list! I think the first thing I will do is to have a family backyard BBQ… Thanks for sharing!.. 🙂
Dani @ lifeovereasy says
So many great ideas here that are perfect for road trips from Toronto. Thanks for sharing!
Kerrie @ Family Food and Travel says
Cyn – I want to come and live at your house! Love this list! I think I’d be up for every single thing on it. Can’t wait for my boys to be a bit older so we can do something like this.
Manager to Mom says
That’s a great list! I’m definitely going to come back to it periodically this summer, especially since it sounds like we live close to each other so your geographically-specific activities are doable for us too. On this note, make sure to hit up Shakespeare Pies when you tick off #40!! 🙂
Inspire Me Heather says
What a great list – have fun out there!
Tia says
I was just talking to my beau about this last night; trying to make the time to enjoy all of the fun local things in our city. We aren’t far from London, so I will have to take a drive this summer and check some of these hot spots out. Thanks for the tips!
Kelly @ City Mom says
What a great weekly! I love your list especially because I’m a Londoner too so may piggyback on some of your ideas!
Kelly @ A Swell Place to Dwell says
That’s a really fun bucket list for the summer!
Samara Bressette-Lay says
That is a great list and full of great memories to be made!
Heather says
Mackies in Port Stanley is the best! I love their french fries! Another great place to visit this summer is Port Burwell….they just received the HCMS Ojibwa – a Canadian submarine that operated in the cold war – that’s open for tours and visitors! Very cool! (Port Burwell also has a cool lighthouse you can walk up to the top)! All great ideas here Cyn!!
Heather, Mmm... is for Mommy says
I like your list! I really need to make up a local one for us this summer.