Amac Productions

It’s sunny, it’s hot, and it’s July!

Must be summertime!

We’re partway through July, the Fourth has come and gone, but there’s still plenty of time to soak up the sunshine!

Every summer I try to cram in as much summer fun as I possibly can! Here’s a list of fun stuff to try during the summer, just incase you’re bored, out of ideas, or want to try something new! I thought I’d share some of the fun stuff I do during the warm months of the year!

Obviously, one of the best things about summer is lounging around the POOL! July is probably the hottest month of the year. At least, where I live it tends to be! July is the perfect month to spend an entire hot day in or around the pool!

Several other fun things to try out in your own backyard, includes a fire pit. It’s a fun way to bring a piece of camping home with you. Most firepits aren’t too expensive and my family likes to bring anything that falls off the trees in the backyard.

Not to mention the time we had a tree fall over in our front yard over five years ago. We’re still burning that tree away!

NOTE: Be careful what you burn if you plan to use the fire pit to cook. My family always purchases wood burn (yes, that sounds silly) but it’s safer because it hasn’t been exposed to the elements anymore. It’s cleaner to cook with. Also, don’t burn plastics or anything else prior to cooking.

Around my house we also have several outdoor sports we play in the backyard. Some of them aren’t so physical even the older crowd can join in during family cookouts!

(Yes, I spend a lot of time with my family.)

We play: Bocce! For anyone unfamiliar with this sport it’s a game of colored balls with one white ball. Someone tosses the white ball and everyone tries to get their ball closest to the white one to score points. This can be played in teams or in singles. It’s fun to play, and a good way for a family to play a not so super physical game outside together!

Badminton! My Dad and I play this pretty much exclusively together. It’s physical, gets us both moving, and we are highly competitive. Most people just like watching us try to beat the other.

Speedminton! A faster paced version of badminton. The little birdies in this game really fly!

Volleyball! My family usually just hits the ball around trying to keep it from the ground. A good chunk of my family is beyond the years of moving too swiftly. So we play our own version of keeping the ball aloft as long as we can! But you can play a traditional version if you so choose. When I was younger I played with a bunch of friends, we’d have 20 people on both sides. This is a good game for a bunch of people!

Wiffleball! A plastic version of baseball!

There are a number of fun things to do in the backyard.

Another obvious idea is a BBQ! A summer staple if you will. Cook on the grill, play music, and enjoy some fresh air with some sun!

When I was little my Mom set up a Slip N’ Slide for me. Other times I played with a fake golf set in the backyard, rode my bike, played on a swing set, and so on.

From the time I was little to now I’ve loved being outside during the summer months, my imagination combined with whatever toys I had allowed me hours of fun. As I got older the fun changed into something a bit bigger then the backyard.

Maybe you’ll like them too!

If you’re looking for a step up in fun that’s not in your backyard find a place to go Mini Golfing! There are several located where grew up and it was a fun place to go with friends or your family!

Find a local park! There are usually places to walk, play basketball, or tennis. A park across from my own home was just redone and looks amazing! It’s never been busier!

Fairs and carnivals are a must this time of year. We’ve just had one of each blow through town in the last couple months. They can be a expensive place to hang out if you’re on a budget, but summer is the time to kick back and let loose a little.

Go for a bike ride! If you love to exercise or want to start a bike ride is the way to go! Take a loop around the neighborhood! Chances are most people learned long ago and you’ll remember soon enough. Go for a little jaunt!

Another family past time for me was camping. We don’t go anymore, my softball career going here, there, and everywhere during the summer for years made it too hard to do both. But camping was a great time during the summer!

My family was a seasonal camper which means we paid for a site all year. We’d put a camper on the site, leave it, and go every weekend rain or shine. We’d take two weeks off and that would be the vacation destination!

It was so much fun!

It’s a bit better then renting a site here and there because you’d get to know the people who camped there, the other seasonal campers. Soon you’d be like a little family!

There were dances every Friday night under the pavilion. There were raffles, a pool, and park for the kids. An indoor space to hang out. A little shop incase someone forgot something.

The people were great. At the time, from what I remember, it was a really safe places to hang out. Kids could wander around and no one worried. It was nice.

Although, the best part were the people. The ones at the site a little upwards from ours who had a bocce set up they said we could use anytime. Those same people used to bring me a huge bag of popcorn and my favorite chocolate treats. They were kind people with the sweetest dog you’d ever meet.

Down the hill from our sight were ‘The Bears.’ This man was huge and once lifted a deck with one hand that took four other guys to lift. He was a sweet man. I annoyed his wife when I was little because I couldn’t properly say the words ‘Pet Taxi.’ I usually left out the ‘t’s.’ Oops.

Another crazy camper who once stole my chair teasingly and stuck zippers to his face to mock his goth son. He won best Halloween costume for that. He won every year. He danced and was a crazy guy but he’d give you the shirt off his back!

And so on.

They were a fun summer family.

Another favorite summer highlight of mine is the DRIVE-IN. For me there are only two left locally but they are a summer must for me!

My parents and I try to go every year.

The Drive-In is a magical place, at least it was when I was a kid, and still holds that magic!

Don’t you have that one memory from when you were kid filled with magic?

One of mine is the drive. Going there in comfortable clothes, staying up late, gorging yourself on good food, and having a ridiculous amount of fun! You can bring your own food!

The Drive-In is also wildly cheaper then the movie theater. For one car it’s $27 for the one my family goes to. At the closest movie theater here it’s around $12 for ONE ticket. During the summer I never go anywhere else. Bring your own food, hang out in the car, and wear pajamas if you like.

Not to mention, you can’t hear anyone else talking during the movie! Unless they’re in your car.

This year we went to see The Incredibles 2. A movie I recommend by the way!

And as I said before as I got older my summer fun got older too, which also includes my motorcycle!

It’s a wonderful way to relax. As my Mom (who also rides) calls it ‘wind therapy.’

On a nice day there’s nothing like taking the bike out for a spin, it makes getting to and from places so much more fun.

I understand that motorcycles aren’t for everyone, but while you’re driving in your car stop and think about the people you’re sharing the road with. One of the things that makes motorcycles seem so scary is all the accidents people hear about. Truthfully, those accidents are caused by irresponsible drivers on both sides. People driving cars don’t look enough and people driving motorcycles think they’ve been seen or think they’re invincible.

Motorcycles are everywhere, so just be careful.

If a motorcycle isn’t for you try taking a nice drive, roll the windows down, turn the radio on, and enjoy a peaceful trip somewhere. Or even to nowhere!

Join a sport team.

Take a ride to your favorite local ice cream shop. Here we have a place that makes the ice cream on the premises, they even have cows to visit with.

Watch a movie in the backyard.

Go to a waterpark!

Go to a theme park!

Get away for a weekend! Find a nice hotel with a pool and just be spontaneous. Never know what you may find!

See a local sporting game! You don’t even have to see a big name like the Yankees or Red Sox. A lot of places have smaller city teams or even Triple A teams!

Take up a new hobby! Something you’ve always wanted to try or think might be fun. Try fishing! Snorkeling! Scuba diving! Gardening! Hiking! Golf! Tennis! Yoga! Fly a kite! Fly a drone! Fly a mini helicopter! Take lessons for a real one! Surfing! Parasailing! Boogie board!

Be silly! Do something fun for the whole family this summer! Let the kids play with chalk on the driveway. Teach them hopscotch! Learn about the stars! Go fruit picking! Rollerblading! Skateboarding!

There’s so much to do with the nice weather! The only limit is your imagination. And maybe the wallet.

But there’s tons of stuff to do rather cheaply in your own backyard.

Here’s to hoping everyone finds a little fun with their summer!

Read on and spread the love!