If you had to come up with 31 essential summer experiences, what would those be?

1. Swimming
2. The smell of Coppertone
3. Eating al fresco (not where I live in the summer, but other places).
4. BBQ’s
5. Vacations to the beach or mountains.
6. Summer starry skies
7. Summer fruits: melons, nectarines, and cherries.
8. Summer veggies: vidalia onions and zucchini
9. Peach and pink make-up and nail polish
10. Shorts
11. Sun dresses
12. Sandals
13. Bug repellent
14. Barrettes and hair bands

I think that’s all I have right now.

I currently live in Florida so almost every day is like “summer” and actually the summer months are when we are inside more, but I know what it’s like to finally have warm sunny weather after months of cold and grey. Sun and warm always feels like vacation to me.

Outdoor concerts, and taking a drive somewhere random also when I lived more north.

Summer in Florida is hot day and night and humid and July through September we have a lightning storm in the late afternoon for 40 minutes almost every day.

Far too variable.

- depends on age
– depends on mobility and ability (walking the Appalachian Trail on crutches – not wise)
– depends on where in the country you live.
– depends on wealth/assets/size of bank account

What appeals to you may not appeal to me.

Eating a ripe local peach over the sink.

While these probably won’t help you much, they’re my memories of childhood summers:

popsicles
root beer floats
eating on the patio at the picnic table
camping
swimming in the lake
swimming in the city pool
watermelon
sandals
shorts
swimsuits
playing out until 8 or 9 because it’s still light
having to go to bed at the same bedtime and it’s still light (depending on age)
A&W in the evening
going to a friend’s cabin at the lake
sleeping on Grandma & Grandpa’s screened in porch
Camp Hochelaga for 2 weeks
visiting relatives out of state for several weeks
riding in my aunt’s 64 convertible
looking for 4 leaf clovers
state fairs!
horseback riding
no school!
bookmobile
sweating
Sunday dinner at Amana Colonies (once per summer)
riding bikes ‘no hands’/speeding down hills (not at the same time!)
picnicing with a g/f on Big Rock in the pasture
playing/exploring in the woods
finding frogs and toads and salamanders and pollywogs
barefooting
fishing in Dad’s canoe on the lake
mosquitos!

Long slow sunsets
Days among flowers and the dim blue bulk of hills
Drinking fresh water when really thirsty
The far sound of unidentified lawnmowers
Ice cream vans
Cycling in a T-shirt
Restaurant tables set up on the pavement
Walking in warm rain
Standing under cool showers
Girls in summer dresses
Factor 50 sunscreen.

@smudges No school was the most important part of summer for me as a kid.

Day trips to: beach, water falls, lakes.
Picking berries.
Mowing,
Outdoor projects
Roof skylight repairs
Weeding
Shorts and skimpy Ts. (not me of course)
Restaurants
Local Festivals

Summer overnight camp-outs/camp.
Floating/kayaking.
Lake houses/boating.
Bicycle trips.
Swimming/pool days.
Definately concerts/live music.
Catching up on reading.
Sleeping late or naps.

Seeing pristine 60s and 70s muscle cars going to an from car shows.
Eating frozen custard at Abbott’s
Hearing the backing up warning chirp of mowing and landscaping equipment.
Mulch… so. many. bags. of. mulch…

Trips to the ocean or lake (I live on a lake and here, the whole summer is like summer vacation)
Eating outside, cookouts, barbecues, grilling out
A ripe peach is the best
Sitting outside at night, maybe around a campfire or in someone’s yard, watching fireflies
Laying on the deck under the umbrella (unless you’re into tanning in which case do that)
State and local fairs with neon and lots of rides and the smell of greasy fair food

1.Camping
2. BBQ
3skinny dipping
4tons of fresh fruit
5the lack of clothes on pretty women
6Long days.
7.warm nights.

Randomly, in no order or preference:

1. Going to the beach
2. Riding a wooden roller coaster
3. Meals at outdoor cafes
4. Dinner on my patio
5. Reading good novels on my patio
6. My garden, filled with blooming colors
7. Enjoying other people’s gardens
8. Green trees and grass
9. Major league baseball
10. Fresh produce in abundance
11. Long days
12. Waking up to sunshine through my bedroom window
13. Fresh pedicures
14. Sandals
15. Barely wearing any clothes
16. Fireflies
17. Long power-walks
18. Showing off my fake (from a tube) tan
19. Gazpacho (I made a large batch this morning)
20. Thunderstorms, and that wonderful ozone smell
21. Birds chirping
22. The little rabbit who lives in my yard and often comes out to graze
23. Open windows and fresh air
24. Walking a dog, and neither of us gets cold
25. My unusual and exquisite recipe for peach pie
26. Chilled white wine
27. Anything made with fresh basil
28. Lazy, afternoon dozing
29. Shaved ice cones
30. Vases of cut flowers
31. Big sunhats

As someone who generally dislikes (hates?) Summer:

1. Catch up on sleep as I have a lighter schedule in Summer.

2. Stay in the air conditioning.

3. Drive to the beach to see the ocean.

4. Have a lobster pie.

5. Fresh strawberries and Maine blueberries in June…
6. Corn in July, and…
7. Tomatoes in August

8. Be excited when a day is not super humid.

9. Enjoy thunderstorms.

10. Look forward to Autumn.

Live music by the beach

You can try all 31 flavors of Ice cream from Baskin-Robbins. One each day.

Edit They have a new flavor. Sorry that I don’t have a link.

Standing in the rain and soaking it up after weeks of hot dry weather.

@cookieman

11. Eat cookies

The smell of Ozone after a thunderstorm ! So clean smelling.

@Love_my_doggie: Yes, of course.

Thanks, great ideas!