Your sparkling summer has arrived! Summer is a time to be sparkling, inside and out. Longer days, warmer air, and a more lively energy make this time of year perfect for falling in love with life.
Shout out to Taylor Swift for coining this term. Though it sounds like it could also be a refreshing cocktail.
What is a sparkling summer? It’s exactly what it sounds like – a summer that you will look back on with rose colored lenses and think, “WOW.” You’ll remember all of the sparkly and shiny moments you had and smile. It is a summer where you embrace life, community, and the people around you. It’s a summer with a blend of trying brand new things but also all of the old things that you used to love as a child.
Above all, a sparkling summer should be filled with things that you truly enjoy. If you’re at a loss for fun ideas or want to mix up your usual routine this summer, this post is for you.
Summer is coming – here are 30 ideas on how to make the very most of it:
1. Go to the beach and paint seashells.
A beach day is a summertime rite of passage. Take it a step further and bring your own activity to do on the beach. All you need is paint and brushes! Hunting for seashells on the beach is a whimsy activity in itself. Search for your treasure then spend the afternoon painting on your blanket.
You can keep your shells or gift them to a friend. You could even string them and make a necklace. The best paint for shells is acrylic paint. This set of 16 acrylic paint colors also comes with 3 brushes. You’ll also want a plate or dish to squirt out the paint colors for easy access.
2. Create a summer bucket list.
Get yourself on Canva or Pinterest and start creating your dream bucket list. Or write it down on with some glittery gel pens and hang it on your bathroom mirror. Have as much audacity as you can! Write out your wildest bucket list ideas without holding back.
Creating a bucket list reawakens a child-like excitement and that’s what your sparkling summer is all about! Get excited about all of the potential this summer!
3. Get a reservation at the fanciest restaurant in town & have a girls’ night.
Book a table somewhere fancy, somewhere you would never normally go. Take a few of your friends and have a fancy girls’ night; wear your fanciest outfits because life is the special occasion. Order something off of the menu outside your comfort zone and savor it. Have the 2nd (or 3rd) cocktail!
4. Bedazzle a pair of jeans.
Or overalls, or a denim jacket. Take a piece of clothing that you rarely wear anymore and upgrade it with some sequins! It could be something you’ll wear to a party or festival over the summer or really just a fun activity!
You can use fabric glue and regular flatback rhinestones. While you may only get a few wears out of them, it’s literally a sparkling activity for summer.
5. Make an ice cream sundae.
Because you deserve a cool sweet treat! Gather all of the toppings you love: gummy bears, sprinkles, whip cream, oreos, chunks of your favorite candy, chocolate syrup, or anything else you can get your hands on. Make yourself the most indulgent ice cream sundae that you can and enjoy it out on the porch or the balcony.
Turn on some of your favorite childhood songs while you’re at it.
6. Go to a drive in movie.
There is something so vintage about a drive in movie! You get to cozy up in your car and watch a movie under the stars.
Try adding some extra coziness by lining your trunk with fairy lights, a soft blanket, and some throw pillows. You can get battery operated fairy lights from Amazon, and then tape or pin them around the ceiling of your trunk. So cute!
7. Make s’mores.
If you can make s’mores around a campfire, that’s a bonus! Have a campfire with some friends or family and make a gooey s’more! Now that I think of it, I haven’t had a s’more in years – it’s absolutely on the list this summer.
If you can’t have a campfire, you can make s’mores on the stove or microwave. Eat them outside for that outdoorsy / camping feel.
8. Pick a bouquet of wildflowers for your house or apartment.
Flowers are so sparkly and romantic for summer! Even more so is picking them yourself. Go for a walk around you neighborhood or town and see if you can find any wild flowers. Please don’t pick flowers from people’s gardens. Only wild flowers that are growing on the side of the road or in an abandoned field.
Once you have your bundle, go home and place them in a vase or a glass cup if it’s a smaller bundle. Place your vase somewhere you’ll be able to see it daily.
9. Stay out late with friends and stargaze.
Get some friends together on a clear night and look at the stars! All you need is a blanket or some pool towels and to lay outside. You can use someone’s backyard or go to local park. Bring a bottle of prosecco to split for added sparkle.
10. Host a slumber party.
Sleepover! Invite your best girlfriends over for a slumber party. Go full 2000s with it and bring sleeping bags so that everyone can sleep in the living room. Pick out cheesy rom com movies and have the best time.
Upgrade your slumber party with a charcuterie board instead of popcorn, and cocktails instead of soda. The actual joys of adulthood!
11. Attend an outdoor concert.
I guarantee you that there is an outdoor concert going on within an hour of your neighborhood this summer. Even if you don’t know the artist, go! It’s such an experience to be outside enjoying music with thousands of other strangers.
12. Go night swimming.
As a child, I was lucky enough to have a pool. My brother and I had a bedtime, even in the summer, but every now and then, we were allowed to stay up extra late and go night swimming. It felt so magical. There was something so special about being able to swim when it should be bedtime.
Night swimming now, despite not having a pool, is more accessible, since bedtimes don’t apply (usually). Find a night to go night swimming. Jump in the pool after a fun night out or stay on the beach or lake past sunset and have a night swim.
13. Visit a theme park.
Try going to a local theme park in your state. It could be a big, famous theme park or just a local fair. Ride at least one ride and be sure to get ice cream or popcorn.
14. Go for a hike or bike ride.
Get outside! Take a hike solo or with friends on a local trail. Or take a bike ride instead.
On your journey (whether it be on foot or on wheels), notice as many beautiful things as you can. Look at the trees, the flowers, the sky, the birds – the world around you is so beautiful. Breath in the warm summer air and appreciate any company you have with you; these are the moments that make your summer sparkling.
15. Watch fireworks.
I guarantee you that you’ll be able to find somewhere to view fireworks this summer. Because the Fourth of July is in summer! Find a good viewing spot and lay out a blanket to enjoy some fireworks – it’ll be sparkling, literally!
16. Make friendship bracelets.
I don’t care how old you are, you will have fun making friendship bracelets with your girls. You have several options here as you can make string bracelets or stretchy beaded bracelets. Exchange them with each other or bring them to trade at a festival.
When I was younger, I was big on the string friendship bracelets with elaborate braids and woven patterns, but now, I only have enough patience to make beaded ones. Though this summer might be the one for string (it’s less of a mess).
- Bracelet String (for braiding and weaving)
- Bracelet Making Beads
17. Pick fresh fruit.
Find a local farm and check if they offer fruit picking. Some of the best fruits to pick during summertime are blueberries, strawberries, and peaches. Take it a step further and bake a fresh summer treat with your gatherings. Blueberry cobbler or strawberry rhubarb are summer staples! And they taste so much better knowing the fruit has been freshly picked by YOU!
18. Go dancing.
Please go dancing this summer! Once again, it doesn’t matter your age, dancing is for everyone. I always love to remember that Carrie Bradshaw was 32 in season 1 of Sex and the City. And those girls went out dancing for 6 seasons (and beyond I’m sure).
But where to dance!? Google it – “places to go out dancing in (your city).” And have fun!
19. Print out pictures and make a photo album.
There’s something about holding physical photos of your memories. Select a few of your favorite snaps from your camera roll and get them printed. Create a photo album! It could be a specific trip you had or a season in your life that you want to remember forever. If you’re super artsy you could scrapbook with your album and add in colors and stickers to make it *sparkle!*
My favorite kind of album is a mixture of pictures and writing (so that you remember the moment). I love this album where you can insert a photo and write a quick blurb next to it.
20. Switch up your bedding.
For summer, try swapping to a lighter comforter. This is also romanticizing your summer, because you could choose something that is a more summer-y pattern or color. You’ll notice it every time you enter your bedroom!
21. Go roller skating.
Outside! Or inside! Go to a local roller skating rink where you can rent skates and pretend it’s the 90s. If you have your own skates you can take things outside and skate around a park or around your neighborhood.
It’s also a great skill to learn over the summer if you haven’t gone roller skating since childhood. It’s a little tougher than riding a bike, but just as fun!
22. Plan a road trip (and do it).
Plan a road trip around your state! Look up the local landmarks and see how many you can hit. Or if you’re feeling really ambitious, travel out of state.
23. Write.
Try starting a journal. I even have a post that details how to start journaling. Writing is an excellent outlet for stress and anxiety, but it’s also a good grounding technique. You can write about pretty much anything!
Write a story, a song, a poem, or a list of your favorite words. It’s fun to put pen to paper sometimes.
24. Join a sports team or watch a sporting event.
Check your city’s website to see if there are any community sports teams. If not, try starting one! You could get a sports league started with your coworkers and their families and grow it from there. If you’re not much of a sports player, be a fan! Attend local sporting events – you can likely find free ones.
Look specifically for baseball, soccer, or volleyball games, as those will be the ones in season over the summer.
25. Treat yourself to a shopping spree.
A *summer* shopping spree to be exact. You don’t have to splash out a lot of cash, but a sparkling summer deserves a treat. Buy yourself a new bathing suit, or a new sundress that you LOVE. To add extra sparkly-ness to this activity, shop at a mall or an outlet, rather than online.
26. Switch out your scents.
Time to switch to summer scents! Switch out your perfume, your lotions, your candles, and opt for something fresher and lighter. Pick out a scent that smells like summer to you – it could even be more of a nostalgic scent that reminds you of those childhood summers (hello Bath & Body Works Sea Island Shore).
27. Eat dinner outside often.
Summer is the time to eat outside on the porch, the deck, or the balcony. As the sun starts going down, the air turns into a such a cozy comfortable warmth. Some of my fondest memories of summer are eating outside on the deck. It just felt like a special occasion every time we set the table outside on the deck.
If you’re out to eat, and they have an outdoor option, use this too!
28. Do 1 thing outside of your comfort zone.
Summer is a time for fun and not being too uncomfortable. But doing uncomfortable things is how we grow and how we develop more confidence. So I challenge you to do just ONE thing outside of that zone this summer.
Ideas:
- Sing karaoke.
- Travel or go out to eat solo.
- Do a brand new workout class.
- Try new food.
- Reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
29. Read a beachy paperback book from a gift shop.
You know the type of gift shop – the kind that is in an airport, or on the side of the road in a beachy town. Pick up the most cliche-looking beach themed book you can find. It’ll probably be really really good!
30. Don’t think too much.
Have fun and don’t overthink your life, the world, or your days too much. If it’s an off day, it’s an off day and that is okay. Remember, quite literally no one is happy 100% of the time and life is far from perfect. Cling to the moments that make life beautiful and know that we are only here for a short visit. This too shall pass so love the good moments and acknowledge the bad moments, but don’t harp on those too much. It’s going to be a beautiful and sparkling summer.
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Your sparkling summer is all about you this season – don’t let anybody dull it! I truly hope you found some value in this post. Thanks so much for reading <3
