40 Summer Bucket List Ideas for Friends, Families, and Couples

Who doesn’t love the summer? The weather is warm, the pool is open, and you have three glorious months to relax and do whatever you want. But all that free time can sometimes come with unexpected pressure — pressure to fill your days with fun and exciting things that will make this summer the best one yet. Whether you’re trying to avoid hearing, “Mom, I’m bored,” or just want to have an unforgettable summer with friends, here are 40 bucket list ideas that will entertain anyone.

Summer Bucket List Ideas for Kids

1. Let them run their own lemonade stand.
2. Break out the pillows and blankets and build a fort.
3. Plan a water balloon fight for the kids in your neighborhood.
4. Create your own homemade ice cream.
5. Take the family to a waterpark.
6. Build your own bird feeder. Once you’re done, keep an eye out for any birds that visit your house and try to identify them.
7. Teach your kids about where their fruit comes from by starting a garden. If you’re new to gardening, these are some of the easiest fruits to grow.
8. Let your kids run around in the rain.
9. Go for an early morning bike ride.
10. Clear the driveway and let your kids create a giant chalk masterpiece.
11. Give each one of your kids a few dollars and find a garage sale. When you get there, let them do all the buying themselves.

Summer Bucket List Ideas for Friends

12. Relive the carefree fun you had as a kid and catch fireflies.
13. Feeling really adventurous? Try skydiving!
14. For those who still want the thrill of falling without the danger, there’s always indoor skydiving.
15. Throw some fruit on the barbecue and make your own grilled fruit.
16. Visit a National Park. Keep the cost low by going on their free days — August 25th and September 30th.
17. Try an exotic fruit. Might we suggest a cherimoya or a cucamelon?
18. Go paintballing.
19. Face your fears and sign up for karaoke.
20. Start a book you never got around to reading.
21. Write a letter to yourself and put it in a time capsule.
22. Try paddle boarding.
23. Learn how to stand up on a surfboard.
24. Embrace your inner mixologist and learn how to create a new summer cocktail.
25. Spend the day at an amusement park.
26. Have the girls over for a DIY spa day.
27. Plan a watermelon carving contest. Before it starts, have everyone chip in a few dollars and buy something sweet for the winner!
28. Sign up for a 5K run.

Summer Bucket List Ideas for Couples

29. Show your significant other how much you love them with handmade fruit love bugs.
30. Cozy up around a campfire and roast s’mores.
31. Visit a winery or beer garden.
32. Show your partner some love by making them a chocolate covered strawberry bouquet.
33. Sit outside and listen to a live band.
34. Explore a nearby town you’ve never been to.
35. Go tech-free for 24 hours.
36. Pack a picnic and spend the day strolling through the park — maybe this could even be your tech-free day?
37. Lay on the hood of your car and go stargazing.
38. Wake up super early and watch the sun rise.
39. Get a couples massage on the beach.
40. Spice things up in the kitchen by incorporating aphrodisiac-packed food into your dinner.

When in doubt, you can never go wrong with calling a few friends over and relaxing in your backyard. Just make sure you have something sweet for everyone to munch on!