It may not be officially summer yet, but in our household it has arrived! The weather has been so beautiful these last few weeks and my family has been taking full advantage. I was feeling inspired, so I sat down and wrote my summer bucket list. I love writing seasonal bucket lists. It ensures I don’t let getting busy get in the way of doing fun, new activities!

My Summer Bucket List

Head to the OC Fair

Matthew and I have been eagerly awaiting the fair this year! We can’t wait to take Augustine. He’ll love seeing all the farm animals and playing the games. We’re going to the OC Fair, but of course most towns have their own you can check out!

Enjoy a Beach Sunset

Now that the days are getting longer, we’re looking forward to walks on the beach after work. Catching a sunset at one of our favorite beaches in Laguna Beach is always such a special way to end the day. We love Thalia St. Beach and always stop by Active Culture for some frozen yogurt to enjoy while watching the sunset.

Brunch By The Beach

One of the many benefits of our move to Orange County is the ocean views at local restaurants. We’re planning on squeezing in a lot of beach front brunches this summer. The Beachcomber is an OC institution for a reason. The views can’t be beat and there are plenty of beach trails to explore if you want to walk off all those waffles!

Local Art Festival

When I think summer, I think festivals. Matthew and I are past the stage in our lives where we head to big music festivals, but art festivals are right up our alley. The SawDust Art and Craft Festival comes to Laguna Beach every summer and there are so many great artists to check out and even cool demonstrations of the artists working. Local city art walks are also fun when it’s warm out and we’ll be checking out of a few of those as well.

Picnic at the Park

For a simple activity that’s easy to throw together, I’m going to take advantage of the nice weather and have a family picnic at a nearby park. I am dying to try this watermelon salad recipe! And I should make a pitcher of this watermelon mint drink to go with it.

Day Trip to Catalina

Traveling with Augustine is still a little tricky, so we don’t have any big trips planned this summer. But a day trip to Catalina Island just might do the trick! Even if you don’t have a local island to jet off to, a quick boat ride around a harbor or lake will be so fun with your family! 

Get Out in the Garden

Our new backyard is a work in progress, but slowly but surely we’re getting there! Matthew is working on making us a raised garden bed and as soon as that’s done, we’re going to start an herb garden. I think Augustine will have a blast helping us plant and it will be nice to have some fresh herbs on hand this summer!

Host a Bonfires

You can’t have summer without at least one bonfire! We love roasting a good S’more and inviting friends to join us. The Aliso Creek Beach is super close to us and they have plenty of bonfire pits to choose from.

Join Our Neighborhood Block Party

We got the keys to our new house on the same day our neighbors hosted a huge 4th of July block party. It looked so fun but we were wrapped up with house stuff so we didn’t get to partake. But this year we can’t wait to join in on the fun and get to know our new neighbors a little better. I’m thinking about bringing this blueberry lemon icebox cake to the potluck!

Plan a Backyard Camping Trip

Matthew absolutely loves to camp, but he’s waiting until Augustine is a little older to take him on an outdoor adventure! This summer we want to pitch a tent in our backyard and set up camp. We’ll get that camping feel, but with all the comforts of home.

Go Whale and Dolphin Watching

Living in a coastal region has its perks, including really amazing wildlife sightings. It would be so fun to go whale and dolphin watching.  This summer, I really want to try the Dana Wharf Adventures and see if we can find some sea creatures!

Date Night Sunset Sail

Another boat activity I would love to try with Mathew is a sunset sail. This one in Dana Point looks perfect for date night!

Make Homemade Ice Cream

I loved making homemade ice cream as a kid with my dad and I can’t wait to try some fun recipes with Augustine this summer. I really like that this recipe doesn’t require any special equipment. And of course, I’m dying to make some popsicles: strawberry coconut milk popsicles for Augustine & chocolate-dipped iced coffee popsicles for moi! 

Watch a Movie Under the Stars

Many communities offer outdoor movie screenings in the local parks! There are tons in our surrounding communities and I’m sure we’ll make it to a few screenings this summer. 

Catch a Concert in the Park

Another outdoor activity that Matthew and I are looking forward to is concerts in the park. There are even some local family friendly ones I think Augustine would enjoy.

Swim in Our Pool

We’re super lucky to have a small plunge pool in our backyard. It will make testing the waters (literally) with Augustine easy this summer. We’re hoping to start swimming lessons with him soon, so he can get comfortable being in the water.

Run Through The Sprinklers

When I was younger, I loved those backyard sprinkler toys! On a hot summer day, we’d hook it to the hose in our backyard and run under the water. Until we can take Augustine in the pool more, this will be a fun way for us to cool down! I think we’ll have a whale of a good time with this sprinkler! Isn’t it fun? I also like this one because of how easy it would be to store.

Visit the San Diego Zoo

We love going to the zoo and luckily we’re only 90 minutes from one of the best ones in the world. The San Diego Zoo is always worth a trip, but luckily most states have a couple good zoo options. It will be so fun showing Augustine some of his favorite animals.

Spend a Day at Disneyland

We are so lucky to also have Disneyland so close by. We’re hoping to do a family Disneyland one day, but if it gets too hot we might wait until the fall. But I’m really excited to take Augustine again now that he is a little bit older.

Find our Favorite Farmers Market

We’ve been exploring local farmer’s markets and this summer our goal is to find our go-to. There are so many great options in Orange County and we’ve heard such good things about this Irvine Farmers Market that’s on Saturday Mornings. Matthew and I really like getting fresh produce at farmer’s markets, but it’s also a great chance for Augustine to have a say in what food we buy and to let him try new things.

I’ll also be taking Augustine to do some of these fun kids activities this summer! I’d love to hear what’s on your summer bucket list! I’m always looking for new family outings, date nights, or activities with friends!

xox

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photos by Priscilla Frey