Instead of re-watching How I Met Your Mother for the 20th time, here’s 10 things to do this summer that could completely transform your summer experience.
I live in Utah and I’m not really into the snow. We only get about 100 days of beautiful weather (at least according to me) and I want to make the most of it. This is what my family will be doing this summer to beat the heat and make the most of the time we have to play outside in the sunshine.
Water Activities
I want my daughter to be able to experience all the things. She’s been to the pool and ran through some sprinklers, but it’s time to do splash pads, water parks and slip n slides! One of my favorite things about being a mom is watching my baby explore the world and learn how to enjoy it, and there are so many great water activities we can do. If you’re local to Utah the website Coupons4Utah has a list of 60 waterparks/splash pads in Utah!
Summer City Gatherings
Summer City Gatherings can be so fun and they are typically free. There’s usually food trucks, fireworks, vendors, some have carnival rides and games, maybe even a car show or two. Our city news letters provides a whole list of all the city festivals so that we can go to as many as possible.
Festivals
Utah has so many awesome festivals. We’ve already been to one this year and the season just started. They’re typically great for families and have a lot to offer, but keep in mind a lot of the larger festivals require you to pay upon entry!
Outdoor Movies
Outdoor movies are the BEST! I love watching a classic like The SandLot (aka my favorite movie of all time) under the stars. You could even go super retro and hit the drive-in if your city still has one. Why there are being phased out of existence I will never know… Here’s a list of over 40 outdoor movies playing in Utah this summer.
Take a Weekend Trip
In Utah I’m a couple hours aware from 5 National Parks and even more state parks and National Monuments like the Grand Escalante Stair Case and Cedar Breaks. This google search might help you if you’re in Utah! I am so excited to take a little weekend jaunt to Moab to check out the Arches or to Zion’s National Park using my friend Shannon’s Awesome E-Book
Hike, Hike, Hike
And on that note! I want to HIKE this summer! I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful place, and I can’t wait to take advantage of all the incredible hiking trails. I downloaded this app called All Trails that tells me how hard the hike is, has ratings from other hikers, lets me know if it’s kid friendly or dog friendly, basically it’s going to be my guide to any hike this summer.
Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets frequently begin around Memorial day and often go beyond labor day. I love going to the farmers market in the summer to sample delicious fresh produce, and to support local farmers and businesses. On top of that, there are normally buskers, food trucks, and sometimes other types of vendors selling their quality handmade goods.
Be a tourist in your own town
I am so excited for this one. I am planning a stay-cation for my family in which we experience Salt Lake City as if we were tourists. We’ll go to the cute little restaurants recommended by the “locals”, we’ll walk around Temple Square, meander around the City Library, maybe even go to Antelope Island or something else touristy like that. Because I grew up in Salt Lake I sometimes forget about what a great place this is.