Summer is the perfect time to enjoy outdoor activities. The world seems so much brighter when the sun shines and everyone’s mood seems to improve with just the right amount of sunshine!
Outdoor activities are always nicer when the weather is good, that’s a well-known fact. Many outdoor activities are meant for sports enthusiasts, but there are also plenty of activities for people who like to have a chill time and relax outside.
Here’s a list of fun outdoor activities for all the outdoor cats amongst us!
PS. Don’t forget to put on sunscreen!
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16 Fun Outdoor Activities to Enjoy in Summer
1. Beach games
Summertime is the best time to have some fun at the beach. The beach is just a big sandbox, so you will have to take care of the fun part yourself, but the environment can support you greatly with this.
You can play so many different games at the beach and for some of them, you need some equipment so make sure to bring that to the beach.
Building sandcastles, for example, will be much simpler if you have a shovel and some buckets. You could have a sandcastle-building contest with friends or family or build a fort near the sea and watch how long it will last. You could also go for a sand sculpture if you are very creative.
If creating things out of sand isn’t your thing, maybe you like to play sports at the beach. Sports like beach volleyball, beach paddleball, petanque, even yoga! Or if you are not that into sports, playing Kubb might be right up your alley! There are so many outdoor activities you can do on the beach!
2. Swimming
Swimming can be done in any season, but in summer, this can be one of the fun and aquatic outdoor activities! There is nothing as refreshing as having a swim in the sea when you are all hot and burned at the beach.
Of course, you need to know how to swim before jumping into this activity! Take some lessons first if you have no idea how to swim before you drown, please!
Swimming can be done in outdoor pools and waterparks if you like the perception of a cleaner environment. (some people just don’t like sand) This option is also better for people who aren’t that great at swimming because there is no current or waves like there are in the seas and oceans.
If you like to be more of a free spirit, swimming in the sea or ocean is probably right up your alley. Being one with nature. However, make sure that there are lifeguards around because you never know what might go wrong. Also, make sure that you know how to swim properly and it is best to have some company with you. Do not underestimate the waves and currents and prioritize being safe while enjoying your swim.
Say hi to the fish for me!
3. Hiking
Hiking is one of the outdoor activities that can be done by most people. You could make this as easy or as hard for yourself as you want to be choosing more challenging routes or just having a walk around the block. Do this alone or go with friends or family.
Hiking can be done in the woods, but you can also have a hike at the beach or around your town. Hiking in the woods would be my preferred option as you get to enjoy the wonderful surroundings of nature and in summer you could use the shadow that comes with the trees.
Enjoy the sounds of the birds or bring your phone to listen to an awesome playlist while doing your walk. You could do this just for fun, or make this part of your workout routine.
4. Camping
Outdoor activities like camping require you to be an outdoorsy person unless you want to try glamping or hire a camper. Camping can be done in the woods, but if that scares you too much, try your backyard first!
With camping, I mean sleeping outside of your home. This can be done in a tent or as I suggested a fancy tipi that you can rent with glamping. You could also camp in a camper if you like to sleep higher above the ground.
To enjoy the camping experience, it would be nice to do some typical camping activities, like having a bonfire and roasting marshmallows to make smores or having a drink outside of your camper/tent and enjoying the late-night talks with some friends outside.
You could also hire a place at a campsite, where you can socialize with other campers and explore the environment during the day.
5. Bike ride
You can go for a bike ride in any season, but in summer or spring, it will be most enjoyable (unless you have hay fever). Not all outdoor activities have to cost a lot of money. The best things in life are free they say!
Before you can ride a bike though, you will need a bike. If you don’t have your own, maybe you can borrow one from a friend or family member. Riding a bike in summer will give you some breeze that you desperately need.
Sometimes, organizations in your neighborhood set up a photo search, at least in my neighborhood they do so. This means that you can ride your bike and look for the pictures they took earlier to see if you find them in your village. Such fun! If your city or village doesn’t do this, maybe you can create one yourself to do with friends and family.
You could also bike around and take pictures of beautiful things to practice your photography skills. Or just have a bike ride to let your mind wander and relax.
6. Garden work
Being outside and working outside is more fun when the weather is good. Garden work sounds like a chore for some people, but many people find this type of work relaxing, working with your hands in the dirt can be oddly satisfying.
It is important to inform yourself about what kind of garden work you may or may not do in summer! Because you can’t just do anything without hurting your plants.
First things first, make sure you hydrate your garden because in summer, there often isn’t enough rain to keep your plants happy and keep your grass a bit longer. In July, it might be time to harvest what you planted earlier if you planted any vegetables or fruits.
You can always weed and remove dead flowers from blossoming plants. Make sure your garden stays healthy all year round.
7. Visit a food truck festival
A food truck festival is a place where tons of food trucks get together, oftentimes in a park or nice public area, and where there are also some other outdoor activities like bands performing, etc.
If you like to try new types of food, a food truck festival is your place to be. Food trucks can have food like burgers and fries, pizza, tacos, stir-fry, and all the yummy and good stuff. Next to food, there are probably also lots of drink stands where you can try awesome cocktails or mocktails on a nice summer day.
It is a very casual setting where you can have a fun day with friends or family and enjoy the great food and nice atmosphere.
8. Having a BBQ
A lot of outdoor activities have to do with practicing sports, but they don’t all have to be that way! Enjoying great food is an important part of life and having a BBQ in summer is just the cherry on top.
Have a BBQ in your backyard and invite some friends or family to have a BBQ party! BBQs please every meat lover out there, but even for vegetarians, having a BBQ can be a fun activity as you can also throw vegetables and garlic bread on top of the grill.
You can add all sorts of outdoor activities to your BBQ to keep yourself and your guests entertained before and after dinner. Playing croquet or Kubb are fun activities to do in your garden. Bring some board games outside or just have a nice chat with some drinks and have a chill night.
9. Try out watersports
If you hate to sweat during exercise and like the idea of having your workout in the water, try out some watersports! I think there is a watersport out there for every type of person who likes being in the water.
You have more adventurous people who like watersports like jetskiing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, surfing, sailing, kayaking, diving, etc. Daredevils that like to try new things, sign up for those outdoor activities in summer!
Other people love to enjoy calm waters with supping, snorkeling, water aerobics, swimming, and pedal boating in a lake. Not everything has to be a challenge and you might have even more fun if you don’t fear that you will die with this sport.
Watersports are very refreshing in summertime and fun to do alone or in group settings. You might get hooked when you try one of these amazing summer activities!
10. Go to an amusement park
Amusement parks have a reputation for being expensive, which is true if you ask me. But if you are an amusement park enthusiast, you should treat yourself to a trip there once in a while.
There are plenty of amusement parks out there, for children and adults as well. Parks like Disneyland, Phantasieland, or more local amusement parks like the Efteling in Holland or Walibi, Bobbejaanland, or Plopsaland in Belgium. Wherever you live, there will be some amusement parks that you can reach.
Amusement parks can be great for thrill seekers, who love to go on roller coasters or have free falls. But they are also great for family trips where you can meet your favorite movie characters and have a wonderful day in a magnificent park.
If you want to save some of your money on the trip, I would advise you to bring your food and drinks from home.
11. Ice cream tasting
Tasty outdoor activities can be quite fun as well. Go ice cream tasting every weekend during the summer for example. Try a different flavor each time you go to an ice cream store and give them a review.
If you already have a favorite flavor, it would never hurt to try new ones to broaden your taste pallet. You can do this more often than once a week if you’re up for it. Like most things, it is more fun to do with another person so you can compare your findings and learn what the other person likes as well.
Going ice cream tasting is also a fun date idea!
12. Visit a botanical garden
Botanical gardens are so beautiful and well-maintained by greenworkers, that it is a pleasure to spend time looking at all the pretty plants and trees. You have them in many big cities and they are often free or cheap to visit.
Take your camera and take pictures of all the beauty around you, but don’t forget to stand still and soak up nature as well. As I am traveling, I always do some research about the place and see if there is a botanical garden to visit as one of the activities to do. It is a fun way to escape the fuss and hustle you have in cities.
Botanical gardens are also fabulous backgrounds for a new profile picture or story pictures for your social media!
If there is no time limit for your visit, you could also bring a book for when you are done looking around to read your book in silence on a bench in the beautiful surroundings.
13. Enjoy an outdoor music festival
Outdoor activities like music festivals are pretty special and best known to happen in summer for obvious reasons. The good weather, hot temperatures, and holiday periods are great reasons for music festivals to be organized in summer.
Music lovers gather to have a great time dancing and singing to the songs and performances of their favorite artists. Some music festivals will cost you a lot of money, but others are free! Google around and see if there are any free festivals in your neighborhood so you can experience new music and have a good time, free of charge!
If your favorite band is playing or there is an expensive festival you want to go to, save your money for it and enjoy it as much as you can!
Make sure to protect your ears while enjoying some awesome tunes as you don’t want permanent hearing damage or tinnitus, wear earplugs!
14. Go to a cocktail bar with friends
Summer is the time when you like to do as many outdoor activities as you can. Who likes to sit inside when the sun is shining until 10 pm? That’s why socializing, and having drinks with your friends is also more fun to do outside on the terrace of a café, cocktail bar, or in your backyard.
Go to a cocktail bar with your friends and get some great cocktails or mocktails to celebrate summer and your summer holiday. Celebrate the friendship you have for each other and enjoy the moment.
15. Outdoor yoga
Some indoor activities can be transformed into outdoor activities quite easily, like practicing yoga or meditation. Take your yoga mat outside or maybe even do some yoga on the grass instead!
Outdoors is the perfect place to do some yoga, you can feel the connection with nature and the earth so much better when you are standing outside. Hearing the birds chirp and feeling the grass underneath your hands or feet is very relaxing.
Doing meditation is also a great way to spend time outdoors, you can meditate more easily when you focus on your surroundings to let go of your thoughts. Focusing on all the intricate details that are found in nature is a great way to keep your focus.
16. Road trip
The outdoor activities mentioned above are mostly activities that last for a couple of hours or a day tops. If you want to have a longer trip, you might consider going on a road trip!
When you are going on a road trip, you preferably bring some people with you who can also drive a car, so that you can change drivers every couple of hours.
You could go on a spontaneous road trip without planning all that much and see what locations you pass to decide where to stop in the moment. I would recommend making plans for your road trip in advance, that way you can plan where you would like to stop for some sightseeing or to do an activity.
You can plan your trip but have some free time here and there to still be spontaneous when you want to. You can see and do so many different things depending on where the road takes you. Go for it!