What Can My Family Do on a Summer Leisure Day?
When the sun is shining and the temperatures are pleasantly warm, it’s the perfect summer leisure day to take your family on an adventure. Whether you choose to go on a grand excursion or catch up on errands, the day is yours to do whatever you wish. While work and other obligations can bog us down, there’s nothing more refreshing than spending time with your family on a breezy, fun summer day. It allows you to create new memories and bond with your family in ways that you usually might not be able to do. When you spend time together as a family doing fun things, it can also help you recover from a stressful week or a season when tensions are running high.
Summer is the perfect season for letting loose and having some good times before school or other obligations come back into play. Even if you only have one day to do something leisurely with your family, the quality of the time you spend together will matter even more than the quantity. After all, one great afternoon means more than a bunch of so-so or downright terrible times together, right? With one day off, you can make an impact on your family members’ lives in the long term. Depending on how you spend a summer leisure day, it could be the thing that your family talks about fondly every time summer rolls around again.
If you don’t know what to do on a day off in the summer, a great place to start is the list of activities we’ve compiled below. While this list isn’t exhaustive, it’ll give you a head start on thinking about activities your family might like to do. It can also help you get out of your way while you’re planning your day off with your family. Sometimes, an outside perspective on things to do can spark new ideas you hadn’t even considered before. At least, that’s what we hope you’ll find happening as you read this list.
Enjoy Luxurious Treatments
A little bit of pampering can go a long way toward deepening the bond between you and your family members. On a summer leisure day, there’s nothing quite like heading to the cryotherapy chambers or getting a massage. Even something as simple as heading to the drug store to purchase an anti-aging skin treatment from their skincare products can make you and your loved ones feel refreshed and renewed. Whether you opt for an opulent skincare treatment or you stick with little luxuries on a budget, treating yourself with something you wouldn’t usually get is a great way to practice self-care in the summer.
Care for Your Pet
Having a fun summer leisure day with your family can include every family member–including the four-footed ones! When you have an opportunity to care for your pet on your day off, it can be rewarding and bring a smile to your face. If you want to care for your pet while giving your family the time and space they need on their own to have a good time, you can enroll your pup in doggy daycare for the day. This way, your dog will have a little excursion of their own while you go out and have fun with your family. It can take away the stress of leaving your dog at home and worrying about whether the pillows and other household items will be intact when you return.
If you plan on heading out early in the day, you should look for a dog daycare that opens at 6 am When you can drop your dog off early in the morning, you’ll have the whole day ahead of you to enjoy for yourself. Even if you decide to drop your dog off later, it’ll be nice to have the flexibility to place your dog in a safe, caring environment early in the morning if your plans end up changing.
Other ways to care for your pet on a summer leisure day include taking your dog to the groomer, bringing your pup to the local dog park, and even taking your cat on a walk with the appropriate harness gear and leash. On a less fun note, you can use this time to take your pet to the vet if they’re due for an annual wellness exam. You can also take a day off to bond at home with your furbabies on the porch, basking in the sun’s rays from the comfort of your own space.
Catch up on Appointments
When you have a day off, it might be tempting to take a summer leisure day to only do fun things with your family. For many folks, life doesn’t stop just because work stops for a day. Unfortunately, the reality of being an adult frequently means that you have to spend your days off catching up on appointments. If you have kids with orthodontic needs, this may mean researching the best orthodontic treatments and scheduling an appointment for treatments like Invisalign braces.
It can also mean taking yourself or your family members to the doctor’s office or attending meetings that are unrelated to work. While it might not be fun to catch up on appointments, it’ll feel good to end the day knowing that you took care of everything that needed to be done. Just because you’re catching up on appointments doesn’t mean you can’t turn the chore into a good time by going out for ice cream or a mall trip after your appointments are over.
Go on a Road Trip
There’s nothing like having the wide-open road ahead of you on a summer road trip. If you’re thinking of traveling this summer, why not pick a destination within driving distance and go on a road trip? You can have a reason for traveling to a certain place like a concert or destination amusement park. You can also hit the road, take in the sights, and see where it leads you on your journey. There’s no right or wrong way to do a road trip, but there are some things you can do as you’re planning the road trip to make it run more smoothly.
Before you head to your new destination on the road in the summer heat, you’ll want to ensure that your car is in working order. Certain parts of the car like the air conditioner are especially vital for staying comfortable and safe during your travels in the summer months. Instead of leaving the state of your car’s AC up to chance, we recommend calling a car air conditioning repair service to inspect the air conditioner and fix any problems before you kick off your journey. A couple of hours in the repair shop can save you days of struggling with high heat without any relief from an AC. Even if your AC isn’t broken, it can help to get a mechanic who specializes in automotive AC systems to take a look at your AC during the summer. If you notice issues like strange noises, decreased power, or flat-out refusal to work in your AC in your car, it’s time to get the AC checked out before a road trip of any length.
With boring, practical tasks like getting your AC inspected out of the way, you’ll be all set to go on a summer road trip. While traveling, make sure to take a ton of pictures to capture these wonderful summer leisure day memories. Also, you’ll want to pack plenty of water and snacks to keep you and your family hydrated and healthy on the road. If you plan on going on a long road trip, plan how you’ll rotate driving responsibilities and where you’ll stop for the night before you venture onto the highway.
Shop Til You Drop
Maybe you’ve been eyeing that vaping kit at the smoke shop for a while now. Or perhaps there’s a toy that caught your kiddo’s eye. Whether you’re on a mission to buy something specific or you’re window shopping to see what tickles your fancy at the moment, shopping is a great way to spend a summer leisure day. When it’s too hot outside to do any activities outdoors, heading indoors to your favorite department store or mall can be an ideal way to stay cool while still having fun.
If you don’t have a big budget, you can go to a dollar store or thrift store to save some money while still getting your shopping fix. If you have a lot of extra money at the moment, you can hit up your favorite stores or invest in that purchase that you’ve been saving up to buy. Even if you don’t end up buying a whole lot, you can still have a great time as a family looking at different items and window shopping. If you come home weighed down with shopping bags, you’ll have plenty of mementos to remember that fun summer leisure day with your family long after the sun sets.
Go Out to Eat
Sometimes, a meal together is all it takes to make a summer leisure day memorable for your family. If you’re taking your family out to eat, try to find a family friendly restaurant so you know you’ll all have a good time together. Some restaurants may not be as family-friendly as others. What’s more, some restaurants may create an environment that’s decidedly not for parents of small children. Depending on what your family is like, some restaurants may be better for you than others.
If you have little kids, choosing a sit-down-style restaurant with high chairs and a kids’ menu can make your time out much less stressful. If the servers are used to serving families, they may have an easier time balancing your needs with the demands of other customers. On top of that, they may understand substituting sides for picky eaters or bringing out the crayons when your children get impatient. While eating is something we all have to do every day, you can make your day off in the summer more fun by going out on the town to eat with your family.
Enjoy the Beach
For activities to do on a summer leisure day, we can’t leave out the beach. Whether you rent some nice beach front condos near the water or you drive to the beach for a day, splashing around in the ocean and building sand castles is a classic summer activity for a reason. You’ll be able to soak up the sun and then head into the water to cool off. For extra fun, you can pack a beachside picnic or dine at a restaurant near the beach. No matter how long you spend at the beach, your family will have a great time. There’s nothing quite like spending a weekend or an afternoon catching waves and getting sand between your toes. If you don’t live near a beach, you can visit the local pool or plan your summer leisure day and travel to the beach.
Care for Your Home
With nice weather, summer is the perfect time to complete home improvement projects. From AC repair to roof replacement, the summer months are ideal for getting your home in top shape. From practical repairs to cosmetic renovations, caring for your home is a great way to spend a summer leisure day.
In short, there’s no shortage of things to do on a summer day with family. While there are some common summer activities like going out for ice cream or going to the beach, these aren’t the only things you can do on a recreational day in the summer. Mixing it up with new ideas can make it all the more enjoyable and exciting when you get a chance to spend time with your family in the summer. If you have a new furry family member, you might also need to adjust how you think about spending a leisurely day off in the summer. Additionally, if you’ve been neglecting some errands or letting some self-care needs go by the wayside, you might need to prioritize those on your day to yourself instead of doing something frivolous. We hope these tips will inspire your summer family fun!