Memorial Day is around the corner, and most of us have felt a glimpse of the summer heat in recent days. While our summer plans are looming with uncertainty, you may feel discouraged that your summer plans will be changed or cancelled. But no fear - we can still have a jammed packed summer full of fun even if we have to social distance! Here are some fun ideas that we can all do this summer even if we have to remain social distancing (and even a few that require more normalcy because a girl can dream right?!)
1. Spend time outside going for a walk or hike! If you know me, you know I will hike as many times as I can, but not everyone has the luxury of being near the mountains, so find a new park and go for a walk or throw a football around! Heck, make a weekend out of it and go camping - even if in your backyard. (Other fun outdoor activities include: frisbee golf, flying a kite, wiffle ball, etc)
2. Try new, local coffee shops or restaurants to go! Continue to support your local businesses by trying something new to go. Make a picnic out of it or join your family for a fun new meal at the dining table. Or get an iced latte and window shop!
3. Berry picking. Need I say more? Many local farms are beginning their late spring/summer berry picking with strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Take a morning and go pick your favorites (or buy pre-picked) and enjoy at home! Eat your berries fresh, make a cobbler, or jam!
4. Visit a nearby town you've never been to before. You might know the town you live in now pretty well, but what about neighboring towns? Go for a drive to new towns and if you're comfortable enough, go window shop or walk around downtown areas!
5. Drive-in movies. Anybody else just really miss grabbing a big tub of popcorn and watching a movie in theaters? Movie theater openings are still questionable, but make some popcorn at home and visit a local drive-in! Still a great way to get that movie experience while practicing social distancing.
6. Make your favorite cold dessert! Homemade ice cream, popsicles, or smoothies taste even better when you make them yourself. Not your thing? Go to your local dessert shop and get some to go!
7. Water activities! Summer is way more fun when with water. Of course we'd all love to go to a pool, beach, or day on the boat, but if those aren't options for you there are plenty of other water activities to do. Go kayaking, buy water guns, run through a sprinkler, have a water balloon fight (be sure to pick up the pieces!), or buy an inflatable pool! You can stay cool even without access to your normal activities.
8. Find a new hobby! Whether you want to read more books on the porch, learn to knit, paint a scene, or update a piece of furniture, what better time to do so than summer?
9. For rainy days, bake your favorite treat, build a fort, and watch movies! Or grab your loved ones and play a few rounds of board games, have a nerf war, craft something new, or my favorite: take a nap!
Non social distancing summer activities: Go to a concert (preferably for me, bluegrass!), visit an amusement/water park, go to the beach, weekend trip to a new town, go to the farmer's market, have friends over for a cookout, or go to a baseball game.
I hope these social distancing ideas spark new ideas for you to do as your start to plan your summer! (Ps - this is one of my favorite photos of Taylor and I, just minutes before he proposed 2 summers ago!)
