Guys. It’s already AUGUST. How is this possible?! Every year around this time, as the stores start putting out Back to School supplies and Fall Decor, I sit back and realize Summer is almost behind us. And every year I also realize that I have not lived my Summer to the fullest.
It seems that while I have the best intentions to have the best summer ever, I end up letting real life get the best of me, and spend my summers busting my butt at my jobs and forgetting to take some time to enjoy myself and this beautiful weather before the leaves start to fall. (PS… I’m like SUPER excited about that. But your girl is just trying to live out these last few weeks of summer to the fullest!)
So here is my personal reminder, that we’ve got 28 days of Summer left… and it’s seriously time to get going on those Summer Bucket Lists!
Here are 20 Summer Bucket List items you can still cross off before the Summer is over!
Eat Ice Cream. It was Number 1 on my list last summer, it was Number 1 again this summer, and it’s Number 1 now. Why? Because ice cream is the quintessential summer treat, and Michigan makes some of the best there is. My favorites are Moomer’s in Traverse City and House of Flavors in Ludington and Manistee.
Take a Hike. Hiking is good for the soul. Whether you’re trying to escape into nature, clear your head, or just looking for something fun to do, hiking is always the answer. While we might not have mountains, we do have picturesque dunes, rocky lakeshore and lush forests you can explore. You’ll find hundreds of hikes around our great state, but I think some of the best call the Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks home.
Head to the beach. It’s not summertime in Northern Michigan without a beach day… or 10. Grab your sunscreen, pack a picnic and go enjoy a perfect day at the beach.
Catch a festival. Michigan has SO.MANY.FESTIVALS. And while most of them are behind us, there are still plenty of Late Summer festivals that you can catch! Plus, the Michigan State Fair is coming too!
Cheer on the Tigs… and come say “Hi!” to me! We’ve still got a few more home stands this season 🙂
Go fishing. In the words of my husband “Eat.Sleep.Fish.”
Play in a waterfall. The UP is full of them! Click here to see my favorite waterfalls across our UP!
Find a Summer Brew. Michigan is home to hundreds of incredible craft breweries! Most have special summer brews. Take some time to taste as many as you can to find your new summer favorite. Might I suggest Short’s Soft Parade Shandy?! 🙂
Find Your Park. The National Park Service encourages everyone to find their park. And while I’ll tell you without hesitation my favorite national park is Grand Teton (find all my Jackson Hole posts here) my heart belongs to The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. If you don’t fall in love with The Dunes the second you step foot on them, you just may not have a heart. 😉
Get Picture(d) Perfect. Last June, I went back to the Pictured Rocks for the first time since I was little… and oh boy did I fall in love with them all over again! Pack up your family (friends, or yourself!) and head to Munising. I promise you will not be disappointed! (See my Pictured Rocks posts here!)
Find a hidden gem. Michigan is filled with Hidden Gems. Get out there and find them! (And then tell me what you find so I can go explore them too!) My most recent favorite hidden gem? Kitch-iti-ipi! (Read all about it here.)
Get on island time. One of my absolute favorite summer trips in my great state is to Mackinac Island. Click here to see everything I love about this place in the summertime!
Go Shopping at a Farmer’s Market. Fresh coasts = Fresh flavors. With thousands of farms, orchards and vineyards, Michigan is one of the best places to get the freshest ingredients for your summer dishes. While there are some awesome big ones in bigger cities, I love the little local markets that are sprinkled up and down M22!
Seek a pleasant peninsula. LOL taking our state motto super literally here… but seriously. Our state has so many places that were basically made for your summer vacations! Just click my Mitten Monday tab and start scrolling… I guarantee you’ll find the most perfect place to explore this summer!
Eat Outside. Something about summer just makes me want to eat outside. Whether it’s picnics in the park, food trucks on the side of the road, or picture perfect patios, food tastes better under the sweet summer sunshine.
Snuggle up by the fire. Arguably my favorite summer tradition is sitting around the fire with my family. We sit there for hours laughing, talking and playing lawn games. Some of my favorite memories are around the fire. And if you already have a fire roaring, you might as well…
Make Hobo Pies. Is this what everyone calls them? Or just us Northern Michiganders? I’ve heard them called campfire pies too. Either way, grab your fillin’s and make a delicious treat! In my family we like to have Hobo Pie night and make all sorts of dinner ones, like pizza or nachos. But we almost always have everything we need on hand to make dessert Hobo Pies any night of the week.
Catch a sunset. Because Michigan Summer Sunsets are the prettiest in the whole entire world.
Spend a Day On The Lake: Grab a boat and get out onto one of our great lakes. You’ll have the best, most “summer” day ever.
And there you have it my friends. All of these things can be done in the next few weeks… What are your plans to make the most of the rest of your summer?! Mine is to eat more ice cream.
Alright my loves. I’m off to work to get this week started. Here’s to hoping it goes by fast and fun and that I get out early every day. (A girl can dream, right?!)
Have a great Monday everyone! Bachelorette finale tonight!!
Xx.
Savannah
Savannah, What are those riser looking things that you see on top of the walkway to the lighthouse? I have seen them on some pictures and then not on others. What are they for?
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