54 Free & Fun Things to Do This Summer

It’s never too early to break out the calendar and start filling up your summer schedule. But on the days when there isn’t anything going on, or you just want to chill on the cheap, you’ll still need some sort of warm-weather entertainment, right? Fromplanting a summer gardentohosting game nights, we’ve got you covered with our list of 49 free or nearly free activities that will ensure your summer is top-notch.

Open houses aren’t just for prospective home buyers. Well, maybe they are — but don’t let that stop you from crashing the next one in your neighborhood. Not only will attending an open house satisfy your inner snoop, it’s a great way to get home decor and design inspiration.

Fireworks are a summertime entertainment staple, particularly around Independence Day. Since pyrotechnics are traditionally displayed against the night sky, you don’t necessarily need tickets to take them in. Just scope out a good spot and enjoy the show!

Few things scream “summer” like a good old-fashioned picnic. Just pack a basket full of your favorite foods and throw down a blanket in your very own backyard for the quintessential seasonal experience.

Declutter your house and make a little extra money at the same time with a yard sale. You don’t even have to splurge on advertisements: Some simple homemade signs and a few strategic social media posts should be all you’ll need to attract a crowd.

虽然我们不能夸大支持的重要性ing local farmers and artisans, you don’t necessarily have to spend a ton of money at your nearest farmers’ market. Outdoor marketplaces are perfect for people watching and they often feature free live music and entertainment.

For some water fun that doesn’t include a pool membership, set up a sprinkler in your yard. Run through it old school, or call some friends and make some cocktails for some hilarious fun.

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Come up with different ways to mix and match some of your favorite tried-and-true clothing items.

Want to grow your indoor or outdoor garden without spending any money at all? By learninghow to propagate, you can easily multiply your favorite plants (like lavender, spider plants, or tomatoes) without spending a dime.

Whether you find a good branch and read a book or see how high you can go, climbing a tree is a totally free way to enjoy the warm weather. We can’t think of a better way to relive childhood!

If your town will have a 5k fun run this spring or summer, why not train for it and participate? Even the most hesitant runners can succeed using approaches like theCouch to 5K program, which slowly builds from no running to running a 5K in just six to 12 weeks.

If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard that gets some decent sun,planting a gardenis one of the best, low-cost things to do in the summer. It’ll keep you busy all season long, and (bonus!) you’ll enjoy fresh, delicious produce, too! No backyard? No problem! Tons of herbs and veggies — like tomatoes, peppers, carrots and basil — do really well in containers.

No backyard? No problem! Create abalcony gardenby planting herbs and veggies like tomatoes, peppers, carrots and basil in containers.

Channel that inner wild child and create your very ownslip ‘n slide. Simply throw down a couple of tarps, stake them down at the sides, then run your sprinkler over the tarps for a wet, slippery ride. Bonus points if you set it up on a downward slope.

When those long, hot summer days start getting you down, break out some fun ingredients and make your own popsicles. You may have to buy a mold likethis oneon Amazon, but there isn’t much else you’ll need; things like fruit juice, fresh fruit and yogurt are just some of the ways to make your own yummy popsicles.

Most cities have some kind of free walking tour available to download, and if you can’t find one you can easily map out some landmarks and interesting spots around your area with interesting history that you can visit. Even the tiniest towns have little-known unique spots — just grab a friend and start wandering.

Walking is free, and walking in nature, freeing. In Japan, they have something called a Shinrin-yoku, which is a “forest bathing trip,” or a quick walk in the woods. Take as many of these as you can. Head to national and state parks or even just the local trail — be sure to take any trash you create with you when you leave.

Take a vote on which movie, make sure everyone dresses in pajamas, have all the drinks and snacks prepared, and enjoy your night together.

Love to take shots for decorating your walls or your Instagram feed? Taking photos is a great thing to do in summer. Instead of just randomly taking photos, give yourself a challenge for a day. You can make up your own orsearch onlinefor popular ideas.

Even if you don’t have a garden, there may be free food within your reach. Look online for foraging maps of your city or ask friends if they know of any places to grab free fruit, nuts, herbs, and more (legally, of course) — and then search for a recipe to experiment.

If you’ve got the gear, take your kayak, raft, or canoe out for a spin. If you don’t own any kind of watercraft, finding a local swimming hole or lazy river to go for a quick dip is equally as fun.

If you’ve got your ownhammock, put it up in your backyard or at a local park, grab a great summer novel, and enjoy a few hours swinging and reading.

You don’t have to spend tons of dough buying food or special “picnic” things — just grab some snacks from the pantry and an old blanket and go sit and enjoy nature at a favorite park with friends.

Enjoy your city from a fresh perspective on your bike, or find a local trail to zoom around on.

Museums are an American favorite when it comes to things to do in the summer. Odds are there’s a free museum in your area, so take the opportunity to check it out.

Do you have furniture, art, frames, or other pieces of décor lying around that could use an upgrade? Now is a brilliant time to scavenge for cool found objects around your home and revamp them throughDIY projects.

When’s the last time you enjoyed a game of badminton? Volleyball? Tennis? Take what gear you’ve got and set it up in your backyard (or make use of the equipment at your local park) to compete against your friends.

Volunteer work is freeandmakes you feel good. Try delivering meals to older folks, organizing a cleanup around your neighborhood, restocking your local community fridge, and more.

寻找一个在夏天的事情要做lso level up your home? Collect flowers to press to make art you can hang on the wall. Find interesting branches to incorporate into your décor, as well as stones and pinecones. You can look in your backyard for a lot of objects that can bring nature into your interiors.

Find a playground not currently occupied by a gaggle of kiddos and let loose. Slide with abandon. Swing like you don’t have motion sickness. See if you can cross to the other side of the monkey bars without falling.

For those overcast and rainy summer days, call up your friends and challenge them to a bake off. Turn it into a friendly competition by only being allowed to use the ingredients you already have on hand or allow everyone to make a quick grocery run. No matter if you win or lose, you get a delicious treat out of it regardless.

When it’s framed, just about anything looks good. So don’t be shy to grab whateverart suppliesyou have on hand (even just a pencil and paper) to go outside and sketch/watercolor/pencil color/oil paint nature. You could get some pretty good art out of it!

Have some camping supplies in a closet somewhere that barely get any use? You don’t have to trek to a far-off wilderness location to have any fun in nature. Use your own backyard to pitch a tent, drag out a mattress, and make s’mores. Absolutely no judgment if you sneak back into the house to sleep the rest of the night.

It goes without saying that building a sandcastle is one of the very best things to do in the summer. If you’re near any beaches (or even sandboxes), challenge yourself to spend an afternoon building a truly impressive sandcastle. (CheckYouTubefor video inspiration if you want to get really serious.)

You can find tons ofscavenger hunt ideasonline (or you can craft your own). Grab your friends, set up some prizes, and spend an afternoon seeing whose hunting skills are the strongest.

Yes, it’s still a thing! The old-school way to geocache involved a GPS unit, but now there are apps that make it easy to get started — you can sign up for ageocache accountand go for a hunt. Not only is it free, but you might also get something out of it if you find a particularly good treasure cache.

Is there anything more humbling than gazing up at the heavens above? Pick a clear night, find a quiet spot away from city lights, and bring a telescope or even just a blanket to gaze up. Check outConstellation Guideto find what stars (or planets) to pick out of your night sky. Or time your stargazing for a night when there’s a meteor shower for a spectacular show.

Meetupis meant to get people hanging out, and it’s free to join. So whether you pick a hiking group, book club, or whatever else sparks your interest, you can have plenty of fun without necessarily spending money.

Treat your pet to a day of perks: hit the beach, the dog park, or anywhere they can run around and get crazy. Chances are high you’ll have a great time, too.

You can finally start on those books you’ve been meaning to read. Call up some friends and see if they’d be interested in reading the same novel and meet up once a week or so to discuss.

Did you know regularly rearranging furniture can havemental health benefits? Well, it can! If you’re one of the folks who absolutely loves making your home look fresh and new on the regular, spend a day wildly rearranging not just furniture and accessories, but also whole rooms and art on the walls.

Like on an actual phone. Send a text first to ask if you can call if you’re phone-shy (aren’t we all these days?).

Grab yourbest stationary(or make your own) and send some dear friends some correspondence. Try slipping pressed flowers from your yard to friends to send a piece of your home to them.

Another one of those things to do in summer that’s free to do and benefits people in need! You can set up a dance marathon, a charity night with talented friends who can sing or do comedy, or even a craft night where you can sew or make items that can be donated.

Can you remember the last time you ever just sat and watched the world go by, instead of staring at your phone? If it feels funny, bring a book out with you to make you feel a bit less awkward.

Do you have someboard gamescollecting dust somewhere in your home? Grab some snacks, your roommates, or your kids and plan to not get up until you play each and every one.

当你没有预算的新房子的事情, it can be easy to want to stay away from design stores (and even sad if you feel like you can’t take anything home). But it doesn’t have to be sad! Leave the credit cards in your wallet and go online window shopping for ideas and inspiration.

There are plenty of names for the phenomenon (like just a typical weekday night), but check out what you have on hand — maybe even those ingredients you’ve had in the back of your pantry for a while — and see if you can create a cool meal without going to the store by getting creative.

Do you have any older relatives that live near you? See if you can swing by with goodies and have a visit. Ask them for fun stories from when they were growing up; you might be surprised and delighted.

YouTube is a goldmine of videos showing you how to do and make all kinds of things. Why not spend a rainy afternoon trying to master some small trick you can whip out to impress your friends? (Or just entertain yourself).

You don’t need a spa day at a real spa — just spend a little time transforming your own bathroom into an at-home one you can pamper yourself in.

Does your town have any notable former residents? Any structures built by famous architects? Any battlefields? Any “largest in the world” things? Do a little research to find out! (And then put the items on a potential future walking tour).

Some comedy clubs and coffee shops offer open mic nights for free. The comedy might be cringe-worthy, or you could stumble on someone pretty funny! Perhaps even sign yourself up for next month’s standup if you’re feeling brave.

Many favorite authors with recently released titles have book tours. Check them out to learn more about your favorite author and their newest masterpiece.

Try learning how to make something from scratch — especially something you like to have a lot of, like hummus or throw pillows. It might take a bit of money on supplies to start, but then you’ll be saving money the whole summer long making items instead of buying them.