Can you help me with my summer fun list?

[herbgeek]

Now that the weather is nicer, I've got the bug to get outside and do stuff. I'd like to put together a list of fun things to do with the following criteria:

- low cost, under $20
- something that can easily be done alone - hubby is working and I'm unemployed. I'm a little self conscious about going out for meals alone (although I sometimes do)
- minimal skills or equipment needed, or uses equipment I can handle alone (I have a kayak, but can't attach it to the car by myself)
- doesn't primarily involve shopping, though shopping can be peripheral to the activity
- doesn't /have/ to be a specific summer activity (can use these ideas in other seasons)

Here's what I have so far:

1. Get free tickets at the local library for the local botanical garden, wildflower garden, Rose park
2. Summertime lunchtime concerts in the city
3. Picnic lunches by scenic waterways
4. Visit the greenhouses at a nearby ag grant university
5. Bike rides in the area, particularly neighborhoods I haven't seen
6. Hiking with the local hiking club chapter that has a lot of retired people, that does hikes during the week


Can you help by adding your ideas to the list?

[Rosemary]

7. Free or low-cost seminars by local garden clubs and other organizations.
8. Activities sponsored by local churches, for instance concerts, discussion groups, seminars. Many here have special events that are not specific to church members.
9. Community theater shows.
10. Museums. Sometimes you can get free passes, and some museums may have special discount days.
11. Summer festivals - there are so many here, that you could go to one every weekend.
12. Walk through local historic neighborhoods.
13. Attend demonstrations at craft or cooking shops.
14. Seminars at the local libraries.
15. Outdoor films - in various places I've lived these have been screened by museums or libraries.
16. Picnic in different parks.
17. Visit a historic building for a tour.
18. Events at cultural centers or sponsored by ethnic groups.
19. Learn something new from a library video or book, or delve further into current interests.
20. Photograph your town or the natural areas around. Or create a macro photograph collection of flowers by season.

[Rogar]

Do you ever thing about bird watching? I've had fun learning the different birds and their songs when I'm out in natural areas and parks. Also, our county open space has several volunteer opportunities that get you outside but don't take a huge amount of time. Some of them are simple, like looking for noxious weeds, and others are more complicated. Something I've done every spring and summer. I plan on working a few hours a week at our local Habitat for Humanity reuse store once the weather gets hot and I want to be inside where it's cool. Call me sick, but I sort of enjoy some exterior painting projects this time of year and it's also a good time to pick up some furniture at the antique or second hand store and do some refinishing outdoors.

[sweetana3]

Volunteer for some activity. We were just registration people for a new spina bifada walk and met some really interesting people. They always need dog walkers at the local humane shelter or play with the cats. Volunteer for a bike ride or race. Again, a huge number of interesting people.

See if there is a local vegetarian society. They often have pitch ins and a nice group to talk to.

I go to all the free art festivals. Never buy anything but carefully inspect each interesting booth and talk to the artists. Great way to spend several hours for zero cost. Every first Friday our city has a free Art Walk and all the galleries are open. The second Friday of each month, a suburban town does the same thing.

I love garage sales. As much for the people holding them as for the possible bargains. I learned all about the grandmother whose yarn was being sold. (bought over 100 skeins for mother in law for less than $50. Value at retail way over $300 and it helps her save her money for important bills.)

[fidgiegirl]

it's also a good time to pick up some furniture at the antique or second hand store and do some refinishing outdoors.

I know you're not looking for profit centers here, herbgeek, but I do have a friend who does a handy little side business doing just this. If it's something you enjoy and could make a few bucks at the same time, well, win-win.

Barbara Winter in "Making a Living Without a Job" talks about how she challenged herself to try all the possible combinations she could come up with raspberries and chocolate over the course of a year. Or what was another one of her challenges? Anyway, she had several. Or, I heard of a woman who walked every street in Minneapolis. I think it took her seven years. You get the idea, though. Pick a theme and then work on accumulating those experiences or working toward that goal.

[Rosemary]

Be a renegade gardener. Find neglected corners and plant them with easy-care plants by seeds or splits from your own garden plants.
Walk at least 10,000 steps/day, anywhere.
Start a neighborhood newsletter and interview neighbors for it.
Volunteer with a local organization.
Start a native plant or culinary/medicinal herb society.

[JaneV2.0]

Although this is a game better played by two, if you're determined to go solo--take a good playground ball to the nearest park with tennis backstops and treat yourself to a rousing session of catch. I've been known to play in my living room, which is much less likely to lead to laughing and finger-pointing, but it's all fun.

[Miss Cellane]

Some random ideas.

Does your state have historical markers in historical places? After my dad retired, he found a map detailing where every historical marker in the state was, and spent a year or two traveling around to each and every one of them, taking pictures as he went. When that was done, he visited every covered bridge in the state, then every brewery and winery and every scenic road and overlook.

What are you interested in? Is there a class at the local community college? Could you give a talk on your favorite subject at the local library?

Pick a favorite author and read all his/her books. You can combine this with picnic lunches at scenic spots.

Check your state and town websites for free or low-cost activities. And your state website may have ideas you'd never think of.

Go here: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ and type in your town, neighboring towns and the nearest large city. There's sure to be something to do there.

[herbgeek]

Lots of good ideas- please keep 'em coming! Love that roadside america site, all kinds of odd things I never knew about!

[rosarugosa]

This is a great thread. I love that link too, thanks Miss Cellane! We live in Saugus, MA so we get to say good morning to the orange dinosaur every day. We also visited the Cheshire Cheese monument several years ago; we get a kick out of stuff like that.

[AmeliaJane]

In our part of the world, summer is indoor time! One thing I have done in the past, and would like to try again, is to take a new cookbook and just cook my way through from start to finish (or until I get tired of it). Of course you can skip recipes that include ingredients you just don't like, or that involve expensive equipment, but doing it that way really forces you to try out recipes that wouldn't necessarily grab you if you were picking just a few. I have found some favorite new dishes that way!

This is a great thread. My job is really seasonal in that October-April are incredibly busy, including evening and weekend work, and then the other five months are much slower. I am determined to find things to do other than movies and books (although I am looking forward to a few good Sunday afternoons with the To Be Read pile...) with my summer.

[Gardenarian]

Go to your library - they often offer fun free or low-cost activities. Our library has museum passes that you can borrow. They also keep all the newsletters from local organizations and you can check them for events - bird walks, hikes, plant societies, book talks, concerts, lectures, and more.

[fidgiegirl]

Ooh, thought of another one . . . our state parks have GPS units to rent to do geocaching. That could be fun to try!

[treehugger]

Go here: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ and type in your town, neighboring towns and the nearest large city. There's sure to be something to do there.

This made me laugh, I just looked up my city and there are a total of 2 super lame things. So lame that I wish I could share them with y'all, but I don't want to pinpoint my location that closely. One more reason in the "pro" column for moving when DH graduates from college. :)

Kara