20 Free Things to do this Summer

There's nothing better than Summer. If you're like me, you love to take advantage of the nice weather and the time to get together with friends and go on those adventures you've always wanted to go on. But let's be real, sometimes your bank account won't let you go to the ice cream store, let alone backpack across Europe. Don't let that stop you from having fun this summer! I've compiled a list of 20 free things to do this summer. I'm going to try and do most of them, if not all, this summer when Reba comes to visit! I hope you try some of them out, and let me know in the comments if you can think of anything else that will keep the summer fun and exciting!

1. Go on a picnic

I feel like a lot of the time I just don't go outside and enjoy the fresh air. A picnic is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the outdoors. Grab a blanket, some food, a special drink, and a book and just enjoy being outside either by yourself or with a friend.

I really want to try and take my picnic game up a level this summer with Reba after seeing Zoe's amazing picnic. It's more of a party in a tree tent than your typical picnic, but it looks so elegant and breath-taking that I can't help but feel inspired.

2. Spend a day at the beach

There's nothing more relaxing than laying on the beach listening to the waves and seagulls. Spend a day winding down and relaxing, or draw from your inner child and make a sand castle and collect sea shells. I especially love going to the beach because the water is so great for cooling you down, especially in South Carolina where it's basically a thousand degrees in the summer.

3. Make a craft with only supplies you have around the house

I don't know about you, but I have a DIY/craft board on Pinterest that probably has hundreds of pins and I can count the projects I've actually attempted on one hand. Take some time to try a craft! I find crafting so relaxing and therapeutic, even if my crafts never turn out exactly how I want them to. Go through your junk drawers and craft supplies, you'd be surprised what you can make with it! Using only supplies you find around the house not only gives you resources for a craft, but it also helps declutter your house. Win-win!

4. Go hiking

I have to admit that hiking is something that I really have to force myself to do. It's not something that really sounds enjoyable to me when I'm comfortable in my air-conditioned house watching Netflix, but it is something that I'm always glad that I did during and after. There's something rewarding about knowing you went outside and being active! I realize that I really do enjoy nature, but I have to make myself get off my lazy bum.

5. Watch a movie at the parks

Sometimes the evening is the only time of the day when you can actually enjoy being outside in the summer. Take advantage of the cooler weather and watch a movie outside! Grab a projector and have your own movie night, or attend a movie in the park! I know that lots of cities are starting to do regularly scheduled movie nights in the summer, and they really are a unique experience. Grab a blanket and some pillows and get comfy while watching a favorite film under the stars.

6. Attend a free concert

Summertime is always great for concerts. Like movies in the park, lots of cities are starting to do concert series to get people more involved with their community. You can find lots of free concerts to attend at your local coffee shops, town squares, parks, and more! Lots of churches have free choir and instrumental concerts as well, so you just have to dig around to find them!

7. Have a bonfire

When I hear someone say "summer nights," my first thought is a bonfire. There's something so special and exciting about sitting around a fire with friends and family and just watching the fire crackle and spark. Grab some marshmallows and make some s'mores, and your evening is complete. Make a firepit, or have a small fire, or try out different kinds of s'mores recipes from Pinterest and enjoy a night laughing and licking sticky fingers.

8. Make a summer reading list and raid your local library

On those really hot days where you can't leave the house, what better way to spend the day than all comfy with a good book? Drive in your car with the air-conditioning full blast and check out some new books from your library. The public library is such a great FREE resource, and I feel like a lot of people really don't advantage of it. Fill your arms with a wide variety of books and read away!

9. Check out a Farmer's Market

I absolutely LOVE going to Farmer's Markets. You may not notice or realize you have one in your city, but I can guarantee that you will be able to find one within driving distance. With more and more people becoming concerned about what they eat and more "nutritious," farmer's markets are popping up everywhere! I love walking around and looking at all of the home-grown produce. It's also a great way to get to know more people in your community and help support local vendors! Peach season is just starting here in SC, and I cannot wait until I can go to the farmer's market and grab fresh, juicy peaches. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!

10. Go to a museum or zoo

Lots of museums have free admission days in the summer. You may have small museums that are always free to the public, or you can drive to the closest large city and enjoy the culture and art that the museums offer there for free. Just Google "discount days" or "free days" and you can usually find a lot of information about museums near you! When I was in school, I felt like I enjoyed museums and galleries a lot more in the summer because I felt like I wasn't being forced to go for school purposes. They're generally quieter due to the lack of field trips, and you can really enjoy more time and space to enjoy the wealth of information.

11. Have a movie marathon night

On those rainy days, have a movie marathon. Binge on Harry Potter, The Hobbit+Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games, or the 90's version (the best version) or Pride and Prejudice. Grab a friend or a bag of popcorn, and make the most of a day that would otherwise keep you inside and bored. I can't wait to watch the North & South BBC mini-series when Reba comes since Ross won't watch it with me! That will be a good 4 hours spent!

12. Have a garage sale

Since this post is all about things to do with a budget, why not do something free that will make you some extra cash? Go through your old stuff, clean out that crowded garage, and pass on your old treasures to someone new! Don't feel like throwing a garage sale? Go out and check someone's sale out. It's fun to drive around looking for the signs - almost like a scavenger hunt!

13. Visit a pet store

In high school, me and my best friend would go to the pet store all the time! We didn't go to actually buy anything, probably much to the worker's dismay, but to go and play with the puppies! Usually you just have to give them your license while playing with the puppies, but it' completely free to get your fill of puppy love. There's nothing better than the soft puppy fur and the way they smell.

WARNING: You may be tempted to buy all of the puppies before you leave for home.

14. Have a photo-shoot with a friend

Grab a camera, or even just your phone, and get creative! Even if you're not a photographer, taking pictures is fun and lets you be artistic and play around with a new skill. You can try out different lighting, effects, and filters and just have fun dressing up or finding cool backgrounds! If anything, you can laugh over the pictures, or you might have a new profile picture or Instagram post!

15. Try Geocaching

I have never tried Geocaching, but I just made an account and I am ready for an adventure! You make a free account, and then you can find all these different caches around you! It's basically a scavenger hunt where you go and look for these caches or boxes at certain coordinates. I have heard some friends talk about it, but I have never tried it and figured that there weren't any around my small town. I was wrong! There are several! I'm excited to try it out and discover some new things about my town.

16. Attend a Festival

Festivals are so much fun! It always amazes me at how many different festivals there are and some of them are quiteee random. For example, we have a Pecan Festival in the fall where I live. I never would've thought that a nut was worthy of its own festival, but it works and is quite fun. Lots of counties will list the different annual festivals in each town and when they are. As long as you're willing to drive a little, you should be able to find something that will provide you will a fun-filled day!

17. Have a game night

One of my favorite things from my childhood was playing games with my family. Whenever all of us cousins got together, we played our favorite game, Masterpiece. It's an auction kind of game - think Monopoly with paintings. I really miss playing all of those board games now, and love any excuse to pull it out. I fought Ross on playing Risk for years, but I finally have to admit that I enjoy playing it now. We love having an ongoing game of Risk sitting on the table when we don't have time for a whole game. A night full of games can be so fun, and I really recommend turning off your phones during this time. It's not quite the same when you're glued to your phone in between your turns. Let me know what some of your favorite games are!

18. Go thrifting or visit a flea market

Thrift stores are like a second home to my family. Growing up we went to Goodwill for shopping sprees and later on we went to look for "cool" vintage finds. My cousin is the king of thrifting, and so we have all gotten dragged around with him at some point in time and believe it or not, you can get addicted to thrifting! Even if you don't buy anything, I always found it so fun to see some of the random things you can discover at a thrift store or flea market. Sometimes you just have to shake your head and wonder,"What in the world is this and why would anyone buy it??" but that's often the fun part.

19. Have a spa night

My favorite part of Pinterest is all of the DIY beauty projects. There are so many natural products for masks, exfoliators, eye creams, and more! Hit up your pantry and Pinterest to make a spa night that will leave you sleeping like a baby. Use oatmeal as an exfoliator that will leave your skin super soft and clear, make a honey mask, put some egg whites on your crow's feet, throw some Himalayan salts in your bath- the possibilities are endless!

20. If you have a dog, take your furry friend to a dog park

Dog parks are super nice for those of you with furbabies. It's a great place to take your dog to let it play and socialize with other dogs, and you can meet some fellow dog-parents! Reba and I both have some furry surprises coming along soon, and I know that I will be using the dog parks! Even if you don't have a dog, you can still go and hang out and visit other people's dogs. Just don't be creepy and stalkerish. Ask before petting someone's dog, but if they're at a dog park they'll most likely be fine with it!

I hope you were inspired by these 20 free ideas for summer activities! Let me know if you do any of them, or if you have any other free ideas for me to try out! I am all about saving money and having fun at the same time!

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