We’ve been feeling the heat for a few weeks now, but summer has officially arrived and it’s time to celebrate! Make this a memorable season for you and your family by taking the time to create intentional experiences together. Here are 25 ideas, (almost) all available locally, for ways to have your best season yet.
1. Watch (and catch) fireflies
Now is the perfect time of year to go out at dusk and see the lightning bugs.
These little insects are only around during June and July. But for those few weeks, they make the evenings magical.
2. Take a road trip
You don’t need to travel far in order to have a great road trip experience. Travel Iowa has put together a list of 100 places to visit in Iowa, with something for everyone.
Note: #1 through #10 are all in the Iowa Great Lakes Corridor, and #56 is just an hour away (the Siouxnami Water Park, in Sioux Center).
3. Go mini-golfing
Play once or have a tournament to take you through the season. Right in the area, we’ve got Pirate’s Cove in Arnolds Park, Treasure Village in Milford, and Pirate’s Pointe in Storm Lake.
4. Ride a roller coaster / visit an amusement park
Like mini-golfing, you can have a great amusement park experience practically in your own backyard. Area attractions include Arnolds Park in Arnolds Park, King’s Pointe in Storm Lake, and Bouncelandia in Milford. (And don’t forget the Clay County Fair, coming in September 10-18).
5. Light a campfire
What can be more indicative of summer than a campfire? And you really can’t have a proper campfire without roasting marshmallows and having a few s’mores. When it comes to the sticky summer treat, why not mix things up a bit and try some new combinations? Check out this post from Shared Appetite: “15 Creative S’more Recipes.”
6. Go strawberry picking
There are tons of activities available at Gettings Garden in Sanborn. If you like picking your own berries, they have 17 acres of strawberry farm waiting for you to do just that. But if you want to buy them already picked, they have that, too. And, for added enjoyment, they’ve got a fun play area and store/cafe for all of the delicious strawberry smoothies, shakes, pies, and preserves.
7. Spend a day at the pool
Maybe you’re a sit-and-sun type. Maybe you like your pool experience a little more intense. Whatever your fancy, there is a water park or community pool for you.
Some options include:
- Spencer Aquatic Center, Spencer
- Boji Splash Water Park, Arnolds Park
- Boji Bay, Milford
- King’s Pointe, Storm Lake
- Memorial Park Splash Pad, Spirit Lake
- Siouxnami Water Park, Sioux Center
8. Go camping
Even if it’s just for one night, getting away and spending some time in nature is good for the soul. If you’re not really “camping people,” you can even find a place with cabins available. If time is tight this season, stay around the area in one of the many campgrounds around. But, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, Travel Iowa has an annual State Park Passport that gives insight into the 83 state parks all across the state.
9. Visit a farmers’ market
Right here in the Iowa Lakes Corridor, we’ve got several farmers’ markets to choose from, in Spencer all the way up to Spirit Lake. And each one has something different to offer. Take a few Saturday mornings and give them all a try.
10. Read a book
Set some goals this summer! One way to both keep your kids engaged through the summer (so they’re ready to jump back into school in the fall) and to foster some great family time is by reading a book or series together. Or, pick a series you may not have tried yet and spend some lazy afternoons in a whole different world. Here are some options that are great for a variety of ages:
- The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis
- Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling
- Anything by the author Beverly Cleary
- Anthologies such as 20th Century Children’s Book Treasury or Aesop’s Fables
- A good collection of fairy tales
- A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket
- Seeds of America Trilogy, by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Books by Robert McCloskey and Marcia Wise Brown
- Wingfeather Saga, by Andrew Peterson
- The Section 13 Series, by James R. Hannibal
11. Have a family game night
Similarly to reading a book, set a game night to bring the family or friends together for the evening. My son and I have started an Uno tournament, where we play the card game together during lunch and keep a running tally of wins. I’m not sure what the grand prize will be at the end of the summer, but we have plenty of time to think of something.
Here are some other games that are great for all ages:
- Ticket to Ride / Ticket to Ride Jr.
- Carcassonne
- Codenames
- Settlers of Catan / Catan Jr.
12. Build a sandcastle
Have a sandcastle-building contest: Who can build the biggest tower? Who can be the most creative? Winner gets to choose the frozen treat at the end of the event.
13. Go fishing
Just about every park in the area has a place to fish from. It’s a great way to foster patience and get kids outside, but it’s also fun and relaxing. Fishing doesn’t have to be complicated, or expensive. And if you want a bit more support, the City of Spencer is having a family fishing event on Saturday, July 23, beginning at 12:30 p.m.
14. Go tubing or kayaking
If you have access to a motorboat, tubing can be a thrilling experience on one of the Iowa Great Lakes. But if you want a more low-key experience, try kayaking or tubing down the LIttle Sioux River.
15. Stargaze
We’re fortunate enough that most of us can see the stars at night right from our own backyards. Depending on the night or point in the season, you may be able to catch a planet or two, or see some constellations at are more visible during the summer months.
16. Take a day trip to the beach
Even just up at the Iowa Great Lakes, there are numerous beaches to choose from, from Ainsworth-Orleans Beach to Terrace Park Beach. Pack some snacks and drinks (and don’t forget the sunscreen) and have a nice day playing in the sand and water.
17. Watch the sunrise (or sunset)
Did you know there is a calendar of approximate sunrise and sunset times? Go with your significant other if you want a romantic experience, or take the family or friends to see the magic together.
18. Take a bike ride
The Iowa Department of Transportation has an interactive map of bike trails across the state, including in Clay and Dickinson Counties. Additionally, the Clay County Trails Association is bringing back weekly bike rides, starting June 23 and continuing Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. The rides will start and end at the Iowa Project in Spencer, and are open to cyclists of all levels.
19. Go to an outdoor concert
Arnolds Park has their Live at the Likes free concert series once again, at their newly revamped Preservation Plaza. Mark your calendar and make sure you don’t miss your favorite performance.
20. Have an outdoor movie night
Certainly on my bucket list this summer is to visit the drive-in theater (is it embarrassing to admit that I’ve lived here for 10 years and have never been?). But, if you have access to a projector you can also hang a sheet in your yard and have a family movie night under the stars. Invite a few friends and make an event, complete with popcorn and sodas.
21. Go to a baseball game
This one isn’t necessarily as easy as some of the other options, because it does require some travel. Of course there are the big teams we all know of (Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, etc.) But Iowa has several minor-league teams across the state, some of which feed into the major leagues.
22. Watch fireworks
Most communities in the area have a fireworks show nearby during the fourth of July. And if it’s not possible to attend, enjoy some sparklers and poppers at home to celebrate our nation’s independence.
23. Make ice cream
My son has been asking me to do this, and it’s on our list for this summer.
There are lots of recipes online, depending on your flavor of choice and what you have available for machinery.
One note (from my mother, who has been making ice cream since I was a girl): If you do choose to go with classic vanilla, get the light-colored vanilla flavoring from Watkins. It’s got the best flavor, and it won’t tint your final product.
24. Go on a hike
Who knew we had so many hiking spots in the area? Hiking is a great way to experience nature, get in some exercise, and provide a fun and educational outdoor activity. AmblesideOnline, a free homeschool curriculum based on Charlotte Mason’s method of education, includes nature study as a subject and talks about its benefits:
Unstructured time in nature provides an escape for children; a therapy against the many mental health concerns of our day. They are able to forget themselves and the troubles of the world. There are endless avenues to explore in later life whether it’s gardening, hiking, birding, wildflowers, the microscopic world — there are endless avenues for exploration.
25. Have a picnic
Feel free to pair this with any of the other outdoor activities on this list — picnics are a seemingly lost way to enjoy a meal together during the warmer months. Epicurious has a massive list of “91 Picnic Food Ideas for Lazy Meals in the Sun.”
This is by no means an exhaustive list of summer bucket list activities, but it should give you a good start and should lead to some great memory-building opportunities to think back on at the end of the season.
What’s on your summer bucket list?
Kate Padilla 
Leave a comment